Standard Model A with Green Horn

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jboger
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Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by jboger »

I picked this up at a recent auction along with some other machines. All had been neglected for a long time. This machine is running fine, but as you can see it is missing a piece of corner molding. That horn is an original Columbia Model A horn.

I may be mistaken in what I now write, so please correct me if I am wrong. I've seen a number of Columbia screw-in horns. The Model As I've seen always had either a red or blue 8-petal horn with gold trim. And always of a certain size. I thought these two colors were the only colors that Columbia supplied for these client machines. If the horn was of a different color or a larger size, I concluded the horn was not original to the machine. So I found it interesting that I found this green horn that is identical to the red and blue horns in every way but color. The paint is original.

A word about that piece of molding. One of the reasons I bought this even though the molding was missing on one corner (I'm fussy about wood) was because I had original pieces from a defunct early Model A. As it turns out, the early Model A had a smaller motor and hence a smaller case. These pieces of molding are therefore short by about ¼ inch. I wasn't happy about this because I thought I had a quick fix. So it goes.
Attachments
std2.jpg
std1.jpg

HisMastersVoice
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Re: Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by HisMastersVoice »

Looks like an Aretino horn to me. Here's a photo of mine:
IMG_5734.JPG

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FellowCollector
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Re: Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by FellowCollector »

I've seen original green horns on the Standard Model A but they're much harder to find than the red and blue horns.

I'd be interested in seeing a picture of the motor in your Standard Model A here. The most common Standard Model A's had the start/stop/speed shaft protruding from the cabinet front with the very common Columbia single spring motor with vertically positioned mainspring.

The very last version of the Standard Model A had a substantially larger cabinet, sliding top mounted start/stop lever with a speed dial indicator and a dramatically different (and simple!) single spring motor with horizontally positioned mainspring. This final version of the Standard Model A is VERY scarce. I have just one of these in the collection and I looked for many years to find a nice example.

Jerry B.
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Re: Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by Jerry B. »

What length molding do you need? Jerry B.

jboger
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Re: Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by jboger »

Let me give a quick response just to let people know that I've read what they've written.

HMV: I will measure the length of my horn. You may be right that I have an Arentino horn on my machine, but your horn looks elongated compared with mine. Could be just the angles of the photo, but I will check into this.

Doug: My machine has the speed control / break on the top. I have two early style Model A's with the brake / speed control rod in the front. My new machine does not have a hole in the base for the rod, but it does have the red Standard Model A decal. I have looked at the motor. It lines up perfectly with the crank hole. The oak case is taller than my other ones but not by that much. I will try to measure things and photograph them tomorrow. But i may need to wait until next week to get these things uploaded.

Jerry: I will measure them tomorrow. If I have time, I will photograph a spare corner molding from an early Model A.

I'm afraid I go on travel for a week starting tomorrow. I may just not have time to get these things done tomorrow. But I will surely do them when I get back.

Phonofreak
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Re: Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by Phonofreak »

Here is a general rule of thumb of what color horns go with the Columbia Client machines. For a Standard Model, the most common was red. Then the blue, and once in a while, black. The Harmony had a blue horn. Aretino machines had a green horn. This is not set in stone, though. It is what ever Columbia decided what manufacture that day. Your machine is a later Standard Model A. Sometimes the case was solid with a metal bed plate holding the motor and speed control. Some of the later ones had a wooden motor board that held the motor, speed control, and screws onto the case. These were never hinged.Also, the crank was towards the rear. I believe these motors came out around 1911 or 1912. The crank was either a cast flat bar or the bent rod type. It's a nice machine and worth restoring.
Harvey Kravitz

jboger
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Re: Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by jboger »

Answers to some questions.

Jerry: The corner molding is 3-¼ inches compared to 3.0 inches for the early model A. I have one or two pieces of the 3.0-inch original molding and would like to trade for a longer piece. I can post something under the Yankee Trader.

Doug: I've attached a photo of the motor. This is clearly a Columbia motor. I see no signs of any swapping of motors, and the crank shaft lines up clearly and properly with the crank escutcheon.

That's what I have for now.

(I just edited this--the proper length of the molding is 3-¼, not 3-⅜ as I had formerly typed. This is an exact measurement.)
Attachments
StdA_motor.jpg
StdA_motor.jpg (54.03 KiB) Viewed 1906 times

Phonofreak
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Re: Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by Phonofreak »

The motor sure is interesting. If you noticed the spring barrel set up, the motor can be set up as a 2 or 3 spring motor, by adding extra spring barrels. The motor doesn't take anymore space with added spring barrels.
Harvey Kravitz

jboger
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Re: Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by jboger »

Harvey: that surely is interesting. I don't think I would have ever noticed that. John

outune
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Re: Standard Model A with Green Horn

Post by outune »

Hi John-- I've got quite a lot of parts for the client machines-- I know I have a case like yours with the longer side columns, but I believe all four are on it, so would hate to pull just one off-- I'll dig it out and take a look.. I have one with 3" columns that is missing one, so it could be a donor case, but sounds like that doesn't help you.. Sorry--
I do have parts for that motor. I call it the "L" shaped motor casting for lack of a more specific description-- They allowed the support post to be relocated for additional spring barrels for different models. Let me know if you discover any other parts you need. I'd be happy to help and we live pretty close to one another.

Brad Abell

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