The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Abe, thank you for your 3D efforts and your information posted here. Also for the feedback about the delamination claim. I had heard there was such 3D activity going on in the south west. Cost is the part that can make or break all good intentions, so I wish you much luck in that area. Your comment about that there are 10 pot metal parts intrigues me. I count only 5 plus four gears, where two gears are the same. There’s the (1) Magazine Base, (2) Record Lift Pad, (3) Taper Tube Arm, (4) Gear Assembly Base, and (5) Size Selector Lever, plus (6-9) the 4 gears. I wonder what that 10th part is.

Btw, the gear price I can get is 50% of that of list which most places sell at (and higher). However, to get the gears custom made from the Boston Gear factory, to include a set screw and to have the right bore would cost 2-3 times those prices, as I learned from quotes I received yesterday. I am now looking into acquiring the tools and know-how to ream the bores bigger and drill the pin holes (drilling/tapping for set screws might be an option).

Wayne-you are right, 9 items for the phonograph. They are working on another item for me-not phonograph related. I just defaulted to the 10 items as that is what they have. I will just blame that on getting old!

Abe

The 10th part is the turntable. The early changers have one made of cast iron and the later ones of the dreaded Alumac. If the potmetal ones are not too bad I’ve had some success by boring and bushing them on a large lathe. I have also had several cast iron replicas fabricated by turning grey cast iron on a lathe. Bill Ptacek made these for me before his untimely death. The cost was high not including the gold plating on the rim.

I’m excited that this project has been taken by new faces and seems to be making great progress. The change gears are also available from Stock Drive Parts but like the ones from Boston Gear they also require boring, facing and drilling for the cross pin. Let me know if you need the part numbers.

I hired a designer to make fabrication drawings (models) about ten years ago but the quotes were far beyond what a collector would be willing to pay. Please keep us posted on the progress, I have several machines that would benefit from your project.

Mark

What is Alumac? I've never heard of that material before this, and an online search indicates it is the name of a company specializing in aluminum doors and windows.

Just some additional notes:
There are other metals (besides brass and aluminum) which can be used as casting metals, such as Babbitt, zinc and pewter. Some of those are soft, but structurally have the strength to bear loading. Some casting houses don't like to cast in some metals, and I've heard some conflicting information from those sources about the suitability for making phonograph parts.
In addition, in the jukebox collecting world, 3D printed metal parts are sometimes used for duplicating complicated mechanism parts because it is the most economical method for small to medium size production runs.

I have just returned to Electrola collecting after a 10 year pause. I recently acquired a VE10-70 and will certainly be interested in a set of the changer parts.

Carlton Smith

I want to know WHY everyone can find a 10~70 but me Wahhhh .....the more we keep whole ,,and away from the idiots who part these out the better

Vinrage_mania wrote:I want to know WHY everyone can find a 10~70 but me Wahhhh .....the more we keep whole ,,and away from the idiots who part these out the better

You're not the only one who's always a bridesmaid on that one pally...

Here’s some photos of the delivery of the first of my complete and fully functional 10-50s I am selling in the coming months. This one has a complete set of Charlie Weatherbee’s aluminum pot-metal replacement parts, which was my only set. Subsequent machines will utilize aluminum/brass replacement parts that I will be having produced. The foundry still is working on the pattern that will be used to mass produce the sets. My delivery methods are such that It is possible to single handily move this massive 316 lbs. machine while providing a very high level of protection to machine, and man. No straps to hold the machine directly are used in transport, which in my experience would put undue pressures on the trim and structural integrity of the machine’s cabinet. Instead, long bolts come up from and hold it down to my transport cart via the original 4 metal thread holes found at the bottom of all Victor floor models. Tie-down straps then hold the cart to ring hooks on the van’s floor. 1” dense foam board projects much better than blankets for any accidental bumps in the transport process.

Vinrage_mania wrote:I want to know WHY everyone can find a 10~70 but me Wahhhh .....the more we keep whole ,,and away from the idiots who part these out the better

I am in the same boat. It is when I am not looking or don't have the funds at the time that I always find something on my list.

Oh well, that is all part of the hunt....

I have been asked a couple times of late as to my progress, here’s where I’m at:

I got back Wednesday from being out of state for 10 days. Besides visiting family, I delivered my first working 10-50 (using my only set of Charlie Weatherbee replacement parts). The foundry said they should get the 5-piece pattern done in 3 weeks and I believe it’s been that long. I was going to check with them tomorrow to see where they are at. I have 3 sets of brass gears and now have the tools to bore them out to the proper sizes, and going to do that this week, then test them. I put two 10-50s up on wheel carts yesterday and just bought and cut the lumber (see photo below) to build and put six more 10-50s and three 9-55s on wheel carts as well. These carts are not used to transport the machines, they’re only use to move around the machines within mine and future owner’s homes. I am going to verify and ready the 10-50s this and next week to receive and test the aluminum cast replacement parts when I get them.

-Wayne