The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I don't know, actually...was wondering how to.

I think you'd have to refinish the cabinet which puts in jeopardy the cool dealer decal. In the olden days we would strip around a decal like that but the end results were less than satisfactory.

Jerry Blais

The cabinet does look like a refinish is in order. BUT, before starting, take a number of high quality pictures of the dealer decal and send it to Gregg Cline to see if the quality is good enough to reproduce it. The key to this is to check it out with Gregg BEFORE starting a refinish... That way, you have no worries if the decal is destroyed, since Gregg's decals are as good as, or better than, the originals.

I have a BKT and it is a very good machine. Your idea of playing Indestructible 2 min cylinders is the right decision. Lyric reproducers play them really well and black or brown wax cylinders are too fragile to play them regularly anyway... Personally, I like Columbia machines (dare I say it?), better than Edison machines, but obviously that starts a big debate...

Curt's advice is spot on. Jerry

One more thing... Take the pictures with a good digital camera or a smart phone with at least a 10 megapixel resolution. Take the pictures straight on and close up as possible in good focus. Use a tripod or something solid to stabilize the camera from any shakiness and don't forget to measure the dimensions of the original decal, so it can be printed exactly the same size.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys! I will definitely be doing like Curt and Jerry suggest and de-"Cline" from trying to save shabby decals. Time for some photographic replicas of the old ones.

I got the machine today, and, as usual, the seller did the eBay Packing Shuffle

HOW TO PACK A GRAPHOPHONE, eBay Style!

Take reproducer out, break stylus holder, bubblewrap, and throw inside case.
Remove crank, wrap, ditto.
Leave Sousa march on mandrel, reminding Buyer that you, Seller, don't know jack squat.
Set lid on machine, and, because lid latches are for pansies, wrap the whole thing in more bubblewrap.
Find super-sketchy crappy looking box.
Throw in styrofoam peanuts.
Throw in phonograph, sideways.
Throw in more peanuts.
Add tape. Not too much; gotta save a tree, especially a plastic-tape tree, right?
Tap-dance on lid drunkenly, to ensure that one internal corner support comes off and the right side top moulding is loosened up good and proper!
Send by FedEx.
Expect pleasant feedback and well wishes

So now I have a very complicated old reproducer that is going to need serious help from the Vollema or Sitko side of the hobby (but it has a mint sapphire ball stylus, yay!) and a lid with some crunchmarks someone has hastily glued up with MODERN GLUE!

Now all the king's horses--his old ones, I suppose--will be needed to put this phonographic Humpty Dumpty together again. I'm talking hide glue here.

It does run nicely, very quiet for an old phonograph--the start button has a positive snap rather than the mushy feel of an Edison start lever. Gears are in good shape, needs some cleaning and finishing but should be nice. I'm saving it for when I fix the 1911 Edison Standard and when I find a base for my Amberola 30. That Lyric Reproducer is going to be kicking--it looks like some early attempt at cylinder Orthophonic!

Quick update, dudes and dudeens--finally got the Graphophone to play through a cylinder today. The sound is absolutely glorious even with a 14" brass horn. Cylinder Orthophonic it is.

VanEpsFan1914 wrote:Quick update, dudes and dudeens--finally got the Graphophone to play through a cylinder today. The sound is absolutely glorious even with a 14" brass horn. Cylinder Orthophonic it is.

Glad to hear. The Columbia BK is definitely a nice 2 minute machine. The sound is also good from a well built reproducer with a good sapphire stylus. My recommendation is to refrain from playing any 2 minute wax or brown wax on these machines, the tension will quickly wear or damage early wax. These machines are more for playing Indestructible type records.

I was unable to find a stepped mica diaphragm and gaskets for mine, instead I used a copper diaphragm with gaskets and it works well.


Emjoy your BK and you will find it to provide alot of pleasure.