BN Graphophone makeover--lots of finish questions.

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VanEpsFan1914
Victor VI
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BN Graphophone makeover--lots of finish questions.

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

Hello Forum Friends,

I took delivery of two large boxes the other day all the way from Oregon...my new BN Disc Graphophone from Jerry B. Price was right, machine was packed like crazy, I managed to find ALL the teeny tiny screws. A triple success; thanks, Jerry B.!

Anyway, the machine is in bad shape. Bad 1980s restoration shape...you know, back when Duck Tape was a reproduction part. If I had had it on Halloween and put it on the porch, the next house down better be handing out clean underwear.

Someone very, very bad got hold of the Graphophone.

Anyway, I know what the finish should be color- and material-wise. Medium brown stain, oak wood (Duuuhhh) and shellac. Phonofreak told me about the two decals used on this early 1909-1910 model. Okay, cool.

Now for the fun part:

The HORN. It's metallic red flake. Nasty stuff. After I strip it and put in a new threaded end, should I paint it with translucent red aniline dye & shellac a la TTCo cylinder horn, or paint it bright red enamel like everyone else does? I'm not interested in the easy way, but the period-correct way.

2. The BACK BRACKET: it's been stripped down to a yellow color like a Grade 8 bolt. Maybe it's nickel. I think not, as most of the other nickel on the machine is either dirty silver, or silver dirty.

3. The CRANK: The one I have is basically on its last stages of utility and I am not entirely sure it is proper for that model.


Anyone with some really nice restored or original BN's care to pitch in some info? Thanks for reading.

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