Duncan Stop functionality questions

[PeterF]

A little while ago, I turned up a new old stock Edison Duncan electrical stop kit for diamond disc phonographs. If you don’t know what that is, do a little bit of a search on the forum, and/or on the APS site, and you will find a lot of descriptive information. In a nutshell, it uses a solenoid to trigger the brake utilizing a contact system incorporated into the reproducer when specially modified with parts that come with the kit.

I finally got around to installing it last night, and it works like a champ, except for one major exception: the weight never goes sideways enough to contact the limit loop and trigger it! Instead, the stylus leisurely tracks along the runout area as usual, til the regular mechanical stop does its job.

Not the whizbang finish we expect or want.

So I’m calling Dr. Pratt, since he obsesses on stuff like this, or any others of you. Even Drs. Howard, Fine, or Howard might be better able to figure this out than me right now.

PS, it was super Edi-geeky to modify an Edisonic reproducer to Duncan mode!

[fran604g]

Oh no! Shooting blanks...

I wonder if the difference could be attributed to the heavier floating weight of the Edisonic?

Does the "regular" reproducer stylus move over to the loop as it should under the same circumstances?

Fran

[PeterF]

The plot thickens.

I just tried the standard Duncan-ized reproducer, and it worked as intended. I switched back to the Edisonic, and on the same record, electro-stop did not function. The standard reproducer limit pin wiggles around like crazy at the end of the record and so it clicks right over. However the Edisonic was rock solid stable. I’ll try lubricating the Edisonic hinge pin a little bit to see if that might have something to do with it. But it does exhibit no inclination to wiggle or trip.

I may be the one who is actually tripping.

[Jwb88]

That’s the only thing I can think of, too: that maybe the hinge needs lubricated or loosened? Polished? I love the idea of a super deluxe DD phonograph so I hope it ends up working. This does encourage me to possibly get around to installing my own auto stop, which I still haven’t done after all these months.

[PeterF]

Yeah I got rid of the Edisonic Schubert because of space considerations (plus it was kinda ugly), and so now this is my only daily driver diamond disc machine (the A-60 does not count, because it’s more of a display item than a useful thing).

So I put the LP mechanism on it, and installed the thus-requisite multi-reproducer holder, and it already had a Motrola autowinder (I’ve said it before and will say it again: I HATE WINDING PHONOGRAPHS) and the 10”/12” tabs, and now finally the Duncan stop.

After a bit of reshuffling - not done yet by any stretch - here is the newly configured Edipathic Corner of the entertainment room. Those records are all diamond discs.

[Jwb88]

That looks fantastic!

I agree, the longer I’m in this hobby the less I like winding. I really wish Edison has worked the kinks out of the electric motors. An electric DD machine would be much more enjoyable.