The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

JerryVan wrote:

barnettrp21122 wrote:Al Meekins replicated three major gears in my Regina Corolla changer about three years ago. Cost was around 450.00, IIRC.
Service was quick and results very good. I'd recommend him.
Bob

https://www.antiquemusicboxes.com/

Regina Corona
Toyota Corolla

I wish I could blame spellcheck on this one!
Bob

JerryVan wrote:

barnettrp21122 wrote:Al Meekins replicated three major gears in my Regina Corolla changer about three years ago. Cost was around 450.00, IIRC.
Service was quick and results very good. I'd recommend him.
Bob

https://www.antiquemusicboxes.com/

Regina Corona
Toyota Corolla

Toyota did in fact make a Corona as well

Getting back on track here, for the benefit of any readers who may need music box repair: I have for over 20 years had a great association with the Baud Museum in L’Auberson, Switzerland. Their associated workshop dates back several generations when Baud Frères began to service and repair music boxes for clients world-wide.

For the past 25 years, the workshop is run by Michel Bourgoz, and Arlette Baud (descendant of the Baud brothers) is the business manager. There is simply no task they cannot do to perfection. And right down the street they have a casework restorer, Denis Margot, who can bring a beat-up old piece back to as-new condition.

They have repaired my tiniest music boxes (i.e. sectional-comb snuff boxes) to the largest (Nicole Grand Format Overture) and nothing ever needs to be done to them again in one’s lifetime.

These days, with the benefit of FedEx, Switzerland is as close as the state next door to you. It’s worth making the effort to check these folks out, and once you do, you’ll be a True Believer.

Contact: musee-baud@bluewin.ch


Raphael

Some people on the site here may know me.

My name is Darren Wallace and I have been doing restorations on disc and cylinder musical boxes for over 35 years. I specialize in Swiss gear and pinion cutting, professional comb repairs, and re-tuning. My comb work rivals that of the original Swiss makers. I also re-pin cylinders. I do all the work myself. I am a tool and die machinist of 33+ years and a musician. I have a very specialized machine shop set up to do all aspects of any type of musical box or phonograph mechanism's restoration. Many collections in North America and Europe have something I've restored in it. Many current restorers use my shop and expertise to aid in their own work too.

Your gear in your music box is a Swiss profile cut gear. The only way it can be remade is to have your complete drive train in order to test the work and do it properly. Your mechanism's gears contain dimensions that can only be calculated by having it on the work bench. Even though Swiss standards were in effect back then, many standard measurements were often altered in order to achieve the end results.

If the original gear permits, a ring gear could be made to fit on to it. I have done this in the past with great success.

I will tell you now this work is NOT cheap, and requires a considerable amount of time and effort to do it properly. Including having the correct gear cutters.

Apologies for my shameless self promotion.

Oh yeah, I restore brass era automobiles/parts too, as well as specializing in collecting F. Nicole, and Nicole Frères musical boxes.

I am located in Ontario, Canada.

Please feel free to check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Darrensmusicalboxes/

I can state unequivocally that Darren is if not the most proficient is one of the most proficient music box restorers in North America and does nothing but the highest quality restorations. His workmanship is second to none!