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ream a US Everlasting?

Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:46 pm
by drh
I just got a US Everlasting 4-minute cylinder that sounds lovely as far as it goes--and it goes only so far onto the mandrel of my Edison Triumph. Not far enough to play to the end, in short, and because it doesn't seat cleanly its rotation becomes pretty eccentric by the end, eventually too much so for the reproducer to track. Faced with a swollen blue amberol, I'd break out my trusty reamer and have at the plaster core. The US Everlasting, however, has a core of some sort of composite cardboardy material, not plaster. Would reaming the US Everlasting ruin it? If so, what's my best approach to getting it fully seated on the mandrel? Thanks for any and all advice.

Re: ream a US Everlasting?

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2019 6:22 am
by FellowCollector
Interesting. I've never seen (or heard of) a US Everlasting or Lakeside cylinder that did not mount on a cylinder mandrel correctly. I have hundreds of US Everlasting and Lakeside cylinders and have seen ones that have the celluloid 'skin' split completely and those with flat spots, chewed up ends, short ones, tall ones and so forth. And I'm sure there are other ones out there that have slightly swollen cores like yours. I should think that carefully using your reamer with a fine grit sandpaper would help. Is the core slightly out of round? The really difficult cylinders to get mounted correctly are the Albany Indestructibles that have swollen cardboard cores due to excessive moisture. The metal inserts in each end maintain the correct end diameter nicely - but when that cardboard core between the metal inserts swells up it refuses to mount on any mandrel. Then you have a REAL challenge to shave the layers of cardboard core to get the cylinder to mount! With those I have actually used a small rat tail file(!) to carefully remove the swollen layers of cardboard. It'd have to be a good title to expend that effort though. :lol: If not, into the trash it goes. Good luck!

Doug

Re: ream a US Everlasting?

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:30 am
by donniej
A conservative approach would be to rub some chalk on your mandrel and try to fit the cylinder. Where it sticks will leave chalk marks on the cylinder. Then use the method Doug mentioned with a file to remove a little material, sandpaper may also work. Then repeat the process many times until the cylinder finally fits.

Whichever method you choose, hopefully you'll let us know what worked for you.

Re: ream a US Everlasting?

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2019 7:51 pm
by Phonofreak
I have run into this problem many tines. I have reamed out the cylinders with cardboard core, and ones with the metal rings. Yes, I used a typical reamer, but do this very slowly and carefully. After each swarf, blow out the excess. The cardboard can break very easily. The metal rings also have to be reamed carefully and slowly. Do a little each time, and test fit the cylinder. After the cylinder is reamed out, I carefully apply a very thin coat of varnish or shellac to stabilize the cardboard.I have had many years of success doing this. Good luck,
Harvey Kravitz

Re: ream a US Everlasting?

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2019 10:41 pm
by drh
Thanks to all three of you! When I get a few quiet moments this weekend (OK, not by any means a given), I'll try to get the cylinder settled and will report back.

Meanwhile, if anyone else wants to chime in, like any good cornfield I'm all ears...

Re: ream a US Everlasting?

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2019 12:42 am
by coyote
A few years ago, I had the same issue. I admit that I used a reamer on a cardboard core cylinder. It was messy and did muck up the sandpaper on the reamer quite a bit. I wasn't concerned with making it out-of-round as the metal rings on the ends provide the shape as opposed to a plaster core. The cardboard was swollen and preventing a full seat on the mandrel. The metal rings were fine. I'll have to coat the inside as Mr. Kravitz suggested.

Re: ream a US Everlasting?

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2019 5:11 pm
by vansteem78
I did not read all the posts here so sorry if I repeat something already stated. I have reamed both U.S Everlasting and Indestructible that would not fit on the mandrel. Now they do so know it works and can be done. Neil

Re: ream a US Everlasting?

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:02 pm
by drh
Well, tonight I took the bull by the horns and applied my reamer. Took a while, but I now have the cylinder to the point that it will just slide onto the mandrel enough to play all the way through before the reproducer stalls out. In the interests of doing as little as possible to it, I'm stopping there and just enjoying the music. Thanks to one and all for your advice and reassurances!