WANTED: Polly Portable hold down part

[52089]

I just picked up a Polly Portable that appears to be missing a minor piece. I have the metal "cup" that the paper horn sits in, but I don't have the metal "cup" that sits on top of the horn under the screw-on horn holder. It will play like this, but I'm sure it would be better with the other piece. (Perhaps the cup should be attached to the screw-on holder?)

Please PM if you can help. Thanks!

[Curt A]

That might be a hard part to find. Basically, it is a thin fender washer that is dished in the middle. If you can't find an original, it would not be hard to make this part. To do it, you would need to drill a hole - probably ½" - ¾" in a piece of scrap wood, then get a thin fender washer from Lowes, etc. and place it over the hole. Use a ball peen hammer to dish the washer down into the hole until the washer assumes the correct shape...

[Ed26]

On my Polly Portable the part that holds down the paper diaphragm is made out of a thin aluminum disk which is dished to match the lower disk. It is attached to a round knurled nut which has a shoulder which attaches to the disk . I'm afraid using a fender washer might add more weight than desired. Ed

[Curt A]

Ed,
Mine is the same as yours and made of aluminum also. That's why I thought a thin fender washer would work, because finding one in aluminum is probably not going to happen. I don't think that some of the thin fender washers that I have seen would add too much weight, but if that was a concern I guess you could cut out a small circle from the side or bottom of a soda or beer can and that would work. As far as finding an original that is not already on a machine, I think it's a needle in a haystack... If it was desired to have a knurled nut attached, you could epoxy it on, since the originals are pressed on, which would require more machining or engineering than justified...

[52089]

I like the idea of using a piece cut from a soda can. I may give that a try since, as you noted, it's unlikely that I'll find a complete original.

Thanks for the ideas!