General mainspring questions

Share your phonograph repair & restoration techniques here
Post Reply
jboger
Victor IV
Posts: 1124
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:12 pm

General mainspring questions

Post by jboger »

I always like to find out what other people do often before I do it. The experience on the Forum is extensive. I just put in a new mainspring in an Imperial No.2 machine I bought in a dilapidated state a few years ago. The machine is running right now but a bit slow; I need to adjust the governor.

My first question is this: The mainspring I put in is new. It had the iron retaining ring around it. That is, the spring was bound by that ring. I managed to push the spring into the barrel with the retaining ring still on until it fell loose. However, the outer hole did not catch onto the the rivet on the side of the barrel. I took the spring out and wound it in place by hand, first catching the rivet with the spring hole before wrestling with the rest of the spring. I hope that makes sense.

Now I have another Columbia that needs a new spring. And I have another new spring with that same retaining ring. I now think to take that ring off before I insert the spring into the barrel. I'm interested in knowing what other people do: do they (1) insert the spring with the retaining ring on, (2) take the retaining ring off, or (3) do something else (like sending it off to Ron Sitko).

My second question is this: Now that the Imperial No. 2 is running, albeit with a new mainspring, is it ready to rip? Or should I only partially wind it for some period of time (e.g. a few days) to let the spring "settle in", whatever that might mean.

I now wait for the collective wisdom of the Forum.

Phono48
Victor IV
Posts: 1313
Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 2:38 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: General mainspring questions

Post by Phono48 »

If you try to put the spring in with the retaining ring still in place, when the spring is finally free, it expands with great force, and if by chance it does catch the rivet on the drum, (which is unlikely) then there is a good chance it may rip the rivet off. Far better to remove the retaining ring first, then wind it in gently by hand.

No need at all to let a new spring "settle in". It's either working or it's not. Give it a few winds to ensure that the end is engaged with the rivet, and if all is well, wind fully and enjoy!

jboger
Victor IV
Posts: 1124
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:12 pm

Re: General mainspring questions

Post by jboger »

Thank you. I think I will follow what you wrote when I tackle the other Columbia. As for my Imperial No.2, a machine that's had a hard life, and one that I suspect seldom shows up in the UK, my impatience led me to wind and play the machine several times already. So much for "settling in". It is the only machine I have with an aluminum diaphragm, not mica. Sound reproduction seems quite good. Which makes me wonder what sorts of other materials were used or experimented with besides these two.

Anyway, thanks again for your response.

John

epigramophone
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 5204
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:21 pm
Personal Text: An analogue relic trapped in a digital world.
Location: The Somerset Levels, UK.

Re: General mainspring questions

Post by epigramophone »

jboger wrote:Thank you. I think I will follow what you wrote when I tackle the other Columbia. As for my Imperial No.2, a machine that's had a hard life, and one that I suspect seldom shows up in the UK, my impatience led me to wind and play the machine several times already. So much for "settling in". It is the only machine I have with an aluminum diaphragm, not mica. Sound reproduction seems quite good. Which makes me wonder what sorts of other materials were used or experimented with besides these two.

Anyway, thanks again for your response.

John
The Astra soundbox, sold by The Gramophone Exchange of London, had a compressed silk diaphragm. It was so large that the connector had to be located off centre to enable it to fit on a goose-neck tonearm.
Attachments
Astra.jpg

jboger
Victor IV
Posts: 1124
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:12 pm

Re: General mainspring questions

Post by jboger »

Nice soundbox. Compressed silk, aluminum, and of course mica. The list, I imagine, will grow.

The second mainspring is now in the barrel. Knocking the retaining ring off was fun. I did it in a milk grate. Hmmm . . . not me in the milk crate with the spring but standing on the outside. Still when the spring was released, the force was enough to knock the milk crate off the workbench.

Dave D
Victor IV
Posts: 1222
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 8:43 pm
Location: Port Huron, MI

Re: General mainspring questions

Post by Dave D »

I just hold the metal ring like a spring barrel and unwind them by hand.
Dave D

jboger
Victor IV
Posts: 1124
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:12 pm

Re: General mainspring questions

Post by jboger »

Yes, I should have thought of that. It would have been far safer and easier.

Post Reply