Columbia n.120a: help needed to save it!

Discussions on Talking Machines of British or European Manufacture
newbiephone
Victor Jr
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 2:30 pm

Re: Columbia n.120a: help needed to save it!

Post by newbiephone »

Thank you very much, this is very helpful! Unfortunately I moved the arm but nothing seems to move/ run in the motor...not sure how to proceed.Any ideas?

Thanks again for your support and patience!

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Inigo
Victor VI
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Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:51 am
Personal Text: Keep'em well oiled
Location: Madrid, Spain
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Re: Columbia n.120a: help needed to save it!

Post by Inigo »

While freeing the brake from the governor disc, try to rotate the governor delicately with another finger, by the disc, to see if it turns freely. If it is stuck, then the governor is the first problem. But as long as you've wound up the motor, and the springs are in tension, don't disassemble the governor in this condition, for the motor can run down very fast and hurt you, or make itself damage to the gears. It's a labour of patience, but you have to unwind the motor slowly. Touch the governor and come back with what happens... Add a bit of oil or 3in1 to the governor end bearings, in case they are sticky... It is the part of the motor that runs faster...

If the governor turns freely, but has no power from the motor to move itself, then the problem is in the gear train, or up through the transmission to the main springs. It could be that some intermediate gear is jammed... Be careful not to hurt your fingers, but try to move the gears to see and feel what happens.
The motor is like the one of a clock, but made to run much faster.
Grip the spring barrel with your hand and rotate it a bit, to feel if it has tension inside... If you feel no tension, of winding up the motor you neither feel tension in the crank, then the springs are broken or loose... If you force the barrel to rotate with your hands, all the gears down to the governor should move...
Inigo

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