Has anyone made a machine of any type from scratch?

[Curt A]

I posted this before, but was wondering if anyone else has made their own machine from scratch and/or original parts... If so, show us what you have created...

Several years ago (2014), I found an 11" mechanism only in a cardboard box. It had some discs with it and was missing the original crank, so I wracked my brain and decided to fabricate an upright cabinet for it, since finding an original cabinet without the mechanism seemed impossible. I used some quarter sawn wood I had in the garage, along with an unknown phonograph crank and an antique clock dial and put together a working music box. The celluloid tags were missing, so I made them, along with "On-Off" linkage to a knob on the right side which allows it to be started or stopped without unlocking and opening the front door... So mine's not totally original, but it's a one of a kind.

[VanEpsFan1914]

I really like that music box, always have.

As for a machine made from scratch, my brother and I made one from a cardboard shoebox when we were both in elementary school. It was belt-driven by a rubber band & used a front-mounted horn. That was our Christmas present to Mom & Dad--it blew guests' minds that they got a functional cardboard phonograph from scratch.

I also customized a cheap Indian crapophone, one of the older ones, to look like a reasonably decent little record player--and it functioned pretty decently too. I redid the case with new finish, painted the horn black, and altered the back bracket with drywall filler to make it full again like a Victor. Someone bought it for $75. I'd almost like to try doing another one--get one of those cheap India motors, or a 1950s portable motor, and a sawed-off 14" B&B replica horn, and build something the size of a cigar box that would be about like a Victor E rear-mount and play those little 7" or 8" records (10" would be possible but pushing it.)

Somewhere I still have pictures of both those phonographs.

[naylorbros]

In fifth grade there was a collector that came to our school and showed off a couple of his machines. I took some of what he said and decided to make my own machine. The sides were made out of hard board. The shafts were out of dowels. The table and part of the crank arm were made out of wood paneling like used in homes. The arm pivot was made out of a stick I carved the bark off of and drilled a hole in for the tone arm to pivot in. The tone are was made out of a dowel with more wood paneling and the horn out of a sheet of 8.5" x 11" white paper. Elastic band driven. The faster you turned the crank the faster the table turned. Wish I had not taken it apart to make improvements. I have thought about making a new one just like it.
Ken

[Curt A]

I think it's interesting that you guys were fascinated with mechanical phonographs at a relatively early age. I can't remember when I became interested in them, but I know that at age 16 I bought a Victrola VV-XI with my dad at an auction for $12. I spent that summer listening to the records that came with it and I was hooked on '20s dance and jazz records... I have another project in my head that I want to complete before I die, hopefully it will come to fruition soon...

[Curt A]

I have always been interested in people who like to make things with whatever they have at hand. I am in the midst of a project myself... I always wanted an original Le Palmodian phonograph - the one with a violin on top using it as a tonearm and horn. They never seem to come up for sale and when they do, I can't afford one.

So, I thought about making one with some extra parts and an old violin that I had. I started on it a few weeks ago and have now got the case made, a motor and turntable mounted and figured out a way to mount the violin. I just finished mounting a reproducer to the bottom of the violin - I have had a Cliftophone brass reproducer and tonearm from some unknown machine that I bought on eBay 15 or more years ago. I liked the reproducer because it lays horizontal with the needle bar on the bottom similar to an Edison diamond disc reproducer. Now, I finally have a use for that.

[Orchorsol]

Beautiful creations there Curt!

This was fairly crudely slapped-together, but sounds far better than it has any right to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piPJSim-dUs&t=139s The explanation is in the description of the video...

[CarlosV]

Beautiful creations there Curt!

This was fairly crudely slapped-together, but sounds far better than it has any right to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piPJSim-dUs&t=139s The explanation is in the description of the video...

Very creative Gramoquin!

[Curt A]

I've seen pictures of the Gramoquin before, but never heard it play... it sounds great. That was on my project list of things to make before I die...

[Curt A]

This was the inspiration for my current project: Gramophone "Le Palmodian - Le violin qui Chante" - France 1919

[nostalgia]

Fascinating project, and a beautiful creation, Curt. Wish I was this handy with carpenter tools. Thanks a lot for sharing !