My first talking machines and info on their restoration

[Herderz]

Thanks Curl A, phonolamplighter. This are the tippets I need to rightly move forward. Thanks for the cup restore, I can do this.

[Inigo]

It looks wonderful, congrats!

[dzavracky]

I always enjoy these kind of projects... Keep up the great work!

David

[Herderz]

Thanks guys. I purchased a donor tonearm for the parts I need to restore mine, "hopefully".
I have started to restore the cabinet. I don't believe in refinishing any wood unless someone has painted over the wood. I have had to do this in the past to clock cases, why would anybody in there right mind put green paint over mahogany is beyond me. I put bee's wax on the wood finish for about a week to loosen up any dirt, smoke even coal silt from years of being in that environment. Then I carefully clean or cut the dirt from the finish using fine cut cleaners by hand. My target is to keep the naturally aged patina that is below in the finish. I only take away the dirt and oxidation to revile the original finish, never adding anything to it but a final bee's wax polishing. Here is an example of before and after on one of my clocks I did in the past to show people.

This is a very slow process but the results always look better than the starting point. After the bee's wax setting for a couple weeks the cabinet has very good looking original finish and patina to it. Just slight oxidation on the horizonal surfaces.

I have started on the lid and I think it is going to look good when I am finished. It is going to take a couple weeks and a whole lot of rubbing to complete.

[Curt A]

If you want (or need) a really nice generic tonearm, reproducer and cabinet base mount, I have a NOS one that I bought for the project I recently completed. I had another one that I decided to use, so didn't need this one... If you are interested, please PM me and you can have it for exactly what I paid, plus shipping.
Curt

[GoCOOGS!]

Can’t wait to see the finished product!

[Herderz]

Thanks Curt A, I am supposed to get my "D'bay" purchase today. Let me see how I stand on my blind purchase, I my need to take you up on your offer. I will let you know.
Thanks GoCOOGS! I will be posting some of the hurtles as I clear them. I have plenty of time on my hands here in the shop.

[Herderz]

Well I got the outside of the lid cleaned, about a 12 hour rub. This is what I have been taking off to get to the original finish.

Working in about 2 inch squares and starting each clean with a new cotton cloth each step I was able to take some pretty good amounts of crud off the wood. Here is where I am at and will have to give my finger tips a rest for a few days.

You can't fake a original finish. Crazing takes a long time to make and a short strip to be gone in our lifetime. I enjoy the labor to restore it. It looks a proper 100 years old.

[Herderz]

I got my tonearm donor today, Looked pretty good to come up with something playable with some work "old arm at the top". Reproducer diaphragm is solid but needing a rebuild just like the one that came with the machine. Length measured pretty much the same from center of mounting horn to tip of needle mount.

Upon further inspection though I saw this. A hair line crack in the elbow of the horn mount to the reproducer. Just my luck, I will have to look at it for a couple days and see if I can disassemble it with out breaking it. If I can I think I can reinforce the crack from the inside to strengthen it so it will hold up to playing. A thin coat of epoxy on the inside maybe.

[Curt A]

Here is a pic of the one I have, if you change your mind or decide to return it.