An old clock and a phonograph needle

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jboger
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An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by jboger »

I recently bought a wood-works clock from the 1830s. I decided to remove the door. One does this by pulling out one of two pins that go to make the hinges. The lower one came out the easiest. (I slid the piece of paper under the pin to protect the wood.) That pin sure looks like a phonograph needle to me. Been there awhile too. So there's one use for a needle we may have not seen before.
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jboger
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Re: An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by jboger »

I've decided to take that needle, an old record, and my Monarch Special, and give that needle one last spin/fling before I re-insert it back into the clock for the next 100 years.

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Orchorsol
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Re: An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by Orchorsol »

jboger wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 8:32 am I've decided to take that needle, an old record, and my Monarch Special, and give that needle one last spin/fling before I re-insert it back into the clock for the next 100 years.
That idea really appeals to me! πŸ˜ƒ So long as it plays an expendable record!
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jboger
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Re: An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by jboger »

Yes, an old record. Since I intend to put the needle back in the old clock, I'm trying to think of something appropriate, like Billie Holiday singing an old Gershwin number: "You Can't Take that Away from Me."

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Inigo
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Re: An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by Inigo »

You could play 'In a Clock Store' or 'I didn't know what time it was' or something more romantically attached to the final destiny of that needle... :)
Nobody prevents you from grinding the point of the needle with a quartz stone to make a new point... I used to renew steel needles that way when I had no supply of new needles... I found that a soft plane quartz stone was the best. You must be patient, but the point you get is fairly good. I attached the needle to one of those pens made for taking a 2mm graphite lead, and grinded it by hand while listening to 78s...
Inigo

JeffR1
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Re: An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by JeffR1 »

It's a worthless rusty needle, just chuck it or re-use as the hinge pin.
I would think using a rusty needle on a record, even if it hasn't been used, would eat the record.
Rust particles are very abrasive, even if you were to polish and re-sharpen it, there will always be pits in the end that contain rust and will eat the soft shellac for breakfast.

Why bother trying to sharpen it, new needles are being made and there are countless boxes of them around ?

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poodling around
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Re: An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by poodling around »

jboger wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 8:32 am I've decided to take that needle, an old record, and my Monarch Special, and give that needle one last spin/fling before I re-insert it back into the clock for the next 100 years.
What a lovely idea. The clock and the needle have been together for a long time and you clearly value both.

Maybe playing the HMV (B 3795) record with Gracie Fields singing 'The Clockwork Courtship' :)

It would be very good to see a video of the event if you decide to go ahead.

Herderz
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Re: An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by Herderz »

Well I do not want to bust your guys bobble on all the ways that you can reuse a phonograph needle, but as a clock guy for many years and old school on clock matters we used to make taper pins by shaping pins to make the taper to uses in such matters. Hate to be a buzz kill. butt we where doing this way before the talking machine. Wooden works movements date 1840's and back into the 1700's.

jboger
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Re: An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by jboger »

No bubble burst. Thanks for a reality check. I know a taper pin when I see one, and I've made them myself. But this is a phonograph needle made from hardened steel. I humbly bow my head to your knowledge in all things, clocks or otherwise, but this is a phonograph needle.

John

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Re: An old clock and a phonograph needle

Post by Herderz »

Ok, I yield, It is your hands on, and seeing the pin you are taking about, I am not there to dispute. Just with a fine stone it is easy to make. Sorry for my disruption to your post.

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