Restoring a Floating Recorder

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zapper
Victor II
Posts: 245
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:21 pm
Location: UK

Restoring a Floating Recorder

Post by zapper »

Hi All.
Another project. A few years ago I bought a phonograph on ebay which had a ‘floating type recorder’ with it. I think the phonograph is European (maybe Thorens) I have no idea how it should be assembled so I would appreciate any help as to this with type or any photos of a similar. If I am successful can I use mouldy Edison moulded black cylinders to record on?
Brian
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Lucius1958
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Re: Restoring a Floating Recorder

Post by Lucius1958 »

Is there any lip or rim on the underside of the recorder? That would help in locating the inner gasket.

Generally, you will need: a rubber gasket; a diaphragm of mica or thin glass; a second gasket and/or beeswax to seal the diaphragm; a sapphire cutting stylus; and an aluminum holder for the stylus.

Commercial black wax cylinders are not ideal for recording, as they are harder than original recording blanks. Dictation blanks, cut down and shaved, can be used for recording practice; there are also a few Forum members who manufacture new brown wax blanks.

I hope this information has been useful to you.

- Bill

zapper
Victor II
Posts: 245
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:21 pm
Location: UK

Re: Restoring a Floating Recorder

Post by zapper »

Bill
Thanks for your comments. The recorder has a flat face with no lipping. I will have to look out some cylinders. I have a shaving device fitted to my Standard so I guess that would make a blank.
Brian

Menophanes
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Location: Redruth, Cornwall, U.K.

Re: Restoring a Floating Recorder

Post by Menophanes »

I have an EWC (Excelsior) recorder very similar to this. I bought it with a mounted stylus but without a diaphragm, and of course the gaskets were completely ossified. I made a diaphragm out of a piece of plastic cut from the lid of a 'Pringles' container and used Sugru, which is slightly adhesive when applied and cures to the consistency of rubber, to make a gasket. (Rightly or wrongly, I did not apply a second gasket on top of the diaphragm; I could not see any point in doing so as the one underneath made a complete seal.) The result, whether by luck or judgement, was a perfectly serviceable recorder; if anything it functioned slightly better than a complete Edison recorder which I also had. I later replaced the diaphragm with a glass one, which rendered the human voice (if mine counts as human) more distinctly.

For a less amateurish restoration, our Spanish colleague Pedro Martinez Díaz supplies gaskets, glass diaphragms and cutting-styli in either borosilicate glass or sapphire (already mounted in the aluminium holder) at what I think are very reasonable prices. See his website at https://www.pedrofono.es/en/. Paul Morris of Exeter makes excellent brown-wax blanks (http://www.paulmorrismusic.co.uk/WaxCylinders.asp).

Oliver Mundy.

zapper
Victor II
Posts: 245
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:21 pm
Location: UK

Re: Restoring a Floating Recorder

Post by zapper »

Thanks Oliver for your help. I have bought several items from Pedro, who has been a great help and custom makes gaskets and diaphragms. will send him a message.
Brian

Dulcetto
Victor II
Posts: 289
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Re: Restoring a Floating Recorder

Post by Dulcetto »

Brian, Some styles of Excelsior and also Columbia recorders are almost identical design to your one. I have examples of both which are original and can attest that there is only the one gasket which the diaphragm rests on. There is no top gasket. Diaphragms for recorders were generally slightly thinner than those used for reproducers , Keith Badman may be your man here to source a suitable replacement. He will also be able to tell you what he recommends to use as glue to hold the diaphragm in place. According to the repair books of the period , the amateur repairman was advised to use Seccotine ( a fish glue , now available again from Lucy Coad , Square pianos ) or rubber solution , depending on which book you read. What was used originally , I do not know , but probably a shellac solution which dries very quickly , which would be an advantage during manufacture. I would advise fixing the stylus assembly to the diaphragm first , before fixing the diaphragm to the already fitted gasket as that way less risk of damage or breakage to the diaphragm. Regards Dulcetto

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