A quick review of the Columbia BC Higham Reproducer

[Reid]

An impromptu, unplanned demo of two days ago.
It was made for non-collectors, and contains unintentional errors in my little speech.
Will do something better some other time when I get a better camera....
[youtubehq]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPUoI32SGDM[/youtubehq]
Any questions? Such as how did I make the new shoe to fit the new friction wheel?

some photos made a few years ago,
http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/gg28 ... n%20wheel/


Another, casual demo; this video is from about four years ago,
[youtubehq]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9PYd_29PhU[/youtubehq]

[Reid]

Please study the shape and mass of the articulated Higham shoes?




Notice, please, how carefully I made the shoes, as thin and low in mass as practical?
Note the duplication of the original shoes? Thinned down where in simple tension;
with bulbous ends to reinforce the link pin area against breakage. Just like original, for a reason.

Thinning and shaping of the shoe assembly was done to minimize the mass of the vibrating (reciprocating) friction shoe,
and the "Bondo" material is low in density, being a compound of polyester resin and talc, primarily.

The lower the mass of that friction shoe, the more closely it can "track", follow, the undulations of the recording groove,
less audio distortion. Obviously, the more mass in that assembly, the poorer the potential playback fidelity.

[FloridaClay]

WOW, very clever work. Thanks for sharing it.

Clay

[edisonphonoworks]

I am not much of a Columbia fan obviously, but this is the most Awesome Columbia machine. It has power and articulation, hear how clear those cymbal crashes and bones sound in the indestructible selection, also shows how superior cylinder recording technology is compared to the Disc of the time.

[martinola]

That's completely awesome, Mr. Welch! I have a question about the friction wheel: was it actually amber or was it more like the rosin that one would use on a violin's bow? In any case, your tenacity seems to have really paid off in this restoration. Thanks for sharing!

- Martin

[JohnM]

Nice work, Reid. Harold Breaker of British Columbia is currently producing excellent rebuild parts for the Type BC Graphophones.

[JerryVan]

Hi Reid, I remember you from the Model T forum. Hope all is going well with you.

[Uncle Vanya]

Nice work, Reid. Harold Breaker of British Columbia is currently producing excellent rebuild parts for the Type BC Graphophones.

Has anyone Mr. Breaker's contact information? I am currently repairing a BC and was going to make a new friction shoe, but would not mind trying someone else's work