Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

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vichighmathguy
Victor O
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Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by vichighmathguy »

Wanted: lid-activated light switch for Victor Orthophonic VE 8-35X and 8-36X (possibly others?). Please note the large "finger" at 11:00 that is pushed by a pin on the lid support arm. This is a different switch from the one above the motor board which activates the motor and which is somewhat similar (but has a smaller activating "lever"). Thanks for taking a look in your parts inventory!
switch and block installed.jpeg

MarkELynch
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Re: Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by MarkELynch »

Vichi,

The switch you need is only used on the electric 8-35X, 8-35U (Universal motor), and the much less common 9-25 Radio-Electrola. Also probably on the 8-36 electric export models. The 8-35X was made in large numbers so you shouldn’t have too much trouble locating the part you need.

Good luck in your search. The 8-35
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maginter
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Re: Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by maginter »

You could always rebuild that one if you are unable to obtain one. Just a suggestion.

Mark
"The present is theirs; the future, for which I really worked, is mine."
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vichighmathguy
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Re: Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by vichighmathguy »

MarkELynch wrote: Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:33 am Vichi,

The switch you need is only used on the electric 8-35X, 8-35U (Universal motor), and the much less common 9-25 Radio-Electrola. Also probably on the 8-36 electric export models. The 8-35X was made in large numbers so you shouldn’t have too much trouble locating the part you need.

Good luck in your search. The 8-35
Thanks, Mark - very interesting to see this part in your parts document. My machine is a an 8-36 (no "X" on data plate) and I hope to find the original part although I know I can adapt the one that I have - just trying to save some time while maintaining originality. If all else fails, I do have (thanks to member Jeff) a good photo of the missing actuator arm and can make a plexiglass "prosthetic" that could be epoxied to the existing shorter arm to make a functional switch. I'll wait a few days before getting into this as I am currently in the tear-down stage of my first orthophonic reproducer rebuild.

MarkELynch
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Re: Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by MarkELynch »

Vichi,

Since I’ve not had one of these switches on the bench, can you describe what is wrong with it or what appears to be broken or missing? Mark’s repair suggestion and Jeff’s drawing of the missing part are good ones unless you have $1.50 and a wayback machine. :)

Also, have you checked with George Volema? He may have an 8-35X parts machine and buying a period replacement would be a lot easier than time travel or plexiglass and epoxy.

Can you show us the dismantled switch?

Mark

vichighmathguy
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Re: Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by vichighmathguy »

MarkELynch wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 10:10 am Can you show us the dismantled switch?

Mark
Hi Mark,
I have the following:
IMG_6972 (1).jpeg
What I need is this:
IMG_5560[1].jpeg
My "plan B" will be to create an overlay drawing of the longer part superimposed on the shorter part, then attach the drawing to a piece of plexiglass and use a scroll saw to cut the necessary extension out, followed by fitting it to the smaller one I have and epoxying it together. A "plan C" would be to make the longer piece in its entirety, then unriveting the smaller one I have, remake the custom rivet which is threaded and shouldered, and riveting the new longer one in place. Both plans are "in the wings" should I not be able to source the appropriate switch in its entirety, thereby preserving the originality of the machine and saving myself some time. I may contact George Vollema when he returns.
Thanks for your input!

vichighmathguy
Victor O
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Re: Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by vichighmathguy »

Well, in what will likely be the final post on the "lid switch" topic, I was not successful in finding an original part, so I made a plexiglass prosthetic which I grafted on to the switch that I had (thank you Jeff for the photo so that I could make something similar). Not pretty - the swarf from the scroll saw obscured my patter lines for a moment until I found my way back and I applied both epoxy and cyanoacrylate glues for strength so a little bit messy. The good news is that it worked perfectly without any further adjustment necessary. Thank you to all who tried to help me out.
Cheers,
Don
IMG_7102.jpeg
IMG_7102.jpeg (118.27 KiB) Viewed 412 times

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Skihawx
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Re: Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by Skihawx »

If you painted it black no one would ever know. I did look and my 12-15 does have the same switch.
Not used in very many places.

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Dischoard
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Re: Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by Dischoard »

So did yours break or did somebody replace the part before it came to you? Curious. Nice job with the DIY ingenuity.

vichighmathguy
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Re: Wanted: lid switch for Orthophonic 8-35X etc.

Post by vichighmathguy »

When I purchased my 8-36 (Canada), the previous owner had apparently had the cabinet refinished (all excellent except the top), but the refinishers had removed all of the non-turntable-related electrical parts, including the light and its lid hinge activating switch. A member of this forum kindling contacted me to say that he had surplus parts and even took a photo of the required lid switch for me. The switch that arrived, however, was subtly different in that its actuator arm was smaller than the required one. This was because the switch that was sent, although from the same model of machine, was the above-motorboard switch which activated the motor. The seller did not have the required below-motorboard hinge switch for the light, so it was necessary to find one (didn't happen) or adapt the one I had received. I went with plexiglass for the extension because I wanted to use something non-conductive as the original would have done.

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