Gem Model A adjusting question and repair shop nightmare!

[GoCOOGS!]

Hi guys! sorry for the lack of posting, I've been busy with school this past semester. So about 9 months ago I posted about a Gem model A I was going to get worked on by the only shop in Houston that works on phonographs. Lets just say that it was a less than stellar experience. The owner delayed the repair saying that it would be out by the new year (I brought it to the shop early november) Through out these 9 month she gave me excuse after excuse. I know she had other machines to work on and with the lack of parts and helping hands available I was understanding to her. She finally called me and told me the Model A was ready. It plays now but it needs adjustment. It'll play for like 30 seconds then it will slowdown and stop. If a raise the reproducer off the cylinder record it will start moving again but once I put the reproducer back on it it will slow down again. My question is, how can I fix this? I am really reluctant to bring it back to the shop because I don't want to have another delay. Here is my machine pictured, isn't she beautiful. I just want her back in shape after being held hostage for 9 months. Thanks for any help!

[outune]

Hi- The first thing I would check is to make sure the carriage rod and other parts are lubricated correctly-- Next would be to determine the tension on the half-nut bar. It's a spring steel bar that the half-nut is screwed onto and it engages a threaded rod (feed screw) along the back of the machine to drive the carriage across the mandrel. If there is too much pressure pushing the half-nut into the threaded rod, it will slow the machine. The half-nut should just barely engage the feedscrew--just enough to ensure that the threads are meshing well. You can gently flex the bar out, bending it ever so slightly until the proper tension is achieved. Don't get over-enthusiastic with bending it as it may snap. Later machines had an adjusting screw, but the "A" only has the bar.

Brad Abell

[gramophone78]

You can also check to see the governor is not too tight in it's bearings. The big problem is....not knowing what another person did or did not do. Was an incorrect spring installed (for example)??. In my opinion, this is not a over the internet fix. Better to have a collector near you at least look at it.

One last thing.....a Gem is far from a "work horse" player. They are cute and nice to look at. However, that's about it. They were cheap and at the bottom of the chain.
In other words....don't expect too much out of her... .

[Andersun]

Gramophone78 is correct. I have 3 Gems and never play them fearing they will break. I restored every one of them and realized that one problem can lead to another and another. The person who repaired your machine probably took it apart thinking it was a relatively easy repair but then when got into the meat and bones of it, found more and more problems which involved more and more parts. Some times just getting the correct part can be a problem. I have a Drip Pan, Model D and E (ICS) and they all are different. It's easy to bend the governor pin bearings which can lead to a machine slowing down prematurely. Even over tightening certain assembles in the mechanism can cause slow down. They are very cheaply made and the motors wore out relatively quickly. They really shouldn't be the "player" machine in your collection.

[GoCOOGS!]

Thanks for the replies guys! I feel a little better now that yall have told me that this isn't a "player" machine.. now I kinda wish I spent the money on repairing this machine on buying another cylinder phonograph. That being said, what can be a "player" phonograph?

[outune]

I think the "What's a player" question is partly a matter of personal taste. A nice Amberola 30 works great for Blue Amberols. A friend of mine swears by his Opera as his 'go to' machine.

For me-- I have a nice 2/4 Fireside "A" with cygnet horn set up in a convenient spot. I keep several reproducers handy for various records. I have a "B" reproducer rebuilt by Steve Medved that I use exclusively for brown wax cylinders. I have a Paul Baker repro K (2/4) that I use for most other wax records and Columbia Indestructibles. Next to the Fireside I have a Edison Home model "B" with a Diamond B reproducer set up that I use to play Blue Amberols.

I'm sure you will get many different thoughts on this-- I don't play my machines real often-- When guests are in I may play a record or two and on those occasions when I "escape" from my other projects, I head to the phonograph room to sit and listen to new records I may have picked up, or some of my favorites that have been around awhile.
BUT-- I agree that a GEM shouldn't be your daily player.

Brad Abell

[FloridaClay]

For a real day-to-day player, readily available at a reasonable cost and reliable, it is hard to beat a Standard Model D, which gives you factory equipped 2 and 4 minute gearing and uses the also easy to find Model C & H reproducers.

Clay

[barnettrp21122]

I'd try all the suggestions above, plus another, which fixed the problem with my Amberola Model(B)X. It uses the same elements as the Gem motor, I believe. The spring on the belt tension lever was too strong, creating unnecessary extra tightness on the belt. Swapping out a weaker spring, while keeping enough belt tension was all that was needed. It's worked fine since.
Check also to see that the belt isn't too tight to begin with.
Hope this helps.
Bob

[GoCOOGS!]

Wow thanks for all of the info! ill try and open her up tonight to see what I can find!

[tinovanderzwan]

for most the replies given ok there right but.. i think the repair person did a botch job 9 months ridiculous! and then you get it home and it don't play!! come on thats too much!!
when i repair a machine it should properly play period.
when i get edisons in for repair i take them appart completly and clean every part put it back together again re-grease and oil
that takes care of about 70% of the reasons why it shouln't play also i want my customers to go home with a playing machine so i play it when they come in to retrieve it and if i can't resolve the problem for any reason than i consult the customer on further actions f.i. parts needed

as on the gem not beeing a player machine i say fidlesticks! a perfectly working gem is a fine playing machine the gem mostly needs to have a good sturdy spring well cleaned and regreased and adjusing to govenor and belt if you still have a noisy loud govenor than it needs replacing (here in europe i get those from dead gems and small Pathé machines that basicaly have the same motor)govenors are a real problem with the gem phono's

if a gem works optimal you can even make recordings with them
so the gem is a fine player machine as long as it works like new

also i would want my money back from that repair person or have a perfectly playing machine without further pay