Help! Cracked cylinder

[Victrolaboy]

I already tried wax welding by heating up a paper clip and melting a little bit of the wax over the crack to stabilize it but it just keeps separating again when I try to put the cylinder on the mandrel. What now?

[edisonphonoworks]

repairing with cylinder wax results in the wax pulling away from the cracked half. Dental wax is best to be used to fix cylinders. I make cylinders, yet, have not had much luck mending broken ones. This is best left to the "cylinder Doctor."

[Victrolaboy]

Who's the cylinder doctor?

[Springmotor70]

That is Michael Khanchalian. He sets up every year at Union and specializes in repairing wax cylinders - he also rebuilds reproducers and sells small ephemera. I have seen him do amazing work on cracked and broken brown wax and concert cylinders over the years. Every time I pass the booth with the sign saying the "Doctor is In" or "The Doctor is Out" - I'm reminded of Lucy Vanderpelt's psychiatry booth sign "The Doctor is REAL In"

[edisonplayer]

I'd like to contact him.I have a few cracked wax Amberols that I'd like to have repaired,including my copy of "Knock Wood"by Sophie Tucker.edisonplayer

[flashpanblue]

You may want to get a price quote first or ask others members who have had work done. Having cylinders repaired can be pricey. So unless it is a very rare cylinder it may be more cost effective to buy a replacement copy.
Pete

[Victrolaboy]

The cylinder that is cracked is an early Edison black wax cylinder but I still want to save it because it's one of my favorites. I've done really tedious work before so is there anyway I could learn how to stabilize the crack myself or should I let the cylinder doctor take care of it? The recording is by William Tuson and is called "Nellie Gray" Clarinet solo with band.

[OrthoSean]

I touched base with the cylinder doctor a few years ago about repairing a 4 minute Amberol of Sophie Tucker's "He's My Soft Shell Crab On Toast" that is spilt all the way across, in fact, I have TWO copies both split the same way. The quote was in the $100 range, so I passed. For what it's worth, you can probably replace your cracked cylinder for much less than the cost to have it repaird.

Sean

[phonogfp]

I agree - it would be much less expensive to find another copy of Nellie Gray. Put it into your eBay searches, and advertise your "WANTED" on Yankee Trader.

George P.

[FellowCollector]

I touched base with the cylinder doctor a few years ago about repairing a 4 minute Amberol of Sophie Tucker's "He's My Soft Shell Crab On Toast" that is spilt all the way across, in fact, I have TWO copies both split the same way.

I'm sure that you meant Marie Dressler's "He's My Soft Shell Crab On Toast". I have a beautiful copy of this on Edison Wax Amberol. I'm thankful that mine is not split!

Doug