Orthophonic Reproducer needle bar bearings

[novascotia victrola]

I am rebuilding my 3rd ortho and found a washer in this one not in the others, just wondering if anyone else encountered this. Between the ball bearings and the rubber ring on the needlebar is a metal washer. The previous 2 there was no washer and the balls were stuck in the rubber. Is this some kind of design change or mod? The washer size is OD 0.225" ID 0.1085" 0.010" thick. Thanks

[De Soto Frank]

I have found them both ways, and those w/o washers, the balls were embedded in the fossilized rubber.

If my understanding of the design is correct, the earlier versions (at least earlier pot-metal versions) had needle-bars with a bronze (non-magnetic) pivot bar, and the rubber-cushion & washer worked to push the ball-bearings up the tapered pivot-bar, taking-up any lost-motion and preventing any buzzing / rattling. These reproducers were assembled with their bearing covers installed with the raised ring facing out.

Later Orthophonics employed a steel pivot bar that was magnetized, and the magnetism was supposed to draw the steel bearing balls into optimum contact between the tapering pivot bar and the race, and the rubber cushion and washer were eliminated. This version was assembled with bearing cover installed with the raised-ring facing inwards, towards the bearing balls.

It would seem to me that if the rubber cushions are used, a washer on the inside, between the rubber and the bearing balls is a "must".


Last winter, I rebuilt the Orthophonic Sound Box from my great-grandmother's VE 8-12X. I am confident that I am the first person to open it up since it left the factory. It is a pot-metal version, in bright nickel, has the bronze pivot-bar, and rubber cushions with flat-washers, covers installed raised-ring out. The date on the License label of the machine is from September, 1927.

I recently obtained a pot-metal Orthophonic from E-bay, "gunmetal" or dark bronze cover, with ancient(fossilized) rubber cushions, no washers, and the bearing balls embedded in the rubber. Not sure the vintage. I plan to put washers in when I overhaul it.

[novascotia victrola]

Thanks for the response. All 3 i have taken apart were pot metal. The needlebars look brass, not sure of indivdual pivot pins. The threaded ring on this latest one had one break. The back flange has surface crack above VICTOR ORTHOPHONIC. Diapragm excellent but was really tinny and rattled so needle bar bearings first. Yes the rubbers were hard and bearing covers were raised side out. I have a machine shop looking at making the bearing housed/teardrop cut out part on a CNC machine. The plated/gunmetal part of the reproducer. They say it should be no problem to make out of aluminum.

[JerryVan]

"...the bearing housed/teardrop cut out part..."

If I understand your description, I believe this part is already available.

Just an added note on buzzing issues with pot-metal reproducers. Many times the pot metal bearing mounts will grow and allow the bearing sleeves to come loose. Be sure to use Loc-Tite, or some other glue, to fix these sleeves firmly in place or they will buzz.

[winsleydale]

"...the bearing housed/teardrop cut out part..."

If I understand your description, I believe this part is already available.

May I ask where from, and are backs and rings available? I'd much prefer stable reproductions to finding questionable pot-metal originals.

[Retrograde]

Sitko Orthophonic reproducer. I'm not sure if he still has them, but he was selling these as a kit a number of years ago. I recall that the kit was a front, back, ring, gaskets, pivot pin, screws(?), & bearings. The rest you needed to recover from a derelict pot metal OSB.

[novascotia victrola]

That looks nice. So they may or may not be available? I'll still get the machine shop to make some parts. And the ring and back too why not right? I have a few rebuild issues, everyone seems to have there own method. Thank JerryVan for the buzzing tip. I will have to take it apart again and glue the bushings they were loose. I got a "kit" on ebay included 1/16" ball bearings and roughly cut pieces of white tubing to use as rubber rings. The instructions say put 1rubber on the pivot pin, then the ball bearings, then another white rubber on top covered by the cover. Only problem is the rubbers are so unevenly cut they stick out too much. Why would the instructions call for a rubber in first when there was none originally? I have since given up on the white tubing circles. I found #006 orings are a good fit. Sorry Im rambling. Any comments?

[De Soto Frank]

The ring in first is to prevent any balls from slipping into the center slot of the front cover. If the needle bar shifts slightly off-center, the balls will drop-out.

Some guys tie a thread around the ring first, and thread it through the center-slot, so that when they're done loading the balls, and have closed-up both sides, they can pull on the thread, and remove that inner ring.

[JerryVan]

I usually put a bit of grease in each bearing pocket before inserting the balls. The balls stick in the grease and don't fall out. I push them around with a toothpick to get them arranged nicely, then insert the rubber. I use small O-rings for the rubber.

[novascotia victrola]

I usually put a bit of grease in each bearing pocket before inserting the balls. The balls stick in the grease and don't fall out. I push them around with a toothpick to get them arranged nicely, then insert the rubber. I use small O-rings for the rubber.

Hopefully u use oring grease. Petroleum based grease will swell the oring.