Columbia Lyric Reproducer Sitting Too Low

[benjaminh]

Hi everyone,
I'm having problems with my Columbia Lyric reproducer on my BF being too low. With the stylus in the raised position, you can't get a cylinder under, and with it down, it hits the cylinder. It seems like the whole carriage is too low. Could this machine have the carriage from another Columbia machine? There's a picture posted of the carriage, and the reproducer in the "up" position...

Benjamin

[clevelander]

Benjamin,
I have posted three images of my Columbia BF of the carriage and the reproducer in the up and down position.
In the up it is approximately ½" from the mandrel at the tightest (left) point.
These are from my cellphone. If you would like any more/better photos let me know.
Regards,
Alistair.

[benjaminh]

Thanks Alistair; mine is definetely lower, the stylus in the low position hits the mandrel...

[Yamaphone]

The carriage on the BK,BE,BF,BG,BO,BQ machines is adjustable. The lower guide rod has eccentric end mounts so that if the set screws are loosened the rod can be rotated in its mounts. There is a slot in the end of the guide rod to rotate it. This allows the whole rod to essentially move up and down thereby also moving the carriage and reproducer toward or away from the record. It is a beautiful feature. The Columbia AZ did not have this feature and so there is no adjustment. Original mounting of the carriage is therefore very critical and any later adjustment practically impossible.

Dan Z.

[benjaminh]

Dan: Mine doesn't seem to have that eccentric. I'm assuming your speaking of the rod at the back and bottom of the main casting?

Benjamin

[Yamaphone]

Benjamin,

I just took the photo of my BK that shows the adjustment. My BQ also has this adjustment. I have seen it and used it on other machines of this style but I guess it may not have been on all of them because I have only seen a limited number of these machines. Is it possible that your back rod was replaced at some time or does it look like it is the original rod?
Sorry if I couldn't help.

Dan Z.

[benjaminh]

Dan: Here are some pictues of mine, and they match up with others I've seen on the web. No signs of them having an eccentric mounting. The only other Columbia carriage that looks similar, but could be angled slightly differently, is the carriage for the Columbia BG. I don't know if this carriage is different or not, if it is that could be a possibility. Otherwise, I have no idea what's causing this. Nothing has any signs of being bent or modified.

Benjamin

[edisonphonoworks]

Looks to me like a linkage problem, of it being too long, is the back of the stylus bar hitting the record? If it is that is a sign that a shorter linkage might be needed. Did you also check the clearance with several, records, not playing them but checking the balance of where the stylus is on the record, how much up and down room to the limit loop. A wire spacer, like Chuck Richards and I use when we are testing large blanks can work too, make several wire rings that go into the carriage, but stop at the center pin. Then put your reproducer in, and it brings it up in the carriage. I used them because I test each blank cylinder I make, at an extreme thickness of 2.265" No regular phonograph will be able to play a cylinder at this thickness, and I can get several tests before it is anywhere near 2.196" which is the largest a cylinder record can be that can be played on most machines. I stop testing about 2.216" then shave to the range of 2.196-2.150" which you will find is the range that most cylinders are I sell them usually though in the 2.195-2.169" range and do not think it is ethical to sell blanks under 2.150, as that is not many shave and play cycles.

[Yamaphone]

Benjamin,

It does look like the rod has never been altered. Can there be some adjustment where the guide part of the carriage is fastened to the carriage sleeve?

Dan Z.

[benjaminh]

The stylus link is a good point, but not the problem in this case. With the weight in the up position, even the pivot for the stylus hits the record.

Dan: There's no way for adusting that I can see. The guide arm is attached with four screws to the carriage sleeve, and the only way to adjust, would be to shim this up. No signs of that being done, and I don't think that's very likely.