Diamond Disc A150 - is motor bolted down?

[52089]

I have a possibility of picking up an Edison Diamond Disc machine model A150. This is kind of like the more common A100 in that it has legs and a shelf but no doors, however the A150 is a much more substantial machine.

My question is this - does the A150 have the usual bolted down motor, or it is set up like the A250 motor that is on pivots and pins? If the latter, does the motor come out as described in this thread:
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... move+motor

Thanks in advance for all advice.

[edisonphonoworks]

No, the motor is not bolted down. The right side of the motor has two pins with flats, heald by 2 C shaped eyes in a cast iron frame, the other side has a cast iron bracket with a level adjusting nut and pin, this helps you level the turntable, and correct any irregularities in the pressure on the feed gear rack. First remove the reproducer, next the crank. Remove the grill by pushing up and swinging the bottom out. After this note the position of the cueing lever and take a picture of it with the horn all the way to the right against the back rubber tack bumper and in the down, playing position, this helps you determine the position of the automatic shut off finger on the cueing lever, so it shuts off the machine automatically at the end of a record. Next mark on the cueing lever with chalk (being careful not to rub the chalk off, or use small pieces of masking tape the horn in the down position on the cueing lever shaft where it meets into the horn tube and make alignment marks with the tape for both the vertical and horizontal positions. Next, loosen the two screws that keep the cueing lever attached to the horn and remove it. Next open the back door of the machine and remove the thumbscrew that holds the two halves of the horn together, and unhook the c shaped latch that goes over the pin, carefully tip the front, a large part of the horn forward and then decouple the back portion of the horn (be careful not to bang the upper horn tube and dent the oxidized portion. The back portion of the horn goes out the back door, the large part of the horn out the front door. Lastly, lift up the motor on about a 45-degree angle and you will see the flats align with the open portion of the opening on the motor bracket, and pull the motor out. This makes the cabinet light and easy to manuver. It sounds like alot but is simple. Reverse the above to put it together when you get home.

[Valecnik]

You definitely need to remove the motor in the manner described at the link you reference, (or by Edisonphonoworks). Even if you transport it upright, the bedplate is likely to come loose and cause damage if you hit even a small bump in the road. If you lay it on it's back it will surely fall out and cause damage.

[marcapra]

True, I once transported an A150 that had been amputated. I got it for it's pristine wood grained horn to replace my A150 horn and the motor jumped around so much on the trip that I got a big dent in the horn neck! And I pack it tight, but it didn't help. You have to separate the motor from the cabinet and horn on all A machines, except the A100 which was made with the later motors.

[Valecnik]

Here's a close up of an A series Diamond Disc that made me cry. The seller had laid it in the back of a Suburban and hauled it around to some antique shops seeking offers. Eventually the seller pulled up in front of the shop of a friend of mine. This is one of the pics my friend sent me.

Of course the horn was damaged as was some of the trim around the bed plate and the bed plate itself.

[cheryla]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxy6Im7JL0E this is like all DD edisons

[52089]

this is like all DD edisons

Due respect, not all Edison motors are like the one in the video you linked to. The vast majority are like that, with the 3 mounting brackets to support the motor board. However, the earliest models - A250 being the most common - are more like the Amberola I setup. In those models, the motor board is not bolted down, it's just resting on pivot points. That's why I asked the question about the A150.

And of course the belt drive A/B/C 60/80 machines are a completely different animal too...