Columbia Grafonola

[DDQ]

My parents gave me a columbia grafonola that belonged to my grandparents and I am in the process of trying to get it working. I did a lot of reading on here before posting this. I threw away all of the loose needles and removed the motor from the cabinet to make sure it was oiled. The motor does work well. However, the 'reproducer arm' elbow is stuck and appears to be broken. The arm raises and lowers freely but will not pivot to move over the disk. I oiled it and let it sit over night but it will not budge. Can I use a propane torch to try to free it up? Does anyone know what model machine this is so I can start searching ebay? Thanks!

I am trying to load pics but having trouble.

[DDQ]

Pictures

[VanEpsFan1914]

Hi, welcome to the Talking Machine Forum! Great phonograph--the Grafonolas are nice & reliable and they sound pretty when they're restored. Now its family heritage is a lot more valuable than anything else here--some of us never saw the phonographs our families had back in the 1900s and that is unfortunate. I wish I had one with a little family history.

Now: on to yours. I'm not up to date on Grafonola models but someone will pop in who knows the model number & the year. I do see it has a 3-spring motor which ought to be a handful to rebuild but should give you a long running time once it's fixed.

Now for that needle arm. Whatever you do, DON'T use a propane torch to free it up. It's tempting, but the elbow (crooked bit) is made of "pot metal," a diecast alloy of zinc and lead and other low-melt metals. Instead of loosening up like brass, it will melt without warning if heated, and shatter if forced.

Oil it again with penetrating oil like PB B'Laster or Kroil, and freeze it over night. Or you can also turn a can of computer duster upside down and shoot it with that at the joints to freeze it. (This is best done outside.) Freeze it solidly, then maybe warm it with a hairdryer.

Best thing to do would be to replace the elbow. That will cost about $150, but since it's brass you will probably get a service life of about 300 years or better with it and you'll never have trouble with that again. Really it's the thing Columbia should have done at the factory.

[DDQ]

So the original elbow is pot metal but there is a new aftermarket brass option available?

[VanEpsFan1914]

Absolutely right! (It is going to be nickel-plated so it blends in with all other shiny silver parts.)

There are new mainsprings, new governor springs, reproducer gaskets & diaphragms, and that pesky elbow available--all kinds of stuff. These phonographs were intended to last a long time, but they didn't know that 100 years later we'd not only collect them but also still use them for listening to music.

[cheryla]

these might help and welcom on the fun hobby https://www.youtube.com/user/1974hurt?f ... ucU5Rn9cYQ

[BillH_NJ]

The tough thing for me has been to located a gold-plated one for my Columbia De Luxe, but it is possible to get the nickel one.

Bill

[audiophile102]

Absolutely right! (It is going to be nickel-plated so it blends in with all other shiny silver parts.)

There are new mainsprings, new governor springs, reproducer gaskets & diaphragms, and that pesky elbow available--all kinds of stuff. These phonographs were intended to last a long time, but they didn't know that 100 years later we'd not only collect them but also still use them for listening to music.

The problem that a lot of people have with pot metal parts is over time they swell up and get so tight that they won't budge. Pot metal is fragile, which compounds the problem. It doesn't take much force to crack the metal and going further it can shatter like glass. Some have had limited success putting the broken parts back together with JB Weld. My advise is spend the money for replacement parts. It's a family heirloom and hopefully your decedents will appreciate your investment. You will certainly enjoy many happy hours listening to period music.

[VanEpsFan1914]

Hey, I think it's a Model K-2 or at least something very similar. I was looking at an old Columbia record sleeve circa 1916-1918 and it lists a phonograph that looks EXACTLY like yours as:

Columbia Grafonola
Type K-2

And some of the advertising copy:

"The Columbia Grafonola with its features of Tone Control and Individual Record Ejector is the peer of all musical recording instruments. Its rich and brilliant tone has made it the universal favorite with music lovers everywhere.
EVERY COLUMBIA GRAFONOLA Is carefully constructed of high-grade materials by experienced and first-class workmen. Prices for Standard Models up to $300. Period Models up to $2100. No matter what priced Grafonola you buy, you may be sure that you are getting the best instrument of its class in the world."

Record ejectors were in the cabinets, and had little buttons that looked like typewriter keys to pop out whatever 78 you wanted to listen to--though at that time "Columbia Records" turned at 80 instead of 78 rpm because the machine was intended to be regulated with the seconds hand of a pocket watch. You counted off 15 seconds on the watch and waited for the turntable to revolve 20 times. I forget when they did away with ejectors but they're kind of cool.

[DDQ]

For the last three nights I have frozen the arm and used heat to try to break the elbow free. It will not budge.
Is it time to cut it off?