Any hope for silvertone portable?

[dzavracky]

I picked this up over the summer (it was really cheap) The motor runs perfectly, but the reproducer/tone arm makes a horrible buzzing noise. Is there any hope of fixing it? I think the noise is caused by the gap of the tonearm and reproducer?
It could be a nice little machine if it wasn’t for the noise

[VanEpsFan1914]

'Course there's hope yet for it. It runs, doesn't it?

I have a tonearm elbow for one of these little guys if you want. It is from an E. Toman & Co. die cast tonearm just like yours, except it is nickeled instead of brown-painted. If you like I can paint it brown for you. (Actually I have the whole tonearm but who knows, someone else may need the swivel-y end.) If you want it let me know. I was thinking to use it for a project but I don't have a proper period-correct phonograph in need of one, so it naturally must go to a genuine vintage one instead of a home-brewed barn machine.

As far as buzzing, check that old reproducer too. It could probably stand for a freshening up.

You could do quite a bit of cosmetic work on this tiny machine if you wanted; try buffing some of the surface rust from the silvered parts with #0000 steel wool lubricated with a few drops of light oil. As I recall you do still have my bottle of sewing-machine oil because I am a bit forgetful and tend to leave things lying about...this would be a fine application for it. That has been done in the British & European Machines section (the steel wool & oil trick) to shine up parts on valuable portables.

Silvertones are not the fanciest or best quality portable but they are much, much lighter than their early counterparts. Great for DJ work, impressing a girl, or taking to antique stores to hear new records with. Also, they're tiny. Have fun!

[dzavracky]

I may take you up on that offer!

Do any of the other members here have any idea how to fix the current arm?

[Curt A]

I may take you up on that offer!

Do any of the other members here have any idea how to fix the current arm?

Fill in the damaged area with JB Weld 2 part epoxy putty and then use a Dremel to re-shape it the way it was originally...

The buzzing can probably be corrected with a reproducer rebuild - new rubber gaskets and check the diaphragm to make sure it fits properly.

[dzavracky]

Any ideas how the reproducer comes apart? I think those three knobs are pins that go into the cast iron? I don’t want to break the cast iron so I want to make sure I know how it comes apart before I try anything.

[VanEpsFan1914]

Take it off the tonearm & get the needle out, then you can kind of work on it. Those might be rivets. If they are take a burr bit and a Dremel and buzz them out enough to remove the front panel of the reproducer. (You can use adhesives later?)

At least that is what it looks like from here; I haven't looked at one of those reproducers in a while. There may be parts for one or there may not around here.

[anchorman]

If you’re going to epoxy the arm, I would suggest using some wax paper wrapped/taped around the outside, and fill carefully with epoxy from inside the arm. If you do it right, you shouldn’t have to do much work to clean up the outside of the part. If the inside surface were more critical, you could do with wax paper there as a release, and then fit a small piece of wood/cardboard tubing to act as your mold and keep the shape you need.

[dzavracky]

If you’re going to epoxy the arm, I would suggest using some wax paper wrapped/taped around the outside, and fill carefully with epoxy from inside the arm. If you do it right, you shouldn’t have to do much work to clean up the outside of the part. If the inside surface were more critical, you could do with wax paper there as a release, and then fit a small piece of wood/cardboard tubing to act as your mold and keep the shape you need.

yes I was thinking about something like this. Thanks for the clarification


Any ideas how the reproducer comes apart?