Need help for my Aretino machine

[phonodesbois]

Assigned home as most people in France, I decided to have a look to the Aretino machine we found a while ago in the states. I think it was a late production quite similar to the Yankee Prince machines.
It's mostly complete with a 3D print adapter my son just did (quite good for a first try).
But, the reproducer is incomplete! I don't have any pic of a similar and complete one and I'm pretty sure that finding the missing parts in France or Europe is close to impossible... Could someone help?
One more question: what was the purpose of the small piece of metal shown on the last pic?

Thanks all and take care.
Jeff

[Curt A]

My guess is that piece of metal was placed there by a previous owner as a "rest" for the tonearm, so it didn't have to sit on a record between plays... That's just a guess, since the piece is not original to the machine...

The parts that are missing on the reproducer are the needle bar, which is fastened on the bottom where the two screws are located, and a mica diaphragm which would need the necessary gaskets to hold it in. Those parts may be available in Europe, but the needle bar might be hard to find there as it is specific to that type of reproducer.

Someone more knowledgeable about Aretino machines might be able to help... also, Jalal at the Phonogallerie in Paris might be able to help.
https://www.phonogalerie.com/lang-francais/
http://www.phonogalerie.com/lang-english/

[Curt A]

Your son did an excellent job with the adapter. He might be able to have some success selling them...

[phonodesbois]

Your son did an excellent job with the adapter. He might be able to have some success selling them...

Why not!
I have another son who is skilled with wood and metal parts. He already did a working reproducer in plain wood (except the needle and gaskets)!
So if I had the needle bar measures and some pics, I might ask him to try to do one...
I assume the reproducer gasket is maintained with a large metal spring as there is no cover.

[Curt A]

No, there is no metal spring holding the gaskets and mica in. Gasket material comes in lengths that are cut and fit into the circumference of the reproducer. It's a rubber tubelike material that is flexible and is held in only by tension on itself, if that makes sense... one goes on the inside first, then the mica, then the outside gasket. Here is a video that shows rebuilding a Columbia Standard Model A reproducer, which is similar to yours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMhQjpS4ijA
There might be better videos, if you search.

[phonogfp]

Your Aretino appears to be of Hawthorne & Sheble manufacture. Here's what the H&S tone arm and sound box look like (yours is missing only the diaphragm and needle bar):

YP.jpg (78.71 KiB) Viewed 1320 times

Also - that metal sound box rest is original. There's one one this Yankee Prince.

George P.

[JerryVan]

Here's how it's supposed to be...

[Curt A]

Jerry, thanks for the correction on the metal tonearm rest... I've never seen one on any machine other than a Berliner...

[JerryVan]

The spring loop that applies pressure to the needle bar was broken and partially missing on mine. The one you see was made from a piece of phonograph spring, but is a perfect example. Pressure applied by the spring is the only thing that holds the needle bar in place, which in turn is the only thing holding the diaphragm in place. The pin that you see sticking out of the needle bar and sitting beneath the reproducer body, is simply a limit pin, so that when the needle bar is pulled outward, to presumably remove the diaphragm, it can't be pulled so far that it breaks the spring. That being said, most of these springs have broken, and that's why most of these needle bars & diaphragms are now gone.

There is only a gasket on one side of the diaphragm. The needle bar holds the diaphragm firmly against it, so there is no need for an outer gasket or another means to retain the diaphragm.

[JerryVan]

Ha! Your spring loop is installed backwards. Looks like it has a crack on one end as well. I would try to carefully silver solder the crack and re-use the spring! Making a new needle bar will save you years of searching.