HMV model 88a in poor condition

[soundgen]

In addition to the mechanical faults already mentioned by others, I see what looks like woodworm holes in the motor board. To test whether the woodworm is still active, remove the motor board and tap it. If fine dust falls out of the holes you have a problem which could infest other items. Only you can decide whether the machine is worth saving.

Woodworm killer bet they sell it in Australia I have girl customers in the UK who buy and fit their own springs and you are men ! And apparently woodworm don't survive long in a deep freezer cabinet so I am told

[nostalgia]

Whatever you decide to do Derek, take extreme caution if trying to remove the main spring yourself, as Barry also states, it is not a job for a novice since the spring too easily can harm yourself or your surroundings. If you decide to use the machine teaching yourself how to service/repair a machine, Graham Barber (departed gramophone enthusiast and collector) have relaxed and detailed videos on Youtube showing how service a HMV portable (HMV 101).
If you had not been in Australia, I could possibly have been able to get you the machine pictured below for a good price, and it also seem to have many of the exact components needed to easily repair and update your machine, or actually the other way aroud, components from your machine could make this machine shine. The postage costs to Australia would never justify it though, but it still shows that everything can turn up for sale sooner or later, really.....
Good luck, and hope to see you active on our forum in the days/weeks/months to come

[soundgen]

In addition to the mechanical faults already mentioned by others, I see what looks like woodworm holes in the motor board. To test whether the woodworm is still active, remove the motor board and tap it. If fine dust falls out of the holes you have a problem which could infest other items. Only you can decide whether the machine is worth saving.

Woodworm killer bet they sell it in Australia I have girl customers in the UK who buy and fit their own springs and you are men ! And apparently woodworm don't survive long in a deep freezer cabinet so I am told

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... s-22989697

[soundgen]

Whatever you decide to do Derek, take extreme caution if trying to remove the main spring yourself, as Barry also states, it is not a job for a novice since the spring too easily can harm yourself or your surroundings. If you decide to use the machine teaching yourself how to service/repair a machine, Graham Barber (departed gramophone enthusiast and collector) have relaxed and detailed videos on Youtube showing how service a HMV portable (HMV 101).
If you had not been in Australia, I could possibly have been able to get you the machine pictured below for a good price, and it also seem to have many of the exact components needed to easily repair and update your machine, or actually the other way aroud, components from your machine could make this machine shine. The postage costs to Australia would never justify it though, but it still shows that everything can turn up for sale sooner or later, really.....
Good luck, and hope to see you active on our forum in the days/weeks/months to come

A novice has to start somewhere , the first one is the most difficult !

[Derek]

In addition to the mechanical faults already mentioned by others, I see what looks like woodworm holes in the motor board. To test whether the woodworm is still active, remove the motor board and tap it. If fine dust falls out of the holes you have a problem which could infest other items. Only you can decide whether the machine is worth saving.

There is definitely evidence of at least past woodworm activity. I followed your advice and dust did come out of the holes which concerned me although I would be surprised if the woodworm is still active.

I have had this machine for nearly 20 years now. The number of holes does not seem any worse than I think I remember noticing not long after I got it. I have lived in some very dry places since then and would be surprised if the woodworm would have survived indoors in those locations. It has been stored most of that time right next to my little Goldring player and with other wooden items and none of those have any signs of infestation. I haven't noticed any more dust coming from the holes - I would have thought the dust would remain at the bottom of the holes so tapping it would cause old dust to fall out?

[Derek]

Thankyou for all the kind advice and replies.

I think I will have a go at repairing it as best I can without taking the spring out, just packing with grease and putting the spring barrel lid back on. I rather like the idea of attempting restoration. While there are aspects of it consistent with the idea it was a cheaper model such as the quality of the case it does sound rather good and just things like attempting to get a shine on the metal I think I would find quite satisfying and if successful I could apply what I have learnt on something else.

I will clean it up thoroughly and keep a close eye on any further signs of woodworm.

I will look at getting a table model at some point. In the mean time I would be interested to find out a bit more about the Goldring I have. I have really enjoyed the replies / advice. I will start a new post with it soon.

[Derek]

I've finished this now and attached a couple of photos now it is done.

Thanks for all the advice and particularly to soundgen for the parts. It is now looking much better and the sound is great.

I took the motor etc out and put all the wooden parts in a freezer for a week to hopefully kill woodworm in case it was still active as a precaution.

Once back together, one very worn record still caused it to slow but I read elsewhere to clean with WD40 - a tiny bit of this rectified this problem completely and that record now plays surprisingly well considering its condition.

Took me a while but my son, who I realised is in the same year at school as I was when I got my first gramophone, enjoyed helping me, so it was nice to work on it together.

[Curt A]

Nice job... especially since this one was dead and buried... you brought it back from the dead. Initially, I was in favor of scrapping it... Glad you tried my WD-40 idea on the record and it worked well for you, as it has for me over the past 40 yrs.

[soundgen]

I've finished this now and attached a couple of photos now it is done.

Thanks for all the advice and particularly to soundgen for the parts. It is now looking much better and the sound is great.

I took the motor etc out and put all the wooden parts in a freezer for a week to hopefully kill woodworm in case it was still active as a precaution.

Once back together, one very worn record still caused it to slow but I read elsewhere to clean with WD40 - a tiny bit of this rectified this problem completely and that record now plays surprisingly well considering its condition.

Took me a while but my son, who I realised is in the same year at school as I was when I got my first gramophone, enjoyed helping me, so it was nice to work on it together.

Is that the same machine ?

[nostalgia]

Great job there, Derek:) And I am sure you and your son also have learned quite a bit from working on your gramophone, and it must have been very nice to do this restoration with your son too ! The gramophone have now more history added to it.
IF, you ever decide to clean and re grease the spring, I am sure you now also will be able to do it.
I serviced a model 87 some weeks back, and thought you also at some stage might find this thread of interest, since it in details show another BIG problem with this later HMV portables, that very well may inflict on the speed of the machine. A problem that can easily be solved, if having a look at this thread, and the attached photos. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=43450&start=20
Thanks for sharing your nice photos, you really have given your machine a new life !