Winding a phonograph

[mystangblue94]

Hello all. I have a 1919 VV-XI and am new to this. How many times do I turn the crank on this model? Thanks

[VanEpsFan1914]

Hello all. I have a 1919 VV-XI and am new to this. How many times do I turn the crank on this model? Thanks

Hello mystangblue, XI's are nice. Has it been mechanically restored yet? The old factory formula for grease often turns rock-hard, and I have a Victrola someone wound up and broke when there was a chunk of grease in between the coils of the spring: they stretched it and broke it right on one of those lumps of grease. It still worked but when I took it apart I found a crack halfway through the spring.

A VV-XI should give you a lot of fun, but get the motor fixed before it is safe to crank it up fully. I'd say wind it gently about until you feel resistance. 25 turns should do zero harm. 35 should get there. I have quit counting turns of the crank, and tend to just wind them up pretty tight and in between records, turn the crank a few times. This only works, though, because 1) the machine gets run frequently--many times a week; 2) they have all been restored with new oil & grease, and frequently brand-new mainsprings; 3) I have been doing this frequently enough & forgot my good safety practices.

Start with 25 and work your way up.

[mystangblue94]

Thanks for the response. Yes the motor has been rebuilt. But I am not sure if the springs were replaced with new ones. I was only turning it up to about 18 turns so I guess that would explain why I was only getting around 62 rpm.

[Daithi]

The first time I wind I go all the way until I feel significant resistance. Every time thereafter I wind to within 2 or 3 or 4 winds of full.

[VanEpsFan1914]

Thanks for the response. Yes the motor has been rebuilt. But I am not sure if the springs were replaced with new ones. I was only turning it up to about 18 turns so I guess that would explain why I was only getting around 62 rpm.

Nice, 18 turns isn't a lot of cranking but for the preliminary starting, just wind it up. My Victrola has two of the original springs in it and one used one from somewheres else. (old XIV triple spring.) Anyway, I wind that one all the way up and have had no problems with it.