Help me dissassemble my first soundbox, a Columbia No 9?

[JHolmesesq]

Hi everyone,

I've decided that I would like to experiment with my gramophone. When I had it refurbished by a clock maker, he did all the dangerous things like removing and cleaning the spring (since I'd never have the confidence to do it myself) and the clockwork motor overhaul. However, he left the soundbox well alone since he wasn't sure that it would all be able to go back together.

I'd like to attempt to take it apart and rebuild it for fun and to learn more about how they work. Whilst I am mainly a record enthusiast, my gramophone does fascinate me and this task looks horrendously complicated, and I daren't touch it without a bit of advice from here - replacement number 9 sound boxes whilst still occasionally found on eBay don't turn up that much so I don't want to break it!

Also, if anyone could give any advice on how to clean it, it would be most appreciated. Sorry for the newbie questions!

Here are some photos for reference

[frenchmarky]

It looks pretty darn clean already!
Maybe you'll want to kind of test how good it is sealed before opening it up. what I do is *carefully* put the tonearm end of it between my lips and VERY lightly exert a LITTLE pressure (just with my mouth... I close my throat so I am not blowing with my lungs!) and see if it has a nice seal with no leakage to speak of. Others probably use a more scientific method. How does it sound now, any rattles or buzzing? Might just need to have the pivots lightly oiled and readjusted if the needlearm seems locked or you notice a lot of play in the arm at the pivots.
It most likely just simple needle bearings, where each pivot end rides on a tiny ball bearing. The big trick is adjusting those screws and locknuts (if needed) to dial in the play just right, to remove just enough play in the bearings to eliminate buzzing/rattles, and to center the needlearm. What would I do? Remove the pivot screws/nuts so I can clean out the pivots, then put them back and dial them in. But it ain't my soundbox : ) I've only done Victor boxes and one HMV, so I would wait for some Columbia experts to chime in before taking any of my advice.
Also hard to tell from the pics how badly bent the diaphragm is at the rear, or does it just appear that way from the pic?

[Odeon]

Those Columbia soundboxes are of high quality (I´ve got one...
The diaphragm is pressed between paper gaskets, so you must not worry
about hardend gaskets !

I´m a smoker - so I blow some cigaret smoke in the box to see against a
mirror in front of me if everything is air tight
(PLEASE, don´t start smoking

If it is air tight you haven´t to do anything to the diaphragm or the gaskets.

As frenchmarky wrote, clean the little ball bearings in the needle arm/pivot.
BUT, be carefull. In the black needle arm there is a ring of very little
bearings - if you drop one - it is gone ..... !
Open the screws of the locknuts a little bit, drop in a little oil and
fasten them only to the point that the needle bar hasn´t any side movement.

If the ball bearings aren´t rusted or frozen and your soundbox hasn´t any
buzzing or rattle - leave it as it is. With my first Columbia box I lost some bearings - it wasn´t easy to find replacement !

Only drop some oil or WD40 in the gap between the screws and the needle bar.
If you decide to open the screws, do this over a soup plate or something similar so you wont lost the bearings in the dark of your room.....

[JHolmesesq]

The diaphragm is airtight thankfully

As for the sound box itself, there is no rattling or buzzing when I play records on it, perhaps it is a case in this one of "best left alone". I know with such small items I would wreck it in my cuirosity to dissassemble it. I will wait until it breaks down before I try it for good

[frenchmarky]

<<<As frenchmarky wrote, clean the little ball bearings in the needle arm/pivot.BUT, be carefull. In the black needle arm there is a ring of very littlebearings - if you drop one - it is gone ..... !
Open the screws of the locknuts a little bit, drop in a little oil and
fasten them only to the point that the needle bar hasn´t any side movement.
If the ball bearings aren´t rusted or frozen and your soundbox hasn´t any
buzzing or rattle - leave it as it is. >>>

Didn't know these had multiple ball bearings, I just guessed it was like a Victor #4 with the single ball on each end. If by chance they are the same size as the Victor Orthophonic bearings, those are available new. I've also had success with these tiny balls with a bit of rust on them, if it's not too bad. I vigorously rub them with my finger into a dry rag with some good metal polish like Mother's mag polish, and you can sometimes revive bad-looking ball bearings. They are a bit difficult to polish with a polishing wheel : ) Yours are probably just dry though, since yours are more sealed-up bearings than on a Victor ortho.

[Odeon]

Yes, they have a multiple ball bearing - and the whole pivot is better designed than the Victor No 4 box. Even the Columbia needle bar is magnetized to hold
the little ring in place - it seems they take more than one look
to the Ortho boxes

You can buy the whole needle bar incl. the ball bearings from a ebay seller, new old stock http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3D1&_rdc=1
Auction No. 170438257643

I once replaced the Columbia diaphragm with a new made Orthophonic one - even a bit more bass as the Ortho box, but it lacks a little of the high end.

[frenchmarky]

If you happen to take the pivots apart or just open them, I'd be interested in seeing a pic of what they look like inside including the ball bearings, thanks!

[Odeon]

I haven´t a digicam, so I have to lend one. Sadly it isn´t the best - sorry about the poor quality.....

If you dissassemble your soundbox, notice there is one screw under the needlebar.
You first have to remove the needlebar (also disconnect it from the diaphragm) if you want to remove the ring which holds the diaphragm in place.

p2.jpg (61.68 KiB) Viewed 3736 times

[JHolmesesq]

Woah, those ball bearings are tiny!

[frenchmarky]

>>>Woah, those ball bearings are tiny!>>>

Yup, they might be a tiny bit larger than the ones Victor used for the Orthophonic but hard to be sure from the pic.

Thanks for posting the pics, very interesting pivot setup. Looks like it is a twist on the Victor setup, with the balls being held within the needlearm instead of separate outer bearing rings. Victors were self-adjusting since they more or less floated within the bearing rings (along with magnetism), whereas these are held in with more conventional adjustable, threaded pivots. This one definitely looks easier to do a rebuild on. : )