First timer with (another) Columbia Grafonola

[S610]

This was an impulse buy from a local vintage shop. It appears to have all of the parts and when I got it home I was happy to discover the tone arm seems fine! It is a little stiff but that is probably from lack of lube and use. I want to get this back to working order for my parlor/guest room. I did download the manual and also found the p/n# I47253 under the turn table.

The cabinet definitely needs work as it is pretty banged up on the corners and the top will need new veneer. Also has some paint flecks which don't seem to come off with mineral spirits. Am hoping I can just touch up parts and then "renew" the lacquer with some lacquer thinner however any/all advice on cleaning/restoring the cabinet is appreciated!

Hand crank is attached to something but just spins. I am not very mechanically inclined and don't have many tools; while I have watched videos on replacing the spring and the gaskets in the reproducer (?) it may be easier to send if off (rather than buy tools, different types of degreasers/oil and try to do it myself).

Would appreciate any info folks may have to share especially some common products that would work well to start refinishing. Recommendations on folks that can tune up the machine would also be greatly appreciated.

[Thatphonographguy]

Welcome to the hobby. The finish is Shellac and not lacquer. Denatured alcohol can be used to reflow the finish in a process called "re-amalgamation". As for that tonearm, it's the classic Columbia cheapo pot metal. It's stiff due to swelling of the metal from moisture and temperature variations over the years. Your best bet with that is to take it apart, carefully, and sand the joints lightly with a medium to fine grit sandpaper before reassembling with either just oil or some white lithium grease. For the motor, it sounds like you have either a broken spring, or a broken governor drive gear. These Columbia machines have a fiber governor drive gear that sometimes fails for whatever reason. If you have 0 experience with spring motors and this is one you don't wanna mess up, send it to George Vollema of Great Lakes Antique Phonograph, you can look him up on the web for his contact information. God speed on the restoration. And welcome again, this may become an addiction for you. Once it starts, it don't stop.

[S610]

The finish is Shellac and not lacquer. If you have 0 experience with spring motors and this is one you don't wanna mess up, send it to George Vollema of Great Lakes Antique Phonograph, you can look him up on the web for his contact information. God speed on the restoration.

Thank you for telling me it is shellac! I soaked part of the badly damaged top with 90% isopropyl alcohol and the horrible white stain on top came off like magic! Will get some denatured alcohol and hopefully I may be able to restore the top instead of replacing the veneer. A piece did get broken off while loading it at the store (was just me and another woman loading it and these things are heavy!) so I will try to reglue it. I am amazed at how good the finish looked after a little alcohol, will definitely add a couple of more shellac coats too.

Will contact George Vollema and ask about sending it to them. Does that Dyslexic Genius guy on youtube also do tune-ups and repairs? I am sure the motor needs to be degreased and lubed up as well.

Pic below of how well that alcohol removed part of the terrible stain:

[Curt A]

Before adding any shellac, make sure to clean the cabinet first or you will seal in a 100+ years of grunge. The paint specs will "probably" scrape off using the edge of a credit card or paint scraper. Clean the cabinet with GOOP hand cleaner (non pumice) or GoJo and it should improve the appearance. Good luck...

[S610]

Before adding any shellac, make sure to clean the cabinet first or you will seal in a 100+ years of grunge.

I added Goop to my list of supplies. Thank you!

Two more questions for anyone kind enough to answer:
1) Is the toner arm and other visible parts chrome plated?
2) The veneer on the lid has lifted in the middle. Should I reglue or will heat reactivate the old glue? Any/all advice is appreciated.

[JerryVan]

Before adding any shellac, make sure to clean the cabinet first or you will seal in a 100+ years of grunge.

I added Goop to my list of supplies. Thank you! Are the visible components (tone arm etc...) chrome plated? Only visible rust is on the outside of the crank handle which must be chrome plated (the unexposed part of the handle is fine).

Not chrome. They're nickel plated.

[Steve]

The plated parts are all nickel and not chrome.

I personally do not like "re-amalgamated" finishes and would avoid using anything which will dissolve the shellac as the final product will end up looking like a reproduction piece of furniture if done very well or a more typical Crapophone quality finish if not. Once dissolved, the original colour is gone forever and all the age and history with it. You might just as well strip the finish and get a professional polisher to refinish it, in my honest opinion. It is possible to get the sheen back on shellac and bolster the colour without making it look new. The crazing or alligatoring of the original shellac can be overcome with a little elbow grease without dissolving it by using a fine rubbing compound, Topps Scratch Cover and wax polish. It takes forever to do but the original unmolested finish is retained afterwards.

[S610]

Not chrome. They're nickel plated.

Thank you!

[S610]

The plated parts are all nickel and not chrome.

I personally do not like "re-amalgamated" finishes and would avoid using anything which will dissolve the shellac as the final product will end up looking like a reproduction piece of furniture if done very well or a more typical Crapophone quality finish if not. Once dissolved, the original colour is gone forever and all the age and history with it. You might just as well strip the finish and get a professional polisher to refinish it, in my honest opinion. It is possible to get the sheen back on shellac and bolster the colour without making it look new. The crazing or alligatoring of the original shellac can be overcome with a little elbow grease without dissolving it by using a fine rubbing compound, Topps Scratch Cover and wax polish. It takes forever to do but the original unmolested finish is retained afterwards.

I will try Topps Scratch Cover! The top veneer is badly damaged, it has a huge white spot, it is lifting and split plus some chipped off and will have to be reglued. And I already dissolved some of the shellac. I may have to replace it with new veneer if re-amagamation and more shellac won't fix it.

Other issues is it has some nicks/chips missing on the front corners exposing bare wood (it does not add any charm, it looks bad) though I suppose I could touch those up with a little stain.

[Steve]

The plated parts are all nickel and not chrome.

I personally do not like "re-amalgamated" finishes and would avoid using anything which will dissolve the shellac as the final product will end up looking like a reproduction piece of furniture if done very well or a more typical Crapophone quality finish if not. Once dissolved, the original colour is gone forever and all the age and history with it. You might just as well strip the finish and get a professional polisher to refinish it, in my honest opinion. It is possible to get the sheen back on shellac and bolster the colour without making it look new. The crazing or alligatoring of the original shellac can be overcome with a little elbow grease without dissolving it by using a fine rubbing compound, Topps Scratch Cover and wax polish. It takes forever to do but the original unmolested finish is retained afterwards.

I will try Topps Scratch Cover! The top veneer is badly damaged, it has a huge white spot, it is lifting and split plus some chipped off and will have to be reglued. And I already dissolved some of the shellac. I may have to replace it with new veneer if re-amagamation and more shellac won't fix it.

Other issues is it has some nicks/chips missing on the front corners exposing bare wood (it does not add any charm, it looks bad) though I suppose I could touch those up with a little stain.

Topps works well on mahogany finishes only when the hard work has been done to slightly smooth off the roughness caused by alligatoring of the finish and you have some semblance of shine back. I use it when the dried finish has gone white, discoloured or faded after the "prep" work. I find a good dousing of it, left to soak in over night works well and then after a day or so I come back and buff the finish before adding beeswax polish.