Hello all, new to the forum and new addiction

[Edisonfan]

Welcome Rider!

Paul

[RiderK]

Reminds me of the time I first posted over here in this wonderful forum. I only own a Decca 10, and have had it as my pet project for about 2-3 years now. The number of times I had it sitting in parts is too many to count. The gentlemen over here are very inclusive and as part of Generation Z (I'm prolly gonna be the one of the only of my kind) I have much more to get excited over digging through an antique shop than listening to whatever pop music the put on nowadays on the radio. I share your enthusiasm with restoring older technology, and I am happy to see yet another person join in on this wonderful hobby.

Interesting, I assumed I was of the younger of generation on this forum (I’m 45). I agree with you though. My perfect weekend is traveling around the state with my fiance checking out different Antique shops. We do this almost every weekend lately. In the summer I slow down a bit and get busy doing things outdoors. Either way I’m now becoming infatuated with these acoustic phonographs. I’m not sure if my finances will match my desires but I’m curious as to what I will see for sale at the record bash event here in Indiana that Carlton was so kind as to make me aware of. Thanks again for the warm welcomes!!

[VanEpsFan1914]

Reminds me of the time I first posted over here in this wonderful forum. I only own a Decca 10, and have had it as my pet project for about 2-3 years now. The number of times I had it sitting in parts is too many to count. The gentlemen over here are very inclusive and as part of Generation Z (I'm prolly gonna be the one of the only of my kind) I have much more to get excited over digging through an antique shop than listening to whatever pop music the put on nowadays on the radio. I share your enthusiasm with restoring older technology, and I am happy to see yet another person join in on this wonderful hobby.

Generation Z as well. Been here for awhile. This hobby is full of people of all ages and I can think of a few other members in the same age bracket.

[Damfino59]

Thank you all for the warm welcome! I think my fiance is now seeing a trend in my obsessiveness for certain antiques. I’m now looking at a golden oak Brunswick 120. The top of the lid has about a ⅜” thick layer of wood that is starting to warp and lift off of the lid but could easily be glued and clamped and it’s also completely missing the veneer on the surface of the same piece. Other than that the furniture looks quite good. Motor is smooth and quiet winding up and winding itself down. It’s also missing the entire ultona tone arm and reproducer. I’m thinking of offering a $100 or $150 and see if she bites. She’s asking $250 as it sits now. Wishing I would have taken pictures. Another one I saw was a Brunswick Seville (looks like a Seville from my research) that is missing the lift out wooden grill on the face of the horn. Biggest issue with that one is when you wind it up past ¾ of a turn you can feel it give and let loose of the spring pressure. I’m not sure if that’s a broken spring or possibly (hopefully) the ratcheting mechanism not catching. I’m not sure as I’ve never seen that motor specifically. The guy is asking $250 for that one as well but I’m sitting on the fence of $100 on that one. I’d love to walk away with both for $250 or less.

Anyway thanks for reading my rambling. What do you guys think of my new prospects and prices?

Welcome Rider.

I’ve been messing with machines & records a long time. What I’ve learned from many older mentor collectors, are far too many things to list. But I’ll try and distill down to the following.

Always acquire the best that you can afford. Derelict machines can be learning lessons, but in the long scheme of things, don’t expect to make any sort of profit, except sweat equity.

With the passing of the boomer generation many more nice examples will come out of hiding.

Take time to research and learn. Join up with the Antique Phonograph Society, you’ll have access to their great journal. There may be a local chapter.

You also are close to Chicago and the annual June APS show. If you can, go to it.

Regards
Glenn

[RiderK]

Thank you all for the warm welcome! I think my fiance is now seeing a trend in my obsessiveness for certain antiques. I’m now looking at a golden oak Brunswick 120. The top of the lid has about a ⅜” thick layer of wood that is starting to warp and lift off of the lid but could easily be glued and clamped and it’s also completely missing the veneer on the surface of the same piece. Other than that the furniture looks quite good. Motor is smooth and quiet winding up and winding itself down. It’s also missing the entire ultona tone arm and reproducer. I’m thinking of offering a $100 or $150 and see if she bites. She’s asking $250 as it sits now. Wishing I would have taken pictures. Another one I saw was a Brunswick Seville (looks like a Seville from my research) that is missing the lift out wooden grill on the face of the horn. Biggest issue with that one is when you wind it up past ¾ of a turn you can feel it give and let loose of the spring pressure. I’m not sure if that’s a broken spring or possibly (hopefully) the ratcheting mechanism not catching. I’m not sure as I’ve never seen that motor specifically. The guy is asking $250 for that one as well but I’m sitting on the fence of $100 on that one. I’d love to walk away with both for $250 or less.

Anyway thanks for reading my rambling. What do you guys think of my new prospects and prices?

Welcome Rider.

I’ve been messing with machines & records a long time. What I’ve learned from many older mentor collectors, are far too many things to list. But I’ll try and distill down to the following.

Always acquire the best that you can afford. Derelict machines can be learning lessons, but in the long scheme of things, don’t expect to make any sort of profit, except sweat equity.

With the passing of the boomer generation many more nice examples will come out of hiding.

Take time to research and learn. Join up with the Antique Phonograph Society, you’ll have access to their great journal. There may be a local chapter.

You also are close to Chicago and the annual June APS show. If you can, go to it.

Regards
Glenn

I appreciate it and I would agree with you as well. I’m naturally an excessive researcher when I have an interest. Generally I do want the nicest examples of the specific models I’m interested in and generally that is what I’m looking for. But on the other hand I like finding things that I feel I can fix because at best I get a good running machine that I made work and at worst I was able to disassemble, diagnose, tinker, and learn things. I don’t and won’t claim to be any sort of expert in this field or any field, but I naturally tinker and research everything I do in life. I build Roadranger manual transmissions (9,10,13,18 speed) for a living and have a healthy grasp of mechanical things in general. I’ll definitely zig when I should have zagged on these at some point but I’ll learn something.

With that said I pulled my spring barrel a few days ago on my VV-100 and got the springs smoothed out and everything else lubed up. I have a total of 1300 needles coming in the mail, 50 78’s as well, new mica, seals, and insulator for the No.2. All “should” be here this weekend. Have to leave work tonight to cut and split some wood for my fiancées house because of the power goes out in this storm we will need both wood stoves running to keep her plumbing from freezing.

[Pete Stratford]

I would avoid the machine with the slipping spring. Springs are difficult to repair unless you are experienced and really know what you are doing. There are a lot of machines turning up for sale on local market places. Be patient, you should be able to find a nice condition common cabinet gramophone for $50 to $100.

[RiderK]

I would avoid the machine with the slipping spring. Springs are difficult to repair unless you are experienced and really know what you are doing. There are a lot of machines turning up for sale on local market places. Be patient, you should be able to find a nice condition common cabinet gramophone for $50 to $100.

Thanks for the advice sir I appreciate it. Although I’ve already pulled the springs, cleaned, and lubed them when I had the motor board out. It’s really not that bad if you realize what you’re dealing with and the physics of it. To be honest I was hoping to find decent phonographs that require spring repair so I could obtain them cheaper. I’m sure some may be more complicated than mine but that’s kind of the fun in it sometimes. I enjoy repairing interesting things for myself.

[JerryVan]

I would avoid the machine with the slipping spring. Springs are difficult to repair unless you are experienced and really know what you are doing. There are a lot of machines turning up for sale on local market places. Be patient, you should be able to find a nice condition common cabinet gramophone for $50 to $100.

Thanks for the advice sir I appreciate it. Although I’ve already pulled the springs, cleaned, and lubed them when I had the motor board out. It’s really not that bad if you realize what you’re dealing with and the physics of it. To be honest I was hoping to find decent phonographs that require spring repair so I could obtain them cheaper. I’m sure some may be more complicated than mine but that’s kind of the fun in it sometimes. I enjoy repairing interesting things for myself.

Spring repair is not so difficult... mostly. If you can wind the spring to a certain extent before it begins to slip, then most likely, the spring is broken at its outer end. That's an easy repair. However, if when you wind there is zero resistance right from the start, the spring is then broken at its inner end. That's more difficult. It requires that first turn or two of spring to be "peeled" out of the center in order to anneal, trim, and redrill the spring end. Not impossible, just a bit tougher job. Either way, you heat the spring end to red hot for about 2" long. Allow it to air cool. Don't quench it. Trim the broken end with a tin snip. Mark and redrill the hole/s and file to restore the pear-shaped, (usually), hole in the spring end.

If you end up needing to install a new spring in a multi-spring type of motor, it's best to replace all the springs. Reason is, a new spring will have more tension than the old ones. Therefore, the old springs will wind to the end before the new spring is fully wound. This places undue stress on the old springs, possibly leading to breakage.

[osero1ww]

Reminds me of the time I first posted over here in this wonderful forum. I only own a Decca 10, and have had it as my pet project for about 2-3 years now. The number of times I had it sitting in parts is too many to count. The gentlemen over here are very inclusive and as part of Generation Z (I'm prolly gonna be the one of the only of my kind) I have much more to get excited over digging through an antique shop than listening to whatever pop music the put on nowadays on the radio. I share your enthusiasm with restoring older technology, and I am happy to see yet another person join in on this wonderful hobby.

Generation Z as well. Been here for awhile. This hobby is full of people of all ages and I can think of a few other members in the same age bracket.

Dear God. There are other Gen Z people?? This is the first time I hear of this. Wonderful to see that I'm not going to be the only one from my Generation. Over where I am, everyone always stick to new. Can you name me a few?

[paradroid1793]

Me!