Disassembling Columbia Type N topworks

[FellowCollector]

Thank you. Doug. You have an enviable collection! I'm sure that ancient lubricant is gluing the pieces together on my machine.

My question to you is about the pins circled in my photograph. The pins appear to go straight through the casting because they're visible on the other side as well. Do you recall how those pins function? Are they thin and fragile? Are they embedded in some thick aluminum casting and therefore less vulnerable? I'm worried about breaking them or struggling to align them again if I remove the plate.

Thanks again.

You're very welcome. And thank you for your gracious comments. As Jerry mentioned above, the pins are for alignment so the plate is installed (or reinstalled) correctly. Once you carefully remove the plate (if you decide to give it another try) you will recognize the function and positioning of the pins. It can be tricky to remove the plate for the first time but if you take it slow you should be successful. I can't imagine that anyone in the past applied some sort of adhesive on that plate so it should be able to removed with slow, careful effort. : )

Doug

[Shawn]

Morell1,

Wonderful that you knew that already. One never knows the level of expertise of an individual. Two last tidbits. I've taken apart several of these. First, to my memory, there's not a lot on the gear train (inside the cover you are looking to remove) to adjust. So if it is the issue, it must be due to solidified oil/ grease. Second, there is a belt tensioner on the top works of an N. It sits at the back of the casting, and is an idler wheel with a set screw to push it into or away from the belt. Something to check to ensure the idler wheel spins freely, and adjust.

Shawn

[Morell1]

One never knows the level of expertise of an individual.

Thanks! Where I lack expertise, I apply study and caution. I try to apply patience as well, though I struggle with that one. I want to know what I'm doing before I embark on anything. This forum has been a wonderful resource. Many thanks to everyone!

[Morell1]

Well, I disassembled the motor, cleaned it, and lubricated it in hopes that I could make the phonograph fully functional. I got the mandrel spinning freely again as well. And yet...

The leather belt still brings things to a stop. While I worry that the spring might be at fault, I suspect the problem is with the ⅜" stitched belt. It just seems a shade too wide for the pulleys. As I manually turned the top pulley, the belt wanted to ride up over the edge. When I shortened the belt to create a tighter fit, it bound the mechanism.

On a whim, I briefly used a rubber band in place of a belt, and the machine ran like a champ (or at least as well as a machine can run with a rubber band for a belt), so the motor doesn't seem to be underpowered.

I'm inclined to get a narrower belt and try again. (For what it's worth, all the Type N machines I've seen in YouTube are running on the narrower belts.) Still, I wanted to see if anyone had experience with the same wider stitched belt on an early Columbia machine.

[fonograph]

I'm having the same problem with the wide stitched belt. I left thd belt on the machine just for looks but I think I'll try using the thinner belt to see it will run correctly.
I agree with you I think the stitched belt is just a little too wide to stay on track. And maybe a little too thick as well.

[Morell1]

I'm having the same problem with the wide stitched belt. I left thd belt on the machine just for looks but I think I'll try using the thinner belt to see it will run correctly.
I agree with you I think the stitched belt is just a little too wide to stay on track. And maybe a little too thick as well.

Thank you! It's helpful to know that I'm not necessarily doing something wrong. The belt just won't fit on my Type N.

[Morell1]

The new brown leather belt was the charm. The Type N runs like a champ--almost three full cylinders on a single wind. I'm sure disassembling and cleaning the motor helped, but the stitched leather belt was simply too thick and stiff for the machine. Now I need to hold out for an original slotted crank, a gutta percha reproducer, and a funnel horn.

I've been using a large floating reproducer because the small number 2 reproducer I have needs to be completely overhauled. Can anyone tell me if the bezel unscrews in a counter-clockwise direction? It doesn't want to budge in either direction, and--as always--i don't want to force it until I'm better informed.

[phonogfp]

Yes, the bezel on the small Columbia Reproducers unscrews in a counter-clockwise direction. A drop or two of penetrating oil overnight will facilitate the operation. Also, the use of a watch case opener like this one will eliminate the possibility of scoring the bezel:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/221113768026?_ ... BMtpK048Bl

There are a number of different designs for these tools. Just be sure you get either pointed or rounded tips rather than blades:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143353512241?_ ... GWG6T54NH4

That has to be the longest URL I've ever posted.

George P.

[VanEpsFan1914]

Pardon me, but is that a Smith-Premier double keyboard typewriter I see in the background?

You fortunate son of a gun.

[Morell1]

Pardon me, but is that a Smith-Premier double keyboard typewriter I see in the background?

You fortunate son of a gun.

That is indeed a Smith Premier #1, with the lowest recorded serial number I'm aware of. (I haven't found any lower serial numbers in the various databases.) It's temperamental but functional.