Edison model C reproducer stylus rotation

[fran604g]

Hey folks!

Well, I have read a few opinions about the "echo" phenomenon that occurs sometimes while playing cylinders and having experienced it yesterday on a couple of different records, I though I should take a look at the stylus.

AH-HAH! Chipped!

So I endeavored to try and fix it myself. I plugged in the soldering iron, put on my headlamp and spectacles with my jewelers lens attached and placed the reproducer in a small vise to hold it.

My first attempt was an abject failure, as I pushed the saffire in with my tweezers and had to get a needle and carefully push it back out of the bar and back into it's proper position.

The second attempt went much better, but I had to do a little macro photography to see where the chip wound up, I just couldn't see the edge of it well enough to know for sure.

So, third time's a charm, I guess.

Here are 2 pictures of it afterwards. The first is of the chip still interfering with play, the second is my final attempt at rotating it far enough out of the way.

Wow! What a difference in sound. I can't get over how much clearer AND LOUDER it is now. Of course, I still need to replace the gaskets, I will get them ordered soon for that, next.

[FloridaClay]

Being unfamiliar with this procedure, how is the sapphire held in? I gather with something that releases with heat? Or is it just that heat is used to expand the surrounding metal and enable the sapphire to be turned?

Clay

[ambrola]

Being unfamiliar with this procedure, how is the sapphire held in? I gather with something that releases with heat? Or is it just that heat is used to expand the surrounding metal and enable the sapphire to be turned?

Clay

It is just soldered in. I have done this many times with the C and H. They are very small and if you drop it, it disappears. Clay did a wonderful job and his photography is great.

[fran604g]

Being unfamiliar with this procedure, how is the sapphire held in? I gather with something that releases with heat? Or is it just that heat is used to expand the surrounding metal and enable the sapphire to be turned?

Clay

Clay,
It was held with either beeswax or shellac, I think, considering what I observed when it melted; it was dark brown and had a pretty low melting point.
Fran

[HisMastersVoice]

Jeweler's Shellac was used to hold styli in place in most cases. You can still buy it, though a lot of people have turned to using hot glue as a substitute. I've used both with good results.

[fran604g]

Jeweler's Shellac was used to hold styli in place in most cases. You can still buy it, though a lot of people have turned to using hot glue as a substitute. I've used both with good results.

Thanks, HMV, for confirming and refining my observation, I don't want to mislead people through my own inexperience. I try to read as much as I can before I comment, but I do tend to get excited.

If you don't mind me asking, how does one go about handling something as small as styli? I think I would like to experiment more on repairing them, both in the old world and relatively modern one. Case in point: I have a Neumann Record Player from the early 70's and recently decided to use it to listen to 78's that should be played using more or less modern equipment. I discovered immediately that the 78 stylus was nonfunctional, but the 33-⅓ LP stylus was still perfect. I got it under my Jewelers' lens and saw that the 78 stylus was pushed back into the stylus holder. I experimented first with the LP stylus and promptly launched it into inner space. I actually found it! However, when I attempted to pick it up with the finest pair of tweezers I have, they slipped off of it and it launched again, this time for good.

Do you have any suggestions as to what tools and magnification is best?

Fran

[fran604g]

Another, better, picture of the stylus after I rotated it.

[edisonphonoworks]

It is held in with shellac, some say a soldering iron but a alcohol burner is better. I have used stratina, and sealing wax ( a shellac based substance manufactured by the Princeton sealing wax company, Princeton IL, where I live. It is made in large cast iron, natural gas fired, brick housed kettles, made in 1908. Although I think they are in business, they are very hard to find open, but if you leave a message they should be able to process your order.) I do not like hot glue, it is not historically accurate and in experiments, it has dis lodged from the holder, and went byby. you can use locking forceps to hold the stylus, just do not put too much pressure and nick the stylus, locking tweesrs can be used too. Just do your work in the middle of a large pan and do not put enough force on anything so that the part zings off.

[69CamaroSS]

Great pictures! I have a Model H reproducer that sounds bad. The attached pictures are the best I could get with my phone. Is there anything left of this stylus to rotate? It looks like there is something on the end of the bar, but it sure doesn't look like my other Model H (photo3). I agree, it seems like the hardest part would be to grab and turn that small sapphire! How did you do that!

[fran604g]

Difficult to say, does the stylus look like it is chipped or broken upon closer inspection?

I look forward to what the more experienced members have to say.