The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

For this purpose of simple drip pan or tray under the motorboard, I've been planning to use a big sheet of aluminium paper, the standard one used for sandwiches or food, maybe folded in two. Just a big sheet on top of the horn, etc.
But I've not tried it, I'm afraid it could be moved (it's so light) and got engaged by any motor gear or whatever... It could be a disaster!
I'm also afraid it could be heard vibrating with the music. The huge orthophonic machines get everything vibrating when a loud recording is being played. That lots of energy could make a mess with anything vibrating loosely inside the cabinet.
So never attempted it.
But a consistent plastic tray that you can fix with screws or something looks much better...

I can't speak for every motor but I have noticed that if I pour oil into the top spindle bearing of a HMV32 motor it goes everywhere it needs to be from there, including every gear tooth and every other bearing, except the speed indicator.

Interesting to know, although I always put oil in all places as per the oiling instructions sticker, the two governor bearings, sliding collar, etc.
Last time I cleaned and oiled the hmv127 with the 32 motor i used a light oil, high quality, for brass instruments valves etc, but it didn't work at all. In one month the spindle started to grin angrily, and had to re-oil using my usual modern elf car motor oil.

I notice also that some Garrard motors have little runnels leading off from the area surrounding the top spindle bearing which go to other bearings in the top casting even though they are not oil bath motors. So it seems to me that manufacturers were aware that the top spindle bearing was the only one that would get regular oiling by casual owners and took advantage of that fact.

Inigo wrote: Last time I cleaned and oiled the hmv127 with the 32 motor i used a light oil.....but it didn't work at all. In one month the spindle started to grin angrily, and had to re-oil using my usual modern elf car motor oil.

That grinding is a nasty sound and makes me cringe every time I hear it. I have been greasing the top spindle bearing and then following with a light oil once a month. That bearing dries out far too quickly for my taste but I run the machine a lot. Thats why I started to think about some way to oil it and everything else as easily as possible.

Brunswick phonographs have metal drip trays on top of the horns over the motor to keep the grease from spoiling the wood.

I don't see the need for an oil bath; it's just more moving parts to have the pump & everything else in there and seems like it would be a nightmare for whoever fixes it down the road. But that doesn't mean it isn't an interesting & curious idea!

Except for the short unsuccessful excursion of the light instrument valve oil, I oil gramophone motors with a good quality modern car motor oil, and this has given good results. The oil stays there, the motors always fresh and usable. I oil the motors once a year.

How many different companies made oil bath motors?

I recently encountered one in the Montgomery Ward Cecilian Melophonic I bought. There is a note stamped into the speed control plate that says "Lift off turntable to oil motor." There is a one inch hole in the center of the motor board where the spindle comes up. Next to the spindle is a loose bundle of what look like mop strings. Oil those, and they wick oil down into the motor to saturate a felt pad in the bottom of the sealed gearbox. I'm not sure how it automatically oils, but my hunch is that the governor spins the oil in random directions. From all I've read, it seems a light sewing machine oil would work the best, so that's what I used.

Attached is an ad in the October 1923 trade magazine "The Talking Machine World". It's for the company that made this motor, and a brief description of it.

Click on the ad twice to enlarge it for easier reading.

Detrbear wrote:How many different companies made oil bath motors?
My hunch is that the governor spins the oil in random directions. From all I've read, it seems a light sewing machine oil would work the best, so that's what I used.
Attached is an ad in the October 1923 trade magazine "The Talking Machine World". It's for the company that made this motor, and a brief description of it.

Wow That looks like a fine thing. Using the governor to distribute oil had occured to me but the spring barrel is below the level of the governor in the HMV32 motor so I dismissed the idea. I notice the spring barrel is a separate enclosure in your machine.. I'd love to see pictures. Thanks for bringing yet another oil bath motor to light.

One idea @Daihti if you are using a Tupperware or other plastic enclosure, is that not all plastics are stable long-term with oil. You wouldn't want it to melt down after fifteen years disgorging oil into the cabinet and flooding it from the inside.