The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I am astonished at the quality of the sound in these old machines. Did you build the one you presented at Stanford? I LOVED that presentation. I’m now dying to build one, even if it’s only one of the Gillette models. How do I get started? Just ordered your book in Amazon. What an amazing set of videos! I LOVE THIS!

I am astonished at the quality of the sound in these old machines. Did you build the one you presented at Stanford? I LOVED that presentation. I’m now dying to build one, even if it’s only one of the Gillette models. How do I get started? Just ordered your book in Amazon. What an amazing set of videos! I LOVE THIS!

The machine in the videos was built by the late Bill Ptacek, a brilliant machinist with a particular passion for tinfoil phonographs. He made several different replicas in various sizes, which he offered to collectors. The Brass Bergmann is a very precise copy of the only surviving original (out of seven originally made). He only built 3 of these.
It works better than the average tinfoil phonograph thanks in large part to its size and very heavy flywheel, which help maintain a steady cranking speed. But the fundamental design of small, simple machines is no different than this one. The key to a well-working tinfoil phonograph is unfailing precision in all of its parts.

You can read about Bill Ptacek's work on my website at https://www.edisontinfoil.com/bill/ptacek.htm.

Amazing! I noticed from reviewing the website that the mandrel has a deep groove on the axis of rotation. I see this on other tin foil phonographs as well. What is this for? Is this for mounting the foil?

I’m. Is on a quest to build one, maybe like the Gillette one that someone posted a while back. It sure how to get started but I guess I’ll get the book first. These machines are incredible. That Stanford video was amazing!

The Scientific American design is possibly available as drawings and has a lot of off the shelf parts and mainly wood not sure where the diagrams are in the journal archive but it achieves a result without too much lathe work etc.

(Double-click the video above or click this link to go to the video on YouTube.)

Here is a video from a presentation I did in NJ November of last year with my original 1878 Bergmann Edison Speaking Phonograph Co. machine. This is using HVAC repair tape instead of actual tin foil.

Last weekend I was able to demonstrate this machine again at the first Manheim, PA Phonograph Demonstration event ran by Shawn Patrick and Nick Sieber. It was a really nice event (I think that it was only advertised on Facebook) and I highly recommend attending next year. Hopefully I’ll be able to hold another tinfoil demonstration next year.

https://youtu.be/i3fXmUuFMn8?si=yJ09pSqlpV43vev8

Just watched your presentation. Amazing machine and again the quality is just incredible. Thank you for posting it. Even better is that is an original machine. It’s stunning! What is the longest recording that can be made in that mandrel?

Charles Smith hosts a facebook group "The Brotherhood of the Tinfoil Phonograph" He makes copies of the wooden Scientific American one pictured above. They sell around 400. He has the plans posted on the group I believe. FYI Check it out. James Manker

Holy smokes! Just requested to join. Looks like an awesome group. Can’t wait to get started. Bought the Gillette book already! These machines are amazing!

KCW wrote: Tue Feb 20, 2024 4:49 pm Just watched your presentation. Amazing machine and again the quality is just incredible. Thank you for posting it. Even better is that is an original machine. It’s stunning! What is the longest recording that can be made in that mandrel?

Thank you! The length of recording is based on the speed that you rotate the mandrel. You can go slower but the quality suffers. Ultimately if slow enough it suffers very badly as the modulation needs enough space to form without being deformed. The faster the better. I have found a sweet spot that I try to use as closely as I can through practicing with it. It is impossible to spin it at the same speed every time, and speed control on playback is also a challenge to keep consistent. Based on that speed I try to use as constantly as possible, the passage recorded in the video is about ⅓ of the total width of the mandrel.