The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Edisonfan wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2024 11:38 am [Thank you, but, I was hoping to find something premade so I don’t have a pile of rubber sheets lying around.

It is a small box. And it is not all rubber. There is some cork, as well.

Lah Ca wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2024 7:12 pm

Edisonfan wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2024 11:38 am [Thank you, but, I was hoping to find something premade so I don’t have a pile of rubber sheets lying around.

It is a small box. And it is not all rubber. There is some cork, as well.

Oh yeah! Cork! Just what I need?


Sorry, I’m just frustrated. Trying to find a part for a machine that is not Victor, Columbia or Edison.

Edisonfan wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2024 8:00 pm

Lah Ca wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2024 7:12 pm

Edisonfan wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2024 11:38 am [Thank you, but, I was hoping to find something premade so I don’t have a pile of rubber sheets lying around.

It is a small box. And it is not all rubber. There is some cork, as well.

Oh yeah! Cork! Just what I need?


Sorry, I’m just frustrated. Trying to find a part for a machine that is not Victor, Columbia or Edison.

Maybe ask Brian at the Phonograph Shop. Lots of these suitcase portables used those red thin rubber isolators- Boetsch Bros., Birch, Pal, even RCA Victor towards the end if memory serves. Seems weird if nothing is available.

If you are still having issues you could box up the arm and soundbox and send it over to me and I will fabricate an isolator.

gramophone-georg wrote: Sun Aug 25, 2024 2:30 am

Edisonfan wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2024 8:00 pm

Lah Ca wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2024 7:12 pm

It is a small box. And it is not all rubber. There is some cork, as well.

Oh yeah! Cork! Just what I need?


Sorry, I’m just frustrated. Trying to find a part for a machine that is not Victor, Columbia or Edison.

Maybe ask Brian at the Phonograph Shop. Lots of these suitcase portables used those red thin rubber isolators- Boetsch Bros., Birch, Pal, even RCA Victor towards the end if memory serves. Seems weird if nothing is available.

If you are still having issues you could box up the arm and soundbox and send it over to me and I will fabricate an isolator.

Thank you George!

The Phonograph shop, doesn’t have what I need?
One thing I should point out, the tone arm does not have a notch in it like the Victor, or other phonographs. I believe, the rubber gasket, was meant to hold the sound box on the tone arm, and tighten down a screw. Which secures it. Also the tone arm is a bit stiff. Which I have been trying to loosen with some oil. I’m thankful the motor still runs.

Also, I should mention I have a rubber gasket from a sound box for a toy phonograph. That I thought would work? Unfortunately not. It’s not the right size.

I just want to say I do appreciate everyone’s help!

gramophone-georg wrote: Sun Aug 25, 2024 2:30 am Maybe ask Brian at the Phonograph Shop. Lots of these suitcase portables used those red thin rubber isolators- Boetsch Bros., Birch, Pal, even RCA Victor towards the end if memory serves. Seems weird if nothing is available.

Yes. The throat gasket/isolator in my 1941 RCA Victor (Montreal)/Birch portable was thin and red (and hard, brittle and crumbly). It was, however, just a strip rolled into a circular form. It was placed so that the set screw in the reproducer aligned with the seam formed by the ends.

When dealing with off brand machines you need to adapt what you have to make it work. "Nobody" has a QRS portable, so naturally there are no available premade parts. It doesn't matter if the rubber is red, black or blue - it won't increase/decrease the value - it just needs to work... and nobody will know the difference.

Curt A wrote: Sun Aug 25, 2024 10:56 am When dealing with off brand machines you need to adapt what you have to make it work. "Nobody" has a QRS portable, so naturally there are no available premade parts. It doesn't matter if the rubber is red, black or blue - it won't increase/decrease the value - it just needs to work... and nobody will know the difference.

I thought there was a reason for why they used red?

I will admit, I am having some doubts about this machine?

Edisonfan wrote: Sun Aug 25, 2024 11:47 am I will admit, I am having some doubts about this machine?

Why?

You have been given some very good suggestions, on the sound box & tone arm insulator material replacement. On a QRS portable phonograph that hasn’t been manufactured in nearly a hundred years.

Yet you persist in complaining about all of these suggestions? And there have been some some real good ones. Also offers of help too.

This has become the proverbial “making mountain out of a molehill” situation.

It really shouldn’t be this hard to figure out a possible solution.