The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Ha, ha...! I've played with it, a small quantity taken by my father from a broken thermometer....
I remember herein... Wasn't emgcr who told us and showed to us photos of a Balmain-like horn carriage made from good quality hobby train wheels and tracks?... or maybe it was a mere description... There was no mercury there!

Thay's right Inigo but the original really did use mercury.

Yes, I know... Floating in mercury probably gives the lowest friction possible, while having the highest floating due to its large density. It's an elegant solution for the horn skating support. But it's poisonous, and difficult to handle... Did the original have some type of enclosure to maintain the mercury hidden from view or from air? Mercury also oxidizes and sublimates, so you'll need to replenish the mercury pools from time to time. I don't know if it was judged impractical at its time, but for today's standards, it seems that a better solution, maybe using modern teflon or high precision rollers could be an improvement in general. Just an idea, in my humblest opinion... Of course if the intention is to replicate the original, there's nothing more to say. But if the idea is to make a modern replica, taking benefit from latest advances, or trying to use off-the-shelf components, undoubtedly this would make the machine more easily maintainable, etc.
Just an idea... What if electricity is brought into action? The best way would be to use stepper motors and sensors to move the horn, use magnetic suspension, etc... Although this would make the machine unusable in the absence of electricity, less autonomous... so one of the charms of the gramophone would be lost!
This is amazing. One could talk hours about all that...
Love you, nice colleagues. This forum is one of the best places in earth to chat about our hobby!

I imagine Alastair is planning on using wheels of some sort but, you are right, one could have all sorts of fun with modern technology !

Alastair, a though that just popped into my mind in amongst visions of mercury baths, Tri-ang and hot air balloons, ball bearing drawer runners may be something to look at for mounting the horn, not necessarily the ones I've linked below, though they may be good, just an example.
If you were to mount the horn into a cradle which was built into a sled attached to those runners, in turn attached to the base, if it can be made to run with little enough friction (I imagine tilting and gravity could be used to an advantage) it may just work well

https://www.screwfix.com/p/hafele-ball- ... _container

Linear ball bearing sliders! Great!

Yes, linear ball-bearings are great and are of an ingenious design but only buy the best quality manufacture. I bought some recently from a certain oriental country which lock up very easily and are unuseable.

Stunningly beautiful Alastair, I love it! Congratulations!

Congrqtulations for the excellent result, Alastair! Very good-looking horn, and well constructed.

About the floating part, some modern turntable arms did not have bearings, but were built floating on a quite dense and viscous silicon oil tub and balanced from the top with threads. Maybe this could be used to replace mercury.

Hello again all, I have just looked out the possible suggestion, put forward by a very clever chap, ADRIAN Tuddenham, who sent me the following scan last year.
He is very keen on angled bearings, ( he says he has used them on a slightly similar application), and when we can meet up again, I think we will have lot to chat about regarding the building of the carriage mainly.
Thanks to you all, Alex that is a good suggestion, also Carlos, Inigo and Graham, and pardon me if I forgot anyone. Great to have so many ideas! The forum is really getting me interested in finishing this project, but I can see it being quite some time before it all comes together.
I am cobbling up a simple arrangement this week to try the horn out with a suitable soundbox attached, perhaps a Meltrope 2, Orchorsol or whatever!