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I suppose a controversy can be had over any issue, but my experience has been that a glycerin-alcohol treatment improved the resonance of my Credenza's horn considerably, attested too by others who heard the same records on the machine before and after the treatment. It's not an absolute must, but I think it's worthwhile. I do think it's a stretch to suggest that it's likely to damage the wood. It doesn't penetrate deeply enough to affect the wood's fibrous structure; it's more of a soft sealer much like the alternative suggestion of linseed oil and turpentine (and some would add white vinegar to that mixture) would be. Either treatment would be equally beneficial.

I don't guess either treatment would be very necessary in a climate that stays warm and humid all year round, but where I am in New England, once the old forced-air heat comes on everything in the house gets bone-dry for six months or so. I believe the glycerin-alcohol treatment helps prevent seasonal extremes of contraction and expansion in the wood. But to each his own.

Cody K wrote:I suppose a controversy can be had over any issue, but my experience has been that a glycerin-alcohol treatment improved the resonance of my Credenza's horn considerably, attested too by others who heard the same records on the machine before and after the treatment. It's not an absolute must, but I think it's worthwhile. I do think it's a stretch to suggest that it's likely to damage the wood. It doesn't penetrate deeply enough to affect the wood's fibrous structure; it's more of a soft sealer much like the alternative suggestion of linseed oil and turpentine (and some would add white vinegar to that mixture) would be. Either treatment would be equally beneficial.

I don't guess either treatment would be very necessary in a climate that stays warm and humid all year round, but where I am in New England, once the old forced-air heat comes on everything in the house gets bone-dry for six months or so. I believe the glycerin-alcohol treatment helps prevent seasonal extremes of contraction and expansion in the wood. But to each his own.

I would add to the quote above by saying that glycerin is hygroscopic, meaning that it will draw moisture to itself (slightly) and should continue to pull a small amount of water to the wood that has been treated with it. This should maintain a certain amount of moisture within the horn preventing it from drying out and becoming brittle.

To each his/her own.

Matt

Cody K wrote:I suppose a controversy can be had over any issue, but my experience has been that a glycerin-alcohol treatment improved the resonance of my Credenza's horn considerably, attested too by others who heard the same records on the machine before and after the treatment. It's not an absolute must, but I think it's worthwhile. I do think it's a stretch to suggest that it's likely to damage the wood. It doesn't penetrate deeply enough to affect the wood's fibrous structure; it's more of a soft sealer much like the alternative suggestion of linseed oil and turpentine (and some would add white vinegar to that mixture) would be. Either treatment would be equally beneficial.

I don't guess either treatment would be very necessary in a climate that stays warm and humid all year round, but where I am in New England, once the old forced-air heat comes on everything in the house gets bone-dry for six months or so. I believe the glycerin-alcohol treatment helps prevent seasonal extremes of contraction and expansion in the wood. But to each his own.

I'm in Central Ohio, so we get our fair share of cold, though maybe not as much as New England

I would have the same forced-air heat issue though, and the dryness. I've seen some antique furniture shipped out west (places like Arizona) that got dryer and more brittle than an old chicken bone. We can go from 90 degrees with 95% humidity in the Summer to -5 in the Winter....ack.

mattrx wrote:Eric,
Be sure to grease heavily under the tone arm base and grease the bearings to seal the connection between tone arm and horn. I used black silicone caulk to seal the cracks in my credenza's horn and it worked well. Seal the cracks before moisturizing the wood to make sure the sealant will adhere properly. As for moisturizing, I used a spray bottle filled with a 50:50 mixture of glycerin and denatured alcohol (alcohol from home depot). Glycerin used to be carried in pharmacies everywhere, but not so much any more. I am a pharmacist at Wal-Mart and so I ordered a large bottle in for myself. Most places will order one for you if you ask.
Good Luck!
Matt

I found out the hard way about those little bearings. I took the tone arm off the credenza when I was doing a general wipe down and waxing, and the sleeve holding them against the tone arm came off, sending the bearings on the floor. Well, about an hour later with completely greasy hands, I got it all back together. I did notice a felt gasket that looked to be waxed.

Thanks for the suggestion on the silicone caulking. I wasn't sure if something so "common" would work, hence my questions about needing a special wood sealer. I haven't gone glycerin hunting yet, but I'll go ahead ask my pharmacist.

Thanks,

Eric

Eric, be happy that you weren't working over a deep-pile carpet when those bearings dropped to the floor! Glad you were able to recover them. Also: it can be very useful to keep a strong magnet around!

Glycerin is often available at the drugstore in the section where lotions are displayed. It's often used as a skin moisturizer because of the hygroscopic properties that Matt mentioned. Some (most?) recipes specify methyl alcohol, or methanol, but I cut to the chase and used denatured alcohol, which I already had plenty of in the workshop. The purpose of the alcohol is just to provide a vehicle to assist the glycerin in penetrating the wood; it then evaporates. I suppose a person could use ordinary household isopropyl ("rubbing") alcohol, but that's got a lot more water content so it would take longer to evaporate and might not work as effectively; and the glycerin itself is water-soluble.

The temperature and humidity range in Ohio sounds a lot like that of Rhode Island. I've noticed that the paper cone on my Pathé Actuelle machine produces a much "duller" sound when it's 95 degrees with a million percent humidity than it does in the dry winter time. (Maybe I should douse that with WD-40 in the summer time! )

The felt gasket you mentioned should be saturated with Vaseline, but it may well still be so, and you probably aren't eager to take the tone-arm assembly apart again anytime soon!