The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Okay, the bucket idea for getting the spring out of the restraint worked nicely. The rest of the plan is a bust.
I don't have the hand strength to wind that beast into its barrel.


Recommend me somebody I could pay to put it in for me, for a reasonable fee.

(Sob)

bangster

What city do you live in??? Tom B

I'm back, dear friends. The Lo Power problem is solved -- Dave D graciously embarrelled my new mainspring for me. Many many thanks. But I'm reluctaant to start a new thead. So... (Maybe a Moderator can use this post to start a new thread for me.)
A few questions revealing newbieness. Machine: Edison Standard Model B.

1. The shifter for 2 min/4 min cylinders. Is it "out" for 4-min or "in" for 4 min.
2. I've been adjusting the half-nut to get proper contact between stylus and cylinder. Is that the right procedure?
3. It bogs down from the added weight when I add the horn. Is it the added pressure on the half-nut that causes it to quit? Is it somewhere else?
4. Can you give me some suggestions on getting that part adjusted right?
5. I only have two cylinders, left over from my last phono job. Both are Blue Amberol. I've tried playing them in both modes (question 1 above). Have I ruined them? They certainly sound crappy. Or were they crappy to start with?

I'll no doubt have more questions later, but these will do for now.

Thanks in advance.

bangster1

bangster1 wrote:I'm back, dear friends. The Lo Power problem is solved -- Dave D graciously embarrelled my new mainspring for me. Many many thanks. But I'm reluctaant to start a new thead. So... (Maybe a Moderator can use this post to start a new thread for me.)
A few questions revealing newbieness. Machine: Edison Standard Model B.

1. The shifter for 2 min/4 min cylinders. Is it "out" for 4-min or "in" for 4 min.
2. I've been adjusting the half-nut to get proper contact between stylus and cylinder. Is that the right procedure?
3. It bogs down from the added weight when I add the horn. Is it the added pressure on the half-nut that causes it to quit? Is it somewhere else?
4. Can you give me some suggestions on getting that part adjusted right?
5. I only have two cylinders, left over from my last phono job. Both are Blue Amberol. I've tried playing them in both modes (question 1 above). Have I ruined them? They certainly sound crappy. Or were they crappy to start with?

I'll no doubt have more questions later, but these will do for now.

Thanks in advance.

bangster1

1. Don't recall, but 4 minute is whatever position makes the feedscrew rotate slower.
2. No. The relative position between the stylus and cylinder is governed by the carriage resting on the slide, when the carriage is lowered in the play position. (And also has to do with an adjustment in the reproducer, which you likely need not be concerned about.)
3. Depends on what kind of horn you're using and how well you have the half nut adjusted.
4. With the carriage lowered to play, the ½ nut should be adjusted to just touch the lead screw. Test by lowering the carriage and noting if the ½ nut bar flexes any when contacting the feed screw. If it does, back off the adjustment slightly and retest till you know the nut is contacting the feed screw as close as possible without flexing the ½ nut bar.
5. You didn't ruin anything, assuming you've got a good stylus. What model reproducer has it got? C? H? K? ?? Some reproducers are meant to play 2 minute cylinders only, others 4 min. only, others both. Your blue Amberol records are 4 minute records.

You could try a slow way to adjust your ½ nut. Put 5 or 6 small pieces of paper as shims between the ½ nut and the bar. Put enough so it does not play well with the horn on. Then take out a shim one at a time to adjust the ½ nut play. See if that will get it going. If you are using a C reproducer with a blue Amberola it will play but not well. It may be that your reproducer is not matched to the record as blue Amberola need a H reproducer to play well. once you get it playing with the correct reproducer to the correct cylinder you can move the speed lever back and forth to check which speed is better Also the speed adjuster underneath can have a big effect. Tom B

Jerry, Tom, thanks for advice.

Jerry, you say

2. No. The relative position between the stylus and cylinder is governed by the carriage resting on the slide, when the carriage is lowered in the play position.

I don't understand "the carriage is resting on the slide". What's the slide? Is this machine missing parts? When this carriage is in play position, the only thing supporting its weight is the half-nut. Here are pics.

Forgot to add:
The horn that bogs it down is a 14" witch's hat, tin, black with brass rim. Same thing happens with a plastic oil funnel.

bangster1 wrote:Jerry, Tom, thanks for advice.

Jerry, you say

2. No. The relative position between the stylus and cylinder is governed by the carriage resting on the slide, when the carriage is lowered in the play position.

I don't understand "the carriage is resting on the slide". What's the slide? Is this machine missing parts? When this carriage is in play position, the only thing supporting its weight is the half-nut. Here are pics.

topside 2.jpg

topside 1.jpg

Left side.JPG

topside.jpg

The slide is the flat metal that your carriage is not resting on in the 3rd pic. All your weight is on the half nut and this is exactly why a horn slows you down. When you pull out the knob to lower the stylus on the record your "step" on the carriage should slide along the piece that your knob shaft did before you pulled it out and lowered it.

The half nut is only a guide and NOT a support.

Make sense?

"Bangster",

#1 is the slide.
#2 is the carriage
#3 is the gap that should not be there when the carriage is lowered to play. It's gapped because the ½ nut is adjusted WAY too close to the feed screw and is holding the carriage up and essentially "applying the brakes" to your feed screw.

You say, "When this carriage is in play position, the only thing supporting its weight is the half-nut." That's your whole problem!!!!!

I understand perfectly now. The question is, How do I fix it? I would have to lower the half-nut until the carriage rests on the slide. But the half nut is attached to the carriage casting. Perhaps I could lower it by putting spacer washers under the half-nut. But what could have happened to the machine to make that necessary?