The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Thanks charles!

It’s gettin there slowly. I still gotta figure out what I’m gonna do with the speaker slats

The before and after pics show a lot of improvement and the original finish looks great. As far as the slats, study some wood repair videos, get ideas and either (1) try the repair yourself, or (2) find an experienced woodworker and have it repaired. You might check at that Woodcraft store in Knoxville for a recommendation of someone who would be capable of repairing them. The other option is to have them duplicated or if you are lucky, find someone with a junk machine that might provide donor slats...

Until you find donors or decide to repair them, it will be fine without them... Good luck.

Curt A wrote:The before and after pics show a lot of improvement and the original finish looks great. As far as the slats, study some wood repair videos, get ideas and either (1) try the repair yourself, or (2) find an experienced woodworker and have it repaired. You might check at that Woodcraft store in Knoxville for a recommendation of someone who would be capable of repairing them. The other option is to have them duplicated or if you are lucky, find someone with a junk machine that might provide donor slats...

Until you find donors or decide to repair them, it will be fine without them... Good luck.

I have almost all the broken pieces. My dad is reallt good with wood glue so he can help me glue it back! I agree it will
Be fine without for them now haha.

Ahem. It’s finished! (Except for the speaker slats)

I cleaned and rebuilt the motor and reproducer this morning. And I finished waxing the cabinet.

I think the felt is original. Is there a way I can make the faded parts darker?

The speed is set correctly. But the little arrow is all the way at slow. If the speed is correct should I be worried about it not being in the middle?

It looks great next to my favorite

WOW... Considering what you started with, I think you have done a wonderful job of bringing it back from the edge... It sounds great...

Thanks Curt!

Its amazing how sometimes a little cleaning and adjustments will make something look almost brand new! I have been very surprised at how good both the Nonpareil and the Favorite sound. Columbia made some really great machines for sure.

Whenever I get around to fixing the speaker slats, I will post some final pictures!

I had some time to look at the speaker slats today. They were so poorly repaired in the past, I do not thing there is any way to repair them. I have two of the broken pieces, I am totally missing the third, and the one piece that is glued in was done so poorly! It is sticking up and I can't get it out.

SO now for the big question..... what do I do? The only solution I can think of is sanding them down, and then re-gluing the pieces in. But then what do I do about the hole in the front? And even if I get them to look great, stained and re-finished.... what about the cabinet? I don't want re-finished slats on an original finish cabinet! But I cannot use them in the condition they are currently in....


So help please I am at a total loss for what to do.

The lid was REALLY poorly refinished at some point as well.... but the cabinet is in really nice original condition. I hate to think what sort of abuse it underwent to have the speaker slats ripped apart, and the lid completely broken apart


David

dzavracky wrote:I had some time to look at the speaker slats today. They were so poorly repaired in the past, I do not thing there is any way to repair them. I have two of the broken pieces, I am totally missing the third, and the one piece that is glued in was done so poorly! It is sticking up and I can't get it out.

SO now for the big question..... what do I do? The only solution I can think of is sanding them down, and then re-gluing the pieces in. But then what do I do about the hole in the front? And even if I get them to look great, stained and re-finished.... what about the cabinet? I don't want re-finished slats on an original finish cabinet! But I cannot use them in the condition they are currently in....


So help please I am at a total loss for what to do.

The lid was REALLY poorly refinished at some point as well.... but the cabinet is in really nice original condition. I hate to think what sort of abuse it underwent to have the speaker slats ripped apart, and the lid completely broken apart


David

Since the lid is already refinished, the preserving an original finish thing with regard to the slats is kind of a non-issue. Post some good photos of the slats and let's see what you're dealing with. Refinishing the slats to look original as possible should be good practice to one day refinish the lid.

I wrote this and went down to take some pictures! Here are some pics of the slats and the lid

Any suggestions for the repairs?