The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My Edison Home machine is acting up. The machine will play about half way through a cylinder then slow down, eventually stopping. The belt is good, tensioner good, tried different cylinders, reproducer (C), nothing is binding anywhere up top. Once it comes to a complete stop I can lift the reproducer and it will start running again, put the reproducer down and plays to the end.

I finally took the cylinder off and dropped the reproducer to the playing position and even without a cylinder it did the same thing??

Runs great with the carriage out of the picture.

Runs quiet. Looks like a spring problem.

It could be your half-nut. I had that problem once. There is a complete article about that in The Compleat Talking Machine by Eric Reiss.
Harvey Kravitz

I agree with Harvey. The first thing to check and adjust is the half nut. As you probably know it controls the amount of pressure the carriage applies to the feed screw. If there is too much pressure or friction, the machine will slow or stop. It's a very fine adjustment and a ¼ turn is a gross adjustment. Jerry

Thanks. I looked at the half nut which looks sort of worn down, albiet uniformly. That could very well be the problem. Definitely worth replacing (order)before getting into spring work. I have a couple of other Home machines but reluctant to take the half nut off any of them for fear of having to diddle (tech term) with two machines vice one.......Thanks again.

Well the half nut appears to be the problem - sensitive adjustment is an understatement..From the looks of the nut the wear is such that it needs replacement. I checked the other 3 Home machines (found another one)and their respective half nuts do not ride nearly as close to the feed screw.

Time to call George V. Cheers

So you looked at it and it's worn... did you adjust it?

Be sure to keep the feedscrew lubricated with a very light oil. When you install the new half-nut, be sure to align it to the feedscrew grooves by lowering the carriage and pressing/wiggling the half-nut bar into the feedscrew as you tighten the two machine screws that secure the half-nut.

Yep I tinkered with it and appears to be the problem. It seems very thin at the top of the arch compared to the 3 other Homes I have. I ordered one from George V.

And thanks for the info on installing a new nut - I was wondering about that. Also, I presume 3 and 1 oil is sufficient and meets the "thin oil" requirement..

dutchman wrote:Yep I tinkered with it and appears to be the problem. It seems very thin at the top of the arch compared to the 3 other Homes I have. I ordered one from George V.

And thanks for the info on installing a new nut - I was wondering about that. Also, I presume 3 and 1 oil is sufficient and meets the "thin oil" requirement..

NO! 3-in-1 Oil is high in paraffins which will become gummy in no time, especially with the airborne dust to which the feed screw is subjected. Use Singer Sewing Machine Oil. Throw the 3-in-1 and the WD-40 in the trash can.

Ok guess I shall stash the 3-1 oil for lawnmower use. Thanks