The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello,
I picked up an Edison Automatic recorder that I am going to rebuild. It has a good mica diaphragm and cutter but no evidence of old gaskets. Do these recorders use a set of black rubber gasket just like a model C reproducer??
thanks
Pete

I have an Edison recorder in an original box, last pat. date 1904.

It appears that the mica diaphragm is set in beeswax ?

???

I added some pictures to go along with my original question.
Pete

When I've rebuilt Automatic recorders and Automatic reproducers, I've always used the typical black gaskets in them.

George P.

The original gaskets were a more amber colored rubber, very soft, yes regular C gaskets will work but most of the available gaskets out there are actually too hard. The main thing with putting any reproducer is that you clamp down just to the point where it does not leak air, not any tighter or looser, I go to so many phonograph shows and the reproducers have no sensitivity, and no bass, they have to excursion some on low notes, so the Tuba has a real sound (listen to my youtube vids.

I too recently purchased an automatic recorder.
It was rebuilt by Steve Medved.
Steve is the "go-to" guy for knowledge about
these recorders.

He uses the Krapes soft black rubber gaskets.
(sorry if I spelled the name wrong)

Yeah, Shawn is correct that the clamp ring
does not need to be overly tight. From what
info I have gathered up about this, most people
say that the amount that the clamp ring is
tightened is an adjustment you can make to the
recorder as you test it to get the best results.

Also, with these automatics, you can try a glass diaphragm, or mica, or even copper.

Keep us informed of your progress with this.
We need to have an ongoing thread dedicated to
automatic recorder experiments, and the results
obtained from those experiments.

Chuck