Circa 1905 Columbia Grafonona

[minahan1]

Newbie at repairing or restoring talking machines.

I have recently purchased this player and the tonearm is very tight. I tried soaking it in mystery oil for a few days and it has loosened up but still too tight to play.
What does anyone suggest for this and is they're a way to take it apart to get it loosened up?

I saved it from going to the dump.

thank you for any help.

[alang]

Very nice Grafonola in great condition you have here. The problem with these tonearms and elbows is that they were made from pot metal, which expands and even starts to crumble when stored in less than ideal conditions. Mine has the same problem and the best results I had was with Liquid Wrench spray. I would make sure it soaks into all crevices and then let it dry. It creates a powdery film which includes Teflon I think. This made mine operational and I only have to redo it about every year or so.

Supposedly you can take it apart by turning the tonearm straight up in the elbow and then pull it out. I was not able to do that on mine and did not want to use excessive force and risk to break it.

Good luck
Andreas

[De Soto Frank]

I have this machine too... I think it is the "Favorite" from around 1916.

Is your arm frozen at the up & down joint, or the side-to-side joint ? (Or both?)


Mine was "tight", but I was able to get it apart. There are set-screws on each joint, that also limit the range of motion of each joint, if you remove the set-screws, you should be able to rotate each joint 360 degrees.

The up & down joint is held together with some bayonet lugs: if your remove the screw and swing the arm up vertical relative to playing position, it should pop-out of the elbow ( there is a small flat-spring inside to keep the joint from rattling / buzzing ).

I believe the lower joint ( side-to-side) is held together just by the set-screw, no bayonet -lugs, if I remember correctly.

Once you get these joints apart, clean all the old grease out with solvent, then check the fit... if things still bind, look for shiny spots on the mating bits, and with some 400 or 600-grit auto-body sand paper, carefully sand the high-spots, and clean, and re-check.

You really just need free movement through the range of motion with the limit screws installed + another couple degrees lee-way.

My soundbox is frozen on the arm, and I have decided to leave it alone rather than risk breakage.

Congrats for saving this... they are a neat little machine, and sounds really decent.

[De Soto Frank]

Just took a second look at your Columbia... mine didn't come with the remotes...

[minahan1]

Thank you very much for the response. I have tried to get the arm apart but it wont budge and I don't want to break it.

De Soto Frank - I wasn't thinking when I took the picture, the remotes don't actually go to the Grafonona. LOL

Andreas, I am going to try that. The other thing I have found that people are saying to use is white lithium grease? Try anything right now.

thanks again
Minahan1

P.S. I also have a Victrola and it works perfectly!

[howardpgh]

Would valve grinding compound or toothpaste work in that joint once it is apart?

[52089]

Newbie at repairing or restoring talking machines.

I have recently purchased this player and the tonearm is very tight. I tried soaking it in mystery oil for a few days and it has loosened up but still too tight to play.
What does anyone suggest for this and is they're a way to take it apart to get it loosened up?

I saved it from going to the dump.

thank you for any help.

I'm restoring a very similar machine and like yours, my tonearm was barely moving. The up and down movement was fine, but the side-to-side movement was nearly locked. After removing the set screws, I separated the tonearm from the elbow by lifting it straight up and pulling it apart. Then I soaked the elbow joint with PB Blaster. After a day or 2, I put the elbow in my kitchen freezer overnight and I was able to separate the 2 pieces easily. Now I just need to sand the joints a bit and add some grease and the machine will be ready to sing again. Good luck!

[Chitown Slim]

Who would throw that away? Thank you for saving it!