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My Edison Chippendale phonograph has an alignment problem. I know how to fix a vertical problem if the reproducer is not centered in the limit loop, but my problem is horizontal. Usually, on Edison DD machines, when you move the tone arm handle to the left, a metal lever contacts the brake lever and shuts the turntable off. On my C-250, when I try to do that, the lever just goes up to the brake lever, but doesn't hit it, so I have to shut it off manually. I have also noticed that my reproducer weight tends to go faster than the tone arm across the record, so that toward the end of a side, the pin is starting to hit the limit loop. I should say that my C-250 is a little different than other DD machines in that it has a Duncan stop to shut off the turn table, not the mechanical stop. It also lacks the finger control to the left of the brake lever that most DD machines have. Does anyone know what could be wrong with my machine?

As for the Duncan stop: the original brake lever would have been removed when it was installed. The end where it contacts the cue lever should still be adjustable, though (judging from the pictures I've seen - although I do not know whether it would trip the brake as in the original). Have you got the stop hooked up to a battery and working?

As for the reproducer 'drift': I do not see how that would happen, unless there were some play between the rack and the feedscrew. Does this happen on all discs, or just those that are somewhat eccentric? Are you lowering the reproducer as close to the first groove as possible?

Bill

I had the "drift" issue with one of my DD machines, and read somewhere (maybe in the Edison factory's repairman's manual) that with the reproducer removed, holding the horn in place with one hand and CAREFULLY bending the tonearm backward will result in a change in the drift. I did this, and after several tries, it seemed to work. I think the small change in the arc of the bend in the horn is what slightly increases travel of the reproducer body. Just go slowly, so as not to damage anything. You may need to readjust your vertical height after trying this.
Bob

Added:
I found the page from the repair manual! Here it is: Thanks to MicaMonster for posting the entire manual on his website. Here is the link to the manual pages:
http://www.lagparty.org/~wyatt/ddmanual.html

Bob

Thanks Barnett, That looks very helpful. No, my Duncan stop has never been wired or working. That is a good question for other C-250 owners or anyone with the Duncan stop. Namely, can you trip the brake lever by pushing the reproducer handle to the left as you can on all other Diamond Disc machines? Another thing that's different about my C-250 is the horn neck. On all other DD machines that I own, if you push the horn neck to the right, the neck will hit the rubber bumper with a bang, but on my C-250, the neck stops just short of hitting the bumper. Now that sounds like something is out of alignment.

Check to see if the mute ball cable might be snaked incorrectly around the horn's front post. I had that problem with my C19. It kept the horn from swinging completely freely. The Duncan stop wire might be impeding movement also.
Bob

A PDF file was posted here on the forum by MordETH back in Feb 2009 (MECHANICAL SERVICE and REPAIRS
NEW EDISON DISC MOTOR). Great set of instructions which I have used on occasion. Perhaps it will help with your problem.

marcapra wrote:Thanks Barnett, That looks very helpful. No, my Duncan stop has never been wired or working. That is a good question for other C-250 owners or anyone with the Duncan stop. Namely, can you trip the brake lever by pushing the reproducer handle to the left as you can on all other Diamond Disc machines? Another thing that's different about my C-250 is the horn neck. On all other DD machines that I own, if you push the horn neck to the right, the neck will hit the rubber bumper with a bang, but on my C-250, the neck stops just short of hitting the bumper. Now that sounds like something is out of alignment.

My C-250 had a horn that was poorly repaired when I got it so that it was terribly misaligned. The reproducer was clearly tilted to the right. Amongst other things, the horn could not reach one of the bumpers properly. Is there any evidence that your horn has been broken apart and put back together? Silver soder or epoxy on the joints or anything?