The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi,

I bought an Edison Home on eBay and although the seller described it as "working okay" the belt broke the first time I wanted to run it and after I installed a new leather belt it doesn't run either. I tried the new belt at various tensions, I oiled a few parts, but the machine doesn't run. If I take off the belt it runs fine. I tried to stop the wheel (when it runs without belt) by putting onea finger on it, an I need quite some pressure to stop the machine running. So, I assume the spring obvioulsy is strong enough. Can anyone here help me please to find out what the problem is? Or does anybody know someone near Baltimore MD who can repair Edison phonographs?

Thanks!
Helmut

Please post pictures of it so we can see the upper mechanics, the motor and the belt. Does the mandrel spin freely without the belt when the carriage is engaged?

I'm wondering if the Home is a model D and the potmetal bearing beside the mandrel is frozen or is swollen enough to restrict smooth movement. If so, a new bearing will need to be installed. The other item I would look into is the tension on the endgate bearing (if it is an earlier model like an A or B). There should be a little bit of play side to side. Adjustments may be in order.
ColoradoPhonograph

like others have said... check if something doesn't turn freely. all bearings should have a slight play to avoid binding.

Without the belt attached, the mandrel (the part the cylinder slides into) should spin fairly freely. With the carriage (part that holds the reproducer with the stylus) in a play position, it should still turn quite easily. Jerry

If it is a Home A or B, make sure the end gate is closed. It is the support for the mandrel and feedscrew. If it a 2 & 4 minute version, check that the feed screw turns freely on the shaft as it turns at a different speed than the shaft in 4 minute mode.

max_phenol wrote:Hi,

I I tried the new belt at various tensions,

How did you do that ? Shorten ? lengthen the belt ? How ? If the belt tension pulley doesn't rotate freely this will stop it working

Video would be a great help.

Hi Helmut. I'm not too far from you--- in Northern Virginia. I'd be happy to take a look at it. I have numerous Edisons and, if I had to list my favorite machines to work on, it would be the Edisons. PM me for contact info.

Brad

Hi,

Thanks for all postings so far!

The problem is, that I am in Germany and do not have too much knowledge about phonographs and the machine is at the moment in Baltimore at my friends house. And my friend has has absolutely no glue about those old machines.

I told him how to get it started and what to take care of and I am sure he did everything perfectly right. When the phonograph arrived the original belt was still in place. When he did the first test, it broke. The motor was running fine. So, I ordered a new one for him. He followed the instructions but when he wanted to start it, it didn't run. I asked him about what tension the belt has and maybe it was too strong. So, I asked him to glue it together again with less tension by describing how the tension on my own Edison Home B (similar to the one in Baltimore except mine has a 2/4 minute attachement) is. In result the mandrel started to run for a few seconds, but the belt fell off the upper wheel right away. This happened all the time he tried it. It appeared that the belt was kind of curved. I ordered another belt but this didn't change anything - the machine doesn't run with the belt on, no matter which tension it has. I also asked him to try out a belt made by duct tape, just as the Victrola Guy explains on youtube, so we can try out all different kind of tensions. But this doesn't work either.

My friend did put some oil on here and there too. The end gate is closed. The carriage is in "up" position and the mandrel spins freely. He winds up the spring "fully" for every test and lets it run till the end before stopping the machine. The problem might be the spring. But I tried if I can stop my Edison Home here at home by putting a finger on the wheel and put some pressure on it. I can stop it, but it requires quite a bit of pressure. My friend says that this is the same with the Home he has. So, I think that the spring has enough power. But maybe an expert does know how to make a better test.

Does anyone have other hints? If I can't get it run, it doesn't make sense that my friend ships it to me as I don't have anyone here to help me repairing it. I would be forced to sell it. So, maybe if one of you is interested in it, just let me know.

I try to post some photos here as soon as I can.

Thanks!
Helmut