The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Well, here I am again with yet another inane question (you can all roll your eyes heavenwards now)I have been trying to figure out why the HMV 102 I got from ebay wont stop working when I have put the brake on, any help would be greatfully received, is there any tutorials on you tube I could watch maybe? HELP!!!!!

(I promise to stop buying rubbish machines on Ebay)

TTFN

First, which brake do you mean, the manual one (in which case, the felt or leather pad has fallen out), or the automatic? If it's the latter, make sure the "Autobrake on/off" lever is in the "on" position. If it is, and the brake still doesn't operate correctly, then it sounds as though the autobrake mechanism needs dismantling and cleaning, especially if someone has misguidedly oiled it in the past. If you do this yourself, (it's very straightforward), be careful with the two fibre washers between the metal parts, they are very thin, and very delicate! When reassembling, do not oil any part of the mechanism, it relies on friction and pressure alone to work properly.
If, on the other hand, you're unlucky, and have one of the first 102s with the infernal "complicated" brake, then you'll be lucky if it ever works properly. Two of my 102s have them, and they have to be adjusted nearly every time they are played.

Barry