The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I was tinkering a little bit today with my various Edison "Home" machines, and I discovered that one of the model C reproducers has a stuck floating-weight.

I was able to remove the needle-bar screw and needle-bar, and carefully get the limit-pin out of the loop, and then rotate the entire weight & pivot block until the pivot block unscrewed from the reproducer body.


It appears that the weight is seized on the steel screw that runs through the weight & block.


Any suggestions on loosening / disassembly w/o destroying anything ?


Is heat a good idea or not ?


Thanks !

De Soto Frank

I'd start with penetrating oil/PB Blaster first and let it really soak in. After that, I'd try freezing it for a few hours; that seems to work for me with most reproducer issues. After that, I'd try heat, but be careful because too much heat can melt parts and/or damage plating.

I agree. After a soak of a couple of days it should be possible to ease it loose by gently working it backwards and forwards against a screwdriver in the slot in the end of the screw. If there is no slot, it may be that it had been 'bodged' at some time in the past by someone driving a pin through the block. In this case the thread in the weight will have been damaged and the only way is to drive the pin out with a small hammer and drift. I hope for your sake that this is not the case!

Keith

I agree. After a soak of a couple of days it should be possible to ease it loose by gently working it backwards and forwards against a screwdriver in the slot in the end of the screw. If there is no slot, it may be that it had been 'bodged' at some time in the past by someone driving a pin through the block. In this case the thread in the weight will have been damaged and the only way is to drive the pin out with a small hammer and drift. I hope for your sake that this is not the case!

Keith