The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I went into the bedroom this morning to get a Fireside out of the way. I never have kept the lids on any of my machines but after what I saw, I think I need to put them on. There was a layer of dust on it. Took me an hour to clean them up.

When I am spending time with the collection, either playing the phonographs or just watching the TV that is in the room, lids are off and up. When I leave the room , it's lids on and down to keep out dust.

Mike

Hello,
I never keep the lids on my machines. All my lids ( about sixty of them) are stored in a double wide closet. I prefer to see all my machines open and ready for playing. Dust is always a problem. I usually dust all my machines and horns about once a month as time allows.
Pete

Yes and no. I leave two cylinder machines I play most often all set up and ready to go. The rest have their lids on.

Clay

I always put the lid. I don't have enough space to store them separately and I'd hate to clean the dust...

The lid stays on until used or for guests to see.
Same goes for the Victrola.
The Vic III get the felt covered with a disc.

I'd rather dust it in one quick motion.

James.

Lids stay on/closed when a machine is not in use.

For machines that do not have lids, I put a junk 1-sided disc on the turntable with the blank side UP to keep the felt clean and make things easier to dust.

Slightly off topic question.
Is it safe to carry an Edison by the handle on the lid?

howardpgh wrote:Slightly off topic question.
Is it safe to carry an Edison by the handle on the lid?

NO!!!!

But seriously, the lid is made of such thin wood, the bolts can pop right through it, and send your Edison smashing to the ground.

howardpgh wrote:Slightly off topic question.
Is it safe to carry an Edison by the handle on the lid?

I wouldn't do it with anything heavier than a Gem.

Clay