The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I'm restoring an Exhibition reproducer and can't find the appropriate bees wax for the needle bar/mica. Can I substitute regular candle wax?

I would not recommend it as I don't believe it will last as long. That said, it might be fine.

You should be able to find real bees wax online, though it might be expensive once you add in shipping.

In the past, I have purchased mica diaphragms and rubber gasket kits for repro rebuilds from APSCO in new york and they included a small chunk. Maybe you need something they have and can ask them to include a chunk with your order, or maybe they'll sell you a chunk for a couple of bucks.

I have used candle wax on exhibitions, and so far, so good. Years from now, who knows.

My only suggestion is to take he amount you think you need, then cut that in half before applying and heating it. You'll be surprised how far and fast candle wax will spread when it melts!

Thanks for the fast responses. I think I'll try the candle wax: at least it's easily fixed if I do something wrong. I know that candle wax gets very runny very quickly: I was an alter boy!

Fabric shops sell bees wax.

Retrograde wrote:Fabric shops sell bees wax.

Really... the resourcefulness of my fellow members never ceases to amaze me. Many thanks.

Also check craft-shops and boutiques that might sell bees-wax candles...

Also, some hardware stores down here ( Ace, for one ) sell bees-wax in a blister-pack: it's a cake about the size of a restaurant-package individual serving of jam or cream-cheese...

Most health food stores will sell it as well.

Personally, I use Sugarbag beeswax from Australia. The bees are stingless and produce black wax. It's my "signature" touch on reproducers I rebuild.

Any beekeepers in your vicinity? Go to the source and buy local!

Here is what I have done: Since I couldn't find bees wax in my area, or didn't try hard enough, I use broken black wax cylinders. I had a black wax cylinder break on me(ouch) and I used the black wax to seal the needle bar on a disk reproducer. I carefully placed some black wax crumbs around the needle bar and used a soldering iron to melt the wax around the needle bar. It's worked fine for me.
Harvey Kravitz