The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just picked up my first Electrola, a really nice VE7-26X. I have a couple of questions.

How does the swivel base of the tone arm come apart?

I removed the two small screws on each side of the base but cannot get it to come apart. The leg on the tone arm that actuates the brake is dragging slighly on the motor board. I've tried adjusting the pivot at the top of the tone arm but that doesn't help. Something must be worn or loose near the bottom.

As to the antique bronze finish on the hardware, was that electroplated? Who can I get to replate/refinish a few pieces?

Thanks,

Jerry Watson, Charleston, WV

I have what may be some disappointing news... that back-bracket for the tone-arm looks as though it has developed "pot-metal disease", usually manifested by swelling, cracking, and crumbling.

I'm going by what appear to be little fluffy, white specks / crumbs on the pot-metal parts in your photo...

When new, the back bracket disassembled by removing the two small screws, then the upper bracket would lift-out of the large base-flange.

What usually has happened over the subsequent 80 + years, is that the pot-metal upper bracket has begun to swell, and becomes jammed / seized in the flange.

When this is the case, unless you want to / can find a replacement back-bracket, it is best to leave well enough alone.

If you're trying to correct that trip-post from dragging the motor-deck, you might try shimming under the large flange of the tone-arm bracket.

Do you have any photos of the complete machine... the motor-deck looks unusually "blond" for a Victor ?


Regards,

Frank

Also, that bronze finish is most likely a chemical process used to achieve an aged-looking patina.

I believe there was a recent thread on the Forum about recipes for such stuff... it's not for the faint of heart...


Unless you or some alchemist you have found can perfectly replicate the original finish, it's probably best to leave it as-is...


I didn't understand this when I got my Great Grandmother's Orthophonic 8-12 when I was 19, and thought that the nearly black tone-arm had tarnished from bright brass... so I tried to polish it up...

So, now I have a nearly-black "bronze" arm with a shiny birght-spot where the original patina was worn-away form handling...

Thanks for the information on the tone-arm. You may be right about the pot metal fatigue. I will take a closer look at it. Down in the tone-arm base there appears to be a very thick black gooey substance almost like tar. I thought maybe that was what was keeping it from coming apart.

As to the "blond" finish, what you are seeing is a box to mount all the components in while I give the cabinet a deep cleaning/polishing. The cabinet is very nice with zero alligatoring and just one very minor ⅛" nick in the top molding. After the cleaning, wet sanding with 1500 paper and lemon oil, followed by a good polishing should do wonders for the appearance.

I just got this machine 3 weeks ago. So far I have done all the cosmetics on the radiola and power supply, serviced the induction disk motor and built the "temporary" box.

Jerry Watson, Charleston, WV

Interesting idea for working on the electronics. How did you get the chassis to look like if just came off the production floor???

Skihawx wrote:Interesting idea for working on the electronics. How did you get the chassis to look like if just came off the production floor???

Agreed !


I have a VV 7-11, which is similar, but has essentially a VV 2-55 portable phonograph for the disc play-back, and an Radiola 18 down below.

That black tar is / was probably the grease used to lube the swivel of the taper-tube.

If you're dead-set on disassembling that original tone-arm base, you could try removing the wiring and electronic bits, then soaking the flange assembly in gasoline or another good solvent to dissolve all the old grease, then let it spend a couple nights in the freezer. The pot metal may shrink enough for you to get it out of the mounting flange.

The good thing is, with an electric pick-up, you don't need to worry about making that tone-arm flange air-tight for good reproduction, just make sure it moves freely.

Thanks for sharing your project photos; I was wondering if you had built a temporary motor-deck for resto purposes...

Adjusting the pivot of the arm may not relieve the drag of the brake post against the motor board. There is a nut about half way up the little post that actuates the brake. Loosen the nut and you will be able to raise and lower the post accordingly. It might be a little tough but try a little WD-40. Good luck.