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I picked up a copy of Busy Bee cylinder "I Want a Graphophone". It's the first Busy Bee cylinder, in good shape, that I've owned. Did I find a good title? I don't have a Busy Bee machine in my collection so I can't play it. Jerry Blais

To find ANY Busy Bee record that's playable is a prize. To find that title on a playable cylinder is far better still.

I wonder if you could use some kind of rubber bands or other material on a standard mandrel to make it large enough to play a Busy Bee cylinder. Has anyone tried this?

As far as I know, the Busy Bee cylinders were made from Standard Columbia molds with the inside hole a bit larger. If you could get it snug on your non-Busy Bee mandrel, it should play as well as any 2-minute cylinder.

52089 wrote:I wonder if you could use some kind of rubber bands or other material on a standard mandrel to make it large enough to play a Busy Bee cylinder. Has anyone tried this?

i have some aluminium rings made so i can digitize lioret and busy bee using a normal mandrel maybe this is a idea for you i also had a maluminium cap made to fit on my columbia type C mandrel so that i could digitize my mae star cylinders

Jerry,

Congratulations! In my opinion, you have found the most desirable Busy Bee cylinder there is! It is one of my favorites! Not only is it a phonograph related cylinder, but it is also a song written by Cal Stewart, who, as you know, is my favorite phonograph artist!!

Enjoy!

Mike Sorter

All I do to play a Busy Bee cylinder on a regular sized mandrel is to carefully fold a couple of business cards and insert on both sides for a snug fit on a regular mandrel.

Mike Sorter

Nice cylinder Jerry --- thanks for sharing! Here's another interesting title to have with a Busy Bee machine: Busy Bee No. 224 --- When The Bees Are In The Hive.

Bob

I picked up a Busy Bee machine over the weekend, which is a fairly unusual find over here. It is a Columbia Q with a larger mandrel, the latest patent date on the stem being August 20, 1901. There is a fairly battered Busy Bee decal on the black painted base plate. It hasn't seen an oil can for years, but the reproducer is good and stylus intact. The spring slips on the peg (or is broken). No horn.

For those making lists, there are three cylinders, all in Busy Bee boxes:

151 - No end printing, but No.151 O'Neill James Co. Busy Bee Record (all in capitals) inscribed (printed) on the rim

220 - "Ramblin' Sam" Busy Bee Record No.220 printed on the end, white capital lettering

The end lettering has been scratched off, for some mad reason. A handwritten paper slip inside states "#393 You look awful good to me". Inscribed on the rim: handwritten M-578-2-10, printed 32939-2-10

Can anyone help with decoding the inscriptions? Is there a Busy Bee list anywhere? Where can I find out a bit more about the company? It is an interesting marketing move, to make cylinders which won't fir the millions of machines already in the market, particularly when there were few paten restrictions by that time.

I will have a go at the machine and play the cylinders. If I can get an eletronic recording I am happy to put it up here if anyone has an interest.

Keith

There is a listing for Busy Bee cylinders on the 78 discography project website http://www.78discography.com/BusyBeeCyl.htm.

Hope that helps
Andreas