The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I bought a Graphophone machine (Model BK) with no belt. I have since made a belt and have had the machine run and play. But there is a problem: the belt wants to jump the track. This is aesthetically unpleasing to me. The problem lies with the leather belt material. I bought a length of the material and it itself is not a straight cut. Consequently, the loop (i.e. the belt) is, well, I can't find the right word to describe it. The symptom is, as the belt turns, it comes to a spot in the belt that gets lifted up over the edge of track on the mandrel that the belt is supposed to sit in. And once out of the track, it stays out of the tract. Otherwise the belt works fine. I could make the belt a bit smaller (have already done that 2x) but I'm afraid if I make the belt too tight, the mandrel won't turn. Any suggestions?

I've had this happen a number of times...and I use excellent belt material!

Here's something that has worked for me on occasion (but not always). Try removing the belt and putting it on "backwards" from the way it is now. I can't explain why, but that has cured the problem for me several times.

Also...if the belt is too tight (you wrote that you've made it smaller) that can cause the problem you've described.

Good luck!

George P.

Don't know if this will help but I was told by Ron Haring that usually belt leather is not straight. You should straighten it before cutting it to length by holding it by the ends and pulling across the edge of a counter/table. Worth a try anyways.

Now there you go! Or how about attaching a weight to one end of the belt leather and suspending it for about a week or so until permanently straight.

Another point to consider is whether the upper and lower pulleys are correctly aligned...

Bill