Columbia AS coin-op on eBay... can it be saved?

[Victrolaboy]

Columbia AS coin-op on eBay: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 1565679324
Can it be saved?

[outune]

Hi Nick-- I saw that machine-- I'd love to know it's "story". How did it get so broken up?? With the casting broken and the end of the top case broken, I'm wondering how the curved glass survived. The glass is hard to replace and is expensive. I believe the cast iron frame on the AS was the same as used on the later (New York) model "A" machines-- I could be wrong-- but if so, then finding a new frame and carriage parts may not be too hard. I've never owned an AS, but the coin mechanism looks very much like the mech on my "N" Coin-op. It looks to me that the majority of the parts are there. I certainly think it is a very restorable machine. The large timing gear on the right side of the motor is expensive to have made, so that's a plus that it's there. The woodwork can be fixed by a competent woodworker. This is a machine that needs some TLC but is well worth the effort

Brad Abell

[HisMastersVoice]

From the looks of it, I'd say it fell off of a table or something and landed on the corner. Too bad...hope it can be saved.

[Curt A]

I would definitely say that this is restorable. Coincidentally, there is another incomplete BS on eBay and between the two you could make one, for sure.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Columbia-Grapho ... 9324&rt=nc

[Victrolaboy]

Hi Nick-- I saw that machine-- I'd love to know it's "story". How did it get so broken up?? With the casting broken and the end of the top case broken, I'm wondering how the curved glass survived. The glass is hard to replace and is expensive. I believe the cast iron frame on the AS was the same as used on the later (New York) model "A" machines-- I could be wrong-- but if so, then finding a new frame and carriage parts may not be too hard. I've never owned an AS, but the coin mechanism looks very much like the mech on my "N" Coin-op. It looks to me that the majority of the parts are there. I certainly think it is a very restorable machine. The large timing gear on the right side of the motor is expensive to have made, so that's a plus that it's there. The woodwork can be fixed by a competent woodworker. This is a machine that needs some TLC but is well worth the effort

Brad Abell

Yes you are right the mechanism is the same as the New York type A. According to the book "The Complete Talking Machine" it used the type A mechanism and the type AT mechanism.

[FloridaClay]

Here is a pic from the listing (not mine) at the top of this thread.

Clay

[kendphono]

Since I have restored a number of both Columbia BS and Columbia AS machines, I thought I would chime in. There are no common parts between the two machines. So, you could not buy the two on EBAY and make one. Can it be restored? Yes. I have done ones worse than the AS on EBAY and they came out looking great. However, it is not a cheap repair. The person auctioning also indicated the glass is cracked. Using the cast top works from a Columbia A is not a sure thing. There are at least three different hole spacings for the mounting holes for the casting. The casting with the spacing for the AS is the hardest to find. Whoever wins the auction will have an expensive uphill path depending on how much of the work they can do.

Here is a picture of one of the damaged ones I had come in. The other picture is the restored machine.


Ken Danckaert