The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi !!!! i have one question... i order from ebay a Pathé soundbox for my Pathéphone like this one, in the same box...

http://perso.crans.org/woessner/image/t ... oncert.JPG

but it has the rubber arm behind broke, maybe the rubber was very old and it become hard and fragile, the question is...

In which mode can i restore it? where can i find the sostitution rubber?? can i use normal rubber or special type??

thank you..

If you mean the gaskets that hold the mica diaphragm in place, you can use the same gasket material that everybody uses for the Victor Exhibition reproducer, which is available from all parts suppliers.

If you are looking for the rubber gasket that goes between the back of the reproducer and the "elbow" that mounts to the tonearm, I don't know of any sources for this, but I would suggest you ask the usual parts dealers. Other wise I don't see why you couldn't just make one yourself from a rubber sheet of the same thickness.

i mean this.... (this is my soundbox)

http://imagegecko.net/upload/20150114_000637.jpg

I had the same problem. I think originally it was a 1 ply textile reinforced hose, like a garden hose. I could not find any like those "by the foot" anywhere and did not want to buy a whole 75ft hose, so I used a piece of radiator hose from the auto parts store. Only problem is that it is stiffer than the original probably was, but it looks and works OK. I glued it with black RTV silicone into the metal connector that goes to the tonearm. On the reproducer side I had to carve out a little bit of rubber from the inside of the hose, because the radiator hose has a much thicker wall. Like I said, it looks and works OK, but a piece of red or black rubber garden hose would be closer to the original. I've seen them both in red and black on original Pathé machines.

Good luck
Andreas

You need the same type of flexible rubber sold for horn connections - auto hose is much too stiff.

alang wrote:I had the same problem. I think originally it was a 1 ply textile reinforced hose, like a garden hose.

Hmmmm....garden hose and neoprene rubber hose is too stiff (and usually has a stubborn curl) and may be hard to find in the exact diameter, but I just had an interesting idea how to make one. Find a wooden dowel to use as a form, they come in various diameters at the hardware store, or you could turn one to custom size with a wood lathe. Wrap one layer of wax paper around the dowel. Next cut a long strip of thin porous cloth whose width equals the intended length of hose required. Saturate the cloth with pure black silicon caulk and wrap it around the dowel with enough layers to achieve the outside hose diameter or stiffness you require. Once the silicone dries, remove the wood dowel, and you have a reinforced "rubber" hose of controlled thickness.

I second the radiator hose, I've rebuilt several with it. It needs to be a little stiff, if not the connection will sag when you place the stylus on the record. You'll need to shave down the inside on either end to get the inner collar to fit without making the hose bulge (then you can't put the outer collar back on). Good luck!

52089 wrote:If you mean the gaskets that hold the mica diaphragm in place, you can use the same gasket material that everybody uses for the Victor Exhibition reproducer, which is available from all parts suppliers.

I noticed when taking one of these apart that the Pathé gasket was rubber tubing with a core of gut cord. I suppose regular rubber would do just as well.