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There are at least 2 typical cranks seen used on Standards, Homes and perhaps Firesides. One is a flat 2 piece style and the other appears to be a cast type. See image below and could someone explain the use for each, please. Thanks, Joe

I've seen a lot of the cast cranks on Firesides, but they show up on Standards as well. It's funny, but I don't recall ever seeing one on a Home (no doubt it's only my particular experience). There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to why one crank was supplied over another. Perhaps Martin can throw some light on this.

George P.

I checked both my Firesides. One is cast and the other 2 piece style.

Bill K

I have owned 5 Firesides in my collecting career and they all had the one piece crank. I have had 7 Home Model Bs before and they all had the two piece except for a mahogany Home had the one piece. I have had at least 10 Standard Bs and Ds and they were mixed.

I can't lend much more info except that the cast cranks show up in small runs here and there from the early Standard model B days up through the Ds. I don't see them much in the later machines. Perhaps they were house-made at Edison to supplement dwindling supplies from outside suppliers.
Martin