The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have recently bought a Columbia 160 portable that has a missing latch on the records compartment lid. That is: it's not one of the "main" latches on the front of the case, but one of those belonging to the records compartment on the top half.

Unfortunately the surviving latch shows that the missing part has a distinctive design which is not easily mocked with nowadays hardware.

I figure that an original spare will be nearly impossible to find. However, should anyone of you have a spare latch or knows someone who sells them (original or reproduced, I'll take everything!) please be so kind to let me know.

Also, should anyone know the art of reproducing such part from raw copper, I would be very glad to purchase an imitation latch. Please let me know who may be able to do the work, or contact me directly.

In any case, what would you personally do if this gramophone was yours and this part was missing?

Due to the lack of hints, and also to the lack of for sale offers, I boldly decided to try and make one myself. Not without my surprise, the replica latch came out quite nicely, I dare to say. Here are some pictures that I took while making it; perhaps they will be of inspiration to someone else.

(continues in a new post due to max attachments limit)

That is a brilliant job, Marco. Well done!

Barry

Great job, well done, and thank you very much for sharing the process. I admire your talent.

Andreas

Marco, you really should move to the U.S. because you've got the "Yankee Ingenuity" down!

Very nice job!

George P.

Dear Barry, Andreas and George, thank you very much for your kind words, I really appreciate them!

phonogfp wrote:you've got the "Yankee Ingenuity" down!

Is that what is commonly referred to in Italy as the art of getting by?

Marco Gilardetti wrote:

phonogfp wrote:you've got the "Yankee Ingenuity" down!

Is that what is commonly referred to in Italy as the art of getting by?

I suspect it is!

George P.

Congratulations, Marco, great job! Now, photos of the whole and complete gramophone, please.

Really nice work!

Clay