The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I've brought home a Brunswick model 110. It looks pretty nice cosmetically, but I think the spring is slipping, it makes a thumping/snapping sound at times, even when the turntable is stopped, as if the spring might be slipping somehow? I am unfamiliar with this type of machine, since most of mine are portables. I am going to have to get access to the motor and remove it so I can send it for repair. Any idea where I'd start to get access to the motor? The single diaphragm Ultona reproducer is balking a little at being turned to play verticals, so I'm hesitant to force it at the moment, but would like to give it a try without breaking it. The diaphragm appears in good shape but the volume is lower than I would expect it to be. Any tips from anyone who has worked on one of these would be appreciated. It's a very pretty machine, and I'm glad I found it.

The Brunswicks I've worked on in the past require you to remove the platter/turntable to gain access to the motor board. It should be round in shape and may have a cut-out closest to the front of the machine that will give
you access to some oiling points. You should see some screws that attached the round wooden board to the cabinet and also some screws that secure the board to the motor. The first time I removed one, I removed the wrong screws and the motor dropped down slightly onto the top of the horn.

That is a beautiful machine ! I have a larger Brunswick upright in Golden Oak, bit of a project.


You are wise to be cautious with that reproducer / arm... they are pot-metal.


The tone-arm should telescope in & out, as well as the reproducer head swivelling on the mounting hub.

When playing a lateral record, the arm should be shortened-up, the weight slid to the rear, the head swiveled horizontal, and a sapphire stylus inserted in the special chuck.


You might do well to remove the entire arm assembly from the machine, by removing the three screws that secure the mounting flange to the wooden deck, behind the turntable platter. Then you can better inspect & manipulate the arm. Sometimes a couple of nights in the freezer will loosen a stuck joint, then you can see why / where it's binding, and address accordingly. A little penetrating oil in the joint can also help.

There is a spring-loaded index-pin that bears against the grooved collar on the reproducer mounting hub, that locks the reproducer into place for vertical or lateral record format. Make sure that pin is free to move: probing with a small screwdriver( jeweller's) can verify.

Do NOT heat pot-metal, it melts w/o warning.


When in doubt, STOP, and think / ask questions.


Brunswick made high-quality machines, equal to Victor and Edison in their mechanicals and cabinetry.



Let us know how you make out with it.


Frank

Mr Grumpy wrote:The Brunswicks I've worked on in the past require you to remove the platter/turntable to gain access to the motor board. It should be round in shape and may have a cut-out closest to the front of the machine that will give
you access to some oiling points. You should see some screws that attached the round wooden board to the cabinet and also some screws that secure the board to the motor. The first time I removed one, I removed the wrong screws and the motor dropped down slightly onto the top of the horn.

Depending on the vintage, the motor may be secured to a metal plate, which in turn is screwed to the wooden motor-board.

The screws you'll want to remove are round-headed woodscrews, nickel-plates, probably #8, and about three or four spaced around the perimeter of the plate.


The motor-mounting screws a larger round-head or truss-head machine screws, probably ¼-20; don't bother those...

Thank you all for this good information. When I was examining the machine at the seller's house I tried pulling the turntable off, and it didn't budge. Of course, I didn't force it. But I assume that the turntable must pull off on all of these and isn't attached by a hidden set screw? There are no screws of any kind visible as it sits now, there appears to be a black metal roundish plate barely visible underneath the turntable sticking slightly out from underneath near the tone arm.

So, just to be clear, I am to assume that the turntable pulls straight off and isn't attached by a fixing screw of any kind?

No set-screw.

I'm pretty sure it should just lift-off. I do not remember if it seats on a tapered shoulder, like a Columbia, or on a pin, like a Victor.

It is probably stuck either by gummy oil or a bit of rust.


If you can find a helper, have them put some upward pressure on the rim of the platter (finger tips under the rim), and you give the top of the spindle a smart rap with a soft hammer (copper or brass) or steel hammer with a block of hardwood in the spindle.

De Soto Frank wrote:No set-screw.

I'm pretty sure it should just lift-off. I do not remember if it seats on a tapered shoulder, like a Columbia, or on a pin, like a Victor.

It is probably stuck either by gummy oil or a bit of rust.


If you can find a helper, have them put some upward pressure on the rim of the platter (finger tips under the rim), and you give the top of the spindle a smart rap with a soft hammer (copper or brass) or steel hammer with a block of hardwood in the spindle.

Ah, thank you. I gave it a persistent pull and off it came. Here's what I've got underneath.

Very good!

The four round-head screws at the perimeter of the black plate secure the motor plate to the wooden deck.

The screws with the washers under the heads secure the motor to the plate; don't touch those.

The plate and motor come-out as a unit. You might have to shift things sideways a bit as you lift it out.


Regarding the stuck reproducer head: looking at your last photo, there is a bracket that holds the spring-loaded detent pin against the grooved collar on the reproducer mounting hub. There is a 'French nut' ( "dough-nut" with two spanner slots across its face) that secures the pin and its spring. If you can remove this nut, the spring and pin, that might help in freeing-up the reproducer head.

That machine looks like it has always lived in a kind environment.

I've sent the motor out for repair and it turned out it had one broken spring and the arbor rivet for the second spring was bad too. Other little minor stuff, it needed work on the ratchet gear and the arbor set screw was crossthreaded and had to be drilled out and replaced.

But it came back yesterday and I'm back in business. I still need to take off the arm and see about getting the Ultona to swivel all the way, but for right now I'm happy with it working as it does with laterals.

A video of the machine playing:

https://youtu.be/xDgYct-EBcg