The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just picked up my new Credenza X form a seller over in Phoenix AZ. I live in Las Vegas so I took yesterday to drive over and pick it up and drove back last night. It was a long day but worth it.

The Credenza was purchased from the original owners son. According to him, His grand father staked a gold claim in 1911 that he sold for $25,000. He purchased this machine in Boise Idaho in 1925. The Credenza has been in his family his entire life. Although he has children, non of them are interested in the Credenza. I purchased it with most of the original record binders full of period correct records for $250. The cost of the machine brand new. I think I did very well.

It plays well with both steel and Fibre needles. But I am sending the brass reproducer to Wyatt Marcus aka Miccamonster to rebuild. That is if I can get it off. It's really stuck on good. It wont budge.

Im going out today to pick up supplies to start the rest of the rebuild. Goop or Gojo for the cleaning of the cabinet. I already have mahogany Howards restore a finish and Feed n Wax. Need to get some 600 grit sand paper and 0000 steel wool. Im not gong to try and refinish it. I want it clean with the original patina. Dings and all. Im leaving the dirty grill cloth. I need to order some 18 gauge cloth covered wire to rewire it. The wire is pretty beat upend I need to get new paper disc for the plug.

I did a quick oiling of the motor last night when I got it home with Tri-Flow oil. I also have Tri-Flow grease but, didn't use any on it yet. I rebuild vintage sewing machines and love the Tri-flow products. It loosened up the motor enough to play last night. I'll be breaking the motor down for a cleaning and rebuild.

I think I will use the glycerine and Alcohol treatment on the horn.

Im not sure how to regrease the tone arm to get it in the ball bearings. I need help on that one. Also, the auto stop doesn't work on every record.

Lastly, Ill be picking up some Lexol or neatsfoot oil to put in the hinge damper. I hope it works. If not I need to open those up and rebuild them.

Take a look and tell me how I did. I am a new so I'll also need a lot of advice. Like how to make the photos appear straight instead of on their side. LOL

Jamie

Very nice machine, congrats! It should be awesome with just a little work.

The auto stop only works on records that have an eccentric final locked groove. Records with the standard symmetrical final groove won't trip the stop mechanism.

I'm curious as to what you intend to do with the sandpaper? I don't recall ever using sandpaper on a machine.

Wow. What a beautiful phonograph, Jamie. Congratulations! I'd think twice before doing too much in the way of restoration/rejuvenation. Once the Howard's is on, it's on. Once the finish is fine-sanded, it's fine sanded. This appears to be a pristine original Credenza, and anything beyond minimal clean-up may not necessarily be the most prudent route...imho.

best,
Grant

"Need to get some 600 grit sand paper and 0000 steel wool"

Stop, or at least slow down...

I'd advise just giving the machine a once over with Goop on cloth, see how it looks, then do the Howard's. This machine doesn't look like it needs anything abrasive applied to the finish.

Im slowing down. The top of the Credenza has water marks and general distress. The bottom and bun feet are the worst. The finish is crazed and the buns are to bare wood in places. I don't mind it. But after a good cleaning with Gojo I was going to use Howards restore a finish with some 0000 steel wool on the worst places. Then a final coat of Feed N Wax.

Jayl65 wrote:I think I will use the glycerine and Alcohol treatment on the horn.

Congratulations!
Please give a greenhorn an idea of what this hoen treatment is. Tarnish removal?

http://www.gracyk.com/credenza.shtml

Explanation of Glycerine and Methyl Alcohol treatment. You can also use the search function on here to pull up more information about the process.

I have to echo what others have said. Put the sand paper, steel wood and Howards Restore A finish down and take a break.

Some one correct me if I'm wrong but these later machines have a lacquer and lacquer toner finish. Not much room for sanding before you go through the darker toners making it blotchy colored.

Personally I would get the GoJo, paper towels and felt pads and clean away. Than see what you have, and what you may want to do next.

Congratulations you have a nice original machine, just go slow, baby steps.

Larry Crandell

Very nice machine.
You may be pleasantly surprised with your results after a good cleaning with GoJo and paper towels.

Larry is correct in mentioning the thinness of the lacquer finish on these Orthophonic machines from the '20's.
Go slow.


Gene

A great machine. I had a one owner of the same model for 40 years and passed it on to another young collector. Mine luckily had no issues on the cabinet. But I have worked on a lot of others. I am most likely in the minority here but I tired the Howards Restore a Finish and at first I thought it was worthwhile. But after it dried and I got a better look at it in various lighting I realized you still have the same glaring missing sections of finish only maybe darker. Seeing your problem is mostly noticeable on the lower trim and feet if it were mine I would be tempted to remove the finish from those areas and then stain it a dark walnut after cleaning it off and sanding it with very fine sandpaper. And yes most likely you have lacquer as the finish. You can buy a brushing lacquer in a can or maybe a clear in a spray, but that would take careful covering and masking off of any of the rest of the larger cabinet that might be effected by overspray. Large sheets of newspaper and some painting tape to hold it in place at the point where it has openings and meets the removed finish. The brushing lacquer in my experience is not quite so hard as the factory finish but at that level nothing much would be sitting on it to mar the finish, except maybe the vacuum might hit it if not careful. That way you would have a matching finish or close to it that is smooth and doesn't look like a patchwork. I bought the Howards because a friend found a very unusual Walnut Victor and was trying to determine what would work best to clean it up. I bought a can here and used it on a small record cabinet I have here in the computer room. Sitting here now and looking at it in a reflected light from the window I can see all the places where the finish is missing and they look dull while the existing finish looks shiny. I suggested he not get it. Not my idea of restored. On the front door panel I would probably stain the missing finish places and wax the cabinet, rather than risk having doors not look right if you tired to overcoat it or worse remove the finish. It might be possible to just do the panel of the door edge where the most missing finish is but thats risky. The only right way is way too hard for someone who is not real sure of how to proceed and I think I would think a long time before tackling it myself.