The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a blue amberol that is missing about 2/3rds of the internal plaster. It is in great shape other than that. Obviously this is a huge issue and it is not playable. The pictures show the details.

Is there any way to save this cylinder or is it just a lost cause? It is one of my favorite Ada Jones / Billy Murray records and I do have a good intact copy so there is no emergency. I just hate to see a good cylinder go to the dump.

Dan

If you have an extra mandrel, fill the void on the inside of the cylinder with plaster and slide it on the mandrel. I'm not sure if you should let it dry and then tap it off the mandrel or remove it before it dries. Another question... should you spray the mandrel with Pam so it slides off easier? I bet there are other suggestions from Forum members. Jerry Blais

I've heard of collectors taking a junk cylinder, shaving it if necessary, and inserting it into the Blue Amberol in order to make it playable.

George P.

I have a couple like that also. Here is an idea that I was thinking about.

1. Remove the plastic that is left
2. Measure the proper ID
3. Measure a mandrel
4. Gets someone to turn down something like maybe PVC pipe with the proper OD and the proper ID taper.
5. Use a heat gun to soften the on end and roll the "flange " back
6. Gently press in the new "liner"
7. Reheat the end and fold it over.

The advantage to this would be a round cylinder and you could also heat up and push some dents back out if you were careful.
Jeff

Dan, Here is what I do, and it's very easy and simple. I use latex spackling past that you can get at good hardware store. Clean the open celluloid with warm water to remove dust. Use the spackling past and apply into the missing areas. Do small layers at a time. This stuff shrinks when it dries. Do as many layers until you get the right thickness. Then use your trusty reamer, to ream out until it fits the mandrel. I have been doing this for many years, and works everytime for me.
Harvey Kravitz

Such a creative bunch of folks. A couple of suggestions sound easier than others. Now I will decide on an approach and see how it turns out. If I get it done I will post the results here. It won't be right away, but I will see what I can do.

Thank you guys for help. I hadn't thought of any of those ideas.

Dan

I have a bunch of cylinders that are missing portions of the plaster and was told that they wouldn't play.... Guess what? If they are put on the mandrel so the end with the missing plaster is over the end of the mandrel, they play fine. Lambert cylinders do not have plaster and they play fine, too. I think the reason that so many are missing plaster is that a previous owner did not have a reamer and decided to smack the tight end to remove the problem... Just my thought.

Curt A wrote:I have a bunch of cylinders that are missing portions of the plaster and was told that they wouldn't play.... Guess what? If they are put on the mandrel so the end with the missing plaster is over the end of the mandrel, they play fine. Lambert cylinders do not have plaster and they play fine, too. I think the reason that so many are missing plaster is that a previous owner did not have a reamer and decided to smack the tight end to remove the problem... Just my thought.

I tried that initially with mine, but there is so much plaster missing that it is pretty much impossible to get and keep it in place properly to play. Perhaps putting something in the far end without replacing all the plaster in the middle would do the trick. That would keep things from moving around as it played.

Dan

Curt A wrote:I have a bunch of cylinders that are missing portions of the plaster and was told that they wouldn't play.... Guess what? If they are put on the mandrel so the end with the missing plaster is over the end of the mandrel, they play fine. Lambert cylinders do not have plaster and they play fine, too. I think the reason that so many are missing plaster is that a previous owner did not have a reamer and decided to smack the tight end to remove the problem... Just my thought.

I've tried that, but when the stylus gets to the part where the plaster is missing, I find a significant loss of volume and fidelity.

And just FYI, the "Lamberts" sold by Edison Bell in the UK do have plaster. I don't recall seeing any American ones with plaster though.

Harvey's method seems to be the best solution. We have discussed this several times and he swears by it... that's what I would do.