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Subject: Replacing a Mainspring on a Edison Amberola 30..


I'm going to be doing this job on a friend's Amberola 30 soon...so I would like to limit the amount of trouble that I may run into...

Instead of winding a new mainspring into the existing Amberola 30 Main Spring barrel, Wouldn't it just be easier to just "Swap-out" the old broken Spring and Spring Barrel (as one unit) for a working (Used) Donor Amberola 30 Main Spring Barrel that already has a good Main Spring in it?? I would think that the repair job would go much faster... I am also trying to limit costs and time here for the owner of the machine. I don't want to have to purchase and wind/grease a new mainspring if I don't have to. (And Yes, I already know that Newly Greased Main Springs are better than "Good" Used ones...lol..) I just want to make it a functional machine again as simple as possible.

PS: Does Anyone have any good pics that they can post of the mainspring and winding pawl assembly/spring of an Amberola 30?!??

Thoughts Anyone??

I appreciate your suggestions...


)

Tony K.

Edison Colector/Restorer

From memory this past summer:

If the donor Amberola 30 has a good working mainspring and ratchet pawl assembly then the easiest and quickest procedure for you will be to:

Remove the mandrel by loosening the tiny set screw on the mandrel securing ring, then remove the 4 screws beneath the mandrel. This will release the casting for the ratchet pawl assembly.

Then remove the old mainspring barrel and install the donor mainspring barrel and replace the casting with ratchet pawl assembly, replace the mandrel and tighten the set screw securing ring and you should be all set. When replacing the mandrel be sure to insert the mandrel shaft balance springs into their respective cutouts on the mandrel.

The whole process here will consume only about 15 or 20 minutes of your time and will be a LOT easier than removing/replacing the mainspring.

This procedure is from memory when I did a couple of my own Amberola 30's last summer. I have no pictures handy but it's a really simple and quick procedure presuming the donor Amberola 30 has the same ratchet pawl casting as the needy one in question. Most have the same common casting. Good luck.

Doug

Thanks Doug.

That sounds about right. I had forgotten that I had to remove the mandrel to get to the Ratchet Pawl Assembly screws!

Yeah, The Amberola 30 works is mostly Gears anyway....minus the Mainspring Barrel, and Governor assembly... A pretty simple design..

Thanks for your input!

The Amazing thing that I've found though...is that I could not find an "Exploded View" of an Amberola 30 anywhere on the Internet!

Anyone have a Pic of an Amberola 30 "Exploded View"???



Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer