The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just set up my aunt's machine with the horn crane she sent me yesterday. What a bizarre creation. This is the type of crane that has a vice which grips the bottom of the machine.

Instead of a chain, there is a piece of wood with a pin on each end. One pin (which attaches to the horn) has female threads, so I'm assuming there is a cap or a screw that goes in there to secure it. However, the pin that attaches to the crane is just... a pin that slips into a hole in the crane. If somebody bumped into this thing, the horn and wood piece would come crashing down, probably snapping the neck off the reproducer! I guess you could wrap it with wire or something like that, in order to secure it.

The piece of wood is not original to the crane. A chain should be secured to the end of the crane where the wood now is. Much safer, better looking, and original.

Also, the crane was adjustable by using multiple thumbscrews. The slotted screw is not original to the crane - - if you can find a thumbscrew of the same thread, substitute that in place of the slotted screw.

George P.

When you've added the chain, cut the length of rubber tubing that connects the horn to the reproducer to about half and adjust the crane to accommodate the shorter piece of tubing.

JohnM wrote:When you've added the chain, cut the length of rubber tubing that connects the horn to the reproducer to about half and adjust the crane to accommodate the shorter piece of tubing.

Shane, I am not sure the stand you have the machine on is correct either.

Even though the wood is not original, it does look old and I speculate that it may have been made during the depression era..... Interesting, any way to track the history?

I'm pretty certain the wood piece is a Pitman: the part that connects a sewing machine treadle to the drive wheel.

estott wrote:I'm pretty certain the wood piece is a Pitman: the part that connects a sewing machine treadle to the drive wheel.

I thought it looked familiar. I've seen similar wooden Pitman arms on foot-treadle scroll-saws as well.

Great! It's nice to know that I don't have to mess with that piece of wood. I'll see about getting a chain for it, and possibly a thumbscrew.