The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My edison opera gear cover is not screwed on. What type of screws did it use?

Thanks

Victor

They are a flat head screw, (2) on the left side. They look like the screw at the end of an end bearing on a Home or Standard model.
Hope this helps,
Burdette E. Walters
www.Misteropera.com

Thank you.

Victor,

Just to be clear. The two holes you show are not screw holes. They are oil holes. Maybe you knew that, but the way you have it photographed, and your question, made me wonder...

Thank You

I did not know that. If they are oil holes though why are they plugged?

Thanks

Victor

victorthesixth wrote:Thank You

I did not know that. If they are oil holes though why are they plugged?

Thanks

Victor

Edison provided plugs for those holes, but now 99.5% of them are missing. Why Edison wanted them plugged is probably to keep out dirt & dust, (unlikely to get much dust in there, but it was Edison, so...). Your holes do not currently have those Edison provided plugs in them. If they are plugged, it's most likely by dirt. If you look at the "Amberola 1A" thread going at this time, there are photos that show at least one of the oil troughs that lie just under the two holes shown in your photo. I think the oil plugs are also shown. http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=32718

Thank you again

Do these gear covers even attach to the bedplate at all ?

Victor6

They attach to the carriage with 2 screws, as below:

Here are some pictures of what the screws and oil hole dust covers look like. Mine are replicas, so I don't know if they exactly match the originals. Anyone with a miniature lathe could make some from brass rod stock with very little effort.

Is anyone currently able to offer replicas of these brass plugs?
Note that a set of the original plugs can be seen on the front cover of George L. Frow’s Edison Cylinder Phonograph Companion.
Thanks!