The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I'm trying to come up with the best sounding reproducer for my Edison S.I. 19, and each of the three reproducers I have are less than perfect. I notice a bit of a swishing sound from two of them, and I am thinking I need to put a drop of oil in the pivot somewhere to make it move from side to side more freely. Trouble is, that screw on the top is impossible to get to, even with an offset screwdriver. Any ideas on how this can be loosened? Or am I wrong in thinking this should be done?

Jim

This >IS< a tricky screw to loosen. HERE IS WHAT I DO. I had considered actually making a tool to do this job, but have been able to get by by doing the following:

1. Remove the link from the stylus bar (unhook it, or remove pivot pin and unhook it)
2. Unscrew weight from pivot block and remove weight.
3. Using a SMALL FLAME with a propane workbench torch, gently heat the BOTTOM of the pivot block.
4. Put the bottom of the pivot block in a bench vise, being held by a towel so you don’t put marks in the metal, then use a 3mm or 3.5mm screw driver to get in there at an angle and loosen the screw.

When you get the screw out, remove the hinge block and using a Q-Tip soaked in lacquer thinner, clean out all the old oil varnish from inside the pivot hole, and clean off any oil varnish from the shank of the pivot block itself. One drop of oil, then re-install.

DD reproducers need complete freedom to track, otherwise you get damage to groove walls, which can result in swish noises.

MicaMonster wrote:This >IS< a tricky screw to loosen. HERE IS WHAT I DO. I had considered actually making a tool to do this job, but have been able to get by by doing the following:

1. Remove the link from the stylus bar (unhook it, or remove pivot pin and unhook it)
2. Unscrew weight from pivot block and remove weight.
3. Using a SMALL FLAME with a propane workbench torch, gently heat the BOTTOM of the pivot block.
4. Put the bottom of the pivot block in a bench vise, being held by a towel so you don’t put marks in the metal, then use a 3mm or 3.5mm screw driver to get in there at an angle and loosen the screw.

When you get the screw out, remove the hinge block and using a Q-Tip soaked in lacquer thinner, clean out all the old oil varnish from inside the pivot hole, and clean off any oil varnish from the shank of the pivot block itself. One drop of oil, then re-install.

DD reproducers need complete freedom to track, otherwise you get damage to groove walls, which can result in swish noises.

Yikes! I would screw this up for sure. Any chance I can send one to you and let you do it? Actually it could probably use gaskets anyway. Hopefully the diamond is ok.

Jim

I have an easy fix. Send it to Wyatt

briankeith wrote:I have an easy fix. Send it to Wyatt

That's what we decided was best.

I had good luck by removing the weight and then putting some drops of penetrating oil on the pivot and working the connection back and forth till it moved easily. A drop of light machine oil and it works fine. That screw is troublesome to remove for sure.