The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Here's the BY after some cleaning and polishing. Just need to replace the platter felt and find the missing crank escutcheon, correct reproducer and dust ring.

Looks great! Nice work!
Dave D

Looks great!

I'm including some pictures of mine, showing the dust ring, where the speed control arm passes underneath, and showing the crank bushing. Also shows the reproducer. Not saying it's the correct one, but it's the one that came on the machine when I got it.

Thanks Jerry that helps me know what to look for. What does the crank escutcheon look like on the inside? Does it have a flat plate that screws in place?

I was thinking about your missing escutcheon and had an idea. I retired from the power company and we had many copper splices for repairing copper wire. I would find a copper splice with the same outside measurements of your crank hole. I would remove anything such as wire size, etc. from any visible portion of the splice. Then I would cut it to length, drill out the inside to allow the crank to pass through,polish it, and have it nickel plated. I would then tap my new BY crank escutcheon in place. Anyone have another idea?

How close is the spare hole in the deck to the path of the needle when it swings that far? Could it be made into a reproducer rest?

Jerry Blais

Jerry B. wrote:I was thinking about your missing escutcheon and had an idea. I retired from the power company and we had many copper splices for repairing copper wire. I would find a copper splice with the same outside measurements of your crank hole. I would remove anything such as wire size, etc. from any visible portion of the splice. Then I would cut it to length, drill out the inside to allow the crank to pass through,polish it, and have it nickel plated. I would then tap my new BY crank escutcheon in place. Anyone have another idea?

How close is the spare hole in the deck to the path of the needle when it swings that far? Could it be made into a reproducer rest?

Jerry Blais

The needle doesn't come close enough to the spare hole. I think I will try to find a small mahogany needle holder part and modify it to fit and attach a dowel on the bottom that will fit in the hole. That way I'm not doing anything to it that is not reversible. I'm just going to leave it as is for now. For all I know, someone put that hole in there to drop used needles in. Who knows why someone would decide to drill a hole in the top of their phonograph

phonogal wrote:

Jerry B. wrote:I was thinking about your missing escutcheon and had an idea. I retired from the power company and we had many copper splices for repairing copper wire. I would find a copper splice with the same outside measurements of your crank hole. I would remove anything such as wire size, etc. from any visible portion of the splice. Then I would cut it to length, drill out the inside to allow the crank to pass through,polish it, and have it nickel plated. I would then tap my new BY crank escutcheon in place. Anyone have another idea?

How close is the spare hole in the deck to the path of the needle when it swings that far? Could it be made into a reproducer rest?

Jerry Blais

The needle doesn't come close enough to the spare hole. I think I will try to find a small mahogany needle holder part and modify it to fit and attach a dowel on the bottom that will fit in the hole. That way I'm not doing anything to it that is not reversible. I'm just going to leave it as is for now. For all I know, someone put that hole in there to drop used needles in. Who knows why someone would decide to drill a hole in the top of their phonograph

I think your machine looks great, frankly. I also think that hole looks vintage, if not factory.

I wonder if there was some period accessory that required it.

I think your machine looks great, frankly. I also think that hole looks vintage, if not factory.

I wonder if there was some period accessory that required it.

I wonder the same thing but don't have clue to what it might have been. Open to suggestions though.

Your machine looks exceptional. Jerry B.

Jerry B. wrote:I was thinking about your missing escutcheon and had an idea. I retired from the power company and we had many copper splices for repairing copper wire. I would find a copper splice with the same outside measurements of your crank hole. I would remove anything such as wire size, etc. from any visible portion of the splice. Then I would cut it to length, drill out the inside to allow the crank to pass through,polish it, and have it nickel plated. I would then tap my new BY crank escutcheon in place. Anyone have another idea?

How close is the spare hole in the deck to the path of the needle when it swings that far? Could it be made into a reproducer rest?

Jerry Blais

If you know a person with a metal lathe, it is a simple task to take a solid brass bar, slightly oversized and turn it, leaving a collar on the outside. Then bore it to the correct size for the crank to pass through. Otherwise, if you can find a bronze bushing of the correct dimensions, that would work also... The escutcheon is not screwed in, but just press fit into the hole in the cabinet. I wouldn't bother nickel plating it, just use gun bluing to age the brass and that should be sufficient...