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I haven't posted for years and trying to finish a job started in 2012. I was wondering what make and model this is?
I suspect it's Columbia? Motor sounds like the tranny in an army truck, but does have power, I think the
spiral gear not so good. I want to order a decal set, where can I get one and which set?? Any help greatly appreciated!!
Thanks Terry

Welcome back to the Forum, Terry!

That is a Columbia BN Disc Graphophone. I just got one like it a few months ago and it is currently half-restored. Who am I kidding, it's one-third restored.

Phonofreak is going to probably show up with all the details, being MISTER Columbia...

Decals are best ordered from Gregg Cline, because his look real and those others don't.

I think Jerry B. in the Trader had some Columbia horns up for sale at low prices, and you should be able to find a tonearm easily.

Good luck with your fixerupper! Hope you get it going again soon.

Thanks for the response Do you know which decals I need? Maybe I can find a pic of this model somewhere!

Looks like you have an early BN, the one with aluminum tonearm. Check this link, it discusses the BN's and there are a few photos which show the decals. http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=38623

Yesserie, it's an early Columbia BN alright. It uses the aluminum tone arm with the Analyzing reproducer. Make sure the reproducer is marked with the 1906 patent date. Also, you'll need an elbow, retaining rings and insert to hold the arm in the bracket. You will need a Columbia Profile decal on the front of the case, and the Columbia Disc Graphophone on the side where the crank escutcheon is. The correct crank is a thin flatbar to fit in the escutcheon. You might have to change the pesky and notorious fiber gear. The correct horn is the 8 panel black horn with gold stripes, though other colors were sometimes used. You might want to take off those metal braces from inside the case and re-glue it together. Don't despair. This machine has a lot of restoration potential. Good luck with your project.
Harvey Kravitz

I actually have the tone arm, it is made of pot metal and currently being replated in nickel.
The other pieces I have also. This machine came to me with a collapsible cloth horn. i will show a pic of
it. I cant decide if I should get mew cloth or soak the old cloth in laquer thinner to remove
the gold paint. Does anyone know the original color of the cloth??

I've seen at least one Munson horn with original gold paint, so I'd hold off the lacquer thinner. The hardware has been sprayed with gold, but that should be relatively easy to remove. I'd certainly be worried about what lacquer thinner or other chemicals would do to the 110 year-old cloth. If you don't like the Munson horn the way it is, perhaps you should sell it.

George P.

I bought a Munson folding horn from a Forum member about a year ago. It is dark blue with painted flowers. These horns are rare and very fragile. If George P. says the gold paint is original, then it probably is. I would leave it alone. The cone hardware is nickle, so I would remove the paint off of that. Like I said, be very careful, of the old cloth. I didn't know the tone arm was pot metal. Mine is aluminum. Does your use the Analyzing reproducer, or the bayonet type?
Harvey Kravitz

Phonofreak wrote:I bought a Munson folding horn from a Forum member about a year ago. It is dark blue with painted flowers. These horns are rare and very fragile. If George P. says the gold paint is original, then it probably is. I would leave it alone. The cone hardware is nickle, so I would remove the paint off of that. Like I said, be very careful, of the old cloth. I didn't know the tone arm was pot metal. Mine is aluminum. Does your use the Analyzing reproducer, or the bayonet type?
Harvey Kravitz

That horn paint can't be original, at least on the exterior. It has been oversprayed hardware and all.

Phonofreak wrote: If George P. says the gold paint is original, then it probably is. I would leave it alone.

I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I never said the gold paint was original. My exact words were:

phonogfp wrote:I've seen at least one Munson horn with original gold paint, so I'd hold off the lacquer thinner. The hardware has been sprayed with gold, but that should be relatively easy to remove.

It's difficult to offer intelligent advice of this sort from pictures, but based on what I can see, I'd strip the gold paint from the hardware and leave the cloth alone.

George P.