The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a few UK gramophone portables as I like the look and sound of these finely engineered acoustic phonographs. I've taken apart one of the two Columbia 112A gramophones and I have questions for the collectors who have experience in restoring these gramophones. This particular 112A needs the tonearm and other nickel plated parts polished. I have the tonearm with long horn removed and I've removed two small screws from the top connection of tonearm to horn and the one screw in the side, but the tonearm does not want to come out of the horn socket. I understand that his pot metal horn is considered fragile, so here's the questions:

Does the black collar remove from the horn (see pics below) in order to remove the tonearm?

Does the tonearm just come out of the top of the black collar?

Should I even attempt to separate the tone arm from the horn?

Thanks for your responses in advance!

Britt Abbott
Chesapeake, Virginia USA

The large black collar that the arm base sits in is brass, only the lower part of it and the rest of the horn are pot metal. The black ring round the base of the arm unscrews, hence the holes to insert the correct tool, which you won't have. A pair of large needle pointed pliers can usually be opened wide enough to get a grip in two of the holes, but be aware that these arms are easier to take apart than to put back together again, you need three hands!! Personally, I wouldn't attempt it again, (been there, done that). The ring is bound to be stuck, and the strain of trying to turn it could break the join between the brass collar and the pot metal part at the base of it. Surely the arm can be polished without removing it?

This reminds of the hard hours passed trying to reinstall the ball bearings on the tonearm of my hmv194... Three or four hands are needded, with firm pulse!

Thanks so much for the responses and I will heed the "words of wisdom" from the voices of experience! The tonearm will be polished with horn attached!