The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

It's rather interesting for me to see someone else working on the exact same machine this week in roughly the same condition... so I thought I would share mine as well:




I picked up this neglected IX at an estate sale on Saturday. I got there right at the end of the sale, and everything had been marked half off. Thus, the $40 price tag was now $20. This machine was filthy, and had been half-disassembled by someone. But, thankfully all the parts were there (including some parts rolling around in the cabinet) and nothing was broken. Just the way I like to find a machine!

The motor had a very high level of old nasty grease. I took care to note which direction the springs were installed, so I could install them the same way. Unfortunately, the foo who messed with this machine long ago put both springs in backwards. I soon realized this, and turned the springs around before any damage could occur.






The reproducer got new gaskets, isolator, and a diaphragm. The cabinet was cleaned and brought back to life with lemon oil, Howard Restor-a-finish, and Howard Orange oil wax polish. There are still a few latex paint dots on the cabinet that are stubborn, but I think the flash from the camera really brings them out more than they are in real life.

That's funny yours was missing the same knob as mine. Good job
on the restoration! Mine had some minor white paint specks but I managed
to get them off with 0000 steel wool and Kotton Klenser but using extra
force just over the individual speck. Mine were pretty tiny though so they
dislodged without too much effort. I always wondered why every phonograph
I have seen (especially mahogany ones) has white paint spots or even splotches.
I can only guess that over the years someone painted their living room and
did not bother to cover or move the machine out of harms way.