The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just picked up a model 17 Victrola and the crank handle is missing the screw or bolt that holds the wood handle on. Does anyone know if this is a bolt, screw or a bolt with a screw head? Is it a special part or can i just put a bolt on it to hold the handle on? The shaft has threads that look like a bolt was on it but from what i have seen on cranks that aren't missing the part, it looks like a flat head screw from the top. Any help would be appreciated.

I would think the screw from any model Victrola made about the same time would work. You might have to paint a nickwl one gold but it should work. The screw is a left hand thread.

Jerry Blais

I agree with Jerry. Since the VV-XVII was made from 1916-21, I'd look for a Victor crank from that era and it should have the screw you need.

If you found a VV-XVII in the wild, consider yourself lucky. They don't turn up too often anymore. Would this be the one that was on Craigslist in NJ a few weeks back? I was eyeing that one, but the budget is kind of tight right now so I talked myself out of it.

Thanks for the info. As for the NJ 17, i thought about that one too but to far to drive.

Jonsheff wrote:I just picked up a model 17 Victrola and the crank handle is missing the screw or bolt that holds the wood handle on. Does anyone know if this is a bolt, screw or a bolt with a screw head? Is it a special part or can i just put a bolt on it to hold the handle on? The shaft has threads that look like a bolt was on it but from what i have seen on cranks that aren't missing the part, it looks like a flat head screw from the top. Any help would be appreciated.

The handle is secured by a LEFT-hand threaded slotted nut that fastens to a LEFT-hand threaded male shaft end inside the handle. That is, the slotted nut is LOOSENED by turning it CLOCK-wise and TIGHTENED by turning it COUNTER-clockwise.

I see a lot of these coming to me for repair where someone has sheared off the male threaded tip when trying to remove the slotted nut thinking it was a screw with common right-hand threads. (Repair is usually more costly than replacing the whole shebang.)

If it is only missing, send me a PM with your address and I will send one gratis. (If it has been sheared off you will see no, or very few, male threads protruding into the opening of the wooden handle.)

Reminds me of my '70 Dodge Dart. The wheel lug nuts on the driver's side were LH thread, and were marked with yellow paint and letter "L" stamped into the bolt head, to alert the mechanic not to attempt to loosen them CCW. Nevertheless, one young buck of a mechanic snapped one off anyhow. I suppose the idea of the LH thread was that normal (forward) rotational forces would tend to tighten the leg nuts on the left side of the car so the wheels wouldn't fall off---smart idea, although I've never lost a wheel on the many cars I've owned with standard (RH) threading.

Henry wrote:...nuts on the driver's side were LH thread...Nevertheless, one young buck of a mechanic snapped one off...

Perhaps that young buck thought LH meant LONG HANDLE since lots of torque was needed. (I mean, after all, RH means REAL HARD.)