The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

What's the best way to repair the missing end of a horn like this? Will a piece of copper pipe work? The hard part is, the horn is 4 hours away and I have this woman's Edison Standard ready to go. She sent me this picture. I wonder if the rubber tubing will just slide up on the end and still work just fine.

I'm hardly a plumber but go to your hardware store in the copper plumbing section. There's a short copper coupler or splice that is ½" at one end and ⅝" at the other. Give it a tab of paint and JB Weld the big end in your horn. The small end is the perfect size for the rubber connector between the horn and reproducer.

The same plumbing piece is perfect for repairing a 14" black & brass horn. But with a horn that rides on the reproducer, the opposite is needed. You JB West the little end in the horn and the larger end is the perfect size to mate with the reproducer.

Jerry Blais

Who says anything is missing? I see the shoulder where the end steps down an then plenty of length after that for the hose to attach. It is a little bent up, but not all that bad. Sliding a close fitting rod inside and gently tapping it round again should be all that's needed... or just push the hose over it.

Jerry B. wrote:I'm hardly a plumber but go to your hardware store in the copper plumbing section. There's a short copper coupler or splice that is ½" at one end and ⅝" at the other. Give it a tab of paint and JB Weld the big end in your horn. The small end is the perfect size for the rubber connector between the horn and reproducer.

The same plumbing piece is perfect for repairing a 14" black & brass horn. But with a horn that rides on the reproducer, the opposite is needed. You JB West the little end in the horn and the larger end is the perfect size to mate with the reproducer.

Jerry Blais

Great tip, Jerry. but anytime I do any plumbing, it means three tips to the store! We are under a stay at home order so this will have to wait a bit.

JerryVan wrote:Who says anything is missing? I see the shoulder where the end steps down an then plenty of length after that for the hose to attach. It is a little bent up, but not all that bad. Sliding a close fitting rod inside and gently tapping it round again should be all that's needed... or just push the hose over it.

Hi Jerry,
I tend to agree with you. Sometimes I look at the photo she sent and it looks ok, like you said. Other times, it seems to have been truncated. I am willing to wait a bit on this. She lives 4 hours away and met me with her family heirloom at the Stanton Auction. I will probably meet her in Lansing to return this to her, but I'll bring a copper coupling like Jerry B suggested, just in case.

I sent her a video of her machine playing and she said it brought tears to her eyes to see it working again.
Dave

Dave,

"I sent her a video of her machine playing and she said it brought tears to her eyes to see it working again."

Didn't you do a good job?