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Hello,

I am trying to repair my first "Home" (serial no. H215636) but I have some questions:
- I did not find pictures of this configuration, so I'm wondering which model it is and what modifications have been made?
- It looks like it is configured for 4 minutes cylinders (that is how long it runs from left to right), but it has a model C reproducer?
- What adjustments are necessary (I don't know if there is a technical manual for the Home)?

Alex.

Congratulations on a very nice Edison Model B Home. You see the banner decals on roughly the first third of the B series machines (Gems, Standards, Homes, & Triumphs). The mystery is the second feed screw. Normally the carriage is moved from its connection to the feed screw that is on the same line as the mandrel. Yours has a second and smaller feed screw. Why? Was it a handyman's repair? Have you successfully played cylinders on your machine? Were they two or four minute records? Or both?

Jerry Blais

Very nice machine with an unusual modification!

I think you are right Jerry, about your suspicion of it being a handyman's repair. It appears as though the added feedscrew is a bit askew, or not quite parallel to the carriage rod.

It would be interesting to learn more about the purpose of this. It could be something historically significant.

Cheers, Russie

Hi Alex,

Here's a top down view of mine. It's a D model but yours should be configured in the same way, I believe. The pieces that you are missing are fortunately easily obtainable and not terribly expensive. Very nice machine with that attractive decal and dealer tag from a shop in Brussels. You know exactly where it came from.

I see that the power to turn the second feed screw comes off a gear on the mandrel shaft near the upper belt pulley. I don't see how the machine could play both two and four minute cylinders.

When the Edison Company came out with four minute cylinders the combination kits were immediately made available so people could convert their existing machine to play the new four minute cylinders as well as two minute ones. Perhaps your machine was used in a remote area away from an Edison dealer. It's a mystery to me but I don't think it was a factory or dealer modification. I suspect it was an attempt by a very skilled craftsman.

Jerry B.

Jerry B. wrote:I see that the power to turn the second feed screw comes off a gear on the mandrel shaft near the upper belt pulley. I don't see how the machine could play both two and four minute cylinders.

When the Edison Company came out with four minute cylinders the combination kits were immediately made available so people could convert their existing machine to play the new four minute cylinders as well as two minute ones. Perhaps your machine was used in a remote area away from an Edison dealer. It's a mystery to me but I don't think it was a factory or dealer modification. I suspect it was an attempt by a very skilled craftsman.

Jerry B.

If it's running, it would be easy to test how fast the carriage moves across and whether it's 2 or 4 min. I note it seems to have a C reproducer which would indicate two minute.

Interesting. It looks to me as though someone either broke or lost the original carriage feed nut and bar -OR- the regular Home feed screw has stripped grooves (its looks fine in the picture though) and someone went to the huge trouble of getting an Edison Standard(?) feed screw and installed two gears to make a feed screw that works. Since there is a model C (2 minute) reproducer installed this is likely a 2 minute phonograph. Just my thoughts on quick glance.

Doug

Very interesting machine! If the add-on feedscrew could be made to function well, I'd be tempted to leave it as-is. I was having my coffee trying to make sense of what I was seeing. The conversion/repair makes it rather unique. Since the machine was originally sold in Belgium, the repair would make sense during hard times, say, at the outset of the First World War. If it turns out that it is for four minute records, I'd just get a Model H reproducer and let the Model C sit inside the case. The case is in very nice shape and I really like the cool dealer tag on front. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Martin

Thanks for your replies. Since they included some questions I will try to answer some of those.

The machine runs in the configuration shown, i.e. with the add-on feedscrew and its halfnut the reproducer moves from left to right in about 4 minutes and the mandrel turns at about 160 rpm.
I can not try it with the original feedscrew since I don't have the feednut and bar for that one. And I can not try to play it since I only have 2-minute cylinders and a C-reproducer here for the moment (Corona lockdown!).
Since the original feedscrew looks OK to me, I think the machine would be able play 2 or 4 minute cylinders by changing the feed bar and the reproducer (or installing a model H).
Some questions remain: what makes it a model B and what has to be adjusted after I take it apart for cleaning (I will have to do this since I hear that the spring tends to stick). Is there some kind of manual?
I also noticed there is no belt tensioner (as compared to the GEM), is this normal (the belt touches the bedplate)?

Alex.

coecky wrote:what makes it a model B

An end gate and no exposed speed control.

coecky wrote: there is no belt tensioner

I rarely use the belt tensioner on any of my Edison phonographs preferring to bypass it. A correctly fitting leather belt removes the need for it. I'll get some feedback on this but to me they introduce more problems than usefulness. If the belt is touching the casting then you should be able to adjust the end bearings. But that added gear setup may cause problems doing that.