The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi everyone! I just picked up this really nice VE 8-12 at a local junk shop. It has ALL the pot metal issues these are known for.... So I have a few questions, if anyone has answers . First, I know repro tonearm brackets are available, but I thought I'd try to repair mine first, only because it's only broken at the top where the setscrew holds the pivot in, the rest seems (reasonably)solid, and they had the presence of mind to keep both the pivot and setscrew. I figure, if it fails I haven't lost anything. So.... How does the assembly come apart? I removed the screws that hold the support to the flange, but it seems there are still pins peined from underneath - I need to obviously get the tone arm out. It seems like it has never been apart - is it possible the ball bearings are down inside the horn? The connecting "pipe" from the arm to the horn looks like it will disintegrate if I look at it wrong, too - there is an actual split in it... any thoughts on repairing it? I was thinking about using fiberglass cloth/resin to wrap it. The reproducer will go to Wyatt Markus to work his magic, I think. I also need to find 1 matching "bullseye" knob. It needs some love, but for $30, I won't complain. I didn't even clean it for these pictures. When I bought it,the woman said "It could make a really nice wine rack". I just bit my tongue as some incredibly rude thoughts raced through my head...

Nice find! Unfortunately the ball bearings are in between the crumbling pot metal tonearm bracket and its base, which is not pot metal. The pot metal has expanded in such a way that it will probably take brute force to chisel it out of the base. This is also the only way to remove the tonearm. I am afraid you won't be able to safe the bracket if you want to grease the ball bearings. Also, I've seen many repairs of this bracket, and it never was able to properly hold the tonearm in a way to swing freely without being loose. Good news is that the reproducer looks reasonably good.

Before stabilizing the "pipe" and it's connectors I would try and make a mold of it in several parts (if possible), take good measurements and pictures. Then I would wrap and stabilize it like you suggested. That way you will have measurements and/or a mold of the original piece that you could possibly make a replacement from in the future. Maybe with good measurements you could have it 3d printed?

Good luck!
Andreas

Very nice! My 8-12 was the first Orthophonic I got and I still love the machine. I did replace the tonearm bracket with a repro and it currently has a soundbox on it that was rebuilt by Wyatt. Unfortunately small bits of the veneer is broken off on a couple of places around the edge of the lid, so yours looks better than that. I haven’t opened it up in a while but I don’t rememberers the issue you have with the horn connection. I do have an extra knob or two lying around. Good luck with it!

The fiberglass wrap is a good idea. If it were mine, I'd coat it with silicone sealant, working the sealant into the larger cracks and filling the gap between the pipe & flange area. Then, work the sealant around the base, where it meets the horn. I would not dare to try removing it, but instead, do these fixes in place.

I purchased my 8-12 with many of the same issues as yours. I used silicone sealant on my pipe and flange. I replaced my cracked and broken tone arm bracket with a reproduction. My reproducer was in much poorer condition than yours. I replaced it with one from a Victrola orthophonic portable and it sounds great. The four spring motor works so well, I have not serviced it beyond lubrication. My 8-12 has a mahogany cabinet, but yours in walnut looks even better. With electrically recorded records, the sound they produce is amazing and loud. You shall get many years enjoyment from your modest investment. Congratulations. Here is a shot of my machine.

I really like the 8-12. It was the first re-entrant horn machine I owned and it had amazing sound from such a compact horn. I really like the cabinet. The design has more in common with radio cabinet design than phonograph design. I have bought a couple of tone arm brackets over the years from Ron Sitko and he sells a good product. I feel that it is better in the long run to replace the bracket rather than try to do a repair only to have it break somewhere else in the future.

Jim

Thank you everyone for the tips. I'm going to go with the repro arm support. I am going to look into various ways to take care of the horn extension tube - I don't know if slathering it with silicone is as permanent a repair as I'd like. The pot metal will just continue to deteriorate over time, and I can just see chunks of crumbled pot metal dropping into the horn causing unwanted noises.

andyjon100 wrote:Thank you everyone for the tips. I'm going to go with the repro arm support. I am going to look into various ways to take care of the horn extension tube - I don't know if slathering it with silicone is as permanent a repair as I'd like. The pot metal will just continue to deteriorate over time, and I can just see chunks of crumbled pot metal dropping into the horn causing unwanted noises.

Here is a post about a bracket replacement. Sadly, I don't think they are available for purchase. You would have to make it yourself. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36934

audiophile102 wrote: Here is a post about a bracket replacement. Sadly, I don't think they are available for purchase. You would have to make it yourself. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36934

That is some impressive workmanship! I'm surprised, considering how prevalent the issue is with these, that nobody approached him at that time with the suggestion to make a handful of them to sell..... I wonder if he drew something up, or just flew by the seat of his pants on it? I see he hasn't visited since June '19, so I guess contacting him is out.

andyjon100 wrote:

audiophile102 wrote: Here is a post about a bracket replacement. Sadly, I don't think they are available for purchase. You would have to make it yourself. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36934

That is some impressive workmanship! I'm surprised, considering how prevalent the issue is with these, that nobody approached him at that time with the suggestion to make a handful of them to sell..... I wonder if he drew something up, or just flew by the seat of his pants on it? I see he hasn't visited since June '19, so I guess contacting him is out.

I did try, but never received a response.