The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

How was the pulley on the Home Model F “Blanked Off” so it only played 4 min cylinders?

Rich Gordon

There is a small spacer that slides on the end of the shaft so the gear can't move.

No picture as you can't see it unless it's apart.

Chuck

The two small pins (1/16") inside the clutch that snap into holes in the pulley and lock then together in the 2 minute mode are missing. I didn't realize the machine was not supposed to be able to play 2-minute cylinders so I made the pins by cutting small pieces from the shaft of a 1/16” diameter drill bit and drilled holes in the clutch at the right spots, the used epoxy to hold them in place. I thought the clutch had been replaced with the wrong one with the holes for the pins missing. If I had known the machine came from the factory that way, I would have left it as a 4-minute only machine

The Home F was a 4 minute only machine--from the factory.. Frow identifies the normal package with a Diamond B reproducer and an oak Music Master cygnet horn. The one I had (complete-- I sold a year or so ago) had a "D" bedplate and the 2/4 directional gold stencil had been painted over with a stripe of black enamel- Blended quite well.

As Chuck said, the only thing that made it purely a 4 minute player was a small spacer that slipped over the end of the shaft inside the pulley-- It kept the pulley from sliding into two minute mode. The spacer resembles the ring on the end of an Amberola 30 shaft that secures the mandrel, with a smaller outer diameter.

Rich-- If you can find someone who can give you measurements, I suspect the spacer would be easy to make. The F's are somewhat rare.

Brad Abell

Thanks Brad.

Rich