The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Greetings all,

Please excuse my appeal to Aussie collectors as shipping presently makes things very difficult at present for modest projects.

I am simply seeking a Phonograph baseplate and mandrel only…to help facilitate the construction of a hybrid machine for digitising a modest collection of cylinders.

I have elected to use the long arm approach with some custom styli but need a rebuildable spindle / mandrel - perhaps from an incomplete Edison machine? I propose to use a stepper motor in situ and have been inspired by a few interesting projects I have seen online.

In this light, I am seeking an incomplete wreck which I can restore for this purpose alone. No need for a motor or playback assembly as I intend to use the long arm and stepper motor. I probably don’t even need a box..

I understand that there may not be such thing as wreck these days, as any incomplete machine can be stripped and sold on for its component parts. Alas, I thought it worthwhile putting out the call…just in case… If I had a preference, a machine with a gate may be more stable, but I really don’t mind. Furthermore, I certainly don’t wish to offend anyone who may disagree with adapting an old machine in this way - in my vision, the parts could of course be reappropriated to an authentic use in a later generation.

I could also construct something out of modern parts as an alternative but I thought I’d start with this idea…

Thanks for any consideration and no expectations..

Cheers,

Stephen