The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I've attached three photos of a Columbia mainspring and barrel. I have not seen this before. If it was not done at the factory, then it was done very well by someone after the machine was long sold. I could imagine the barrel-end of the spring broke, and someone rescued the situation by cutting a slit in the barrel and bending the mainspring to form a hook. However, I've generally seen new holes made in the mainspring to re-hook them to the wall of the barrel or the pieces of the mainspring soldered together as a sort of quick repair, not the barrel altered to fit the mainspring. If this is a repair then it's a new one on me and a clever one at that. Still, because it is done so well, I wonder if it could be original. Any thoughts?

The machine is an early Columbia BN. I have a new and proper mainspring for this machine. And I have a spare barrel. So I could put it back in order (i.e. if this is not original). I'm inclined to leave it alone.

John

Hi John- That is legit and somewhat rare to find.. I haven't seen it on a single spring motor before- but have seen a couple double spring motors with the same spring barrel attachment. Some of our Columbia experts can chime in with better info I'm sure--- but it is indeed a legitimate Columbia variation.

Hope all is well with you!

Brad Abell

That's encouraging! I shall leave it alone.

All is well, at my end. I retired at then end of last September: 20 years in the Office of Science in the Dept of Energy. Very much enjoying retirement.

John

Yes sir its legit! And a pain in the butt to find a replacement spring if you need one!

Fortunately don't need to.

jboger wrote: Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:32 am All is well, at my end. I retired at then end of last September: 20 years in the Office of Science in the Dept of Energy. Very much enjoying retirement.

John

CONGRATULATIONS on your retirement!! I hope to follow suit sometime soon. Just don't know when yet exactly...

Thank you. I think the pandemic over the past two years has sped up the number of retirements.