The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello,

Today I took apart the spring barrel assembly of the Victor III I am working on. Once the springs were out of the barrels I found that one of the rivets that holds the spring in place is loose. It turns but is still in the barrel. I am wondering if I should just leave it be or try to keep it in place with some solder.

Any help is appreciated,

Thank you

It should be replaced. The correct repair is to replace it. If you don't have a lathe to make a new one, order one from Brian P.
Dave D

Will do. Thank you very much for the help.

You might try peening it first. That may tighten it up and save you the trouble of replacing it. I should have suggested that first.
Dave D

I tried doing that but it did not make a difference. Thank you for the suggestion nonetheless.

I have another question about installing the hook. How much do you let the hook extend out of the barrel before peening it? Also, is there a certain way you have to do it? For example: going from the centre to the edges.

I'm going to disagree with Dave, replacing the holding pin is unnecessary, it's designed so the tension of the spring pulls on the outside shoulder of the pin towards the inside of the barrel.
Even if it's a little loose, it will not pull through and release.

Peening a new one over is tricky if you don't know what you're doing.

If you must tighten the old one, this is how to do it.

You have to get a piece of steel just the correct thickness to slip under the edge where the spring hooks on to.
This is to protect the edge if the collar where the spring hooks onto from being damaged when hammering on the other side.

You have to get a big hunk of round steel that fits inside the spring barrel to support the pin while you're hammering on the other side with your ball-peen hammer.
The hunk of steel should be in a vice.

The hammer should be a fairly small ball-peen hammer and should be struck as seen in the photo.

Another solution is use a small punch in the same spot working around the circumference.
Using a punch still requires the big hunk of steel and the pin being supported.

Use the hammer to strike it about where the red circle is. Too far out on the edge won't to anything, too close to the centre won't do anything.

I have a motor where the rivet was gone and someone replaced it with a 10/32 machine screw, the head was filled down a bit to provide room.
The pressure of the spring kept it from turning when it was time to tighten the nut.
It worked well enough and it made installing the spring easier then the Victor's pin method.

Thank you so much for the detailed instructions. I ordered new springs so could I cut a piece of a broken spring to slip under the edge where the spring hooks on to? Also, I noticed that the rivet is moving up and down slightly, does that affect the repair in anyway?

Is that the old rivet, it looks like you've been pounding on it ?
Or did you try and install a new one ?

The piece to slip under the anchor pin has to fit snug to keep in from "mushrooming" shut to the point where it still remains easy to lock the spring under when assembling.

I did hit on the old rivet with a regular hammer before making the post.