The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hey everyone,

I had the chance to acquire another full barrel cabinet. Albeit it’s another huge project… but anyways it came with the original hangars and opening mechanism. So I installed it into the cabinet I restored, and the doors won’t close properly. I can’t see any other way this would go together… so anyone have some thoughts on why the right door won’t close equally with the left?

I still plan on making a brand new mechanism for this cabinet when I get around to making the shelves. I could correct this by making the right one slightly shorter…?

Any thoughts would be appreciated! The lady I got this from said she had some guy do something to one of the parts of the opening mechanism. I have absolutely no idea what he did so maybe that’s the issue?

David

David,

I would question whether or not the arms are attched to the doors in the correct locations*. Might also wonder if the gears are meshed properly, or are they "one tooth off"?


*I wouldn't be certain that just using the original screw holes, if they exsit yet, would be adequate. I don't believe these things were quite up-to-par as far the concept of interchangeable parts.

JerryVan wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 4:08 pm David,
I would question whether or not the arms are attched to the doors in the correct locations*. Might also wonder if the gears are meshed properly, or are they "one tooth off"?
*I wouldn't be certain that just using the original screw holes, if they exsit yet, would be adequate. I don't believe these things were quite up-to-par as far the concept of interchangeable parts.

It does not look as if it was messed with, but the above thought is a good one.
Do the doors close properly without rods attached?
It's likely but, maybe the doors shrunk and/or warped a bit?

James

PS: Condition is awesome!

David,

I also have a full barrel cabinet with a broken mechanism. I haven’t looked at it too closely yet but did locate Herzog’s patent which illustrates the closing linkages.

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis ... 846848.pdf

And posted in a previous thread.

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=54148

Please share what you learn with us.

Mark

I will try and find some time to install it back in the other cabinet and see if it closes properly. The other cabinet didn't close right before because the lady made shelves for it that didn't fit at all Maybe it'll work now

David

I think if you ever die, David, & I need to conjure your ghost, I shall go and get a Herzog cabinet, push it over to the graveyard some moonless night, and yell "Come and get it for half price why don't you."

Those pictures of the opening mechanism are pretty good ones; I like the view of the teeth. You can probably trace these or use some sort of whatever-it-is in the university laboratory to copy them for your building a replica of these gears.

I'm impressed; this looks like the beginnings of a fun project.

Well this must just be user error cause I put it back in the original cabinet and I’m having the same issue.

Anyone have thoughts? If someone who has a full barrel could post a picture of their opening mechanism that would be great….

David

VanEpsFan1914 wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 12:32 pm I think if you ever die, David, & I need to conjure your ghost, I shall go and get a Herzog cabinet, push it over to the graveyard some moonless night, and yell "Come and get it for half price why don't you."

Those pictures of the opening mechanism are pretty good ones; I like the view of the teeth. You can probably trace these or use some sort of whatever-it-is in the university laboratory to copy them for your building a replica of these gears.

I'm impressed; this looks like the beginnings of a fun project.

I do seem to have a way of finding these things. I'm not sure how great it really is though... this cabinet is in arguably worse condition that the other one. At least this one isn't painted

I am going to ask if I can use the waterjet cutter at school over the summer to cut a new mechanism out a sheet of brass. I just learned how to use it in my CAD class anyways

Cheers,
David

dzavracky wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 1:32 pm

VanEpsFan1914 wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 12:32 pm I think if you ever die, David, & I need to conjure your ghost, I shall go and get a Herzog cabinet, push it over to the graveyard some moonless night, and yell "Come and get it for half price why don't you."

Those pictures of the opening mechanism are pretty good ones; I like the view of the teeth. You can probably trace these or use some sort of whatever-it-is in the university laboratory to copy them for your building a replica of these gears.

I'm impressed; this looks like the beginnings of a fun project.

I do seem to have a way of finding these things. I'm not sure how great it really is though... this cabinet is in arguably worse condition that the other one. At least this one isn't painted

I am going to ask if I can use the waterjet cutter at school over the summer to cut a new mechanism out a sheet of brass. I just learned how to use it in my CAD class anyways

Cheers,
David

David,

Make it out of steel. The water jet won't care.

As others said here, disconnect the mechanism from each door and make sure they both close, make sure the disconnected mechanism isn't coming into contact of the inside of each door and causing the problem, but from the looks of things, you should be able to swing the arms out of the way so both doors can be closed up to their respective "STOPS"

Now that each door can be operated independently, place strips of wide masking tape on the bottom and close that door.
Take a Sharpie and mark the edge of the bottom door in its fully closed position. (you may want to add some masking tape to the door itself as not to get ink on the door)
Do the same to the other side.

The marked edge of both doors will now give you a reference point where the arms should attach themselves.
This will also enable you to operate the mechanism by hand where you can use your reference lines to see if the teeth are not meshed properly and/or of the arms them selves are hitting each other if they are bent.

If someone mounted the ends to the doors in too high or too low of a position because the holes were stripped out, this may cause the arms to come in contact with each other.

With your reference lines there, they should point out where the fault is.