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Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2023 12:33 pm
by Lah Ca
Once I am home again, I will begin the search for a crank which is compatible with my Roberts Bestone portable.
It would be helpful to know what I am looking for. The guy with the EMGColonel Youtube channel says the machine has a Garrard motor.
Edit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Ps15Ptrnc (Link provided by CarlosV elsewhere)
What model of motor might this be? And what type of crank might it take? Keyed? Threaded? If threaded, thread type?
"The Squire" (the owner of the machine) appears just to insert the crank and not really thread it. Before demonstrating the machine, he appears to give the crank a quick turn but only enough to establish that the spring is already under tension.
Re: Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2023 1:29 pm
by CarlosV
Lah Ca wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2023 12:33 pm
Once I am home again, I will begin the search for a crank which is compatible with my Roberts Bestone portable.
It would be helpful to know what I am looking for.
I have one of these machines, I will take it out of storage and post a photo of the crank tomorrow.
Re: Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2023 3:26 pm
by Lah Ca
CarlosV wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2023 1:29 pm
Lah Ca wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2023 12:33 pm
Once I am home again, I will begin the search for a crank which is compatible with my Roberts Bestone portable.
It would be helpful to know what I am looking for.
I have one of these machines, I will take it out of storage and post a photo of the crank tomorrow.
Thank you.
Re: Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 4:48 am
by CarlosV
Here are the photos of the crank. Mine is broken, as it is obvious, but it works even with only one tooth left. The approximate dimensions in cm are in the post-it.
Re: Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 11:05 am
by Curt A
Except for the short throw, it looks like a generic slotted crank. If you can't find an original, it should be easy to make...
Re: Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 11:08 am
by Lah Ca
CarlosV wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2023 4:48 am
Here are the photos of the crank. Mine is broken, as it is obvious, but it works even with only one tooth left. The approximate dimensions in cm are in the post-it.
Many thanks.

Re: Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 11:18 am
by Lah Ca
Curt A wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2023 11:05 am
If you can't find an original, it should be easy to make...
Making a functional crank, yes. Easier than having to make something with perhaps an older, now non-standard, thread/pitch....well easier than finding someone here who has sets of older UK tap and die tools.
Making a pretty one is a different task.
It might also be possible to modify a crank from another machine.
Re: Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 11:22 am
by Lah Ca
To the general community here:
Does anyone recognize the motor in the picture above as a Garrard unit? Is the two-tine forked/slotted crank typical of a Garrard machine?
Re: Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 1:14 pm
by Lah Ca
It is difficult searching online for anything Garrard related. The company, being a long-lasting and prolific manufacturer of things gramophone and phonograph, presents an entirely different search problem than with something obscure. One is overwhelmed with results, most of which are not applicable to immediate needs.
But anyway, the handle of the Roberts Bestone crank looks very similar to various Garrad cranks. However, the ends of some of these cranks appear to be threaded.

- 2023-11-23 10.04.32 duckduckgo.com cb411d90e3c5.jpg (56.38 KiB) Viewed 1015 times
Re: Roberts Bestone Portable Motor and Crank?
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 8:24 pm
by CarlosV
Lah Ca wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2023 1:14 pm
It is difficult searching online for anything Garrard related. The company, being a long-lasting and prolific manufacturer of things gramophone and phonograph, presents an entirely different search problem than with something obscure. One is overwhelmed with results, most of which are not applicable to immediate needs.
But anyway, the handle of the Roberts Bestone crank looks very similar to various Garrad cranks. However, the ends of some of these cranks appear to be threaded.
I don't think that the Bestone machine motor is a Garrard. I did not open it to check, as the motor is working and it seems quite difficult to access, but all Garrard motors I am aware of have threaded cranks.