The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My Edison Home Phonograph model A is driving me nuts! I can't seem to get it to play through a full record even after replacing the main spring and cleaning the gears and bearings with rubbing alcohol. Is there anything else I can do to get this motor running properly?

Is the half nut adjusted properly?

Yes, it is. Even when the half nut isn't making contact with the feed screw, the motor doesn't seem to be giving off very much torque.

The bearings on the ends of the various shafts on the top works (I think they're called pintle bearings?) can sometimes be a problem. If the points on the ends are too far in, there's too much tension, and it will slow the motor down. If the points are too far out, the shaft drags too much, and the same result can happen. Also make sure they are clean and lubricated.

I'm sure that I've adjusted the bearings to the correct tension but I haven't clean them. I'll have to get around to doing that tomorrow.

If the carriage rod is dirty or corroded it can have this effect. I will chuck a carriage rod in my drill press and while it is spinning I will clean it up and polish it with progressively finer grades of steel wool. I will lubricate the rod and carriage with silicon spray.

Are the pins at each end of the governor too tight? There needs to be a tiny bit of play when there is no tension on the governor. Hope this helps. Jerry Blais

The belt is another place to look; a tight belt will induce drag. Be sure the belt is loose enough to give the tensioner room to workAlso check the clearance on the mandrel shaft end bearings. The same thing goes here - a very slight amount of endplay is necessary. That's what the adjustment screw on the endgate is for: loosen the setscrew and turn the adjustment screw until you get just the slightest amount of clearance then tighten the lockscrew.

Jim

Does the small wheel underneath the carriage have anything to do with it? It has a flat spot which causes it to not roll.

Have you balanced the governor? Any time I have have power issues with the spring motor it is 3 times out of 4 an unbalanced governor.
Jim