The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Okay, so my QRS Phonograph arrived today. However, inside rubber gasket that helps hold the sound box to the tone arm has deteriorated (no surprise) the old gasket was red. Just need help in where to find a similar one.

Paul

You can try one of the red neck rubber connectors made for the meltrope or EMG/expert soundboxes. Search on eBay.
Important details are the inner diameter of the soundbox metal neck and outer diameter of the tonearm at the connection.
If you give me these measures I can tell you if any of the two common red rubber types for hmv would fit (I have one of each in different machines).
As a starting point... Small help before you buy one on eBay or whatever...

Inner diameter of the sound box is 1 inch and ¾ in.

The tone arm 1 inch and ⅝ in.

Another forum member commented in the past, "As to the red rubber in the back you will need to cut a sheet of red rubber (I got some at Home Depot) and make your own."

I've used both solutions in similar cases. The B solution, make your own, I prefer to do using rubber sheet of half thickness, making two rubber strips that form one ring inside another, so you can place the seams one at each side to make the composite ring airtight. The inner strip will be a bit shorter than the outer one, as they form two concentric cylinders one inside the other. I did that with natural rubber and it went very well until just done weeks ago, when I detected that the rubber is starting to get sticky (decomposed?)

I'm out of home now, but will be back in a week. I will post then the sizes of the red rubber connectors checking against the measures you've given herein, 1,¾ and 1,⅝ inches.

Edisonfan wrote: Wed Aug 21, 2024 6:56 pm Okay, so my QRS Phonograph arrived today. However, inside rubber gasket that helps hold the sound box to the tone arm has deteriorated (no surprise) the old gasket was red. Just need help in where to find a similar one.

Paul

I have found multiple gramophone-related uses for this HomeDespot-purchased package of gasket material, including making quite a serviceable red throat gasket for my 1941 RCA Victor/(Birch) portable.
If you were concerned about leakage at the seam where the ends of the strip of material meet, a small amount of judiciously applied clear and inobtrusive silicone sealer could help.

Lah Ca wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2024 9:58 am

Edisonfan wrote: Wed Aug 21, 2024 6:56 pm Okay, so my QRS Phonograph arrived today. However, inside rubber gasket that helps hold the sound box to the tone arm has deteriorated (no surprise) the old gasket was red. Just need help in where to find a similar one.

Paul

I have found multiple gramophone-related uses for this HomeDespot-purchased package of gasket material, including making quite a serviceable red throat gasket for my 1941 RCA Victor/(Birch) portable.

2024-08-23 06.46.34 forum.talkingmachine.info a20ea8dd1de5.jpg

If you were concerned about leakage at the seam where the ends of the strip of material meet, a small amount of judiciously applied clear and inobtrusive silicone sealer could help.

Thank you, but, I was hoping to find something premade so I don’t have a pile of rubber sheets lying around.

Thank you, but, I was hoping to find something premade so I don’t have a pile of rubber sheets lying around.
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The hobby of acoustic phonographs requires different skills. There are so many different variations sound box tone arm couplings. Various parts vendors cater to the big three like Victor, Columbia & Edison. So the chances of getting a premade gasket to fit your QRS are 0.

Lah Ca suggested a valid solution. Your comment about not having “a pile of rubber sheets lying around” is good old sarcasm. Surely you have a junk drawer in your kitchen? The perfect place for those left over rubber sheets. Having left over supplies always comes in handy when working on antique phonographs.

You would have hated my suggestion. I waited to see what others would suggest first. See I’ve dealt with this issue before with a Silvertone portable of around the same vintage. Even the same sound box. I used thin rubber from a vintage 26” lightweight bicycle inner tube. Though not red but black in color.

When dealing with hobbies of obsolete mechanics, you definitely need to think outside of the box. Just ask anyone dealing with antique cars, antique radios and whatever.

That’s just my two cents on this.

Edisonfan wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2024 11:38 am

Lah Ca wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2024 9:58 am

Edisonfan wrote: Wed Aug 21, 2024 6:56 pm Okay, so my QRS Phonograph arrived today. However, inside rubber gasket that helps hold the sound box to the tone arm has deteriorated (no surprise) the old gasket was red. Just need help in where to find a similar one.

Paul

I have found multiple gramophone-related uses for this HomeDespot-purchased package of gasket material, including making quite a serviceable red throat gasket for my 1941 RCA Victor/(Birch) portable.

2024-08-23 06.46.34 forum.talkingmachine.info a20ea8dd1de5.jpg

If you were concerned about leakage at the seam where the ends of the strip of material meet, a small amount of judiciously applied clear and inobtrusive silicone sealer could help.

Thank you, but, I was hoping to find something premade so I don’t have a pile of rubber sheets lying around.

Then use what you need and throw the rest away.

No need to buy a full box of rubber sheets necessarily... It depends on what is available at your local brico-mart... Usually an open eyed excursion to the plumbing section can help, there are many rubber parts, gaskets, etc that can be adapted for the purpose with a bit of imagination. And there is always the possibility of in-situ casting of a silicone caulk gasket, using the soundbox neck as a mould, and an inner tube (plastic or paper) with the same diameter as the tonearm, to give the inner surface. I've done this twice on my HMV no4 soundboxes, with success, using thin pvc sheets to form the inner cylinder, which can be later removed. The potty is that the silicone tends to shrink with time. Cylinders made of rubber strips resist better.
And of course the readily made red rubber connectors like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/335536020490?_ ... R_a77eawZA
Or from Amazon; there are infinite cylindrical rubber connectors for everything...
http://www.rcmedical.com/viewProduct.cfm?productID=590
https://panamericahbo.com/products/vent ... connector/
https://www.amazon.com/2-inch-rubber-st ... bber+strip