The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I bought a nice put metal reproducer today I saw in a antique shop, I always get them when. See them at good prices. It's not warped or cracked anywhere, perfect condition, when I got home I put it on my credenza to hear how it sounds, plays ok slight buzz.
I noticed the little tips that come from the needle bar that are soldered to the diaphragm are loose, anyone have any tips on ow to solder that or pictures? I didn't want to have to send it out to be done if I can do it myself.
Thing is the back flange turns a bit back and forth a little, and when you look at the front the whole diaphragm in there moves to, but I blew in the back and it's air tight still? So I think when someone went to take this off the arm, I bet the flange being all hard and stuck got stuck and they twisted to hard and it broke the solder.
So an help from anyone I'd be great full.
I can do all the other stuff bearings ect, but never soldered one of the needle bars, so I'd be grateful fir help. And thoughts.

Mike

I've seen this problem before. Someone probably did this while trying to get the reproducer off the arm; the reproducer stuck to the arm and the front turned before the back. You can probably just reheat the solder joint and the solder will reflow. If that doesn't work, use rosin core 60-40 radio solder. If your iron won't reach into the joint, try an old Heathkit trick: take a short length of bare #12 solid copper wire, wrap 2 or 3 turns tightly around the tip of your iron, leaving the end of the wire running straight out from the tip of the iron. Cut the end of the wire to a length that will easily fit into the reproducer and reach the joint. Tin (apply solder to) the wire as soon as the iron heats up enough to melt the solder. This enables proper heat transfer to the wire and to the needle bar. Be careful. It should not take much time or solder to make a tight joint.
This should make a good temporary repair, but at sometime you should correct the problem.

Good luck.

Jim

Thanks Jim.
Pm sent..