What is this covering on my Sonora portable motor board?

[Solenoid]

I’m restoring a Sonora portable wind-up. The motorboard is covered with a thin, cloth-like material as shown in the photos. I’d like to replace it, so I’m hoping someone has some insight into:

How to remove it,
Where I can find a good replacement, and
How to apply the replacement

This player is not worth a lot, but it’s a family heirloom, so I’d like to do it right. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[JerryVan]

It kind of looks like mohair cloth that's lost most of its "fuzz". Maybe a faux mohair fabric would do, if that's the case, since real mohair is very pricey.

[Lah Ca]

Various random thoughts.

We can't see enough of the motor board to see how badly damaged the cloth covering is. Does the motor board cloth match the covering on the rest of the machine?

Often the areas under plates will give an idea of the original finish and colour since the covered area has not been exposed to air, light, and grime, unless that is if the finish is pulled off by removing the plates.

If the cloth is not torn or worn through, you could try cleaning it with a gentle detergent or a diluted upholstery cleaner, using a very soft brush and soft cloths. One of the little, portable vacuum upholstery cleaners might help remove liquid and dirt quickly.

If there is a finish on the cloth, it is likely to be some nitro-cellulose compound, like that used for Rexine, or a varnish.

Often hide glue was used for attaching fabric. Hide glue is a hot glue. It needs to be heated to use it. This means that things held together with hide glue can be disassembled using heat. And if you are lucky, things can sometimes be reattached by using heat. I have had some minor success in removing bubbles from and reattaching Rexine by using a terry towel and a hot dry clothes iron. I have also had some minor success in reattaching platter mats using the same process.

So if you get to the point where you want to remove the fabric, you could try a clothes iron (with a towel) and a small metal spatula.

[Lah Ca]

Is your machine something like this?

[Solenoid]

That is in fact what I’m restoring!

[Solenoid]

Attached is a pic of my motor board. You can see there are some grease and oil stains. And on the bottom left, where the speed controller goes, there’s a lighter area that I guess indicates the original color.

By the way, mine is missing whatever part goes in the bottom right, next to the grill. It’s sone kind of knob, based on pictures of other players I’ve seen. What does that piece do?

Thanks!

[Lah Ca]

Attached is a pic of my motor board. You can see there are some grease and oil stains. And on the bottom left, where the speed controller goes, there’s a lighter area that I guess indicates the original color.

By the way, mine is missing whatever part goes in the bottom right, next to the grill. It’s sone kind of knob, based on pictures of other players I’ve seen. What does that piece do?

Thanks!

In the grand scheme of things, your motor board is not that bad--it is from a hundred-year-old machine. The cloth all appears intact. I would try gentle cleaning. Start with the area under that platter that would not be visible once the platter is back on, and see how it goes.

The missing part is probably a needle cup. At least that would be my guess.

[Damfino59]

The filth on the fabric covering is years of atmospheric pollution. Grandpa’s Perfecto cigar smoke & uncle Ken’s Chesterfields. A mild dish soap like Ivory might help in surface cleaning. But in an inconspicuous location. Another thought is also waterless hand cleaner like Gojo or Goop. The type without pumice.

I once cleaned a 1956 VM table top hi fi record player in blonde mahogany finish, with Goop. Before I started it was more of a dirty brown, with the blonde surface under that crud. Any loose ends pealing off could be re-attached with a transparent adhesive like Elmers craft glue.

It would be extremely difficult to duplicate that covering in modern materials. And you would lose the patina it has now.

Glenn

[JerryVan]

By the way, mine is missing whatever part goes in the bottom right, next to the grill. It’s sone kind of knob, based on pictures of other players I’ve seen. What does that piece do?

Thanks!

I'm guessing that if you swung the tone arm over, towards that spot, you may find that the needle pretty much centers over it. If that's the case, then most likely, there was some sort of pad there, where you could rest the needle/tome arm while changing records or winding.

[Lah Ca]

I'm guessing that if you swung the tone arm over, towards that spot, you may find that the needle pretty much centers over it. If that's the case, then most likely, there was some sort of pad there, where you could rest the needle/tome arm while changing records or winding.

With absolutely no certainty or firsthand knowledge, I still suspect that the missing item from the motor board is a needle cup.

2024-12-01 07.14.59 forum.talkingmachine.info dc4e3d345b41.jpg (44.61 KiB) Viewed 280 times

I further suspect that this below is the needle rest and arm lock thing, something requiring a needle to be left if the chuck for transport of the machine.

2024-12-01 07.15.21 forum.talkingmachine.info 862d2bc0c48b.jpg (38.14 KiB) Viewed 280 times

But then I am often wrong.