Edison Gem problem

[Saleh21]

Hi,
I recently bought an Edison Gem sn:256132. I'm guessing that's a model b but I'm not sure. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It was pretty dried out but clean. No dried up grease or anything like that. Looked like someone cleaned it a bit ago and never re-lubed it.

So I oiled it and greased it up and it started right up. But when I put a cylinder on it it would stop. Even with just the reproducer. I went back through and did all stuff i could find online like making sure things were lined up perfectly and adjusted the brake on it. None of that worked. So I'm guessing it might be the spring.

But I was wondering if there was a way to know if it was the spring before replacing it or if you just had to try it and hope that's it.

Also this might be a long shot but it has one of those cylinder brush things on it. I'm guessing that really doesn't do anything, but I've read these things are super under powered. That couldn't create enough drag to matter could it?

Thanks for any help in advance-- Joel

[JerryVan]

Joel,

Diagnosing a weak spring is a process of elimination. Basically, do everything else first. It appears as if you may have done that already. Do a simple test. Remove the belt, wind-up the motor a bit, then let the motor run completely down, till it stops. At that point, give the winding crank/key a slight turn and see how much tension remains in the spring. It should feel very slack. If there is still a fair amount of tension, it means that something within the motor is dragging/binding and robbing power. Then, try the same thing with the belt in place but with the reproducer raised, again checking for residual spring tension. Last, repeat the test with the reproducer lowered.

A very common source of drag is the small, brass idler wheel on the belt tensioning arm. The brass wheel needs to spin freely but is often gummed up and immobile due to dried oil. A small amount of heat will melt away dried up oil, and a few drops of fresh oil, will get it spinning again.

[Saleh21]

Jerry,
Thanks for the idler suggestion. It was stuck. So I got that taken care of but it's still not working.

It's almost like the reproducer is too heavy for it but if I pull I out just a hair it's not touching the cylinder and skips. So I don't know how the weight of the stylus and the weight part is too much. I've tried different reproducers too.

Without trying to play a record everything works as it should. And the top part spins free without the belt on. The motor doesn't seem to have any problems either. I'll keep messing with it.

I appreciate the help! That's one less thing I wouldn't have known to look at at.

[Saleh21]

The motor does sound funny on it and there's a little click. I don't know if that will help anyone or not. But here's a video of it. Thanks again -- Joel

[JerryVan]

The feed screw for the carriage has a ½ nut that rides on it when the carriage is lowered. It's not uncommon for the ½ nut to engage the feed screw with too much pressure. The ½ nut pressure on the feed screw must extremely minimal, yet enough so that the nut does not skip. In other words, it's a fussy adjustment. As you lower the carriage, take note at what point the nut engages and notice then how much gap remains between the front of the carriage and the straight edge along which it rides. There ideally should be no gap. The nut should fully engage simultaneously with the carriage contacting the straight edge. Too much ½ nut pressure is like applying the brakes.

The ½ nut pressure on early Gems is adjusted by simply bending the arm that the nut is mounted to. Later Gems have an adjustment screw.

The noise is typical of a worn governor shaft gear. Not unusual, just annoying.

[Saleh21]

Well i figured it out...

After loosening the idler and messing with the half nut it started getting worse so I got frustrated and decided to call it a night. This morning I started messing with it again and could'nt for the life of me figure out why it ran ok on its side but not upright.... then I looked at the drip pan it has an indentation cut out for the bottom pully to have space and I was setting it down on a rag. Put it on the drip pan and sure enough runs perfect, or at least good enough to play a record all the way through.

Thanks for your help Jerry! Especially with the idler.

[Saleh21]

Ready to go

[JerryVan]

Well i figured it out...

... I was setting it down on a rag. Put it on the drip pan and sure enough runs perfect, or at least good enough to play a record all the way through.

Thanks for your help Jerry! Especially with the idler.

Well, I could not have foreseen that one.

This has been fun. Thanks for the update. And, you're welcome. Glad to help.

I like the horn, BTW

[shopdoc]

Ready to go

Great story and cool horn.

[Inigo]

good !! Looks fantastic!