The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello again:
I've tried off and on for a couple years to undo a Diamond Disc lift knob shaft from the lower horn support with no success. It's frozen solid, and no penetrants such as Kroil, Liquid Wrench and WD40 have loosened it. I've had some small amount of similar trouble with other machines, but never so much as with this one.
Who has had success with this stubborn connection? I'm ready to bring out the blowtorch!
Thanks.
Bob

Actually, the blowtorch idea may not be such a bad one. In car mechanics heating up cast iron parts to get them moving again is pretty common. If you keep the flame concentrated on just the collar it should not damage anything else. Maybe put some sheet metal as flame shield in front of sensitive parts.
Good luck!
Andreas

Thanks, Andreas, for your encouragement. With only about ten seconds of blowtorch heat the joint finally came free! I used a plumber's round wire brush to clean the horn shaft hole and polished the handle shaft with some rubbing compound and fine steel wool. I was finally able to make the proper tonearm height adjustments for this phono and am very glad to get it finished!
Here's a picture-the original grillcloth's seen better days, but I'm not ready to replace it yet: Bob

Congratulations Bob. That looks really good. I'm glad that it worked.
Regarding the grill cloth, mine was missing completely, but I think I found one that is really close. Just a couple bucks from the close out table of a fabric outlet. It's a pale green with a slight silkish shimmer. I need to get a better picture at daylight though...
Andreas

Bob: great-looking machine! Glad you were able to free up that stubborn joint.

Andreas: It's nice to see that someone has a BC displayed prominently in their home. Is that LP-equipped? It sort of looks like a long-play label on the record, but it's hard to tell from the photo.

coyote wrote: Andreas: It's nice to see that someone has a BC displayed prominently in their home. Is that LP-equipped? It sort of looks like a long-play label on the record, but it's hard to tell from the photo.

The BC-34 was my first antique phonograph which got me started on restoring machines, so yes, it has a prominent place right when you enter my house.
No, it is not long play equipped, even though it has the 10"/12" button selector. It's a standard DD record with a badly worn label, maybe I should have used a different record for "display".

BTW: Does anyone know how this 10"/12" button selector is supposed to work originally? I figured it would create a threshold for the reproducer to take out the guesswork when placing it on a record. I also see a piece of metal protruding from the horn, but it is about ½" away from the 10" button selector when correct for a 10" record. I found a few pieces of cork in the machine when I cleaned it, so I thought maybe there was a cork stuck onto this metal piece to clear that distance? Anyone have an idea?
Thanks
Andreas

To use the size selector buttons you'd simply press and hold down the correct size and move the reproducer to the left until it stops, and then lower the stylus.
The stop point can get out-of-position either on the horn or the button assembly (I forget which) and this can be adjusted with a little fiddling underneath the motorboard. It helps to have an assistant working from above to make the adjustments.
One of my first Edisons was a BC 34, which came with the long-play upgrade and both reproducers. I spent WAY too much time and money bringing it back, but it was years ago, long before I realized how common they were, at least as originally sold! I've kept it because I've a soft spot for my first machines!
Bob