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Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:23 pm
by EdisonPhonographGuy
I finally got this finished and would like to share my latest work. This a couple weeks at a few hours a day. It sounds great. I don't think there was a single part that wasn't taken apart. I have also included a video of it playing. Please feel free to comment if you see issues or something that I can fix before placing it for sale. Thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktxBv7-J ... AAAAAAAAAA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCwUXXoWF2M

Re: Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 4:07 pm
by kirtley2012
that is extremely good!, well done!
i am about to buy a edison home model B to restore and i was wondering if you did a "how to" walkthrough on restoring it so i can have a go myself?

Re: Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 4:15 pm
by EdisonPhonographGuy
I took some videos and hundreds of photos. I haven't gotten the photos in an order for a how to. Doing videos is really hard since it takes so long. Basically disassemble it taking photos every step of the way. Making sure you measure all of the end bearings, etc... That helps in reassembling and getting them back to close where they should be for final adjustment. There are people here that can assist you at every step if you come into a snag. It is very rewarding playing that first cylinder after it is complete and actual sound comes out of something that probably hasn't run for over 50+ years if not longer. I will post a before photo.

Re: Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 4:16 pm
by phonogal
Very nice looking machine.

Re: Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 4:46 pm
by JerryVan
Very nice. But, since you asked, the 2/4 minute gear shift lever is missing.

Re: Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 4:54 pm
by EdisonPhonographGuy
I don't know how this has a 2/4 selection. Please enlighten me about the gearing. I know some had it and some didn't. According to my copy of "the compleat talking machine" mine is a model B with the original C reproducer. The one shown in the book was adapted with a 2 & 4 minute and a larger carriage. The shaver was dropped for this model with a restyled endgate latch and a scrwed on crank A shorter case and a one piece bedplate.

Re: Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:10 pm
by EdisonPhonographGuy
I'm racking my brain. Is this gearing the clutch type or is it the 2 / 4 minute gearing? If so, how does it function. Apparently it doesn't have to have the lever to function as someone has said. Please enlighten me. This first home that I have done has really thrown me some curves. I might want to stick to the standards and amberolas that I can do in my sleep.

Re: Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:17 pm
by EdisonPhonographGuy
Got it, I understand now.... I bet these are literally impossible to find huh? If found, bedplate has to be drilled and tapped it looks like. mine has not been drilled. hmmmm

Re: Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:20 pm
by Uncle Vanya
EdisonPhonographGuy wrote:I don't think this unit had a 2/4 selection. Please enlighten me. I know some had it and some didn't. According to my copy of "the compleat talking machine" mine is a model B with the original C reproducer. The one shown in the book was adapted with a 2 & 4 minute and a larger carriage. The shaver was dropped for this model with a restyled endgate latch and a scrwed on crank A shorter case and a one piece bedplate.
It appears your machine has parts of a combination attatchment, missing the speed lever.

Back in the 1970's a number of phonograph repairmen of my acquaintance neither understood nor appreciated the need for the planetary reduction gearing in the 2/4 min attatchments. These men would remove the shift levers and glue the attatchments together with epoxy or cyanoacrylate rather than properly repairing these units.

I wonder whether you have restored one of these?



Wonderful job, although I wonder whether the inside of any Edison cabinet was ever that spotless, even at the factory.

Re: Completed !! Restored Edison Home Phonograph Results

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:34 pm
by EdisonPhonographGuy
Thanks Uncle Vanya. When I took it apart, the gears came apart easily so they weren't "sealed" together for a perminant 2 minute. With it being my first Home, I had no clue and I researched and saw that it was a clutch type and thought that was all. Now I understand how it is supposed to work when I found the picture above. Like the standard 2 /4 gearing, push and pull. It works like a champ and now i need to round up a 4 minute reproducer. All the standards I have are C reproducers. I recently sold a H and now it looks like i'm going to buy one and a lever if I can ever find one. Although, it is easy to pull out the gearing with your fingers, it might just sell like it is. lol. WOW, another day and I learn more and more. The standards are so much easier. It comes with time I suppose. Ya I know about the inside, I thought, "why not"