Columbia Grafonola

[Jeff Snyder]

I have a Columbia Grafonola from A.M. Graphophono Co. and would like to
know more about it, such as when it was made and the proper use of the
machine.

It winds up fine (though it makes an awful 'spring unwinding' noise if I
wind past 18 cranks) and plays well, but while some platters play
wonderfully, others immediately slow down and stop. Is the needle or arm
weight wrong? What's the 'rule' for needles? I have metal and wood
needles.

Any information is appreciated. Thanks.

--

Jeff Snyder, Information Systems Analyst
mailto:jeff....@boeing.com

[Peter63]

Jeff Snyder writes:

> I have a Columbia Grafonola from A.M. Graphophono Co. and would like to
> know more about it, such as when it was made and the proper use of the
> machine.

> It winds up fine (though it makes an awful 'spring unwinding' noise if I
> wind past 18 cranks) and plays well, but while some platters play
> wonderfully, others immediately slow down and stop. Is the needle or arm

> weight wrong? What's the 'rule' for needles? I have metal and wood
> needles.

Jeff,
Without knowing what model you have, it's hard to give you any
detailed information about the machine. Can you describe it in more
detail? (Tabletop or Upright, distinctive designs of the cabinet, etc.).
You might also be interested in the book "The Columbia Phonograph
Companion, Volume II", By Robert Baumbach, which covers the many models of
the Grafanola, and includes pictures, descriptions and general information
on the various models.

As for the problems, I'm afraid it sounds like you are suffering from a
broken mainspring. From your description it's probably broken in the
middle, so it will have to be replaced. This can cost about $25 for the
spring and up to $40 for the labor depending on how willing you are to
dirty your hands and remove the spring barrel (the "can" that holds the
spring) yourself.

Although most of your record problems are probably due to the spring,
It is also the case that "newer" 78s (after the 1930s) are softer, and the
steel needles dig into them and slow down the turntable. Steel needles
should be changed after every record, and are available cheaply (about $4
per 100) from many suppliers, including the ones listed on the Nipperhead
Page: (http://user.aol.com/peter63/Nipperhead.htm). The wooden needles
(generally bamboo) are gentler on the record, but have a softer sound, and
need to be sharpened as the point wears down.

-Peter

[Bill Moxim]

In article <54of4j$k...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, pet...@aol.com says...
>
>Jeff Snyder writes:
...

>> It winds up fine (though it makes an awful 'spring unwinding' noise if
I
>> wind past 18 cranks) and plays well, but while some platters play
>> wonderfully, others immediately slow down and stop. Is the needle or
arm

> As for the problems, I'm afraid it sounds like you are suffering from

a
>broken mainspring. From your description it's probably broken in the
>middle, so it will have to be replaced. This can cost about $25 for the
>spring and up to $40 for the labor depending on how willing you are to
>dirty your hands and remove the spring barrel (the "can" that holds the
>spring) yourself.

I agree that the spring is definately broken, however, do NOT try to
remove
the spring from the barrel yourself if you are not already familiar with
doing such a thing! It can be terribly dangerous if not done properly,
people
have lost fingers doing this. Just something to consider... I have a
Victrola XIV where one of the springs has broken from it's attachment to
the
barrel. It sounds precisely like what you describe. (Shhh-unk shunk
shunk...)

>> weight wrong? What's the 'rule' for needles? I have metal and wood
>> needles.

The standard steel needles are designed to wear into shape of the grooves
of the record you're playing. They really shouldn't be used more than
once,
although some people play perhaps both sides of a disc. They have
potential
to damage another record due to a different shape to its grooves.
Although
slight, it can make a difference depending on how much you care about the
records. As Peter says the later electrical records, particularly
anything
like rock & roll, probably will not play well or at all on a single spring
or a machine with a broken spring.

> Although most of your record problems are probably due to the spring,
>It is also the case that "newer" 78s (after the 1930s) are softer, and
the
>steel needles dig into them and slow down the turntable. Steel needles
>should be changed after every record, and are available cheaply (about $4
>per 100) from many suppliers, including the ones listed on the Nipperhead
>Page: (http://user.aol.com/peter63/Nipperhead.htm). The wooden needles
>(generally bamboo) are gentler on the record, but have a softer sound,
and
>need to be sharpened as the point wears down.

BTW - the above mentioned 'Nipperhead' page is excellent and worth
checking
out. There is a super tour of a private antique phonograph museum in
Pennsylvania with photos. I just saw it the other day and found it quite
interesting!

Bill

__ __ _ ___ .......................................
|| || // \\ || \\ : Bill Moxim - Dept. of Epidemiology :
|| || ||===|| ||==<< : Programmer/SOPH-BEV Administrator :
\__// || || ||__// : ----- bmo...@epi.soph.uab.edu ----- :
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - '

[George Conklin]

In article <326F6D...@scm1.bems.boeing.com>,

Jeff Snyder <jss...@scm1.bems.boeing.com> wrote:
>I have a Columbia Grafonola from A.M. Graphophono Co. and would like to
>know more about it, such as when it was made and the proper use of the
>machine.
>

>It winds up fine (though it makes an awful 'spring unwinding' noise if I
>wind past 18 cranks) and plays well, but while some platters play
>wonderfully, others immediately slow down and stop. Is the needle or arm

>weight wrong? What's the 'rule' for needles? I have metal and wood
>needles.
>

>Any information is appreciated. Thanks.
>
>--
>
>Jeff Snyder, Information Systems Analyst
>mailto:jeff....@boeing.com

If your spring thumps when it plays, then you need to grease
the spring, which is not easy to do if you have no experience.
If the spring is not fully wound, you will not be able to play
your records through completely in most cases. You will lack
torque in any case.

It sounds as if you need to clean the motor and have it
regreased. And use a steel needle only once. Throw all you have
out order new ones immediately. You can sharpen the wooden ones
with a razor blade.

[Peter63]

Bill Moxim writes:

>> ...Peter63 says...

>> This can cost about $25 for the
>> spring and up to $40 for the labor depending on how willing you are to
>> dirty your hands and remove the spring barrel (the "can" that holds the
>> spring) yourself.
> I agree that the spring is definately broken, however, do NOT try to
remove
> the spring from the barrel yourself if you are not already familiar with
> doing such a thing! It can be terribly dangerous if not done properly,
> people have lost fingers doing this.

Bill is absolutely correct! If not done properly, this can be VERY
dangerous! It was not my intention to suggest the removal of the spring
from the barrel, but merely the removal of the barrel itself from the
motor. This can be sent out much less expensively than the entire motor,
and most "repair houses" will charge more if they have to do the motor
dissassembly themselves.

JTSAA- (Just To Start An Argument :-) ) ...

Most if the supply houses recommend the replacement of ALL of the springs
(on a multi-spring motor) even if only one is broken. This seems to be a
ploy to pry more money from the collector. My experience has been that the
remaining springs have no greater tendancy to break because one is broken
(i.e. they don't all "start going"), and unlike governer springs which
really SHOULD be replaced in sets, the potential differences in
"springiness" between new and old should not affect performance or wear.
Any comments?

-Peter

[George Conklin]

No debate here, Peter. No need to replace all the springs.
They are set up so when one unwinds, then the others come in
sequence. If one is a little bit stronger than the others, it
should not affect anything at all other than the time it unwinds
itself.

Of course, may I remind yout that Eric Reiss correctly
suggests that people can patch their old springs. Since they
usually break at the arbor or where they attach to the barrel,
you will never notice the shorter length..... That way you can
save buying a modern and possibly inferior spring for an antique
phonograph.

I am going to post some comments this week from the museum
watches and clocks on spring removal. I have purchased the books
on home repair, and they have some excellent suggestions.
Further, they have courses people can take.