Thorens (?) style soundbox / reproducer repair and test

[@christo930]

1:22 That's pot metal. The cheapest metal money can buy. But if it is good enough in the application, no big deal, right. The main problem with pot metal is it is near impossible to fix. You can't weld it. You can't solder it. You can't braze it. It is very porous as well.

[@mrrgstuff]

Yes, I guessed it must be some variety of pot metal, which by its very nature has an unknown composition. It seems OK, and there is no swelling or fracturing, so must be pretty stable. Thanks 👍😀

[@stevecoward3543]

Fantastic work and a worthy result, amazing work on that needle bar screw.

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍😀. Turned out OK in the end 😉. Thought it was worth trying to sort out the needle bar screw properly, and luckily guessed the right size. I have since bought a set of 12BA taps which will help with checking the size of other small threaded holes in the future. Other than the HMV/Victor soundboxes, the ones I have come across do seem to use small BA type screw threads.

[@maravilhasdaeletronica6673]

Sound box Parlophon germanic, Casa Edison Brasil. ❤

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍 😀

[@GrandadIsAnOldMan]

That cleaned up well and sounded clear 👍

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍😀. Took a while, but turned out OK in the end. Glad you enjoyed it

[@Sam-pl7xi]

Could this be EPNS ?

[@mrrgstuff]

I think EPNS is Electroplated Nickel Steel, so probably not. It might be Zinc or Zamak, but I don't really know how to test. Thanks 😀 👍

[@matthewrichards88]

I recognise the vocalist on at eclipse record at the end there. Jack Plant, very distinctive voice! Fantastic job on the soundbox. It sounds great. Better than new! The use of these modern materials is brilliant.

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍😀. Glad you enjoyed it. The last record was Eclipse 236. Good job mgthomas.co.uk has a good index as they labels wear really badly. I am quite pleased also how well the soundbox came out. I haven't tuned it or anything, it just plays like that since I 'restored' it😉. If it had been a quality item I might have kept it more original, but it was pretty much junk anyway. Still don't know why a previous owner put so much (candle) wax on the front 🤔

[@guibueno7586]

do you sell this piece? do you sell diaphragm? I am from Brazil

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks for watching 😀👍. No it's not currently for sale. The diaphragm also takes too long to make to be worth selling. If you can't get a replacement diaphragm, then it is possible to cut your own from sheet mica. It's also possible to use a mobile phone screen protector

[@guibueno7586]

thanks for answering! I watch all your videos... I tried to make the diagram as you teach in your videos, but I couldn't... No sound comes out

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks for watching the videos. Much appreciated. I would try and help you more if you could explain the problems, or maybe upload a little video of what you are trying to do. Thanks 👍😀

[@terrycard6775]

Another interesting video. I love your dedication.Best wishes Terry uk 🇬🇧 ❤

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍. Glad you enjoyed it. I was sidetracked a few times on this, but got there in the end 😀

[@AllMy78s]

Sounds good mate, you did a great job....

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍😀

[@Mrpurple75]

About 79 degrees, comfortable. Box sounds clear and clean, well done. Wished I’d used the beeswax when I was doing mine. Need to redesign mine as the method I used was absolute murder on the records. The Edison is designed to track with a gear mechanism that brought the arm across the record. To get a 78 to play took a lot of weight to keep it tracking, the horn had more drag than I figured

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍😀. It turned out well in the end, just took a lot longer to get there than I expected! 😉. I bought a sample packet of beeswax on ebay very cheaply. I think it was being sold for candle making, but although it was a tiny amount for that, it would be enough to wax dozens of soundboxes. Interesting to hear about your Edison. I don't think I have seen one in real life (or found any diamond discs yet), but I am hopeful. Hopefully you will be able to sort it out, and maybe do a video showing the workings? 🤔😉.

[@Mrpurple75]

@@mrrgstuff if I get back into it again I might make a video but honestly I’m a lot better at watching them than making them. I also don’t want to do a video on something that is already available on KZbin.

[@mrrgstuff]

Fair enough, I know what you mean 😏 Thanks 😀

[@davidk6271]

I also make a mess of the beeswax. I wonder whether the wax they used back in the day was sealing wax and not plain beeswax. Good sound on the last record.

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍😀. It was very satisfying to find it just worked when I had finished putting it back together. Thanks also for the link. Yes, certainly on the HMV No.4 ones I have, it doesn't look like beeswax. On one the black wax has chipped off partly, so sealing wax is a likely possibility. I may have some somewhere and if I can find it I might try it on another soundbox

[@davidk6271]

@@mrrgstuff i also forgot to say, good work with the screw you made. If you try the sealing wax, please let me know the result. Cheers

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍😀. I probably could have got away with the first screw I found, but I do get a sense of satisfaction making replacement parts like this (especially when they fit!). I will let you know about the sealing wax if I go anywhere with it

[@Lordoug973]

very cool, i opened my Mikiphone's soundbox but i couldn't get a gasket, could you give me any tips?

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 👍😀. I'm not familiar with the Mikiphone, but from pictures it looks like a fairly standard mica diaphragm sound box. Was it a problem getting access to the gaskets, or finding replacement ones? Do you know also if they are rubber tubing or felt rings?

[@Lordoug973]

@@mrrgstuff are rubber tubes, When I opened it they were dry and brittle.

[@mrrgstuff]

Ok, probably much the same as for this soundbox then. You will need to carefully scrape out the old gaskets (like I did in the first video about this soundbox) and then replace. You may be able to work out the diameter of the existing tubing using calipers. It will probably be around 3mm. It would probably have been latex, but now you can also use silicon tubing or foamed neoprene. You may also be able to get more specific advice about the Mikiphone if you ask on forum.talkingmachine.info/ Good luck 😀👍

[@Lordoug973]

@@mrrgstuff thank you very much for the help.

[@mrrgstuff]

No problem 😊