Parts for Pathe?

[rkruz3]

I broke this part that holds the horn on this Pathe phonograph.  I cant find any model information but it plays a large size and a normal size cylinder.

Would you know where I can find this part to purchase?

thank you

[CurtA]

Do you have the other half of this part?  If so, could you post a picture of them both?  It broke because it's pot metal and over 100 years old.  Finding an original replacement will be a difficult task, but you might get lucky.  Otherwise, it might be possible to repair it or find someone who could make a replacement.

 

I would try Jalal Aro at: http://www.phonogalerie.com/lang-english/  in Paris.

[rkruz3]

1 hour ago, CurtA said:

Do you have the other half of this part?  If so, could you post a picture of them both?  It broke because it's pot metal and over 100 years old.  Finding an original replacement will be a difficult task, but you might get lucky.  Otherwise, it might be possible to repair it or find someone who could make a replacement.

 

I would try Jalal Aro at: http://www.phonogalerie.com/lang-english/  in Paris.

the broken off parts are the two little pieces with the screws.

[CurtA]

A machinist could replicate this piece out  of brass, fairly easily.  A repair on this would require some thinking, since there is not much surface to reconnect the pieces.  The broken parts could be molded out of high strength JB Weld two part epoxy putty directly to the main piece and then shaped, drilled and tapped to match the original.  Two flat pieces of metal attached to the main piece would give added strength to hold the putty on.  Hope this makes sense... 

Epoxying them back on would probably not work, because there is not enough to re-attach them.

[rkruz3]

yes makes a lot of sense.   Ill try some industrial super glue first with some glued on reinforecment.  Failing that, Ill just keep scouring for a replacement part or donor machine.

 

[CurtA]

Super glue will definitely not work, it's not strong enough... and repairing it will still leave you with a pot metal part.  The best solution will be to have the part machined from brass or aluminum.  Pathe parts for early machines are not readily available and donor machines are non-existent.  Good luck.

 

If you decide to sell this, send me a PM.

[CurtA]

Quote - From The talking Machine Forum:

"I have a Pathé cylinder machine, a Coq model, I believe. The reproducer needle just sits on the cylinder and moves with the cylinder grooves, and I believe that is the design (unless it's missing some parts). But when I put the reproducer on the cylinder, it just skates off the cylinder to one side."

 

Answer from Carlos:

"Have you checked if the head carrier is adequately connected to the feed screw? in normal conditions, the feed screw would not let the head skate by limiting its lateral movement. Another point to check is the lever that lowers the head, sometimes it does not get down enough to make the head needle touch the cylinder."

 

Carlos is right.  The broken part on your machine is the head carrier,  which  connects to the feed screw and is raised/lowered by the lever on the front.  The alignment is critical to raise the stylus to play and track a cylinder record.  You need a new replacement part, not a glue repaired part, which is structurally unsound...

[rkruz3]

 Thank you for the insights.  I was able to play one of the 3.5" cylinders I have.  The other one, the one that skates, must be heavily worn out on the beginning 20% and it skates across that section and then slows, playing the remainder of the cylinder ok.  If it gets a good head start, it will skate across the entire cylinder though.

 

I was able to do a temporary repair on the head carrier.  I super glued the broken pieces and then texturized the sides for grip from additional JB Weld steel epoxy.  I add a small steel reinforcement bar (a cut nail), also texturized and epoxied up both sides, trimming the excess epoxy with an xacto blade after a 2-day cure.  It's holding up well enough to get the player working.  I'll continue to try and find a replacement for it.