Just a quick hello from VT ...

[xtal_01]

Thanks for letting join the group!

 

I have always wanted a Victrola.  I think it dates back to my dad buying on in the late 60's (I was born in 1962) and being fascinated by it.

 

The problem was he kill it!  Tore the insides out of it ... used the grate on the front of my old push go-cart .. then put a Hi-Fi (not stereo) into it.

 

I didn't look hard (could not imagine shipping one) but I always figured I would keep my eyes out for one that came up local (not much in VT .. our largest city is only 42,000)

 

Well about two weeks ago, I saw an add in a local web news letter .... Victrola FREE.

 

I called right away ... it was only a few blocks away.  I was told it did not work and has all the dings and dents of being moved from house to house ... then a basement ... then the garage ....  It was in their parents house and now they wanted it gone.

 

So my wife drive me over  ... she is in a wheelchair (paralyzed from the shoulders down as the result of a diving accident when she was 12) ... she lowered the wheelchair ramp ... I loaded the Victrola and a couple of boxes of records into it the van and off we went.

 

I am a machinist by trade, work out of the house (so I can care for my wife) doing a lot of odd jobs.  I tell everyone I do the small jobs nobody wants ... last week I soldered up 10 patch patch cords (20 pin connectors on each end) for a company ... a few weeks before I built a test box (simple relays and starter) ... fixed an articulated tractor for the neighbor ... traced down a hydraulic issued on another tractor ... you get the idea.  I will never be rich but it pays the bills.  Plus I do a lot of my of my own work . ... we needed an elevator .. almost $40K to purchase!!!!!!  I got an old forklift for $850.  Used the mast ... put on my own hydraulics ... total cost of my elevator is less than $2K and she uses it every day.

 

And, I love all things mechanical  ... old phones (dial and magneto), hit and miss engines, old toys .... for my wife's 40th birthday, I got her a 1954 JukeBox.  Took a bit of rebuilding.  Lucky for me I can read schematics and still have a tube tester.

 

I am actually building a new workshop right now.  It is killing me to have all my big tools (lathe, mills, welders) in storage beside the house while I build.  I have put every nail in myself  ... 3300 sq ft lower floor ... 1200 sq ft attic storage  .... 16 ft walls with 14 ft doors (if it is road legal it should fit).  I want to theme the front office to be from the 1910's - 1040's  .. old phone, type writer (still on the hunt for this), furniture, drafting board and now a 1909 Victrola!

 

Anyway, I just couldn't help myself and tore into the machine. 

 

I thought I would find a broken spring but it ended up being the winding drive pin.

 

I repacked the springs (wow, that old graphite was a mess) .... cleaned and lubricated everything (governor was frozen ... working free now) ...

 

I was actually amazed ... I downloaded a strobe app for my phone (I knew this think could do more than make calls), printed out a strobe test pattern and checked.  It is amazingly stable!.  Printing out the test pattern allowed me to calibrate the speed setting dial.

 

Still need a few parts to make it complete.

 

I have parts for the reproducer on order ... should be here in a few days .... that will be my next challenge.

 

The case has a lot of deep scratches and the finish is cracking (rough and flaking).  I don't want to refinish it ... I would rather it be a survivor and look it's age.  It will never be perfect, even some of the gold finish is missing (just for about an inch) from the arm on the back side of the reproducer (looks like the rubber isolator melted into the finish and someone rubbed through the gold finish trying to clean it).

 

I am still arguing with myself but thinking maybe Restor-A-Finish (Howards) or ???   ... open for suggestions here!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it ....

 

Mike

 

PS ... I can see how this hobby can become an addiction.  I don't even have this one done and am thinking about getting another one!

 

Just FYI ... some limks:

 

By Facebook page (short videos of the building project):  https://www.facebook.com/michael.csele

 

My business Facebook page (I don't use it near as much as I should but there are some projects there):  https://www.facebook.com/VermontCountryWorkshop/

 

Here is a short video showing one of the phones I restored (wired wrong, dial frozen, no ringer box, ...)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAyJA4oM4-I&t=4s

 

 

Here is another video showing some test boxes I built:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj4NUSKAlEE&t=55s

 

Here are two last short FB posts showing the JukeBox https://tinyurl.com/mud4nc2m

 

And the remote (part that was on your table) for the JukeBox  https://tinyurl.com/drc54p47

 

 

 

[Valecnik]

Congratulations on your Victrola.  It's a pretty desireable model btw!  I also admire your dexterity.  Seems you can do just about anything.  Welcome to the hobby!

[Django]

Very nice machine.  That is a very early L-Door.  Most of the L-Door machines after the VTLA had the later decal in the lid.

 

I am across the river in Claremont New Hampshire.  Please reach out for advice before doing anything to it.

[CurtA]

Welcome... great machine at a great price...  Your wife is fortunate to have you - God bless you both.

[Henry]

Lovely machine. You have the 1909 iteration of the VTLA-type, the "first" Victrola (i.e., with internal horn). More info on this page: http://www.victor-victrola.com/XVI.htm

[BenL]

1 hour ago, Henry said:

Lovely machine. You have the 1909 iteration of the VTLA-type, the "first" Victrola (i.e., with internal horn). More info on this page: http://www.victor-victrola.com/XVI.htm

This is the second cabinet design after the Pooley flat-top, which was technically the first. 

[Henry]

8 hours ago, BenL said:

This is the second cabinet design after the Pooley flat-top, which was technically the first. 

I didn’t say he had the first cabinet design, did I? Read my post again.

[Jerry]

12 hours ago, Henry said:

I didn’t say he had the first cabinet design, did I? Read my post again.

 

No. You said he had the first Victrola, which is a bit inaccurate. The flat top Pooley was the first Victrola. Ben, perhaps, should have added the word "Victrola" to the end of his sentence. I do see where you were going however. Besides though, his machine is a XVI, not a VTLA.

Edited April 22, 2024 by Jerry

[Henry]

No, my phrase "first" Victrola refers to the immediately preceding "VTLA-type", and I also said that OP has the 1909 iteration of said VTLA type. I further gave a reference to the victor-victrola page which explains the sequential evolution of the type, from the first internal horn L-door VTLA right through to the end of that product line. 

[Jerry]

8 minutes ago, Henry said:

No, my phrase "first" Victrola refers to the immediately preceding "VTLA-type", and I also said that OP has the 1909 iteration of said VTLA type. I further gave a reference to the victor-victrola page which explains the sequential evolution of the type, from the first internal horn L-door VTLA right through to the end of that product line. 

 

Yes, I see what you meant now.