The Secret Society of Lathe Trolls

Does anyone know of or have a datasheet for the Brush RC-20 crystal cutting head? The Astatic X-26 datasheet has been posted all over the place, but I've never seen one for the Brush product. (Amp power requirements, driving method/voltage, etc.) The X-26 was the most common crystal head, but a few ...

Looks like part of a tape transport.

You can cut the flared edges of the plates off with a pair of scissors. Not pretty, but the disc will then lay flat on the turntable. Recordiopoints will fit the cutting head, but will most likely be damaged if not cutting lacquer. I found the embossing styli and am still looking for the Hansa discs...

I'll have to dig through some boxes I haven't touched in years; I don't think I have the discs any more, but I think I still have the embossing points. They're very small and even with a shorter shank than a standard short shank recording stylus. I think they were only intended for heads like the X-...

This link: http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/1%20...%20011167.htm contains the entire manual for that recorder, which is similar to yours and describes how the volume indicator works. The "peak" lamp should only flash on peaks, not remain on constantly. Otherwise, you're overloading the head. Th...

One thing with crystal cutters is don't overload them. If the sound from the head seems clear at first, then gets distorted as you turn up the volume, you're overdriving it and could damage it. If your neon level indicators aren't working, be careful. Also, you can't replace the neon lamps with a me...

What you have is more than likely an Airline (Montgomery Ward brand) model 15GAA-3696A. I haven't seen a schematic online that is complete, but the closest model, 15GAA-3967C (which is different) you can get a schematic for here: http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/167/M0011167.htm Click the eyeba...

The turntable mechanism was manufactured by the General Industries of Elyria, OH, but has been modded by the manufacturer of this unit. Usually the pickup arm is mounted where their I/O and control panel is located. It looks like a knockoff of a Montgomery Ward unit, but it isn't the same as a MW un...

If the labels have been pulled off or otherwise are not there, you will have to have a schematic of the unit which will list the values. You should see on all of them some value like .05 followed by what looks like 'uf' which means microfarad then followed by the voltage. It is also possible that th...

More than likely you need to re-cap the unit; e.g. replace all capacitors. Over time, the old paper and oil caps absorb moisture and stop working. You can use modern "orange drop" capacitors for the interstage caps, just make sure the values are identical (or with better voltage rating) as the origi...

More than likely the crystal elements in the cutter/pickup. If I recall correctly, the MW units used the General Industries turntable mechanism, which normally included a crystal cutter (Astatic X-26) and a crystal setscrew-type phono pickup. (If you look under the turntable deck, you will likely se...

I'll take them if still available; tried to PM but returns "user doesn't exist". Tried your website and it seems to be down also.

Yes, Leopold Stokowski also accused Victor's processing department of "buffing the highs off the record" as well.

Small diameter records can be done on machines without a "contact" overhead (has to be placed on the center of the disc) and with a removable drive pin. This video shows it being done on a Scully:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BidQnqJILZc

Chrome? That was the final step for 78 stampers made by RCA Victor in the 1940s, in order to make them last longer. Or, as Milton Cross put it, "it receives another coat, this time of hard, gleaming chromium"

One thing that I've noticed about Apollo products is that I have many discs (dubs) I've cut since about 2008; roughly only 10 years old - and they're already leaching palmitic acid and turning white! I have discs I purchased from different companies in the 1970s that are still as good as the day I b...

Greetings from Tucson AZ. A client showed me his Wilcox-gay recordette senior sporting only its play cartridge and arm. Wondering how we would even fit a cutting head into this narrow arm assuming we ever find one. Hoping to learn all about this from fellow trolls. Thank you. The Recordette series ...

Stereo or mono won't make a difference. "Hey Jude" by the Beatles ran 7:11 and was released on a 7 inch 45 RPM disc. When you increase run time on a 45 single, you lose level. Since more grooves have to fit within the format, the level is cut to accommodate the higher lines per inch required. Normal...

An audiophile is someone who gets arrested for fondling 180 gram pressings...

Yes I agree; the bodies look like the old Lindstrom lathes that were common in Europe back in the day.