help identifying old home cutter

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jpz
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2017 10:51 pm

help identifying old home cutter

Post: # 47724Unread post jpz
Sun Sep 03, 2017 3:48 pm

Hi folks,

I found an old home record lathe/cutter in my mom's basement but I know nothing about these things and was hoping to find out some info about it. I've searched around and haven't found a model that looks like this - see the attached photo:
IMG_4925.jpg
I couldn't see any make or model number. I know my dad used it in the early '50's so it's at least that old. He was very good at electronics and might have done some customizing - that audio input/output control box at bottom doesn't seem to fit with the main unit. Also he did woodworking and so may have built this case custom.

Does anyone recognize this model or make? The recorder arm looks quite different from the other arm and doesn't match the colour of the main unit so may have been changed?

Any idea what the two spindles to the left are for?

I don't know what the condition is like (but there are a piece or two of loose plastic near the top), but any idea if a unit like this could be gotten working again?

I don't know whether I'd want to keep it or sell it, but do you think people might be interested in buying it as a unit or for parts?

Thanks,

Jim.
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User avatar
emorritt
Posts: 517
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 2:03 pm
Location: Tennessee

Re: help identifying old home cutter

Post: # 47726Unread post emorritt
Mon Sep 04, 2017 8:30 am

This is a combination tape recorder/player and recorder. Wilcox Gay made a similar machine, but used the single arm/dual purpose cartridge that both cut and played back the records. (You raised the back of the tonearm to engage the feedscrew below the turntable mechanism as well as bring the cutting stylus into position.) If you remove the turntable, the tape head is below. To thread the machine you pull the tape under the turntable. The machine will only take 5 inch reels. After tape became a viable product in the audio market, I guess this was an attempt at letting you perform to tape, get it right, then cut the lacquer from the tape recording. This unit is a General Industries model; I didn't know they produced such a unit as well as W-G, but there probably were others as well.

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emorritt
Posts: 517
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 2:03 pm
Location: Tennessee

Re: help identifying old home cutter

Post: # 47736Unread post emorritt
Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:12 pm

This is a photo of the machine I used to have:

Image

After re-looking at your machine, it isn't a Wilcox-Gay unit but it does look heavily modified; GI recorder arm, don't know who made the bedplate/tape transport and the pickup arm is odd also. It looks like the major portion of the machine without the recorder arm were original, and the recorder arm was added. Yes, the control panel also looks custom/homebrew. This machine worked like other late model Recordio units, you raise the pivot of the tonearm and a cutting stylus comes into position and the arm underneath engages the feedscrew. Reference 'Recordette' models. This model is a Wilcox-Gay 3C10.

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jpz
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2017 10:51 pm

Re: help identifying old home cutter

Post: # 47738Unread post jpz
Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:50 pm

Thanks a lot, emorritt. Yes I agree it looks like my unit was a heavily modified version of the central part of yours. After you mentioned General Industries I dug around and found a pdf of an instruction booklet for the GI Model 250, which looks identical to the main part of yours and mine before modification. Here's the direct link to the pdf:

http://sportsbil.com/other/General%20Industries%20250.pdf

So I guess the way it worked was GI would build the core tape/disc recorder, and then other companies would add controls and put it all in a case? Thinking more I doubt my dad was techinically able to modify this in the early 50's so he may have bought it like this from someone else.

Anyway I'll be getting the unit soon and will take a close look to see its condition etc. Thanks again!

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