Saxograph lathe

[tape]

Anybody has some info on this "Saxograph" lathe ?
Was found in a garbagebin

[Soulbear]

Nice Find!! WOW!!!! The Clamp Looks very Poltz Freres-ish but does it have the Dual Motor?? Curious in Case it's a Re-Badged Poltz Freres?? MMMmmm???

[Soulbear]

Possibly German?? Erde = Earth or Ground in "die deutsche Sprache" The other terminals are similarly German Terms

[tape]

Yes that's the thing I do know - that it's german and made by the company rudolf reim, possibly in the 1940s
Google has very little on "saxograph"

[Soulbear]

Poltz- Pierre Clements Lathe5.JPG

Check out this Mechanical Motor Speed Regulator It operates on a Centrifugal Spring Tensioner which controls an "Air Vane" within the Dual Motor. There could be a missing lever on this lathe of yours??? The Lever Graduation Plate Marks do look to be the same as on this Poltz Freres though

[tape]

yes, looks a little bit diffrent on mine but says "dual motor"

[tape]

also on my unit there has been a playback arm that is now missing

[Soulbear]

IMG_9120.jpg

IMG_9121.jpg

IMG_9122.jpg

I'm also seeing some similarities with the Poltz Freres "Disc Clamp" on the Platter but can't quite tell from your Photo. Here's clearer Photos of the Clamp from a Poltz Freres. From what little I know about the Saxograph is that it was possibly a German "Recorder" used for recording commentary akin to the UK MSS "Midget" from around the same period?? http://www.orbem.co.uk/repwar/wr_midget.htm Nothing to stop you recording music on it though eh??!! Soulbear

[tape]

thanks!
It it exactly the same clamp
ok so maybe it was more or less the same machine. However I can not find any info when I google "Poltz Freres"

[tape]

btw: this is the only photo I have able to find of my unit on the web

[Soulbear]

Have a look down in the reference section Poltz Freres Photos

[Soulbear]

*****SIGHS****

Bear-1001.jpg

Ich komme immer wieder zurück, um mir das anzusehen. Ich finde es so eine sehr schöne Sache. Ich bin verliebt in Fräulein Saxograph Te He!!

[tape]

more info and pictures (in gernman) on the saxograph https://grammophon-platten.de/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?49117

[emorritt]

This has similarities with the machine in this video from 2009:

https://www.iasa-online.de/plugins/video/2009/2009_IASA_Jahrestagung_Schallplattenaufnahme.mp4

The blank was a German 'Decelith', which I think was similar to a thick plastic embossing disc, but it's cut like a lacquer. I don't think Decelith blanks were lacquers, but I've never seen one.

[emorritt]

And more information:

https://grammophon-platten.de/page.php?506

[tape]

thanks! Yes very similar - it was probably rebranded. My unit has danish brand capacitors inside - they could have been retrofitted ofcourse, but it could also mean that it was a "naked" unit distributed to differnet markets.
Nothing works on my unit, and I am also wondering if somebody know if it's even microgroove?

[tape]

The german translates into "36 grooves per centimeter" I don't know if that means microgroove....

[Soulbear]

The german translates into "36 grooves per centimeter" I don't know if that means microgroove....

That would translate to an LPI of 91.5 ish (2.54cm =1" so 36 x 2.54 =91.44 LPI.
If the Saxograph is like any number of European built lathes of the period it is more than Likely that the transmission to drive the overhead is via a belt driven by a pulley on the platter driveshaft directly under the Platter, inputting to a corresponding pulley on the overhead.

Here I thinking of the Birmingham Sound Recorders Lathe, the AR Sugden Lathes, and the Poltz Freres Lathes that I own.

The LPI would therefore be determined by the Platter RPM and normally the Platter would be at 78RPM given that the Saxograph Lathe has the Dual Motor installed similar or same as the Poltz Freres Lathes.
Hope this helps
Best Regards
Soulbear

[tape]

thanks a lot! So if I understand you correctly cutting at lower speeds would give a larger LPI?

[tape]

I have a studer revox motor taken from a reel to reel. Could that perhaps be used as a new motor for the Saxograph?