I help any customer who has a machine that may not be a typewriter, yet falls into that category of “who fixes these any more?”. In this case, along with an Underwood number 3 typewriter needing some love, they brought this fantastic Edison Home Phonograph in for service. This phonograph uses plastic cylinders instead of record albums we are used to using today. You could also buy wax cylinders to record!
You hand crank this baby, then let it run. The phonograph was slowing down half way through listening to the music. We opened the case and it looked like decades of grease and hardened oil had taken its toll.
On the bright side the leather drive belt was in great shape. OK, I admit that I started working on the Edison before I even looked at the Underwood. It was entirely fascinating learning about this model.
As with antique typewriters there is an amazing group of enthusiasts on the interwebs sharing vital information. I benefited from reading the original owner’s manual all on the computer.
It turns out the phonograph mostly needed a good cleaning and re-oiling. The mechanical governor was sticking so that needed a little attention before it would slide freely along its shaft. A spider had built a nest in the horn and in the sound diaphragm so those had to go. After putting everything back together it was fun listening to the music.