Have made it my 2020 goal to find a portable Victrola and return it to service.. I have a vision of taking it to a park with A lady friend and have a picnic... While spinning some vintage 78' s! 💗 Keep the vids coming good sir!
Let me know what you are looking for as far as model goes, I have a barn full of machines waiting to hit my table for service and repair. Most of them portable models..
What a beautiful tabletop model! Thank you for posting. I finished my Victor Talking Machine ii a while back, and it sounds amazing. I got the Kotton Klenser product that you used on your Victor ii, and I intend to apply it to my machine soon!
Kotton Klenser is what brought back the original finish on this VIII. If you look at the first motor test video I did over a year ago you can see the dry looking dirty finish as it was. Be sure to apply the Kotton Klenser wood feeder after using the cleaner, give it time to soak into the wood. It will not work miracles such as replacing shellac that has cracked of flaked off, but it will protect the wood and improve overall appearance.
Thank you for sharing this. I have a 1917 machine someone cut the legs off and I use as a table top player like yours. Bringing mine home I was afraid I’d throw my back out since it was heavy. How heavy is your machine?
If it's a Victrola floor machine then it will have the larger two spring motor, and larger size horn with cabinet to match. A closer approximation would be the VV-IX, Victrola the 9th for size and weight, around 47 pounds. It could be up to ten pounds more if it had been a cut down three spring model, a 16 or something like that. The VIII ( Victrola the 8th ) is about 42 pounds. The trick with these heavier machines is to remove the motorboard with the motor, and carry it separately. The crank, reproducer, and spent needle tin can remove easily also. Some floor models have a screw on panel on the rear that gives access to the horn . Remove the panel, remove the three screws holding on the tonearm mount, and any screws securing the horn , there is probably one right in front of the tonearm mount. Slide out the horn assembly from the rear. Now the weight is very manageable. On true tabletop models with lids the horn removes from the bottom of the machine after the bottom wood panel is removed, these are nailed in place with short nails.
Rockisland1903 Thanx for the quick reply. I’ve had mine for over a year now and since I’ve had back surgery in the past, I’ll have someone help me move it next time. I was too excited when I first brought it home and carried it myself but my sciatic nerve warned me not to do it again. Thanx again for sharing you videos!
Just got out of my garage working on a Vocalion to watch your video, always enjoy them.
I worked on one of those machines a couple of years back, tabletop model, it has since been returned to it's owner. Nice machine to work with.
Have made it my 2020 goal to find a portable Victrola and return it to service.. I have a vision of taking it to a park with A lady friend and have a picnic... While spinning some vintage 78' s! 💗 Keep the vids coming good sir!
Let me know what you are looking for as far as model goes, I have a barn full of machines waiting to hit my table for service and repair. Most of them portable models..
What a beautiful tabletop model! Thank you for posting. I finished my Victor Talking Machine ii a while back, and it sounds amazing. I got the Kotton Klenser product that you used on your Victor ii, and I intend to apply it to my machine soon!
Kotton Klenser is what brought back the original finish on this VIII. If you look at the first motor test video I did over a year ago you can see the dry looking dirty finish as it was. Be sure to apply the Kotton Klenser wood feeder after using the cleaner, give it time to soak into the wood. It will not work miracles such as replacing shellac that has cracked of flaked off, but it will protect the wood and improve overall appearance.
Beautiful machine and great song choice! 💗
An Equally appropriate song would have been Al Jolson's "Tell That To The Marines"
Thank you for sharing this. I have a 1917 machine someone cut the legs off and I use as a table top player like yours. Bringing mine home I was afraid I’d throw my back out since it was heavy. How heavy is your machine?
If it's a Victrola floor machine then it will have the larger two spring motor, and larger size horn with cabinet to match. A closer approximation would be the VV-IX, Victrola the 9th for size and weight, around 47 pounds. It could be up to ten pounds more if it had been a cut down three spring model, a 16 or something like that. The VIII ( Victrola the 8th ) is about 42 pounds. The trick with these heavier machines is to remove the motorboard with the motor, and carry it separately. The crank, reproducer, and spent needle tin can remove easily also. Some floor models have a screw on panel on the rear that gives access to the horn . Remove the panel, remove the three screws holding on the tonearm mount, and any screws securing the horn , there is probably one right in front of the tonearm mount. Slide out the horn assembly from the rear. Now the weight is very manageable. On true tabletop models with lids the horn removes from the bottom of the machine after the bottom wood panel is removed, these are nailed in place with short nails.
Rockisland1903 Thanx for the quick reply. I’ve had mine for over a year now and since I’ve had back surgery in the past, I’ll have someone help me move it next time. I was too excited when I first brought it home and carried it myself but my sciatic nerve warned me not to do it again. Thanx again for sharing you videos!