Sonora Phonograph Mainspring

The mainspring broke on my Sonora phonograph. The serial number is 529378 but I do not have a model number or year of manufacture. Can I order a spring and install it myself or do I need to send it out to be repaired? If I can install it myself where can I purchase a spring? If I need to send it out I would appreciate a reliable person to perform the repair for me who is reasonably priced. Please reply here or to chipspaint1@gmail.com. Thanks! John

Hi John:

There are a number of antique phonograph repair shops that sell springs, as well as replace broken springs. Here are a few:

Great Lakes Antique Phonograph -- http://www.victroladoctor.com/ -- The people there are VERY helpful.
Victrola Repair Service -- http://www.victrolarepairservice.com/
The Antique Phonograph Supply Company -- http://www.antiquephono.com/
Shenandoah Antique Phonograph Repair -- http://www.shenandoahrestoration.com/phono.html
John Lewis's Mechanical Antiques Repair -- http://www.antiquephonograph.com/

Replacing a broken mainspring can be messy, and if you're not careful, dangerous since the edge of the spring is sharp. You'd need a work area such as a shop or garage, vice grips, as well as protective clothing and gloves. Another requirement is strong hands.

There are a few youtube videos that show spring repair and replacement, for instance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbPa-VWAzSY

Since I've always lived in apartments, and have never had a work area, I've had the shops do spring replacements for me. It was worth the additional $30-50. If you'd like to tackle it yourself, get a copy of "The Complete Talking Machine," by Eric Reiss (available from most booksellers). It will walk you through the basic steps.

Joe

Thank you very much Joe for the information. I'm having a company replace the springs as I write. The links you provided may come in handy down the road.
John