GlenM

This weekend my wife’s family was visiting, but oddly enough I found time to exercise. I got an hour of running in on Saturday. Sunday I went to the gym (early!) and got an hour on the machines there. AND last night I ran for half an hour. I think this is a new record for me.
I spent some time on Saturday repairing my old “picnic Victrola”, which is a small portable gramophone. I don’t think it is actually a Victrola brand. In fact, I have no idea which brand it is because there are no names or numbers on it, except for the number 87 scrawled on the inside in black crayon, which I think is a manufacturer’s label anyway.

Basically, its a small gramophone that comes in a little case, about the size of a small portable electirc typewriter. Er. Like a big purse? I don’t know. Its small. Anyway, it has a small crank that you wind it up with and it plays the old Victrola records (which I have dozens of). I bought needles on Ebay years ago. They were about $5 for 100 so I have alot (you can only use them once or risk destroying your records).
When we moved, the gramophone got thrown around (like all our stuff) by the movers and the arm flange shattered. Its made of metal but it just shattered like glass into tiny pieces. So, I spent the weekend gluing it back together with crazy glue, and then back filling underneath with Bondo. I had really wanted some cut glass fiber to mix in and give it more strength, but I think it held up well anyway.
I played it for the boys while the women were out shopping. I had forgotten how incredibly low it is. You have to hold your ears standing next it while it plays. It was just amazing how very loud music can be from a player that has no amplifier and needs no electricity. The very exciting thing about it is that these songs haven’t been heard in ages. I’m guessing most of the records were made in the 20’s and 30’s and nobody has them recording in digital form. Once the record breaks, its gone forever. I will try to get some in mp3 format and post them here.