Can a music box be repaired?
More elaborate pneumatic instruments or antique music boxes are almost always worth repairing, unless damage to them is extremely severe. Most musical movements can be repaired, especially if the musical comb is intact.
Can old music boxes be repaired?
Cases can be repaired by any competent local woodworker. Because your music box is at heart a fine musical instrument, the integrity of the case is directly related to the volume.
How do you fix an over wound music box?
Overwound Music Box
- Buy the appropriate lubricant – Get an Alum-a-Lub at the nearest hardware store, or you can purchase it online.
- Lubricate the mechanism – Locate an entry point to access the mechanism.
- Unwinding – Slowly turn the key in a backward direction to unwind the mechanism spring and release the governor.
How do you lubricate a music box?
Feed the bushings and moving parts a heavy weight clock oil like castor oil. Use a stem grease on the governor worm. WD40 and 3-in-1 oil are contraindicated: stay away from them. The pins on your cylinder will digest the notes more easily if you lubricate them, too.
What is the thing inside a music box called?
The inside of the musical box is called the movement. Normally made of steel and where sound is being produced. Strips of protruding metal on the comb is called the teeth. The revolving part of the movement where the tunes are imprinted on using metal pins.
What are the parts of a music box?
Cylinder-Type Musical Box
- Comb. Normally made of steel and where sound is being produced.
- Cylinder. The revolving part of the movement where the tunes are imprinted on using metal pins.
- Spring Housing. It hosts the mainspring that provides the mechanical power to move the cylinder.
- Lever.
- Governor / Air-brake.
- Bed-plate.
How does a music box work?
A music box works by rotating a metal cylinder with protruding pins that pluck the individual prongs of a steel comb. The sounds that resonate from the vibrating prongs are the notes we hear—lower notes from longer prongs and higher notes from shorter ones.
Do music boxes need oil?
Never use an oil, as that may clog up the mechanism over time. Alum-a-Lub may be found at your local hardware store, but if not call their phone # 1-800-369-0342 (leave your telephone number, they will call back) and ask for a local distributor/user or send them a check and they will UPS the article to you.
How do you clean music box discs?
Answer: You can clean the bottom side of a corroded disc with a wire brush and a solvent such as WD40. If the projections are rusty you should throw away the disc. Broken projections can jam the mechanism and cause broken teeth.
How do hole punched music boxes work?
A Music Box That Can Play Any Song Once you insert a song into the music box, holes punched into the paper activate gears inside the music box mechanism that play the notes.
How does an old music box work?