Greetings Harvey:
The solid brass mandrels were on the early M and E electric machines. They
were press fit onto the steel mandrel shaft. Even in those days solid brass
of that diameter was expensive so few are found to be solid after 1896. As
the M topworks was adapted for the Springmotor machines the brass mandrel
became a hollow cylinder with brass ends pressed in. It was a thick wall
brass which still carried some weight. The smaller diameter end was indented
to allow for the needle bearing guard on the endgate. In 1901 the nickel
plated thin walled drawn brass mandrel allowed for a drastic reduction in brass
costs and reduced the number of machining operations. The indented end
continued for the M and E but the new Triumph line did not require it. For the
rest of the Triumph production the drawn brass mandrel continued to serve
well.
The Home phonograph had the thick walled hollow brass mandrel with end
pieces almost from the earliest machines. Only the very lowest serial numbers
are occasionally found with a solid mandrel and the indented end. The Home
had that thick walled brass mandrel for a long time but wall thickness was
reduced as nickel plating was added. The drawn thin brass mandrel was
introduced before the 1901 new style cabinet change. The length of the mandrel
shaft remained the same until the Model B was introduced.
SADLY, there are sellers who swap out the brass mandrel for a later thin
walled nickeled mandrel. They then charge more for the brass mandrel than
they paid for the whole phonograph. So, you can find a Home with a serial
number below 9000 with a shiny nickeled mandrel that should not be there. And
further along there will be an eBay listing for the original brass mandrel
for a higher price than the mutt machine. Grrrrr ! ! !
I hope that helps. I am away from my research materials so I only
guarantee the above to be 50% correct...
Al
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