This music box, apparently spirited out of Germany at the end of
World War II, is cleverly enclosed in a book with one of those latches
to hold the book closed.  When you open the latch, the music starts.
At least that's how it worked in 1945.  The book has pretty much
disintegrated and the music box doesn't play.

Since I normally work on clocks I thought I could possibly work on
this thing even though the works are pretty tiny, so I took photographs
(I'll try to post one here) and disassembled things carefully.  The
mainspring came out of its barrel without too much trouble and it
appreciated some lubrication, and the comb and barrel came out as well.
The remainder -- frame, gearing, some steel levers and the regulator --
came apart and went into the ultrasonic cleaner for a stretch, emerging
clean and shiny.

I didn't take the gear train out because I couldn't figure out how to
get it apart, but the ultrasonic cleaner, a water soak, a soak in 91%
isopropyl alcohol to remove the water, and a stint under the 100-watt
drying lamp took care of dirt, oil, and any water.  All of the gear
pivots _seemed_ okay, though without disassembly they couldn't really
be inspected.

The regulator fan with its worm gear was the big problem, because
I think someone may have broken off the top pivot, leaving only
a tiny short stud to extend into the top bearing hole.  The lower
thrust bearing is a hardened washer held on by a screw: presumably
this is to adjust the end-shake of the regulator fan.  After a few
tries (I've got a hand tremor) I got the fan (fly, in clock parlance)
into its bearings such that it would spin when blown upon.

However, the music box still won't self-start, and I wonder if the
light synthetic clock oil I lubricated the mechanism with was perhaps
too heavy, or if the regulator's worm and gear aren't spaced correctly.
A flick with the finger will get it to play; it's either what I think
is the Blue Danube waltz and/or a lively but unrecognizable European
song, also in 3/4 time.

Stamped into the brass frame (now shiny) is a name that might be
"Galliard".  Can anyone tell me anything about this music box,
especially how I might get it running a bit better?  It's apparently
something of a family heirloom.  I suppose it was purchased as a
souvenir.  Heaven only knows how I'm going to get the book part of it
repaired...

Mark Kinsler
Lancaster, Ohio, USA
kinsler33@gmail.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]

 [ Galliard (?) music box movement in book-like case
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/15/12/24/151224_231701_IMG_4228.JPG

 [ Galliard (?) music box movement
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/15/12/24/151224_231701_IMG_4230.JPG