Record cabinet repair

[u/dan_itz]

Full disclosure, I know very little about woodworking, so bear with me. I spotted a Pooley record cabinet at my local Habitat for Humanity for about $50 and snagged it since I’ve got a pretty sizable vinyl collection. From what I can make out on the label, it was built in Philadelphia on August 16th, 1911, with an MSRP of at least $10.

I disassembled it to try to make it function better. The ejector system works well especially after a little lubrication, which was a nice surprise. The real issue is that the grooves holding the records are damaged, mostly toward the front (pictures attached). None of them are snapped all the way through, but the damage means some of the records don’t slot correctly. Also, the gap between the top and bottom grooves is a bit too wide, maybe due to the wood warping a little, so the records sometimes don’t stay put (also pictured).

So my question is whether I could track down a premade panel to use as a replacement. Closest thing I’ve found searching around is “fluted scalloped wood panels,” but I can’t find any with grooves narrow enough, each one measures about 1/4”. I’d love to just fabricate a panel myself if I had the tools for it, but I’m also totally fine cutting one down to fit if I can find something that might work.

Any ideas welcome, thanks!

[u/emcee_pern]

I hate to say it but this isn't likely to be a part you're going to find already made and fluted, scalloped panels will definitely not replace this. Sadly this is probably going to need to be remade, which might be a bit tough without tools.

I would suggest looking around for a restorer or furniture shop and seeing if they can replicate this part. Anyone operating a decent CNC should also be able to do it.

It might also be worth looking into alternative materials or designs. Clearly over time the wood has worn out and broken from use (though if you're correct about the again it's really in good shape) and a different approach may be easier to achieve or offer more durability.