degreasing and re greasing...

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caratunk
Victor Jr
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Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: maine

degreasing and re greasing...

Post by caratunk »

im sitting here thinking... {dangerous....i know} i have my victrola 210 cabinet with the motor out ..sitting in my living rm.the motor is intact....havent touched it yet.on its board. i honestly dont want to pull this apart..if i dont have to..and need something safe fumeless to degrease it .i live in maine and no workshop.my garage is the same temp as it is outside. the cellar is closed up tight to hold heat. which is why its in my living room.apart. so.... im trying to think of how to do this.. without killing my self with fumes or have the house explode..i asked about using white vinager...i guess thats too harsh/ corrosive. what about pine sol? or rubbing alcohol? you know like finger nail polish remover? that evaporates quick.. / as for greasing it... has anyone thought of leaving on the old grease ....and dropping the whole motor, in motor oil ... so it would be saturated into the old grease and softening it up again? without tearing that whole motor apart? it cant hurt it...its all metal which needs to be greased and lubed anyways...right? and i wouldnt think youd have to risk injury with the springs.....unless its broken obviously. and no missing parts to worry about.. to me it would save so much time and energy. what are your thoughts?

52089
Victor VI
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Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:54 pm

Re: degreasing and re greasing...

Post by 52089 »

The best advice I can give you is this: listen to the advice people have already given you regarding the best ways to fix up your machine. There are reasons why we do what we do, and reasons why other alternatives are not recommended. Most of the people who offer you advice have been doing this kind of cleanup for years, and in many cases decades. Following their advice will save you many hours of frustration.

Your best best is to buy a copy of The Compleat Talking Machine, then ask additional questions here, then go ahead and start your cleanup project.

You may also want to consider buying a machine that has already been at least partially restored.

VanEpsFan1914
Victor VI
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Personal Text: I've got both kinds of music--classical & rag-time.
Location: South Carolina

Re: degreasing and re greasing...

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

Caratunk--

Your VV-210 has been sitting since the 1920s. If it takes you a year to restore it, then that's part of the challenge.

You already said it still played, so why not try to do the cabinet first before rebuilding the motor? That would give you a good accomplishment, because motors (and the soundbox and arm, which you will need to rebuild) are the easy bit compared to resurrecting a trashed cabinet. Go dig around on the internet and search for "mold in antique furniture."

You might have to refinish it with shellac. Have you ever done a traditional shellac finish before? It's really kind of fun--stain it right and then cautiously brush on orange Zinssner shellac. So much prettier than polyurethane, and safe indoors. I refinished a small gramophone in my room one time.

But first find a new leg for it and check your private messages.

caratunk
Victor Jr
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: maine

Re: degreasing and re greasing...

Post by caratunk »

52089 wrote:The best advice I can give you is this: listen to the advice people have already given you regarding the best ways to fix up your machine. There are reasons why we do what we do, and reasons why other alternatives are not recommended. Most of the people who offer you advice have been doing this kind of cleanup for years, and in many cases decades. Following their advice will save you many hours of frustration.

Your best best is to buy a copy of The Compleat Talking Machine, then ask additional questions here, then go ahead and start your cleanup project.

You may also want to consider buying a machine that has already been at least partially restored.
thank you i will listen.. im just thinking out loud and sounding off..you never know until you ask....right? thank you;];];];]

JerryVan
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Re: degreasing and re greasing...

Post by JerryVan »

Caratunk,

Fingernail polish remover is acetone. It does evaporate quickly, meaning it makes lots of fumes. Don't use it in a confined space.

Anyway, you don't need to use any solvent degreaser at all. What you do need a is big drop cloth if you're doing this in your living room, or anything that the dirty spring, or your dirty hands, touches will be instantly ruined. Look at Youtube videos for spring removal & reinstallation, (I won't speak about that here, since you didn't ask about that aspect). As for "degreasing", it can be done with rags and a putty knife. If there's anything still semi-liquid, the rags will work. If it's hard and caked on grease, the putty knife will do it. It doesn't have to be spotlessly immaculate.

By the way, do your springs thump and rumble, or do you just want to clean & lube them? If they work without thumping, leave them alone.

caratunk
Victor Jr
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: maine

Re: degreasing and re greasing...

Post by caratunk »

JerryVan wrote:Caratunk,

Fingernail polish remover is acetone. It does evaporate quickly, meaning it makes lots of fumes. Don't use it in a confined space.

Anyway, you don't need to use any solvent degreaser at all. What you do need a is big drop cloth if you're doing this in your living room, or anything that the dirty spring, or your dirty hands, touches will be instantly ruined. Look at Youtube videos for spring removal & reinstallation, (I won't speak about that here, since you didn't ask about that aspect). As for "degreasing", it can be done with rags and a putty knife. If there's anything still semi-liquid, the rags will work. If it's hard and caked on grease, the putty knife will do it. It doesn't have to be spotlessly immaculate.

By the way, do your springs thump and rumble, or do you just want to clean & lube them? If they work without thumping, leave them alone.
thank you i have watch the u tube video and the tear down and rebuild with using gas...step by step. and yes the motor " thumps" like a flat old car tire that sat in 1 spot too long. thats why i decided to pull out the motor..so.. i dont have to soak it..... i can just wipe it clean with rags and rubber gloves and a putty knife? well that sounds ALOT better;];];] i do have a cheap shower curtain that i use as a drop cloth thats easy to wipe down for spills;];];] now i also just asked a friend of mine who also tears down motors of cars and told him everything like you all... he mentioned if the grease is hardened,,, try a blow dryer to warm it up..that would help too for the spring casing;];];];]maybe i could "melt it " ;];];];] i just wish there was an easy way to access the second spring without taking the first 1 out. im just not sure if im strong or crafty to handle that first spring..the only other option is to send the casing away to have someone do it. i tried to google .. victrolas repairs in maine....nothing;[;[;[ and no i havent touched anything just sitting here.its all the same as when i pulled it ..i just need to replace the screw /nut from the adjusting needle ..that got demoed. but thats it. i used the tiny set of stanley screwdrivers and a pair of needle nose pliers to remove it . like the video.the screw is still in the adjuster i did get the nut out though over the screw head .and they are together. nothing else has been touched or messed with.
Last edited by caratunk on Tue Nov 14, 2017 11:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

JerryVan
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Re: degreasing and re greasing...

Post by JerryVan »

"so.. i dont have to soak it..... i can just wipe it clean with rags and rubber gloves and a putty knife?"


No, you don't have to soak anything. "Wiping clean with rags & putty knife" is for cleaning the springs, once they are removed, and for cleaning out the spring barrel.

"...the screw is still in the adjuster..."

There is no screw! That's just a slot in the end of the shaft. It allows you to hold the shaft still with a screwdriver, while you adjust the needle and tighten the nut.

"...victrolas repairs in maine....nothing..."

You have been told about George Vollema. You can send him the whole spring barrel and I believe he'll return it with cleaned & lubed springs, ready to reinstall. There is also a fellow poster here that has a phonograph repair shop. I'm sure he can offer the same service. http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=13029

JerryVan
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Posts: 5281
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:08 pm
Location: Southeast MI

Re: degreasing and re greasing...

Post by JerryVan »

Here you go. Keep your hands clean. Save your living room furniture. Sell what you've got on eBay, (or here), to get a few dollars back. You're in business...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VICTOR-VICTROL ... SwdnZaAfze

caratunk
Victor Jr
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: maine

Re: degreasing and re greasing...

Post by caratunk »

JerryVan wrote:"so.. i dont have to soak it..... i can just wipe it clean with rags and rubber gloves and a putty knife?"


No, you don't have to soak anything. "Wiping clean with rags & putty knife" is for cleaning the springs, once they are removed, and for cleaning out the spring barrel.

"...the screw is still in the adjuster..."

There is no screw! That's just a slot in the end of the shaft. It allows you to hold the shaft still with a screwdriver, while you adjust the needle and tighten the nut.

"...victrolas repairs in maine....nothing..."

You have been told about George Vollema. You can send him the whole spring barrel and I believe he'll return it with cleaned & lubed springs, ready to reinstall. There is also a fellow poster here that has a phonograph repair shop. I'm sure he can offer the same service. http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=13029
awesome thank you;];];];] and i did contact george on fb no answer back yet thank you;];];]

JerryVan
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Posts: 5281
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:08 pm
Location: Southeast MI

Re: degreasing and re greasing...

Post by JerryVan »

I'm sure George is getting ready for the Stanton Auction this weekend. He's good about returning emails.

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