How to I align reproduced needle?

[Mormon S]

Needle holder on my exhibition reproducer is slightly tilted. How to I align it without damaging it? Now I forcefully bend It? Do the 2 screws effects it's alignment

[Curt A]

Slightly tilted, how? A picture would help, but most likely you are talking about the needle bar having a slight bend and that can be fixed easily by carefully bending it back to its original shape, using your fingers or a small pair of needle nose pliers. Just be careful to use minimal pressure and gradually re-shape it, as opposed to forcefully bending it and possibly breaking it.

If you are talking about the portion that connects to the diaphragm with a small screw, it would be best to remove it before shaping it or you might damage the mica... If you remove it, be careful not to lose the screw or enlarge the hole in the mica. If you haven't replaced the rubber gaskets in the reproducer, now would be the time to do so. Also, check the mica for cracks or de-lamination and if necessary, replace it as well. Gaskets and mica are available from several sources, including Ron Sitko.

[pellicano1]

Slightly tilted, how? A picture would help, but most likely you are talking about the needle bar having a slight bend and that can be fixed easily by carefully bending it back to its original shape, using your fingers or a small pair of needle nose pliers. Just be careful to use minimal pressure and gradually re-shape it, as opposed to forcefully bending it and possibly breaking it.

If you are talking about the portion that connects to the diaphragm with a small screw, it would be best to remove it before shaping it or you might damage the mica... If you remove it, be careful not to lose the screw or enlarge the hole in the mica. If you haven't replaced the rubber gaskets in the reproducer, now would be the time to do so. Also, check the mica for cracks or de-lamination and if necessary, replace it as well. Gaskets and mica are available from several sources, including Ron Sitko.

To add to all of this, I would check to see if the diaphragm is the proper size. Are you able to move the needle bar side to side? Again pics would help in this case so we can see exactly what direction the bend is.

[Dave D]

Also make sure your tension springs are on correctly.
Dave D