A Newb needs your help - Victrola VV-S-211

[Tudor-Hart]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum, and to the wonderful world of phonographs.

I just bought a Victor Victrola VV-S-211 (a Canadian version of the VV-210 built in 1924), with a Soundbox no.4. The machine is in a pretty good shape.

I have a few questions. Please excuse my poor command of the English tongue, for I am French Canadian. And thanks in advance to those who'll take the time to share some insight with me.

1. There is some friction between the turntable and the automatic brake lever running under the turntable. It makes a metallic rubbing sound once every turn of any record. If I gently push on the automatic brake knob, the friction sound stops, since there is now some more space between the turntable and the brake lever.

Any ideas how I can apply a more permanent solution to this problem? Is it a frequent one? So far I'm thinking about slightly bending the lever downward, but I hope there is a more natural solution to this problem.

2. Even when I set the speed regulating screw to max speed, my record plays a little bit slower than it's supposed too (I was able to make comparisons between some of my 78s and some mp3 versions I found on the National Canadian Archives website). Something is missing in the small regulator window, so it's a matter of try and guess as far as setting up the right speed is concerned.

Could this speed problem be caused by a motor lacking grease in some places? If so, what kind of grease do you recommend? Is good old WD-40 appropriate or should I avoid it for some reason?

Well I hope these questions make sense and, again, thanks for your time. I really enjoy reading the various posts on this forum.

[Brad]

Hi T-Hart, and welcome to the forum and to collecting. Make sure you have room to place the endless number of machines you will now begin to acquire!

1 - Couple of possibilities here: If the brake lever is bent up, you will have to bend it back into shape. The turntable platter should lift off the spindle allowing access to the brake lever. Another possibility is that the motor is hanging down too low. There are usually 3 screws that pass through the motor board and hold the motor. Again, these will be underneath the platter. Try tightening these. If they have worked loose, the motor will hang low bringing the platter closer to the motor board.

2 - To determine if the motor is running too slow due to friction, you will have to observe the governor assembly. If there is friction in the drive train, the friction plate on the gov. will not slide over and rub against to limit arm. If this is the case, you will have to clean and lubricate the drive train. Do NOT use WD40, it is not a lubricant, all it does is displace water then evaporate. I use Naptha (lighter fluid) to dissolve old grease and bearing grease to lubricate. I will use bearing oil on the pins at the end of the shafts. Some folks use Lithium grease. If the friction plate is moving over and rubbing against the limit arm, then the limit arm needs to be adjusted to allow the gov. plate to move further over (i.e. higher speed).

If you decide to take the motor apart to clean. Be VERY VERY careful with the energy stored in the spring barrel. My best advice is to buy a copy of "The Compleat Talking Machine" which covers repairs and restoration very well.

Also, there are simple strobe-a-scope patterns that you can print out and place on the platter to set the proper speed. There may be one or more here on the forum somewhere, or others can point you.

Good luck and post back any questions or results.

[MordEth]

Also, there are simple strobe-a-scope patterns that you can print out and place on the platter to set the proper speed. There may be one or more here on the forum somewhere, or others can point you.

I don’t have much that I can add to Brad’s informative post, apart from welcoming you to the forum again, and recommending Matt Brown’s stroboscope for disc records, and the ones that I made for cylinders.

Well I hope these questions make sense and, again, thanks for your time. I really enjoy reading the various posts on this forum.

Despite your claim to having a “poor command of the English tongue”, I thought your English was better than some of what I have seen from native speakers, and you were quite clear in your post.

We’re certainly glad to have you with us, and as I stated in the welcoming PM that I sent to you, I hope you continue to enjoy your time here.

— MordEth

[Tudor-Hart]

Thanks for the warm welcome, and for the tips! I'll try them as soon as I get an hour or two of free time (which is not obvious right now, with my second daughter born only a week ago...)

[Covah]

Victor used Vaseline, mixed with graphite, as the lubricant. It always disintegrates with time. So it is standard practice to immediately grease and oil the Victor motor. You have to change the gaskets in the reproducer for the same reason.

Other companies do not have this problem. They use a different compound for reproducer gaskets that stays pliable and use real grease or heavy oil which does not disintegrate.

[hillndalefan]

Another possibility on the speed being too slow, is that the coupling [a sleeve with two set screws] on the governor arm [the part that is pushed in to position by the speed screw] has been adjusted wrong. In order to change this, you lift the motor board, and loosen one of the set screws on the coupling, and rotate the arm with the 90 degree bend so that it sits closer to the motor board, and that should bring the speed up to the point you need.

A Victrola S-215 was my first antique when I was 12 years old, a Christmas present in 1961.

It's nice to see someone else starting out in the same family of Victrolas that I did so long ago.