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Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:39 pm
by JerryVan
soundgen wrote:
F_R_Parker1 wrote:I’m just a couple of states north of you in Virginia :D . Many thanks for the info about the springs, I will go ahead and simply replace it then, which I’m sure will save me many headaches down the road. Now if I could only get the spring barrel open...
"If it ain't broke don't fix it " If the spring(s) is/are intact they will be fine just need a good clean an relubrication

Agreed! Don't overthink this.

Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 5:47 pm
by F_R_Parker1
Well, I've tried everything from penetrating oil to prying to channel locks, but I cannot for the life of me get the spring barrel cover off so I can re-grease the spring. The piece underscored in red has been a pain in my neck as well as my hand for weeks now. Is there something I'm missing?
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Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2019 9:33 am
by Phono48
You need to clamp the large cog at the base between two blocks of wood in a vice, so that the top lid is vertical, then use a large screwdriver blade to hit the lip of the lid. They can be tough to remove, and in desperation I have resorted to heating the lid with a blowtorch, which melts the old grease holding the lid on.

Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:22 am
by F_R_Parker1
Well ladies and gents, after five or so months, I finally got a vise with a six inch jaw. After about twenty or so minutes of hammering a screwdriver into the rim of the lid, it popped off. so I found that the spindle had come out of the inner eyelet of the spring. The spring in fact is not broken. Anyway, I noticed on the spindle's (rivet?) for holding on to the spring was almost halved in a sense, as I did not find the other "half" to this connector. I am providing pictures of it as I do not know how to proceed.

Thanks

Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 4:28 pm
by Inigo
It could be that the half-head which is still there was the one you need, so going towards the nearest end of the spring. The arbitration isn't reversible? It seems it's not, for one end has two plane sides, and the other seems round.
If it was reversible, you can reverse it to use the half-head in the proper sense. If not, you can investigate if the headed pin can be extracted and a new one made and installed. Another possibility, if the only difference in the arbor is the machined end, and the rest of its geometry is p perfectly symmetric (i.e., the p pin is just in the middle, for instance, etc) you could reverse it and machine the round end as the other.
But being a common Garrard motor, the best option would be to get a new arbour.
Just my two cents...

Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 6:42 pm
by F_R_Parker1
The half-head that remains spins so that I can change which side the rounded part of the head is on. I feel that if I put this back together, the same issue of the arbor coming detached will rear its head again. I looked up replacement arbors, but found only electrical motors and parts. I'm sure I didn't look hard enough though. Do you have any recommendations as to where I can find another one?

Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:52 am
by Marco Gilardetti
It is unclear where you live. Should you live in Europe, I suggest you contact user "soundgen" on this forum, you would probably easily get en entire rehauled motor.

Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 5:33 am
by Inigo
UK is full of Garrard motors, parts, etc. It's thb be main place to get these supplies from.

Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 8:36 am
by F_R_Parker1
I’m in Virginia (I should add that to my profile). I reckon I could still contact him. I’ll just have to be prepared to pay an arm and a leg for shipping. I never noticed any specific model markings as to what the specific model the motor is. Is there anything I should be looking for?

Re: How to get Columbia 161 portable out of its case?

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:16 pm
by Phono48
It has only been suggested that this is a Garrard motor, we don't know for sure that it is. Most (if not all) Garrard motors are very clearly stamped on the bottom plate with the "Magic Notes" trade mark and model number.