Reconnecting Columbia Grafaphone springs

[Dennis81]

I am trying to fix a Columbia Grafaphone H-2. Two of the springs are disconnected from the pins on the shaft. They look like they should slip into the pear shaped holes in the springs but the springs arn't close enough to the shaft for the pins to enter the holes. ANy suggestions? Do the big "cans" come apart?

Thanks

[Covah]

Spring barrels ("cans") twist apart left hand, not usual right hand, direction. To grasp them you can use large pipe wrenches from Harbor Freight, about $12. You'll need two. You may be able to turn them apart by tapping the edge with a hammer, but that leaves dents.

Columbia springs require patience and practice. Columbia continued to use the primitive pear hole and rivet after more convenient methods of spring attachment were developed. One problem is the inside end of the spring is curved to grasp the axle with the rivet. You need to stick a screwdriver between the end of the spring and the rivet to push it off. This in turn bends the spring, making it refuse to grasp the rivet, as you describe. You can compress the end with long nose pliers from the top and lift the spring and squeeze from the bottom. It's not hard, but you need patience and practice.

I avoid Columbia products due to spring nightmares and potmetal sound tube elbows.