Fixing up a Columbia Grafanola Viva Tonal 118 Suitcase

[JerryVan]

Maybe try for some rubber hose for your flange gasket. Here's a good place to start looking. Itried to find your exact I.D./O.D. match but couldn't. You may need to get something a bit small and stretch it over the end of the arm.

https://www.mcmaster.com/rubber-hose

[VanEpsFan1914]

For your diaphragm dent removal, try working some pencil-erasers into the shape of an auto repairman's "dolly" and massaging them out with the end of that. If you need to put some light oil on the metal do that. It may save your original diaphragm.

[Jeb98]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I have gotten the tonearm back together. The screw holes where the tonearm meets the horn under the suit case seem to be stripped so they don't keep the tonearm in place. I was thinking of just using thicker screws? Any other tips?

Best,

Jonas

[JerryVan]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I have gotten the tonearm back together. The screw holes where the tonearm meets the horn under the suit case seem to be stripped so they don't keep the tonearm in place. I was thinking of just using thicker screws? Any other tips?

Best,

Jonas

I'm assuming you mean wood screws? If so, dip the end of a toothpick/s in some wood glue and stuff them in the holes. Allow to dry, then snip off the toothpicks even with the mounting surface. You may need to drill some tiny start holes, then install the screws.

[VanEpsFan1914]

This is a very common problem with late model portables. Sometimes they almost feel like they're made of heavy cardboard and those old screws just don't get a purchase on things anymore.

Toothpicks are a good suggestion, though, and you definitely don't want thicker screws because you would have to drill the metal base of the tonearm and might end up cracking it.

[Inigo]

Hope this h helps.
For the back rubber connector, I've worked one out of two rubber strips, one shorter, forming an inner ring, covered by another slightly longer, forming an outer ring. I made it this way cause it was the only thing rubber that I had at hand. It resulted, cause the rubber strips happened to be half the thickness needed. It has an added advantage, which is that being two rings, you can place the unavoidable gaps at opposite sides, so the possible air leak is this closed. I say this cause I tried first with a single ring, cut away from a proper thickness hose, which I had to cut for adjusting the size. That ugly gap across the ring was something I didn't like. The double ring with the two gaps placed one opposite the other solved that issue. A bit difficult to install, but works wonderful.
Watch this topic viewtopic.php?f=11&t=34623&start=10
There is a photo of the two rubber ring connector. Not ready to see, but there are actually the two rubber rings one inside another.
In other cases I've moulded the connector with silicone caulk inside the soundbox neck, using a plastic cylinder as the internal mould with success.

[Jeb98]

Thank you for the replies. I was able to use slightly larger screws without needing to use the toothpick trick. The screws fit I got the tonearm base with no problem.

Now, when I spin the platter and put the needle on the record, the platter stops spinning due to the weight of the tonearm and the motor not being strong enough to keep it moving...even though things spin smoothly without the weight of the tonearm. Does this mean I’ll need to tear down the motor and clean or replace the spring?

[JerryVan]

Thank you for the replies. I was able to use slightly larger screws without needing to use the toothpick trick. The screws fit I got the tonearm base with no problem.

Now, when I spin the platter and put the needle on the record, the platter stops spinning due to the weight of the tonearm and the motor not being strong enough to keep it moving...even though things spin smoothly without the weight of the tonearm. Does this mean I’ll need to tear down the motor and clean or replace the spring?

How much did you wind it? All the way to the end, or nearly so? Sometimes, people just don't know to wind the motor enough.

Might also have to do with the record itself or even the needle.

[epigramophone]

As Jerry says, worn records and/or loud tone needles increase the drag on the motor, exposing any weakness in the spring.
For that reason I always take a worn record and some loud tone needles with me when trying a machine which I am thinking of buying.
Some sellers say that they cannot demonstrate a machine because they have no records or needles. I love to see their faces when I produce both.

[VanEpsFan1914]

The motor still looks like a General Industries so it's basically going to be one of the smallest and most basic of the common motors. Unlike some British motors the grease in them can be found to be graphite--I know that's what I found in a 1950s Silvertone which was in such poor shape it was broken up for parts. The motor was sold off but it was pretty easy to clean that kind of motor up...the springs really aren't that big and I'm sure you could clean it and give the phonograph a little more power.

For spring grease I like to mix a little STP oil additive with brown axle grease to make a soft and fairly slippery lubricant, allowing the coils of the spring to slide on one another.