OK I'm stumped-I took this Credenza apart years ago, yes I am slow at things and am now putting it back together. Have done other tone arms with back brackets, assembled them out of the machine and then mounted them. But after playing with this for 3 plus hours I have come to the conclusion that Victor must have tons of fairy dust that they used to make this work.
Utube search's and a search here-unless I am using the wrong header has not helped. so before I loose it and head to phonograph purgatory-HELP
I am attaching pictures of the parts that I am using and perhaps you kind souls can help me put this thing together. And yes i have the 3 small scres that go around the base as well. on the item labeled 1 or 2 its the direction that I need. This item goes on the cabinet base and over the felt washer
I'm not aware of Victrola system, but in hmv ortho tonearms, one fundamental missing part herein is the tonearm. Part of the race track for the balls is at the base of the tonearm, and it must be inserted through the black piece first, which must be held in place firmly (you'll need three hands for this) to be able to install the balls and the thin washer that holds the balls distributed uniformly around the tonearm track.
All this, with the tonearm held upside down, while holding the big black piece and the tonearm inserted through it, and the thin washer with the holes for the balls in place, so the track is formed, and you can drop there the balls, one by one, carefully, until they are in their places.
Then, with all this in place, a threaded collar that holds everything must be installed and screwed in place, so everything is held and you can move it around safely. Last time I did this it took me hours of trial and error to complete the operation. Fine if you can develop a system to hold the tonearm (in a vice or so) and also to hold there the big black piece, supporting it also on the vice with loose adhesive tape or something that allows it to rest in place, but at the same time allowing some movement and adjustment. It is tricky to put the balls and washer in place... Better if you have free hands to do that.
I recently rebuilt one of these, and the pictures below should show a clear progression of the order of installation, and how I completed it. This is the result of a lot of slippery trial and error.
This jig is invaluable. I'm at work and do not have the exact measurements, but it is basically a board with a 1 ⅜" hole, and support (which is adjustable) for the tonearm to keep everything level. Not only does it make things easier, but ensures that the screws holding the bracket to the tonearm are accurately set.
To summarize:
-Grease tonearm (leave bearing race clean, and insert into collar.
-rest bearing holder thingy on top of collar (a little grease)
-using hemostats or tweezers, insert bearings into slots and race. (I believe they are ⅛" diameter, but have to double-check.)
-using grease gun, shoot a clean globe of grease onto each bearing, and then coat the perimeter of race with a little grease.
-grease bracket collar, and carefully install it onto the tonearm (this was the hardest part for me.)
-making sure the tonearm is sitting level, screw bracket in (the original indentations on the bracket helps). Follow the "not too tight, not too loose" principle. There should be smooth play and rotation.
I should also mention that it is a good idea to make orient the screw holes on the collar so that they align with the holes on the bracket when you go to install it. I drew pencil lines on my bracket to help me. This will reduce the risk of the bearings escaping their home in the race.
Thank you for your great photos and directions.
I was going to set up my portable table saw and make sawdust this afternoon and figured that dimension's are what I make them except for the hole for the tonearm. I noticed that you have paper shims under the base. Could I simply use the metal one that covers the felt washer?
Once I get the parts and the bearings in place, and add the 3 screws to hold the parts, bearings in place will it stay together if those 3 screws are snugged up until I get it mounted to the phonograph? The final adjustments can be made on those screws once I get into the machine, if that works.
On your last picture, does that flat metal plate as it is shown go over the felt washer face up, or is it turned over which than would make it like my photo 1.
My biggest fear in this process was loosing a bearing or having them drop into the horn as I was trying to put this all together with the tone arm upside down.
How would a service guy in the field have gotten this done without staying the night at his customers house.
I can wait to drill the 11/8" hole until you can check the dimension if you would like to do that
Surely Victor guys would have a special tool to do this safe and fast... and it was the technology they learned to work everyday, not our trembling labour of guessing a technology 100 years old!!!
MarkELynch wrote: ↑Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:14 pm
The Victor jig is in this Service Bulletin I posted earlier. No need to struggle and re-invent this. Victor had substantial support for their dealers.
I actually made my jig based on the info in this Service Bulletin. The only differences are that I added bottom supports so I could work more comfortably, and made the tonearm support adjustable simply because I wanted to make sure that the tonearm would be supported at the correct height.
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and it was the technology they learned to work everyday, not our trembling labour of guessing a technology 100 years old!!! 