Daunting Mainspring Cleaning

[HisMastersVoice]

More wise words. Kind of OT but if the motor is machine-gunning as well, is that a governor problem? Because my governor springs are permanently bent into gentle arches.

That would usually indicate that the governor weights are striking the casting, you might want to replace the springs if they are bent.

[winsleydale]

That's what i thought...

[De Soto Frank]

Are the weights striking when the machine is running at proper playing speed ? Are the weights striking when the machine is running at proper playing speed ?

[JerryVan]

Here's how I install & lube springs, for better or worse. For a new spring or a cleaned up old one that has been removed from the barrel, I begin to wind the spring into the barrel and stop after 2 or 3 turns. While holding the spring firmly in place with one hand, I smear a gob of grease into the barrel with a small spatula, then wind again for a few turns, then some grease, etc., etc.

If I haven't removed & cleaned the spring, I squirt penetrating oil over the tightly wound layers of spring, then fill the center with new grease. The penetrating oil seeps in and tends to melt the old dried grease that has things gummed up. After reassembling the motor, I wind it once, to the end, causing the new grease to get distributed throughout.

[winsleydale]

I don't see the weights striking anything when I watch it run, but it just... is loud.

[De Soto Frank]

Does the noise quite down if you slow the motor down, either by the speed control or by dragging a thumb on the platter ?


There will be obvious marks on the weights / motor frame if the weights are striking something.

It could be that the governor pivots are really worn...

[winsleydale]

The motor speed has no effect on the sound other than its frequency. If the motor is moving, it is making that sound.

[De Soto Frank]

Can you take a video and post it ?

[winsleydale]

Give me a moment.

[winsleydale]

Here are two videos; one is to show that there is clearance between the motor board and the governor, even at full speed; the other is to show how noisy it is with the turntable on there, but I don't know how well the sound was picked up.

100_0562[1].MP4

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100_0563[1].MP4

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