Maintenance of an upright disc player

[Mark]

Hi guys,

I am new to these phonographs, just inherited a Sonata upright phonograph disc player and was wondering how do you get to the mechanics to oils and grease the gears and things?

I do not see any access panels on the outside cabinet. The only thing I do see are 4 screws just outside the platter at each corner of what looks like a separate piece compared to the rest of the area under the lid.

Is this how I get to the mechanics to do the required maintenance?

What is the procedure? I know this is not one of top 5 collectible models but they all have to be similar in some respect, right?

Thanks for your help,
Mark

[OrthoFan]

First, remove the crank. It's either the type that screws onto the shaft, in which case, you'd remove it by turning it counter-clockwise to unscrew it. It may also be a slotted design, in which case, you'd simply pull it out, or turn it counter-clockwise while pulling on it.

After the crank is removed, remove the turntable by pulling on it upwards. If it won't budge, check to see if the spindle has a small hole in it. If so, stick a small rod in the hole and unscrew the spindle by turning the rod counter-clockwise. If there is no hole, then the turntable may be rusted to the spindle, in which case, a few drops of penetrating oil should be applied to the spindle before pulling on it.

The next thing is to remove the screws holding the motor board in place. I see two in the photo--one by the speed regulator and one by the brake, but there may also be two others near the back.

After this is done, the motor board should pull upwards. Make sure you have a box handy to set it on upside down, so the spindle isn't in contact with a flat surface.

If you've never worked on a spring motor before, it would be a good idea--before you do anything--to get a copy of "The Compleat Talking Machine" by Eric Reiss. This will walk you through most basic maintenance and repair steps. It's available online from a number of sellers, including -- http://www.amazon.com/Compleat-Talking- ... 1886606226

[Mark]

Thanks for your help.

Yes, you are correct, there are 2 more screw in the back behind the platter, so there are 4 screws all together holding the motor board down. Learned a new word, didn't know that was called a motor board.

Should the platter lift off without any force, or will there be some resistance? I just don't want to brake anything as I am lifting up on the platter to get to the motor board.

Can I get by with just oiling/greasing the gears with out messing with the springs, or do they need to be greased also?

If that is the case, I may have to take it somewhere who works on these things because I am reading some horror stories about what can happen when removing the springs.

Mark