How to rebuild a orthophonic reproducer any help? :)

[estott]

Walt Sommers does an excellent job of rebuilding

[Retrograde]

Unless you've done a rebuild on one of these before, I would not recommend attempting it

How does one ever learn to do anything if it's not recommended that one attempt anything

[Edisone]

Unless you've done a rebuild on one of these before, I would not recommend attempting it

How does one ever learn to do anything if it's not recommended that one attempt anything

One way is to watch someone else do it.

I'm wondering if it even needs "rebuilding" (I put that in quotes because replacing some gaskets and adjusting a couple of bearings is not rebuilding anything) . Does it sound bad?

Also, I have yet to see an Orthophonic with rubber gaskets. Don't they all have paper coated with shiny black stuff? (tar? asphaltic paint?) The thin diaphragm is meant to be clamped at the edges while the center flexes.

[OrthoFan]

I'm wondering if it even needs "rebuilding" (I put that in quotes because replacing some gaskets and adjusting a couple of bearings is not rebuilding anything)

That's basically what I tried to stress, some 15 or more years ago, when I wrote the article on Tim Gracyk's site -- http://www.gracyk.com/orthosound.shtml

Also, I have yet to see an Orthophonic with rubber gaskets. Don't they all have paper coated with shiny black stuff? (tar? asphaltic paint?) The thin diaphragm is meant to be clamped at the edges while the center flexes.

Me neither. According to one source I've read (Welch & Read?) they were "paper-backed rubber gaskets." Interestingly, all of the dozen or so I've looked at over the past 30 years were still pliable.

And as you note, the gaskets were there to clamp the edge of the diaphragm firmly in place (as well as to provide an airtight seal, while isolating the diaphragm from the sound box's casing.) It's the corrugated ring that allows the center of the diaphragm to plunge back and forth. Very different from the earlier Victor sound boxes that were equipped with mica diaphragms, mandating soft gaskets.

Interestingly, one of the best sounding Orthophonic sound boxes I've ever owned is the one I'm now using on my 4-40. (It even outperforms two that were sent to me by the late Bob Waltrip.)

Virtually NOTHING has ever been done to it. It even has the original ball bearings in place. The only thing I ever did was to put a few drops of "Goo Gone" into the bearings, and swish some around the edge of the diaphragm, when I first got it twelve years ago. (I did that because it was frozen and I wanted to do a very quick fix just to test it.) I was amazed at how well it performed, and I've pretty much left it as-found ever since, save to put an occasional drop of light oil onto the ball bearings.

OF

[Victrolaman]

True

[Victrolaman]

Thank you all for your help, i have had many people tell me that its most likely the ball bearings that need to be changed. The needle bar moves from side to side a little bit, the diafram in it has no holes and looks fine, so i removed those little cap covers on each side that hold the ball bearings, and there was a little rubber piece in that that looked dry rotted, so i was told to first try and press all those bearings in and make sure they are tight because thats where the movement is comming from, that needle bar should not move..
so i think im going to leave that back ring on and not attempt to touch that because it may break and if it does im out of luck because its pot metal.
I also boguth a new back flange to at the one thats on there now is dry and loose. After i remove the ball bearings should i swab that out with a qtip to clean it out? and do i need to drop some 3 and 1 oil in there before i put the new balls bearings back in or leave it dry?
I took some super glue and i put a drop on each of the spider ends to seal those as well, the Shallac has flaked off those so those are now tight. I gently blew some air in the back and it doesnt seem that bad, leaks a little but i cant seem to see where, someone said blow some cigarette smoke in there and hold it to a mirrow, i dont smoke But i will lite a candle and blow it out and let the smoke go inside to see where it comes out, this is why i thought it was the gaskets because it seemed to leak a bit.
now after i replace the ball bearings, what type of rubber can i use to put in there? Some one said i cold use a piece of rubber tubbing or a piece of a garden hose washer to, and thoughts to that?
Any help i can get i am greafull thanks guys

[Odeon]

Hi,

my Orthophonic reproducer isn´t one of those with a magnetic needle bar, so the bearings are hold in place with a little ferrule. Over this I made out of teflon band ( water installations equipment )my own new rubbers.
Sorry, I haven´t a digicam - so no photos !
By the way, I´m the guy with the cigarette smoke.... don´t start smoking just because of a soundbox

Did you saw this thread ?
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... reproducer

[Victrolaman]

Hi,

my Orthophonic reproducer isn´t one of those with a magnetic needle bar, so the bearings are hold in place with a little ferrule. Over this I made out of teflon band ( water installations equipment )my own new rubbers.
Sorry, I haven´t a digicam - so no photos !
By the way, I´m the guy with the cigarette smoke.... don´t start smoking just because of a soundbox

Did you saw this thread ?
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... reproducer

Yes i did thank you. Well since i started this post i ended up buying a thing or quickset epoxy for metal thats clear. i put a little tiny dad on each of the spider feet and 90% of the buzzing is gone but i am going to still change the bearings as i bought them already, so i want to thank everyone on here who wrote to my post i apreciate your help. im going to get the 8-12 up and playing by midweek, it already sounds 10 times better just from fixing that.
Someone else told me to make sure to take the back of the cabinet off, there are 4 set screws or 3 at the bottome and make sure it is air tight around where the metal bracket meets the wooden horn? now i have not checked this yet but how do i make it air tight there as well? i will tighten all the screws but can i just put a beed of grease or sealant of some sort around the seem here where the 2 meet?
Someone said that will increase your base to that this machine is capible of putting out, any thoughts on this?