xiv victrola - cleaned springs, doesn't wind and makes thud

[virgi]

hi everyone,
This is my first posting on this website. I picked up a sad looking xiv victrola on craigslist. The motor is a three springs, with two barrels. I took apart the springs, cleaned them, lubed them with lithium grease, and put them back, but everytime I wind it, it winds once and then it makes a thud and never feels like it actually makes contact. It just seems to go round and round and never holds a charge

Here's my question...did I put the springs in wrong? I put the small barrel going clockwise, and the big barrel with the two spring I put the one closest to the winding key going clockwise, and the other going counterclockwise. (The grooves in the inside insertion seem to suggest this

Is there something I can do to make sure the barrels work right? I put the whole thing back together before realizing the barrels aren't winding correctly.

I'm really frustrated and don't know where to turn or get advice from. Does anyone know how I can diagnose the problem? Thanks so much for any help you may give me....

Virginia

[Brad]

Hi Virginia,

Welcome to the board!

I can't answer if you have the springs correctly oriented. I do know that it does matter. What I usually do is to draw a simple picture of the orientation of the springs inside the barrel before I remove the spring from the barrel.

It sounds like, by your description, you did pay some attention to the orientation. I believe there may be a posting on this board about triple springs you might try searching for.

Chances are, if you removed the springs and verified that none of them were broken, at least one end of a spring did not catch properly on its tab, either on the shaft or the barrel. Sometimes the barrel tab will catch on it's own, but not always. I would take a look at the outsides of the barrels and find where the tab rivet is on the side and see if it is pushed out. If not, then you will have to open the barrels up. If you come to this, I would make sure you have the details on spring orientation so you will only have to do it once.

Good Luck!

(I just noticed that this was my 666th post. I guess the devil made me do it )

[virgi]

problem was I got so excited I got one of the last springs open, I forgot which way it went. I know the small barrel and the outside big barrel both went clockwise. Looking at the center pin thingy the direction of the knob catches go in different directions, so I assumed that one of the springs in the big barrel went in the opposite direction. I'll try opening them up again, problem is my father insisted on putting that stupid straight pin back, (which holds the metal pole that goes through the spring barrels and I'm having a hell of a time getting it off. Oh well, I'm so dissapointed it isn't working, I was pretty sure I got them all in the holes. Ugh, so frustrating

[alang]

Hi Virginia,
welcome to the board. I'm sure you will find all the information and answers you need here.
I think this thread (among others) describes well how to put in the springs correctly: http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... ion#p27964
As Brad said, it could also simply be an issue of one spring not catching the center arbor or the pin on the barrel. Sometimes you'll have to bend the inner loop of a spring with long needle nose pliers to make it tighter.
Good luck
Andreas

[virgi]

hello andreas,
thanks so much for the link, I think it's slipping and all springs are in the right direction...ok, on to round two.

[Guest]

my tabs are not catching the springs... i tried lining the tab with the holeat on the spring but cannot get it to stay. is the sleeve with the tabs on it suppose to have a set screw to hold oit staionary or does it float?

[alang]

I assume you mean the little pin on the inside of the barrel? It is supposed to be fixed, but I have them seen come loose as well. Maybe you can push it in from the outside once the hole is aligned over it, or maybe press it in with something like an automotive oil filter wrench?
Andreas