Some frustrations with a little VV-VI

[FloridaClay]

Hi all,

I picked up a handsome little mahogany VV-VI some time back. One of the things I soon found was that, despite it's being a double spring motor, it did not have much umph.

I have had it thoroughly gone over from stem to stern, including even replacing the old 9' springs with 17' springs, complete cleaning & lubrication, etc. It still will play only 2 10" sides without rewinding and something like a 12" Columbia from the acoustic era will bring it to a halt.

I am surprised, as my VV-IX with, I think, essentially the same motor and its original springs, which haven’t been serviced in who knows when, plays 3 or 4 10" sides before rewinding and will merrily soldier on with the aforementioned 12" records.

Is there something inherent about the VV-VIs that results it this sluggish behavior?

Clay

[edisonphonoworks]

Hmm I think that using the longer springs might be the problem, there probably is not as much room in the barrel for it to uncoil, resulting in a loss of power. I onetime ordered a spring for an A-150 Diamond Disc, and not thinking much about it, I was sent a regular later spring for it which is 25 ft long X 1.5" wide and .027" thick. The A-150 is only supposed to have an 18 foot spring 1 5/16" wide by .0035" thick. The later spring worked ok, if you only wound it up half way, and it would play a record all the way through, but if you wound it up more, it would be sluggish. I would put whatever size spring is mentioned on the barrel stamp. It is also good to check that the governor centers are not too loose or too tight, and that the spindle still has the ball baring under it.

[FloridaClay]

Hmm I think that using the longer springs might be the problem. . . .

Humm, went to the longer ones because it was doing the exact same thing with the original 9 footers. But that is a possiblity. Some time in the next few day I will compare the spring barrel diameter with the ones on my VV-XVI that came originally with 17 footers.

Will also have a look at the other things you mentioned.

Clay

[Uncle Vanya]

Hmm I think that using the longer springs might be the problem. . . .

Humm, went to the longer ones because it was doing the exact same thing with the original 9 footers. But that is a possiblity. Some time in the next few day I will compare the spring barrel diameter with the ones on my VV-XVI that came originally with 17 footers.

Will also have a look at the other things you mentioned.

Clay

Unless the machine was one of the early Victrola VI machines with the 10" turntable, the slonger springs should have fit the barrel, for it is the same diameter as that used on the larger machines.

The first couple of models of the Victor Vi used a motor with narrow, 1" springs, but even these seem to play heavy records well. if you have one of the Burton motors, the one with the single barrel marked with the length of the springs, the 17' springs should work just fine. if the motor seems sluggish, check the position of the governor drive gear on the turntable spindle, and make certain that the little ball bearing is in the hole at the foot of the turntable spindle.

[Uncle Vanya]

OOPS!

Duplicate post.

[FloridaClay]

Thanks for the suggestions Yanya. From the serial number, it is a VI-A, Type B, circa 1919, so not an early one.

Clay