Yet another Credenza topic

[muffinass]

...

Welcome to the wonderful world of Credenza!

Thank you so much for the tips!
I'm quite excited to pick it up on Saturday, to be honest.

However, I'm not going to test my servicing abilities on the Credenza...I have a VV-IX table-top that needs a thorough service job (and spring re-greasing) so that will be my tester unit. (and of course, using the YouTube video for guidance).

The model number on the Credenza is 35,532 - question about the pot-metal support: how do the tone-arms without it support themselves? Is there a groove within the arm that won't let it twist all the way back?

Finally, can anyone give me any tips for transporting the machine? Is there anything else besides the platter and reproducer that I should remove? I'll be putting it in a station-wagon flat on its back.

[m0xiemama]

We always bring some soft towels or platic sheeting to pack under the lid. Then rest it right up against the front seats so it doesn't flop around. So fair they have been painless transports

[barnettrp21122]

I'd either remove the tonearm entirely using a proper large flat-headed screwdriver, or alternatively immobilize it with a couple thick rubber bands run from the crook to the right side motorboard lift knob.
You could secure the lid by running a couple thicknesses of saran wrap horizontally around the lid and cabinet top.
Bob

[Orthophonic]

The ones without overhang supports are held by their bearings in a groove or race for them around a collar on the tone arm (taper tube). The three screws around the bottom can be loosened and by holding the screws, the inner collar can be turned from left to right or back to tighten or loosen the play in the joint. I really like this type!!! However, the horn openings and screw pattern in the motor board are slightly different for the two types of mounts.

[1926CredenzaOwner]

LOL! My Victor 9 was the test subject for my abilities as well!

How do the tone-arms without it support themselves? Is there a groove within the arm that won't let it twist all the way back?

Well, I needed to do this myself... and I had a few hours to kill this morning.

The tone arm is held into place by five ball bearings that ride in groove on the tone arm. (see A and B) These ball bearings are very small, and hard to replace if you loose them. (I work over a large mixing bowl while disassembling everything so there's a 'catch-all.') They are held in place by that washer that fig.B is located inside. The other ring is what goes back into the tone arm after you've greased and reseated the ball bearings and tone arm.

Make sure you clean all the old grease off everything.
Be liberal with your grease when repacking. Put grease on everything: the bearings, the washer, the tone arm base, the collar the screws go into. When you put it back together, what is not needed will squeeze out. Better too much than too little. I used a mixture of moly-lithium grease and graphite to repack. Then I lubricated with some gear oil.

While you're doing this, you'll want to go ahead and clean your tone arm and crook. Remove the stem for the auto-brake, and the stop for the crook and all its screws. Take all the gold plated parts, and clean them with the toothpaste method I described earlier. Again, liberally pack the graphite grease mixture in the collar that controls the freedom of the crook and add some gear oil. (Gah! I should have mentioned this earlier. Some people call the crook a "goose neck." Whatever floats your boat....) Put everything back together on the tone arm itself, and adjust the movement of the crook. It should be tight, but not so tight that it doesn't move freely. Just tight enough to move freely up and down without wobbling back and forth.


I don't have a pic for this section, because it's a two-handed operation.

Everything sould be greased and ready to go by this point. Place the tone arm back in the base while holding the base in your left hand, upside down of course. Place the washer back in and move the base of the tone arm up slightly where you can re-seat the bearings back in their groove. Take the larger ring and put it back into place. You need to pay attention here, because the screw holes in that ring aren't centered. They are slightly more to one side than the other. You want to put that ring in so they are further away from the tone arm.

After you've done all this, and have carefully made sure the arm is freely moving, put those three screws back in to hold it all in place. I take the leftover grease I have and apply the rest to the underside to make sure there's an air-tight seal. I also put a little more gear oil in the space where the base of the tone arm and the top of the base meet. Work it in by moving the tone arm back and forth, and wipe off the excess.

This is also a good time to grease that felt washer under the tone arm base. Just remove it, liberally grease it, and put it back in.
(That silver colored plate just comes right off. Sorry for not removing it for the pic.)

Put your tone arm back on, adjust the stem for the auto brake... and you're done!
(Took me about an hour to do and I smoked a few cigarettes and had my coffee at the same time, so I lollygagged a bit.)

Finally, can anyone give me any tips for transporting the machine? Is there anything else besides the platter and reproducer that I should remove? I'll be putting it in a station-wagon flat on its back.

I'd remove the crank, the turn table, the reproducer, and the whole tone arm. Bring several Ziplock bags for all loose stuff, and a towel to wrap the tone arm in. If you're laying it flat, make sure the lid doesn't come open. Try not to lift the machine by the feet while loading it. They seem to be brittle.

If anybody has any corrections or additions, tricks or hints... or if I did anything wrong, please chime in here. I learned all of this by trial and error.

[Henry]

If anybody has any corrections or additions, tricks or hints... or if I did anything wrong, please chime in here. I learned all of this by trial and error.

Umm, quit the cigarettes?

(I was a smoker for over 30 years, since high school, and have paid the price: peripheral artery disease, coronary stent, carotid artery ream-out, arterial bypasses in both legs. By the time I quit, 20 years ago, the damage was done. End of sermon.)

[1926CredenzaOwner]

Umm, quit the cigarettes?

I'm working on it. Other things had to go first. The smokes are my last vice... well, and coffee.
I'm not giving up the coffee!

[Henry]

By NO means give up the coffee! Studies (doubtless funded by the Coffee Growers and Marketers Association, or some such) now show multiple health benefits from drinking coffee. Hallelujah!

Quitting the nicotine is damned hard. I tried countless times, 20-30 times a day as the old joke goes. But it sure feels good to get that monkey off your back!

[1926CredenzaOwner]

Is there a groove within the arm that won't let it twist all the way back?

Forgot to answer that. Yes. There is a stop that juts out on the silver plate shown in the washer photo that rides against the flat portion of the base of the tone arm. (Sorry it can't be made out in the photo, but it is there.) Keeps the tone arm from moving too far in either direction.

[epigramophone]

When transporting a cabinet machine, I lay it on a thick travelling rug or blanket, on it's back as others have suggested.

When unloading, I pull on the rug taking the machine with it, rather than drag the machine over the rug.

Take particular care when manoeuvring the machine over the rear sill and bumper, for this is when damage is most likely to occur.

If you can take a helper with you, the task will be much easier.

Good luck, and let us know who wins!