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Re: Daunting Mainspring Cleaning
Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2015 5:00 pm
by Victrolaboy
Amberola wrote:All I can say is you are a hell of a man if you put greasy springs in. It took all I had to put them in dry. It sounds like you need new governor weights to me.
Not trying to be a show off but when I was 12 I put mainsprings in my Edison C-19 greasy.
I put them in dry now.
Re: Daunting Mainspring Cleaning
Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2015 5:09 pm
by winsleydale
I agree, Nick. It was frustrating but not incredibly difficult. I think he was being facetious. At any rate, I will say that since I was wearing a cheap trench coat and absolutely covered with red grease, I must have looked an awful lot like a murderer...
Re: Daunting Mainspring Cleaning
Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 12:22 am
by Victrolaboy
winsleydale wrote:I agree, Nick. It was frustrating but not incredibly difficult. I think he was being facetious. At any rate, I will say that since I was wearing a cheap trench coat and absolutely covered with red grease, I must have looked an awful lot like a murderer...
Lol
Re: Daunting Mainspring Cleaning
Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 7:14 am
by zepafa
Mr Grumpy wrote:Zepafa,
Not enough or too much grease on your mainspring shouldn't effect the speed regulation of the motor that much.
Unless you've put grease on the rest of the motor? I usually only grease the mainspring and maybe the ratcheting
gear (I made up that term I think, it's the gear connected to the crank), and I oil the rest.
Your problem sounds like the symptom of a governor that is out of adjustment or a motor that requires cleaning and oiling
because of gunk build up. Did you remove the governor? clean and oil?
Thanks for the help.
I only put grease on the mainspring and a little on the spindle that runs through the mandrel (is that a mistake?). I've cleaned and oiled the motor, so I don't think it's that. I haven't removed the governor. In fact I've tried to avoid fiddling with it other than to check the screws were tight. I'll take a closer look at it. And double-check that no grease has accidentally gone into the gears, although I'd be surprised if it had.
Re: Daunting Mainspring Cleaning
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:17 am
by zepafa
Yes, it was the governor. All adjusted now and it's working much better. I was a bit nervous at tackling the governor for some reason but it turned out to be a really simple job. So thanks all...not just on this post but throughout this entire forum. I've so much useful advice from you all by browsing and have managed to get a broken phonograph back working with your help. This was my first attempt but I think I might be hooked.
Re: Daunting Mainspring Cleaning
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:27 am
by Mr Grumpy
Congratz! It's always a great feeling when you get a motor purring again.