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ALVES wrote: ....The odd thing is that they vary so much. But may be thats to do with whatever motor is fitted .

I have noticed though that all three of machines of mine .Expert junior,EMG VIII and the Xa all appear to differ as to where the needlepoint comes to past the spindle ,yet the Two EMGs are totally original ,the Expert has an electric collaro conversion .

The tracking is quite independent of whatever motor is fitted.

It is the distance between the tonearm axis and motor spindle centre which is crucial---11 inches for EMG and 11 ½ inches for Expert (assuming an ideal offset of 3 ¾"---see chart and confirm by measurement on your own instruments). As long as these dimensions are satisfied you will find the overlap (the distance by which the needle point lies in front of the spindle centre when sitting on the record) will give ideal tracking at just over half an inch---consult the tables in the previously mentioned post for the exact measurement and confirm with a tracking gauge. You are then set for life....!

The beauty of the EMG/Expert (Meltrope) system is that the soundbox/needle angle is infinitely variable on its rubber mounting, unlike others where a fixed bayonet is often used to attach the soundbox to the tonearm. This clever system also allows needle angle to be varied according to the length of needle projecting---to maintain 100% accurate tracking. The shorter the needle projection, the smaller the required soundbox angle, which will usually be measured at somewhere between 60 and 65 degrees from the horizontal. Put another way, as the needle shortens, the soundbox must be twisted in a clockwise direction (viewed from the front) in order that the needle point still manages to reach the exact same spot on the record as it did before. The rubber mounting also promotes desirable compliance and an airtight environment.

Love your Expert Junior---makes a refreshing change from looking into a black hole ! Thanks for posting.

Thank you ,I will have to check all that out at a later date .

I have assembled machine but as usual having some problems .
I had to fit new gov springs and I think they may not be set correctly at the moment as the motor slowly fluctuates in speed ....I am just bout to re adjust them after a cup of tea.
One more serious question at the mo is the worm drive gear fibre in the centre ? If so I dot think i should have oiled it ?!?

See pic I need to know soon!

Also if i do get it to run correctly by a miracle ,If I need to re set the speed regulator I'm not sure how to do that with this type ?I had to take it off to re fit the motor .

Plus some other pics including of the numbers written and stamped .
I also noticed that the screw in fitting from the horn is canted to one side like a raked funner on an ocean liner !

I appear to have one spring thicker than the other two ! its much stiffer ,,,,this cant be right can it ? I wish things would runs smoothly when i try to fix stuff .

Quite a lot of questions here Paul---please take your time to get it right---no rush !

Regarding the governor springs producing an uneven sound---did you replace all three ? If not, the source of your problem could be that the new one(s) may not weigh the same as the old one(s) ? Make sure the whole assembly is easily able to slide up and down the shaft as the governor weights expand/contract. Use sewing machine oil---never "Three in One" which hardens over time.

I cannot quite see from the photos regarding your worm drive. Is it the type made in a sandwich of brass either side of fibre ? In any event, this should be lubricated with the merest trace of very soft grease---the lighter the better and do not put too much on. Oil is not correct for this component.

To reset the speed regulator, there should be an adjustment somewhere in the system incorporating a pinch-bolt/screw ? Slacken this and adjust by reference to a strobe (electric light !) until you achieve accurate settings.

Hope this helps.

Regarding the XII marks, I think these are possibly just assembly aids to ensure the desired orientation of grain etc. The chalk arrow also seems to have the same purpose. It occurs to me that the XII stamped into the case is a convenient way of numbering with a chisel.

Thank you ,
I am getting slightly irritated .
I replaced all three springs which I got from John Sleep .
They look all the same but I have discovered one is almost twice as stiff as the other two .Presumably this is the problem,and nothing can be done ?other than new springs ...
I did actually order another set from someone in Holland ,but I dont think they have arrived yet .I get things sent to a friends address as I am out most of the day in the week .

Yes, it is vital that all three governor springs and balls are of identical weight and spring rate. Mixing and matching can sometimes work if you are lucky but you seem not to have been. Bad luck.

Damn .I wonder how that happened .That ,must be the problem .

Im hoping the other set has arrived at my friends workplace today ...but they are not in at the moment .
I shall twiddle my thumbs..

In the mean time here are some photos of the cabinet .
I am at least pleased with that . After nitomors removed the nasty brown varnish I medium oak stained it then I rag applied many coats of finishing oil with 3 rub downs with flour paper in between . I deliberately left the corners darker !

I had the good idea of ramming some bottle brushes through the conduit. as I had tipped it and nothing had fallen out . A load of sawdust like you might get with woodworm and mouse nest material came out !!!
Playing it now I do believe it sounds better ,except for the speed fluctuation .
So far so good .

The turntable wobbles a bit .Though annoyingly it looks like its the spindle wobbling .Yet looking at the motor which is a Collaro D30 ,which is a nice motor ,I cant see any thing loose or worn.

Just a reminder of what the cabinet looked like before .

It will be interesting what to do with the horn.