Phonograph maintenance

[dennis]

How often should phonos be oiled and greased? Any other maintenance suggestions? Thanks.

[ImperialGuardsman]

How often should phonos be oiled and greased? Any other maintenance suggestions? Thanks.

I heard that they should be oiled once a year when used regularly. I think that the springs can go some time before neededing to be re-greased.

[edisonphonoworks]

It really depends on when you use it, and how much. If you do not play your machine, you are better off leaving the machine clean and dry so the oil does not dry up and gum the works up, On the other hand someone who uses them say once a month of so, yearly would be fine. If you have machines that are your work, like say my triumph, or my shaver, a little bottle with some lighter fluid in it, and a cotton ball, and a few q tips, when the machine gets sluggish, first keep your machine clean, as possible, and clean all the bearings that are sticky or waxy with the q tip, and go over your back rod with the cotton ball, it must not be sopping, just moistened, then re-apply oil. I usually do this every time I have a recording to make for someone, and then take my machine apart and clean it of the wax shavings, as sometimes I might record 30+ records when I do my orders for customers, so the machine gets filthy with wax shavings and is cleaned every session as described above. My shaving machines are oiled before every shaving session and sometimes up to twice a day if 8 hours of shaving is needed. My shaver though gets used about 3 sessions a week. I oil Victrolas, or disc machines about twice a year, I think spring grease should be changed every 8-10 years, or if you hear chugging, or thumping, whichever comes first.