Should you always have the mainsprings regreased?

[marcapra]

When purchasing a new to you phonograph when you don't know the maintenance history, is it wise to have the main springs removed for cleaning and re-greasing on a machine you intend to keep? I'm talking here about a machine that seems to be working fine except for an occasional jerk if you're looking at the spring barrels rotate. I did that recently with my newly acquired Beethoven Edisonic. I should say that I did not do the work myself as I think this is work for an experienced phonograph mechanic. I would not recommend that anyone attempt this job without being trained by an expert.

[Edisone]

I've never done it, but none of my machines seemed to need it. If there's a screw-capped access hole & the barrel looks fairly oil-tight, I add some 90/140 automotive gear oil.

[HisMastersVoice]

I usually remove and re-grease the springs on any machine I intend to keep. Better to know when the last time it was done rather than wonder.

[Le0]

I usually remove and re-grease the springs on any machine I intend to keep. Better to know when the last time it was done rather than wonder.

+1

[epigramophone]

Much depends on the type of grease which has been used.

In the UK, HMV used a graphited grease which hardens into lumps with age, causing the motor to bump intermittently as it runs down. Broken springs will result unless the springs are cleaned and re-greased.

Garrard motors, used by many of HMV's competitors, are seldom troubled in this way. The Garrard motor in my Columbia 204, which has been owned by my family since new in 1934, has never had the spring re-greased and does not need it.

[larryh]

My William and Mary Console Edison has never needed greasing an runs quiet.. My upright Chippendale is the same but once in a while when the spring is unwound pretty far it may thump a bit but not much. It seems to me that Edison usually used a grease that held up quite well. Many of the Victor products I owned were very prone to the grease getting hard causing some violent releases of the springs. My theory is if it works fine and is reasonably silent I leave it alone. The old instructions usually mentioned that it was best to allow the motor to run down several times from a full winding to redistribute the grease though the springs.

Larry

[FloridaClay]

I would say about half the time on average. I usually leave well enough alone if the motor runs well and there is no thumping or bumping to indicate that the springs are grabbing as they uncoil. Am somewhat of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school.

Clay

[Victrolacollector]

I have to say this all depends, most of the time of would say if it runs good, no thump and bump, leave it alone.....I have owned my Edison B-19 since 2005, and not a problem with thump and bump, I refilled some grease through the grease hole.

As for my VV-IX, it had new mainsprings replaced so I went ahead and had re-greased, as for my other machines, never had to regrease, they all sound fine to me.

It is a pain and messy to just tear down a motor, that is otherwise running good. Unless you hear thumping and bumping and banging as it is unwinding, or have a broken mainspring, why worry about it......enjoy the music.

[alang]

About every motor I encountered so far had layers of baked on grease on all the gears, so I had to completely dismantle, clean and re-grease it anyway. When I do that, why would I leave the springs uncleaned? It is amazing that these machines survived for 100 years, but in most cases they only survived because they were not played in the last 80 years. If I want to preserve a motor for future generations to enjoy I feel obligated to make sure that wear and tear is minimized. That can only be done with a complete tear down, clean and re-grease. If I continue playing a machine with caked on grease and dirt I drastically increase wear and tear. Long story short, yes, always clean and re-grease motor including main springs.

Andreas

[Lucius1958]

I must admit when it comes to DD machines, I am rather laissez-faire: after cleaning and regreasing the mainspring on the BC-34, I decided to leave well enough alone, and give the springs a shot of lithium grease through the access hole. (Thanks for that feature, Mr. Edison!)

As for other machines, I generally leave spring maintenance to the professionals, unless it's a fairly small single spring.

Bill