The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have recently acquired an HMV 102 in overall good condition. The vertical swinging movement of the tone arm is nice and free. It is the horizontal movement that is a little stickier than I think it should be.

I took the arm off of the motor board and it appears to require a spanner wrench to disassemble it further. See photo that I lifted from a previous posting. Am I correct to assume that there are ball bearings inside of this arm? What is the recommended lubricant to use?

Thanks,
David

Yes, there are ball bearings in there, and if you undo that ring, they will all fall out! These arms are the devil's own jobs to reassemble, you need four hands! I usually squirt a copious amount of penetrating oil into the base, leave it overnight, then wipe off the excess and drip a few drops of sewing machine oil in. You really don't need heavy grease, which eventually causes the problem you have now.

Barry

a bad idea to take apart! put the whole thing in paint thinner and leave it in there for a day or so once every couple of hours give it a good move (turning) and put back
then after its been in there and its properly dry put the back end in a pot of oil and let to soak for a day
then take it out and let it drip off exes oil after another day clean off remaining oil with a dry cloth

it takes a while but it will save you the f***ing pain of the ball bearings going all over the place and re-asembling the thing

tino

Thanks for the advice! Glad that I asked first and didn't take that ring off!

Got it finished after following above suggestions and using a light oil. Movement now is light and easy with no slop. Should be good for some time now.