The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Ok so I have a Silvertone Deluxe portable that this tonearm came off of. It may not be original to the machine. It says "Made in Germany" around the base. I'm trying to remove the arm from the base and I already took out two little retaining screws. However, the two pieces won't separate. Am I doing something wrong?

Why do you want to take it apart? Can't you just inject a little oil & squish in some grease to make to work properly?

I will eventually do that, but it's pretty rusty and full of dirt! I wanted to clean it before I grease it

I have the same arm in a German "Parlophone" portable machine.The collar you have taken the two screws out of lifts upwards, complete with the autobrake lever. Mine had to be soaked in penetrating oil for a day before it eventually came off. However, that achieves nothing, as the two parts of the arm are held together by hollow rivets through the three mounting holes. If you file the bases of those away, then the arm will seperate from the base, revealing the ball bearings and the two plates that they ride in. Fine, but then without new rivets,which seem to be unobtainable,how do you reassemble it? I had to put the base plate back in with adhesive, which is obviously not desirable. My advice? Leave well alone!

Barry

I am not sure how your tone arm is constructed, I do know that some of the Orthophonic bases have little ball bearings and parts that are a pain to re-align if taken apart. I suggest anyone to avoid taking these apart unless necessary. I would just put some oil in there and swish it back and forth.

I think that is what I will have to do! I was afraid of there being rivets. Thanks for the replies!

Follow what Phono48 said. Then soak the bearing part in some sort of cleaner to dissolve the old oil and rinse out the dirt and rust. then relubricate the base section.