The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just picked up a Polly portable phonograph and am trying to remove the record platter to get to the brake leather pad. I've tried to pull the platter up with both hands on the edge with no luck. It's stuck. I've removed the motorboard with the platter attached and am afraid of damaging something by putting too much force pulling it up. Am I going about it the right way or is there a trick to this?

I would appreciate any help with this issue.

Thanks,

AR

Is the motor designed such that the spindle shaft can be removed while the turntable is attached? If so, remove the spindle, then you can properly support the backside of the turntable, allowing you tap out the shaft with a brass hammer, or leather mallet.

BTW, there's not a "C" clip, or any other means of fastening/retaining the turntable is there? Wouldn't be uncommon in a suitcase portable, where you wouldn't want the turntable falling off as you carry it.

Jerry,

I ended up removing the internal parts (spring barrel, governor, etc.) including the top and bottom casing of the motorboard to be sure nothing got damaged and just leaving the platter attached to the spindle shaft. This gave the spindle gear clearance to move after wacking it. I gave the tip of the spindle a good wack with a rubber mallet hammer and the platter finally came off! At least now I know how the motor in this little machine is assembled .

Thanks,

AR

Great! Thanks for the follow-up.

Mine is a Brunswick Parisian Portable, which I believe is the same machine with a different brand. In mine the upper part of the spindle is threaded, and has an hex nut at the base just on top of the tt. You remove this upper part first, then the tt is simply pressed against the lower part of the spindle.. But in my case it took lots of force to extract the tt... it was really stuck there!