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Spring leaf
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 11:38 am
by Sherazhyder
Hello ! Having tried several options to get metal strips for governor’s spring leaves, I, finally, have discovered for myself the best way to find metal as thin as 1/14 inch for making of a leaf. It comes from the measurement tape, which many of us use for DIY governor rebuilt projects but it is actually not the tape itself but the power spring at the end of tape which I use. This power spring is used for retracting the tape measure. The spring is in a coil form and can’t be simply straightened but the first about five to six inches of these springs are almost straight. This piece can be used for making of a spring leaf. I am sure you know how to size it by using a metal cutting scissor and then placing it in a home made jig to manually punch a hole.
The material is strong, annealed and flexible for use.
Is there any other cost effective way of getting material for the spring leaf?
Cheers
Re: Spring leaf
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:49 pm
by gramophoneshane
I'm sorry, but I'm not sure why you'd even bother messing around with pulling apart tape measures and making home made jigs when good quality machine made matching governor springs are so readily available from parts suppliers at an extremely reasonable price and can be posted in an ordinary envelope?
Impatience maybe?
It's essential for a governor to spin smoothly and evenly, that all 3 springs and weights are the same, and throwing a hand cut replacement of a different material into a governor, or even a replacement set you've cut out with scissors and punched holes in, isn't going produce a good quality precision made spring suitable for a professional lasting repair.
To be quite honest, this is the type of poor quality inferior home made repair that most collectors dred and immediately re-repair because of potential risk of motor damage that can occured through continued use, as well as uneven speed and flutter issues.
I can't think of even the most remote circumstances where I'd even consider making such a bodgy repair to a motor.
Re: Spring leaf
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 5:00 am
by poodling around
Sherazhyder wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 11:38 am
Hello ! Having tried several options to get metal strips for governor’s spring leaves, I, finally, have discovered for myself the best way to find metal as thin as 1/14 inch for making of a leaf. It comes from the measurement tape, which many of us use for DIY governor rebuilt projects but it is actually not the tape itself but the power spring at the end of tape which I use. This power spring is used for retracting the tape measure. The spring is in a coil form and can’t be simply straightened but the first about five to six inches of these springs are almost straight. This piece can be used for making of a spring leaf. I am sure you know how to size it by using a metal cutting scissor and then placing it in a home made jig to manually punch a hole.
The material is strong, annealed and flexible for use.
Is there any other cost effective way of getting material for the spring leaf?
Cheers
I think that this is a marvelous and very creative 'top tip' !
I would very much like to see some photographs of your creative endeavor.
I mean, after all, some-one once created gramophone horns out of old newspapers and wall paper and they are apparently the pinacle of achievement and subject of endless fascination lol.
Re: Spring leaf
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 8:11 am
by Hoodoo
Home made repairs are not necessarily inferior or bodged. Some are very good, in fact, so no need to insult those who do them.
On occasion, I have made governor springs from sheet spring steel. The steel is the proper thickness and I have a hole punch that makes very clean holes, and it IS because of impatience that I do this. Yes, “store-bought” governor springs are not expensive but if I don’t have the proper size on hand, I will make a set rather than wait a week for the parts to arrive, hah!
Also, doing repairs and fabricating parts is one of the reasons I enjoy the gramophone hobby. I certainly have more tools now than when I started, five or so years ago.
Re: Spring leaf
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 8:31 am
by Hoodoo
I forget the seller I bought my spring steel from, but just search for “spring steel strip” on Ebay, you will find all sorts of sizes and thicknesses for low prices and cheap shipping.
See screenshot.
Re: Spring leaf
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 9:14 am
by JerryVan
gramophoneshane wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:49 pm
I'm sorry, but I'm not sure why you'd even bother messing around with pulling apart tape measures and making home made jigs when good quality machine made matching governor springs are so readily available from parts suppliers at an extremely reasonable price and can be posted in an ordinary envelope?
Impatience maybe?
It's essential for a governor to spin smoothly and evenly, that all 3 springs and weights are the same, and throwing a hand cut replacement of a different material into a governor, or even a replacement set you've cut out with scissors and punched holes in, isn't going produce a good quality precision made spring suitable for a professional lasting repair.
To be quite honest, this is the type of poor quality inferior home made repair that most collectors dred and immediately re-repair because of potential risk of motor damage that can occured through continued use, as well as uneven speed and flutter issues.
I can't think of even the most remote circumstances where I'd even consider making such a bodgy repair to a motor.
He asked for a "cost effective" way of getting the springs. Since he's in Pakistan, it may not be cost effective to procure by the means normal to most of us.
Re: Spring leaf
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 9:34 am
by Inigo
Yes, I was thinking the same. Things there must be different, and there is a deep culture of repairing things oneself, with whatever things are readily available there around you... Using anything and a lot of patient work, love and care, everything is possible!
Re: Spring leaf
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 1:27 pm
by gramophoneshane
If making a governor spring out of an old measuring tape isn't bodgy, I don't know what is.
Re: Spring leaf
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 1:34 pm
by poodling around
gramophoneshane wrote: Sun Nov 13, 2022 1:27 pm
If making a governor spring out of an old measuring tape isn't bodgy, I don't know what is.
Maybe you didn't read the 'above' posts.
That should clue you in a little.
Re: Spring leaf
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 6:12 pm
by gramophoneshane
I can't believe serious collectors would encourage such low grade poor quality repairs instead of encouraging someone to do it properly in the first place by using one of the many parts suppliers who go to the trouble of manufacturing and selling legitimate replacement parts at a very reasonable cost.