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Old 9th Dec 2017, 9:33 pm   #8
David G4EBT
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK.
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Default Re: *Loft find* argosy record player restoration or scrap?

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexBlank View Post
What exactly is the cartridge? I have a friend with electronics components but sadly, I have no clue!
Before you can make any headway, you need to know what model it is so you can download the circuit from the link at the top right of the page. Really, there are three aspects to consider - the cosmetics of the cabinetry, secondly, the electronics, thirdly, the auto-changer. Taking those in turn:

Cabinet: Check for signs of woodworm infestation. If you see lots of holes, they're not where the worms got in, but flight holes where the beetles emerged. The worms will have pupated into beetles and are long gone, but the wood itself will be nothing but dust inside so will not be structurally sound and will be beyond redemption. A few flight holes may mean just a limited infestation, but without recovering the cabinet, it will never look much cosmetically. No evidence of woodworm, then see how the cabinet comes up with foam cleaner or whatever. Also, see what condition clips, hinges, catches etc look like.

Electronics: Ought not to pose a problem to someone who is electrically competent and has the necessary test gear. (At least a multi-meter, and the knowledge to use one). Depending on the model, it may only have two valves, but could be more. It may only need a few capacitors changing - indeed, it might work, if first tested for safety, but at this stage, don't plug it in to try it as you might damage something such as the output transformer. It will need a new mains lead and an appropriate fuse - not the 13A fuse that will almost certainly be in the mains plug.

Turntable: Most likely to cause most difficulties. It will probably need a new cartridge, certainly if it's a mono cartridge as you'd wreck stereo records if played on it. The turntable will almost certainly need to be stripped down, old hardened grease cleaned off and where appropriate, new grease applied. The driving force that causes the platter to rotate is a small rubber wheel generally known as an 'idler wheel' which is driven by a stepped motor shaft and rubs on the inside of the rim of the platter to cause the platter to rotate. The idler wheels harden and perish with age, and are pretty much irreplaceable.

Basically, if you - or anyone else for that matter - decide to restore the player, you're embarking on a voyage of discovery which will take time, money and expertise, probably well beyond what the player is worth, and possible with an uncertain outcome. It won't be worth much as it does not have the cachet of a 'Dansette', which tend to command prices far beyond their true worth.

As to your opening gambit 'I don't have a clue' do bear in mind the disclaimer at the bottom of the page - you ride at your own risk, so if you aren't electrically competent, don't take it apart or do any work on it yourself except only when it's not plugged into the mains.

Hope that might help a bit in deciding where you go from here Alex.
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