Idler/turntable drive Wheel (record player) repair

[Ekcoman]

Thought I read somewhere on this site some many moons ago of various ways of putting life back into the rubber that surrounds the idler wheel. In many cases those really early wheels the rubber has gone hard and paint thinner/pure alcohol may do the trick. Where the rubber is seriously hard then it's a waste of time. Finding a new replacement wheel of serious age is no hoper. A Garrard 209 deck was my watershed as all attempts of getting the wheel to functioned failed AND THEN! I remembered a strange idea of putting a flat rubber belt/band on the rim. I made mine out of a spare useless belt for a belt drive turntable. I made the "tyre" slightly smaller than the wheel. I joined it carefully with super glue. After making sure it fitted snugly, I glued it onto the wheel rather like a new tyre. The small ridge of the glued joint was easily sanded smooth with fine sandpaper. I trimmed the extra width down and put it all back together. Quite honestly I couldn't see it working BUT IT SURE DOES!

[Nickthedentist]

Well done!

What glue did you use?

Any pictures for us?

Nick.

[Audio1950]

Whilst I'm a great advocate of the above method, because it works,I heard recently of another method which sounds feasible.

In hobby and handicraft outlets you can buy latex rubber beads, which are heated in a bowl over a pan of hot water, and then poured over anything you wish to make a mould of. (Like the rubber moulds we used to use as kids to make plaster ornaments). Apparently, you get it to the molten stage, put a long thin nut and bolt through the centre hole of the idler wheel from the front, or top, and then, holding the end of the bolt in a pair of pliers, dip the wheel in the molten rubber just far enough to cover the edges. Holding the wheel upside down ensures then any drips or runs will tend to be on the topside, where it doesn't matter too much, whereas lumps on the underside may catch on the next step down on the pulley. Let it cool for a minute or so, then repeat. Haven't had need to try it personally, but it sounds logical to me.

Barry

[Ekcoman]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

Well done!

What glue did you use?

Any pictures for us?

Nick.

Nick, this was a first attempt and could probably improve on. I used Super Glue to join the tyre and then to place on the wheel I used UHU and then a touch of super glue in places where thought not quite secured. I wonder if old fashioned Bicycle Puncture Repair Rubber Solution may have a better choice? This could be an option on those Grundig Tape Recorders which have a rubber "tyre" that goes hard on the capstan wheels and hence makes rewind tediously slow or non-existent. Will take photos on my next attempt through all stages.