Waltham STM 70 music centre - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Nicolas France · 3rd Apr 2020, 6:08 pm

Good evening from France!

My name is Nicolas, I am a new member and I hope veryone is ok during this very special time.

I post this new thread as I had the chance to find in an attic (in France) a waltham stm 70 music center.

It works just fine but there is a "main" part missing: the central axis of the platter
For the moment I use a wall plug to play my records and one of my friends shall print one in 3D.
However I wish I could find a genuine one, even more after watching video presenting the auto launch of a disc on the waltham: the record is above the platter, and after pushing the on lever it actually glides down on the platter.

It would also explain why the auto launch isn't working, it might be linked to this component.

so if you have any trail for this part please advise me.

Last but not least, what is the use of the extra plastic arm

?

Thank you so much in advance for your help and advices

Best regards from France

Nicolas

hamid_1 · 3rd Apr 2020, 8:58 pm

From your description, it seems like the part you are missing is called the Autochange Spindle. I think the turntable on your Waltham music centre was made by BSR. It will usually say something like "Precision Crafted in Great Britain by BSR" on the turntable platter. If this is the case, you can search on ebay for "BSR Autochange Spindle", or ask here in the Sets and Parts Wanted section of this forum.

Attach a picture of your record player turntable if possible, showing the missing part. I think there were a few different types of autochange spindles. With a picture of the turntable and the missing part, someone can advise you of what to buy.

BSR made millions of turntables. They were fitted to many different brands of music centre, not only Waltham. If you can't find the missing part on its own, almost certainly you will be able to find another BSR turntable like yours in a different brand of record player or music centre. Sometimes it's easier and cheaper to buy another faulty complete unit , then remove the part you want from it.

The extra plastic arm is called the Overarm. It makes the autochanger work. When the autochange spindle is fitted, a notch in the spindle stops the records from falling straight down onto the turntable. You lift up the overarm and move it away, then place the records on the spindle. They will stop about halfway down the spindle. Then place the overarm on top of the stack of records. The overarm will hold the records in place. Move the OFF-MAN-AUTO switch to AUTO. The first record will drop down the spindle onto the turntable platter and will start playing. When it has finished, the next record will drop down and play. When there are no more records on the spindle, the overarm will fall down too. When the last record has finished playing, the pickup arm will return to its starting position and the record player will switch itself OFF automatically.

Without the autochange spindle, you can only play one record at a time. You can make a single record play again and again by lifting up the overarm and moving it to the position where the pickup normally rests.

Nicolas France · 4th Apr 2020, 8:48 am

Good morning Hamid!!
Thank you soooo much! Things are a lot clearer now!
Indeed it's a BSR system.
I hadn't the right word, yes it's the spindle, further to your explanation I was able to find videos showing how this system works.
it's fun

yet I personally think it might be a bit agressive for the vinyls to be piled like that. I'm used to play them one at a time on my audio technica turntabe.
However I'll follow your advice and post in the convenient section. Apparently it's also possible to find a standard spindle.
Thanks again
Greetings from France!

Herald1360 · 4th Apr 2020, 2:32 pm

[QUOTE=Nicolas France;1231294

it's fun

yet I personally think it might be a bit agressive for the vinyls to be piled like that. I'm used to play them one at a time on my audio technica turntabe.

[/QUOTE]

That sums up most autochangers nicely.

They're probably kinder to records than a careless teenager or someone a bit shaky with manual cueing but not as gentle as a carefully operated single player with a reasonable cueing system

3rd Apr 2020, 6:08 pm	#1
Nicolas France Diode Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Guérigny, France Posts: 3	Waltham STM 70 music centre Good evening from France! My name is Nicolas, I am a new member and I hope veryone is ok during this very special time. I post this new thread as I had the chance to find in an attic (in France) a waltham stm 70 music center. It works just fine but there is a "main" part missing: the central axis of the platter For the moment I use a wall plug to play my records and one of my friends shall print one in 3D. However I wish I could find a genuine one, even more after watching video presenting the auto launch of a disc on the waltham: the record is above the platter, and after pushing the on lever it actually glides down on the platter. It would also explain why the auto launch isn't working, it might be linked to this component. so if you have any trail for this part please advise me. Last but not least, what is the use of the extra plastic arm? Thank you so much in advance for your help and advices Best regards from France Nicolas

3rd Apr 2020, 8:58 pm	#2
hamid_1 Heptode Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: High Wycombe, Bucks. UK. Posts: 811	Re: Waltham STM 70 music centre From your description, it seems like the part you are missing is called the Autochange Spindle. I think the turntable on your Waltham music centre was made by BSR. It will usually say something like "Precision Crafted in Great Britain by BSR" on the turntable platter. If this is the case, you can search on ebay for "BSR Autochange Spindle", or ask here in the Sets and Parts Wanted section of this forum. Attach a picture of your record player turntable if possible, showing the missing part. I think there were a few different types of autochange spindles. With a picture of the turntable and the missing part, someone can advise you of what to buy. BSR made millions of turntables. They were fitted to many different brands of music centre, not only Waltham. If you can't find the missing part on its own, almost certainly you will be able to find another BSR turntable like yours in a different brand of record player or music centre. Sometimes it's easier and cheaper to buy another faulty complete unit , then remove the part you want from it. The extra plastic arm is called the Overarm. It makes the autochanger work. When the autochange spindle is fitted, a notch in the spindle stops the records from falling straight down onto the turntable. You lift up the overarm and move it away, then place the records on the spindle. They will stop about halfway down the spindle. Then place the overarm on top of the stack of records. The overarm will hold the records in place. Move the OFF-MAN-AUTO switch to AUTO. The first record will drop down the spindle onto the turntable platter and will start playing. When it has finished, the next record will drop down and play. When there are no more records on the spindle, the overarm will fall down too. When the last record has finished playing, the pickup arm will return to its starting position and the record player will switch itself OFF automatically. Without the autochange spindle, you can only play one record at a time. You can make a single record play again and again by lifting up the overarm and moving it to the position where the pickup normally rests.

4th Apr 2020, 8:48 am	#3
Nicolas France Diode Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Guérigny, France Posts: 3	Re: Waltham STM 70 music centre Good morning Hamid!! Thank you soooo much! Things are a lot clearer now! Indeed it's a BSR system. I hadn't the right word, yes it's the spindle, further to your explanation I was able to find videos showing how this system works. it's fun yet I personally think it might be a bit agressive for the vinyls to be piled like that. I'm used to play them one at a time on my audio technica turntabe. However I'll follow your advice and post in the convenient section. Apparently it's also possible to find a standard spindle. Thanks again Greetings from France!

4th Apr 2020, 2:32 pm	#4
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,536	Re: Waltham STM 70 music centre [QUOTE=Nicolas France;1231294 it's fun yet I personally think it might be a bit agressive for the vinyls to be piled like that. I'm used to play them one at a time on my audio technica turntabe. [/QUOTE] That sums up most autochangers nicely. They're probably kinder to records than a careless teenager or someone a bit shaky with manual cueing but not as gentle as a carefully operated single player with a reasonable cueing system __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O