Servicing and Fixing An Old Victrola Phonograph

As you know, I have been fighting some illness the past few days and the past 24 hours have been extremely difficult. 


I was hoping I would be feeling better but I feel worse and only found a few hours sleep over the past 24 hours. I am fairly sure I am fighting a sinus infection as well. I know I am getting better in some ways but think it just needs time to heal. 
 
I wanted to share these few posts with videos so I won't have to spend as much time blogging as I feel so horrible. 

I was playing a record a few months back and then something happened and it stopped and it would click and stop. If I wound it backwards it would work for a second. I decided with all the "time" I had on my hands, I would take apart the Victrola and see what was causing it to get stuck.

I took off all the screws from the top and pulled it out. I learned later that I only needed to take off the side screws that held it in the box and not the screws under the plate that hold the motor up. 

There are three little weighted pieces of metal that rotate around keeping the spinning even and the little screw it the picture above fell out and all I had to do to fix it was to reattach the screw and nut. It was an easy fix. 
 
I figured since it was already open, I would take some time and grease it to keep it working well. 

I had some grease handy and lubricated all the working and moving parts. 

It was surprisingly easy to fix and grease it and I am glad that I chose to spend my time fixing it so that I can enjoy listening to the records I am still sorting and cleaning. I am only keeping the one's that have any meaning or are "fun." 

One last thing, when you are lubricating it, make sure that you crank it up and let the grease get into all the moving parts but make sure that you move the speed lever back and forth as the parts are moving as it lubricates and if it is only on one speed, it won't lubricate the entire arm. 

Hopefully I start feeling better and can get back to "life" soon.