An Automatic Turntable Rescue

    I found this Direct Drive Fully Automatic Onkyo turntable (CP-1027F) at Good Will last week. This was manufactured from 1981 to 1983. I know I sound like a broken record (player), dad joke, but vintage electronics really don't get put out on the GW's store shelves anymore. They typically go straight to GW's online auction site which I dare not speak its name.

    I thought it was weird that the hinges for the scuffed and cracked dust cover were missing. The turntable mat and the 45 RPM adapter were also AWOL, but none of these were deal breakers. 

    I plugged the player in the store's test outlet, and the light next to the Power button lit up. That was a good sign.

    

    When I pressed the Play/Reject button, the player hummed for about five second and then shut down. Pressing the Cueing button did nothing. These are not good signs.

    The platter began to spin when I manually moved the tonearm toward the spindle. The speed also changed when I pressed the 45/33 button. Also, the cartridge and stylus were intact, so I could do test runs without spending risky cash on those. Okay, now we were onto something. 

        I could have a maybe-working manual turntable for $17 ... Why not? Sold!

    The turntable's base needed cleaning, but it wasn't that bad.  

    I removed the bottom cover after giving the base a wipe down. This is the mechanism that controls the tonearm's movement (or lack thereof).

        My guess was that old grease was keeping the auto-functions from working. A thread on Vinyl Engine supported this idea. 

    The red gear in the middle is my problem. That, and the sliver e-clip that holds it in check. Both were frozen in place, and that explains why the Play button was making nothing happen. The motor would try to turn its worm gear, and Red was having none of it. 

    I don't have a tool for removing tiny e-clips, so I bent this cheap fork to help me out. I thought I'd use it to pull the clip off its post, but I ended up pushing it off instead. 

    Whew. The clip went flying, but I found it.

    The red gear was really stuck on the post. I couldn't pull it off with my fingers, and I was afraid that pliers would damage the gear's teeth. I dropped oil down the gear's center hole and let that sit for 30 minutes. Then I used the fork "tool" to pry the gear up and off. I was lucky. The gear wasn't stripped and was easily cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. 

    I lightly greased the post and the other gears' teeth once the red gear was safely out of the way. Then the red gear and the clip went back in place. I'm not gonna lie. Getting the e-clip back in place without breaking or losing it wasn't fun. These clips go on hard.

    I wonder how long it's been since that tonearm moved on its own? It felt pretty good to see this thing in action. Yay!

    What didn't feel good was the audio test. Now I could only get sound out of one channel. Boo.

    I took things apart and looked around. I somehow had torn the red tonearm wire off of its solder point. It's been a minute since I've soldered anything, so I watched a few YouTube videos for a refresher course, and then reattached the wire (flux is your friend) to the spot marked "R+".  And we were back in business. Hello, stereo.

    

     This is where the automatic turntable should place the tonearm when I press the "Play"button.  

    When the music is over and the stylus has reached the run-out groove, this is where the tonearm should rise and return to the cradle. 

    My problem was that the tonearm might do that right, but often it was dropping the needle halfway into the first song, and then later it would endlessly ride the run-out groove until I hit "Reject". The service manual explains ways to adjust the lead-in and the auto-return positions, but they require cutting wires or soldering in jumper wires. I found a YouTube video with a simpler solution of bending metal and turning screws, but I decided to think about it more before doing either of those things. 

    If the tonearm movement was always misaligned, then I could see making adjustments. But it was right some of the time. I watched some YouTube videos of owners showing off their same models of this turntable, and I noticed something. My tonearm slightly wiggled horizontally when it was set in motion. Their tone arms were rock solid when they moved. 

    I began to suspect there was something wrong with the pivot assembly that guides the tonearm, but I didn't know how it was put together. I found a seller on eBay that was parting out a turntable like mine, and they had taken apart the piece I wanted to see inside of. So helpful! 

    Turns out there's not much going on in there, and the only reason I could see why the tonearm wiggles is that the screws that hold the tonearm in place were loose.

    There's a small lock screw in the middle of the larger screw.

    I have had this screwdriver set for decades. It's amazing how many times it gets used every year. I loosened the lock screws and then turned the larger screws in to tightened them. That got rid of the wiggle. I haven't had a problem with the auto-functions since, so I think that fixed that problem.

    I kept the price tag on in case I wanted to return the Onkyo. Now GW only extends refunds for store credit, but that's better than their old "no returns" policy.

    Ummm, yeah. I guess I'm keeping it.

        Cosmetically, the biggest offender was the dust cover. Cracks can't be hidden, but deep scratches can be lessened, and light scratches can sometimes be removed. The cover still isn't great, but it does look presentable. 

    Here's my plastic cleaning crew in order of use.

    The dust cover hinges on the Pioneer PL-4 that I keep at school fit the Onkyo perfectly. I ordered a pair from eBay, and that should solve my last problem.

    

    Parting shots and thoughts:

    The turntable mat and the 45 adapter are leftovers from a previous turntable project. I'm currently using a clear acrylic mat on the Technics I recused last year. This is still a $17 turntable as it sits today. The new hinges will push the cost to $56.76. That's still pretty good for working piece of audio history.

    If I do keep it, then I'll spring for a new stylus. There's a replacement on LP Gear for $56.25 (not counting tax and shipping). I might leave that purchase for the next owner.  Cartridges and styli are a matter of personal choice. 

    For now, I'll put it in my lineup and make sure it really is working well.  

    I'd like to thank the Onkyo for helping me get out of my February funk. Honestly, that short month is not my favorite.

    

    I think I'll use this slipmat. It works with that thick, silver platter.

A Turntable Rescue: Part 2, Finding a Twin.

I did a double-take when I spotted this turntable at the West Des Moines Goodwill on Saturday. It's a Technics SL-B2 turntable which is exactly the make and model of turntable that I've been working on. What are the odds of that happening? I hardly ever see turntables at Goodwill, and now I've seen two of the same pieces of equipment in almost the same condition? Am I stuck in a time loop?

This turntable was just as dirty as mine was, but overall it was in a bit rougher shape. There was no headshell, and the broken tonearm looked like it had been used as a handle. I would have bought it anyway if the dust cover was intact, but it wasn't. Someone had inserted one of the cover's tabs under the hinge instead of into the hinge. The tab snapped off when they tried to close the lid. That's a bummer.

As for my dust cover, I bought some plastic glue that is supposed to dry clear and be "an ultra-strong adhesive." To test it, I used a small paintbrush to apply the liquid glue to the bottom inch of the crack. I tried to get the glue to wick into the crack from both sides. It dried to a "cloudy" finish. That's not a big deal. I'm going for stability, not for looks. It does feel sturdier when I open and close it.

I was disappointed that I forgot to take "before" pictures of this turntable project, so I took some pictures using the TT at Goodwill as a dirty stand-in. The grime on this turntable isn't exactly the same as what was on mine, but it's really close, and you'll get the idea of what kind of results you can get with a deep cleaning.

Okay, back to my player.

The inside of the base was really clean, thankfully. There's also a lot open space. That's nice because it makes getting to parts much easier.

A common reason that a turntable's speed fluctuates is because the pitch-control assembly is dirty. Two screws attach it to the base.

The pitch-control is the black mech on the left. There is small slit in the bottom that allows me to spray some DetoxIT inside. Then I work the wheel back and forth to clean the contacts. The speed switch on the right was sprayed with DetoxIT and worked back and forth as well. 

I added a drop of lube to the motor. The metal tip that came with the oil makes it easier to be precise.

I bought a digital stylus force scale just for kicks. I was curious how accurate the markings for the tone arm's counterweight are. I have it set at 1.5 grams. Looks like it's actually under that.

That's better.

The eBay seller who sold me a replacement spindle gear threw in a 3D printed overhang gauge for free.

That was nice, but I had no idea what a overhang gauge does. Turns out, the gauge tells you how far out the turntable manufacturer wants the cartridge to be in the headshell. You can't really see it in the photo, but it looks like mine is just a hair short. That's okay. I don't feel like adjusting the cartridge again. 

And that wraps it up. It's time to put this turntable in my lineup, and see how well it plays. A few tests runs have been successful, so I'm feeling good about it.

This was a fun project. I probably saved a turntable from the landfill or a parts bin. I also learned about cartridge alignment and overhang. I applied both of those lessons to my main turntable, and I have to admit that these adjustments made a big improvement in that turntable's performance. 

Big shoutout to YouTube and eBay. Thanks for all the help.

A Turntable Rescue: Part 1

You don't really find quality brand stereo equipment in brick and mortar thrift stores anymore. Anything halfway decent goes online to the highest bidder (curse you, shopgoodwill.com). So, I was surprised to find a Technics SL-B2 sitting on an ottoman in the Ankeny Goodwill.

I wasn't the first person to check out the turntable. I could tell it had already been inspected and rejected by some earlier shoppers. There were segments of a broken motor belt lying on top of the platter mat, and the broken stylus had been puled out of the cartridge and left next to the strips of belt. I don't think the cracked plastic lid impressed anyone. Also, the shell ring securing the headshell to the tonearm wouldn't budge. But probably the Technics' worst offense was how dirty it was. I wish I would have taken "before" pictures, but sometimes that doesn't really do the filth justice. 

It wasn't just dusty. There was layer of what happens to dust when dust dies. My best description is that it was covered with a light brown grime. It wasn't sticky, but I was sure to not let the turntable touch my clothes as I carried it to the cashier where I ran my card to pay the tidy sum of $11 (I rounded up a penny). The clerk said, "Keep this," when she handed me the receipt, "You'll need it when you return that. You've got seven days." She nodded her head in disapproval when she said "that" and looked at my purchase as if it had given her the finger.

"That" made me smile. Sure, the Technics needed work. But I had a hunch that this turntable was going to play music again. 

And I was right.

The first thing I did when I got it home was to check the power cord for damage. It looked okay. I then removed the rubber mat and the platter so I could see the motor. I plugged in the cord, released the tonearm, and swung it towards the spindle. Using my finger, I could feel that the motor's capstan was spinning. I could also feel a change in speed when I switched from 33 to 45 rpms. Good news. The motor appeared to work. That's when I tossed the receipt. 

I wasn't being cocky. I ordered a new motor belt from Amazon, and the predicted delivery date was beyond a week. I was officially into a new thrift store project, and it was a first! I hadn't rescued a turntable before.

The first "repair" was to remove the headshell. I carefully worked the shell ring back and forth using a pliers when my fingers couldn't do the job. I probably should have used a cloth to protect the ring, but it worked out fine. Once I got the ring to move a bit, I added a drop of Tri-Flow and worked that into the threads. Even though I got the ring to turn freely, the headshell was still stuck. It took some prying and wiggling to get the tonearm to release its grip. I can easily remove the headshell now, but it took a lot of passes with a q-tip dipped in isopropyl alcohol to get the end of the tonearm fully cleaned out.

The next item on my list was finding the right stylus for this cartridge. 

According to the manual I found online (love that I can do that), this isn't the stock cartridge that came with the Technics SL-B2 when it was new in 1979 or 1980. A previous owner had installed this AT13EX instead. Let's call it an upgrade. I ordered a replacement stylus from LP Gear. 

I got busy cleaning while I waited for the belt and the stylus to arrive in the mail.

The base of TT' came first. I tried to remove the grime with some isopropyl alcohol, but surprisingly that didn't make a dent. What really saved the day were these cleaning wipes that I bought a couple of years ago at Hy-Vee. They were selling them four for a buck since Covid was mostly in the rearview mirror. I bought 6 packs, and they have come in handy many times. I'll be sad when I eventually use all of the last pack.  

Cleaning a vintage item is rewarding for me. I get immediate results, and it doesn't take any talent or research. All I need is time, patience, and elbow grease. I spent about 90 minutes cleaning the base.

What was left of the rubber belt had hardened and adhered to the surface under the platter. I soaked it with a Q-tip dipped in isopropyl alcohol. That softened it up enough to peel it off. It did take some of the plastic's color with it. You can see the strip of damage the belt left behind.

You can clean out years of debris from tight edges and corners with cleaner, Q-tips, and toothpicks.

Up next was the plastic dust cover.  A shard of plastic jutted out awkwardly where it was cracked. I was able to pop it back in place with a little encouragement. It's lucky that the tab that inserts into the hinge is intact.

Novus cleaners/ polishers 1 and 2 did a decent job of removing a lot of the small scratches. Overall, the cover looks a lot more presentable. I don't love the cracks, but cover works as it should. 

The parts arrived in the mail around this time. Installing the belt is a snap. Just wrap it around the outside of the inner edge of the platter, put the platter on the spindle, and pull the belt onto the motor's capstan. 

The new stylus just snaps into place.

Then it was time to finally take a test drive, and.... eh.

I made a few discoveries when I played a record for the first time. 

1) I could hear music. Yay! But the music was really faint. I had to turn the receiver way up just to hear it. Boo.

2) I could adjust the speed of turntable's platter. Yay! But the needed strobe light didn't turn on. Boo.

3) I could play a record all the way through one side. Yay! But the tonearm didn't lift and auto-return to the cradle. Boo.

That's kind of disappointing, but the solutions were pretty straightforward. 

1) The problem with the faint volume was caused by me. I hadn't pushed the stylus all the way into the cartridge. The cartridge is sun-faded from age, and there was a bright strip of white that should have been covered by the sides of the new stylus. I'll admit this took well over an hour to discover. I should have used Occam's razor and traced my own steps first.

2) Here's the deal with the strobe light: it's supposed to flash rapidly at the rotating dots that are on the side of the platter. You can move the pitch or speed adjust dial to get the dots to appear as if they are going to the left (too fast) or to the right (too slow). When you get the dots to appear as if they're standing still, you're platter is set to the right speed, and you're hearing the music as intended. 

When the tonearm is moved inward, a power switch turns on both the motor (the platter starts spinning) and the strobe light. When the tonearm returns to the cradle, the switch turns both off. I figured the fuse was okay and that the strobe was bad since the motor would turn on and off, but the strobe wouldn't. So, I went to my friend eBay and found a used replacement. This solution worked, but there could have been other causes. 

Here's the non-working strobe light that I removed.

And here is where the "new" working one is installed. It's beneath that square circuit board above the round motor. I was in a hurry to see if this solution would work, so I'm using twist caps wire connectors for now. We'll see if I go back in to solder them... (Shhh. I probably won't).

3) Okay, now we're on to the solution for the non-working auto-return. Turns out that this is a common problem, and the cause is a broken gear on the center spindle. I ordered a new 3D printed gear from an eBay seller who included instructions and a 3D printed tool to assist me getting the gear into the right position.

Here's the installed gear.

 Here's the old gear and the tool guide.

I think it's cool that we live in a time when what used to be a really hard part to find can now be 3D printed and easily purchased. The auto-return now works as it should. Yay progress!

The seller also threw in a 3D printed 45 adapter, which was very cool since this turntable was missing one.

Finally, I used a cartridge protractor to make sure the cartridge and its stylus are aligned with the grooves of the record. I also set the tracking force to 1.5 grams.

Parting shots:

Parting thoughts:

No, this is no longer an $11 record player. Projects like these are like pet adoptions. The initial cost doesn't matter at all. It's all the vet bills that come later. I spent about $125 on parts and shipping. Half of that was spent on the stylus, but that's as it should be. Buying a new belt and stylus for a used TT is a no-brainer. 

I really like the idea that this 45-year-old turntable is getting a new lease on life. 

I still have a few things left to do, so I plan on writing one more blog post about this guy.