Rek-O-Kut Turntables - ROK

The idler wheels don't "wear out", so to speak, but the rubber does get hard over time.
I'll most likely end up getting them serviced, just looking to do get it working first.

Comparing mine to this image online, I see mine is missing one of the two blocks that are circled. Mine has one on the left side below the speed adjustment knob.
Mine is threaded, hard rubber and thicker than the one shown and it doesn't have a spring under it. It looks like a compressed spring under the one shown, is that right?
Mine did not have a spacer on the right side.
Could anyone tell me, what material are these spacers made of, approximate thickness and if they are threaded?
Thanks!

motor 2.jpg
 
Here are some pictures from a ROK I have showing the rubber spacer on one end. The other end has the spring, I can't remember what that spacer is made of right now.

I may be working on my mine again soon and if I do I'll take more pictures and get measurements and post them.

I'd encourage you to go through this entire thread and the links I posted, as well as download the manual. There's information and images there that will be useful to you.

IMG_0484.JPG IMG_0490.JPG IMG_1914.JPG
 
I'm currently working on a plan for a new plinth. I was looking at the Jelco SA-750L for a tone arm.
The dimensions for the plinth get to be pretty large when using a 12" arm.
I'm debating if I should scale it down and go with a 10" arm.
Here is where I'm at 18.75" x 18.75" What do you all think?

Layout-01.jpg
 
I think you misunderstood, by all means do as you like.
I got an N33H today that has had modification to the motor plate and the belt tension setup appears all messed up. Looks like a good candidate for my DC motor experiments. Also came with an Empire 980 tonearm and nifty bicycle brake shoe stylus guard :). Platter and spindle are good. So my K33H can rest easy and will remain original. rok_n33h_work.jpg
 
I got an N33H today that has had modification to the motor plate and the belt tension setup appears all messed up. Looks like a good candidate for my DC motor experiments. Also came with an Empire 980 tonearm and nifty bicycle brake shoe stylus guard :). Platter and spindle are good. So my K33H can rest easy and will remain original. View attachment 949072
The 33H is a "tape drive" TT, the proper belt is woven and not in any way elastic. This drive system has no "give" or rebound in the drive, unlike a resilient belt, or to lesser extent, idler drive. Aside from altering the drive character, an elastic belt can result in a somewhat different effective drive ratio from the difference in pulley interfacing re "creep".
A nonresilient tape or string drive behaves more as an idler drive than a resilient belt drive regarding absolute speed security without micro belt rebound effects from stylus tip drag, ect.
 
What exactly is "Rondine" and does my N33H qualify? I just dropped off the top plate and motor cover to be powder coated (brass on the top plate and chrome on the motor cover) and I removed the original "Rekokut N-33H StereoTable" sticker from the motor cover. This sticker is in pretty poor shape, rubbed off lettering, etc... and I was thinking about replacing with one of the slide decals from ebay like the following (removing the "DELUXE"):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/REK-O-KUT-R...AL-FOR-TURNTABLE-PLINTH-PROJECT-/271801981961

The factory plinth is being re-veenered with a Cinammon Laurel burl.
 
I've had a K 33 that came to me completely apart boxed up for a while so I decided to open the motor and see what I could clean out.

The oil spouts prevent me from getting at more. I think they are pressure fit, but they don't budge. I'd like to get at the thrust plate by drilling out the rivets but I'm leery of forcing the spout too much to remove it.

I sprayed electric motor cleaner in the spouts followed by canned air, using pieces of paper towels and swabs to clean up. In the last picture there is a yellowish-looking substance but that is some kind of glue or sealant, I guess. Does not come off. Pictures for reference.

IMG_2211.JPG IMG_2218.JPG IMG_2223.JPG IMG_2224.JPG IMG_2237.JPG IMG_2228.JPG IMG_2229.JPG IMG_2234.JPG
 
Last edited:
Question for the group, I just received a B-12H and the idler wheel is very loose on it. With having them restored, is it just the rubber that's done, or can the whole thing be redone. There is a lot of play in it. I don't know if it's missing anything,or if something broke with it or not.

Here's a few pics of it.

i1.jpg i2.jpg i3.jpg i4.jpg i5.jpg
 
Last edited:
Another thought is to make sure that is the correct idler. With all the hands these pass through over the years, who knows?

I don't own a B-12H, but maybe someone who does will chime in.
 
I did email Terry and need to check the post with a micrometer.If by chance this is not the original, he said he can build a new brass interior to fit the post and redo the wheel as well. It does look different from the pictures on the user guide from vinylengine,but that may not be totally accurate with differing pictures.
 
I don't think mine has those two holes in the sides, but otherwise looks similar. You can probably find another wheel as a part, if it's the spindle that's worn I imagine that's tougher to deal with.
 
My L-34 has Rek O Kut right on the wheel, this one doesn't.

The spindle looks fine though, the brass may just have to be redone along with the wheel then.
 
I've had a K 33 that came to me completely apart boxed up for a while so I decided to open the motor and see what I could clean out.

The oil spouts prevent me from getting at more. I think they are pressure fit, but they don't budge. I'd like to get at the thrust plate by drilling out the rivets but I'm leery of forcing the spout too much to remove it.

I sprayed electric motor cleaner in the spouts followed by canned air, using pieces of paper towels and swabs to clean up. In the last picture there is a yellowish-looking substance but that is some kind of glue or sealant, I guess. Does not come off. Pictures for reference.

View attachment 970704 View attachment 970705 View attachment 970706 View attachment 970707 View attachment 970708 View attachment 970709 View attachment 970710 View attachment 970711

Hull Rust,

Rebuilding a Rek-O-Kut S101 motor | Audiokarma Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums

Don't know if you saw this. The oiling tubes do come out, but it's an up-and-over-and-out job, kind of tricky. Freeing the bushings, cleaning, and re-lubing them made a real difference in how well the motor runs.
 
Hull Rust,

Rebuilding a Rek-O-Kut S101 motor | Audiokarma Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums

Don't know if you saw this. The oiling tubes do come out, but it's an up-and-over-and-out job, kind of tricky. Freeing the bushings, cleaning, and re-lubing them made a real difference in how well the motor runs.

Thank you, Doug!

I missed your thread. I have a couple of motors and will get back after the K 33 motor and report results.

Thanks again, I very much appreciate your help.
 
Hull Rust,

Sorry, I didn't see your reply. You're welcome and I hope it helps. I really like to see ROKs respired and preserved.
 
Hull Rust,

Sorry, I didn't see your reply. You're welcome and I hope it helps. I really like to see ROKs respired and preserved.

It's going to be a great help, Doug, thank you!

I've got a couple three ROK projects I'm trying to finish up. I'll post pictures before they fly the coop.

Thanks again.
 
And thanks for having me in the ROK thread! Forgive me if this has been addressed (I've made it to page 40 of the thread, took me a day and a half), but my newly acquired B12H has what appears to be a lot of powdery white corrosion on a lot of the mechanical parts. It looks like they were maybe originally painted white but the paint is corroding off, but some don't look like they were painted, and for the most part it all rubs off pretty easily. Were these parts painted white and if I strip them, will there be too much play? Others' pictures look like the white might be standard.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1005.JPG
    IMG_1005.JPG
    103.6 KB · Views: 67
  • IMG_1006.JPG
    IMG_1006.JPG
    51.9 KB · Views: 63
  • IMG_1008.JPG
    IMG_1008.JPG
    78 KB · Views: 68
  • IMG_1007.JPG
    IMG_1007.JPG
    53.2 KB · Views: 61
So I answered my own question after a quick breakdown of my whole B12H, the white powdery substance was some sort of corrosion. I removed it all with some Nver Dull and some 0000 steel wool, and it cleaned up pretty well. Hawaii climate is definitely harsh on electronics!
 
Back
Top Bottom