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Fisher 500c

keithpgdrb

keithpgdrb

Super Member
I could get an untested Fisher 500c with no case for $200. what do you think? I'm not a big gambling man. it could be DOA, and cost hundreds to fix. or it could work great. what do you guys think?
:tears:
 
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If its all together you could get your money back (worst case) in parts. If it has functional tubes all the better.

These units are workhorses. I bought one years ago that was a garage unit; turned on only a few times a year, subject to heat and cold, as well as high humidity. It looked like crap, but worked wonderfully despite 4 decades of abuse. I wouldn't have even tried to turn it on without some refurb, but when I got to the sellers he already had it running, like he did every time he was working in the garage.

You can probably tell if anything went drastically wrong. Look for leaking caps or any signs of leaking or scorching where the tubes are or underside where the other electrical components are. If you see signs of prior failure proceed with caution. Otherwise its likely a very safe bet.
 
Good cosmetics goes a long way. If it looks nice and clean it's definitely worth it, even if not working.
 
I don't believe you would have trouble getting your money back out of it, should it prove more work than you want to put into it getting it up to snuff. If it works or is nearly working, that is a great deal.
 
I saw it on the chicago's craigslist when I was searching! I was thinking of getting it but I am not a big tech guy plus the seller stated untested!

Let us know how it will go and if it works
 
Fisher 500c tuner jammed

I wasnt sure which forum to put this in. tube, tuner, fisher??? I figured this on got the most traffic.

I've recently picked up a Fisher 500C that I'm going to bring back to life. I'm still in the pre-cleaning phase, but I have found that the tuner mechanism is almost impossible to move. I dont mean from the front dial, I mean inside the amp. it feels like its really gummed up with something, but it looks fine. I can move it with some force on the turnwheel next to the tuner box, but its pretty rough.

I know I dont want to go spraying any kind of lubricant in the tuner mech itself, but did fisher use some kind of lube to keep this thing smooth? I have not looked at the underside of the tuner yet.

it really feels like I'm turning it through taffy. any suggestions? or am I to be tunerless on this unit? :tears:
 
Actually, it will probably get more views from folks with 500C experience in the Fisher Forum, so I'll move it there in a sec.

If you're turning the pulley on the outside of the small metal enclosure that has the tuning capacitor inside, it's going to be difficult to turn even on a receiver with a freely spinning tuning mechanism, because you're going backwards against the mechanical advantage of the pulley and flywheel setup.

There are several points where it could be binding:

1. The main tuning knob turns that large aluminum flywheel and brass shaft that has the tuning string wrapped around it. Grab the flywheel and see if you can wiggle it a little bit to see if it's free inside the bushing.

2. There are approximately three small aluminum pulleys that carry the tuning string. Make sure they all turn when you turn the tuning knob.

3. The bushing around the shaft on the tuning capacitor.


Without actually fiddling with it myself it's not possible to see where it's binding, but it has to be one of those three areas. You can certainly try a drop or two of WD-40 or any light machine oil on the bushings for the main tuning assembly, and where the shaft goes into the tuning capacitor. Not too much! You don't want it dripping where it doesn't belong.
 
One other thing to do is, with the cover off, trace the dial string and make sure it hasn't fallen off one of the three pulleys and is not binding and therefore jamming free travel of the dial string.
 
Last edited:
Fisherdude said:
Actually, it will probably get more views from folks with 500C experience in the Fisher Forum, so I'll move it there in a sec.

If you're turning the pulley on the outside of the small metal enclosure that has the tuning capacitor inside, it's going to be difficult to turn even on a receiver with a freely spinning tuning mechanism, because you're going backwards against the mechanical advantage of the pulley and flywheel setup.

There are several points where it could be binding:

1. The main tuning knob turns that large aluminum flywheel and brass shaft that has the tuning string wrapped around it. Grab the flywheel and see if you can wiggle it a little bit to see if it's free inside the bushing.

2. There are approximately three small aluminum pulleys that carry the tuning string. Make sure they all turn when you turn the tuning knob.3. The bushing around the shaft on the tuning capacitor.


Without actually fiddling with it myself it's not possible to see where it's binding, but it has to be one of those three areas. You can certainly try a drop or two of WD-40 or any light machine oil on the bushings for the main tuning assembly, and where the shaft goes into the tuning capacitor. Not too much! You don't want it dripping where it doesn't belong.
Click to expand...

Easy to check.
Good luck

Steve
 
I know its not any of the pullys. if I try to move the tuner knob, you can see everything moving, then it stops at the tuner mechanism. it just wont go. I'll take a look for the binding area. It seems to me it should be a simple fix, just cant isolate it yet.
 
Take the aluminum box off the tuning capacitor. That way you'll be able to easily get to the bearings on the shaft.
 
Follow Fisherdude's advice, lightly lubricate the shaft and try turning the tuning cap by the pulley, rather than using the tuning knob and tuning string. Does the flywheel on the end of the tuning knob turn freely?
 
larryderouin said:
It's on top inside the cover. the pulley is on the end of the shaft/gear set. It doesn't extend underneath.

Larry
Click to expand...

huh, that's where I was looking. I'll put some wd40 on a qtip and try to get it moving. I'm cautious because I don't know where I'm allowed to apply lube. I shall proceed with caution.
 
ON THE SHAFT where it goes thru the supports are either bearings OR spring clips. Use the cap and straw from the WD40 (De-Oxit is a lot better) and drip a drop on each side. DO NOT get it on the fins. There is a thread either in the Vintage Solid state or Tube forums on how to do it. Don't use Q-tips. Too large, and you'll getit all over. Dip the straw in the cap, and hold the open end with thumb. Then drip the stuff on the bearings. Exercise the gears.

Larry
 
larryderouin said:
ON THE SHAFT where it goes thru the supports are either bearings OR spring clips. Use the cap and straw from the WD40 (De-Oxit is a lot better) and drip a drop on each side. DO NOT get it on the fins. There is a thread either in the Vintage Solid state or Tube forums on how to do it. Don't use Q-tips. Too large, and you'll getit all over. Dip the straw in the cap, and hold the open end with thumb. Then drip the stuff on the bearings. Exercise the gears.

Larry
Click to expand...

ok, not on the fins, that I get. So I'll just stick with each end of the shaft and see what happens. Should get a chance to work on this later tonight. It doesn't seem like it should be a difficult fix. And I shall use deoxit instead.
 
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