Micromatic teardown & rebuild

larryderouin

larryderouin

I'm VERTICAL and Breathing...most of the time.
Subscriber
I did a teardown and rebuild on another of my Micromatics I got Tuesday with the console. In the thread on Vintage Forum titled Another Maggie reprievehttp://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=213517, the question of how to teardown and rebuild the turntable came up. This is the result on a W621 model. Other 600 series models will be similar. W801 and up series will be slightly different but it's felt that the differences will be minor and most people with some mechanical abilites will be able to handle it. READ COMPLETELY AND LOOK AT PICTURES a couple of times BEFORE YOU START THE TEARDOWN so you're comfortable with the parts.

Pictures are below in the thread.

They will be referenced as to the last TWO numbers in text here.

Bill of Materials:
Q-Tips
Isopropyl Alcohol 70%. 91% is preferred.
3 in 1 MOTOR oil(BLUE CAN ONLY) or any light Machine oil or turbine oil. Used only on Idler Wheel bearing and motor bearings.
Lithium grease. (NOTE: I cut the lithium grease with 3 in 1; 1 part oil, 5 parts grease.).
De-Oxit and Faderlube(for RCA Jacks/plugs)
Clean rags or Paper Towels.
Flat Head screwdriver, Phillips, 1/4" nutdriver, 5/16" nut driver, needle nose pliers, LOTS OF PATIENCE!!!

NOTE: Timing of the mechanism is not necessary, as it will self time on the 1st cycle. Grease and oil bearing surfaces lightly, a little goes a LONG WAY.

DON'T get grease or Oil on the rubber wheels or the inner surface of the platter. Wipe down with alcohol just before assembling platter back on TT.

For Metal surfaces, any multi surface cleaner will be fine.

Now for the fun parts. I will not be held responsible for any and all mistakes you make, or damage you cause to your unit. This is written as a guide and is not construed to be a service manual procedure. This is how I do it and does not imply that you should do the procedure the same way. Your milage may vary.


1.) Remove the TT to your bench or any large surface you choose. (Your bed or kitchen table is NOT recommended due to possibility of flying cooking appliances.) Pic #48

2.) Pic 49 is Bill of Materials.


3.) Remove "E" clip from Spindle and lift platter straight up. Pic 50.


4.) Remove Platter bearing sections from spindle in order, cleaning as you go. Set on towel in order Left to Right. Make sure you get all the old grease out of the bearing race in the lower surface of the ball bearing. Repack with Lithium. Pic 51 & 52


5.) Remove Idler Wheel and Reject Wheel. "E" Clip on Idler and flat head screw on reject wheel Pic 53.

6.) Remove arm & 2 springs @ 2:30 orientation on the base. NOTE SPRING ORIENTATION. Pic 54 & 55


7.) Remove 2 of the 3 screws from around the spindle hole. Loosen the 3rd screw. It will be removed in step 14. Pic 56

8.) CLEAN ENTIRE TOP of Base. Use Isopropyl Alcohol on all areas of old grease buildup. After cleaning outline greased areas with sharpie.

9.) FLIP BASE UPSIDE DOWN, using Stabilizer arm and control tower as legs, add blocks as necessary to stabilize. Pics 57 & 58


10.) If equipped, remove the ground wire from the motor using 1/4" nutdriver. Pic 59
Continued on Next Post.....
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
Continued from Previous post......


11.) Remove RCA Plug Plate (phillips). Watch out for the spring under the lever. Set plate aside. Clean spring and lever, set aside. Pics 60,61 & 62




12.) Remove 2 Screws holding the Tonearm lift cover. Remove cover, and lift out tonearm lift rod. Clean and set aside. Pics 63

13.) Remove "X" arm by "E" clip on end, after loosening nut holding spring down. Disengage spring from arm, and remove arm. Clean and lube "X" ARM center joint and wheel. Pics 64,65, & 66



14.) Reach under and remove the 3rd screw from Step 7.

15.) remove nut from Step 13. the spring is caged on the plate.

16.) Remove 3 "E" Clips and washer shims from the Motor Mounts. Lift up the motor and set aside. Remove the 4 screws from the motor frame, separate 1/2's and oil the bearings. Re-assemble. Pic 67.

17.)Lift Plate and main spindle straight UP. Clean and lube all joints on both sides of plate. Pics 68 & 69


18.) Lift up the Cam Wheel by tilting up the motor side of the wheel. NOTE: There is a small roller next to the center spindle of the wheel. IT WILL COME OFF and Disappear if you let it. Clean both sides of the wheel and the roller. Lube the area where the X-arm wheel rides, the center spindle, the small roller, and the movable arms on the wheel. Pic 70, 71, & 72.



19.) Whats left on the base is the starting linkage. Remove the two "E" Clips and lift out the rods, clean, lube, and replace. Pic 73

20.) Speed Control is not removeable @ the control tower although the part with the idler wheel is removable from the top side by two or three screws. I normally don't mess with this. Clean the linkage with Q-tips, and re-lube with Lithium grease.

Assembly is reverse of disassembly. Total time is approx 1-1/2 to 2 hours for the 1st time. TAKE YOUR TIME!!!

Good luck and when you get it back together, AND it works, Reach over your shoulder and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.










Larry
 
I have one of those in my parents old Magnavox. Arm is broken but it still spins. I should probably gut this and keep the amp and preamp section as well as the speakers and get rid of the cabinet. It does have sentimental value, though as my mom use to play records all the time on it and she just passed away last Aug.
 
white or black lithium grease?

Does it matter if you use white or black lithium grease as a lubricant? Looks like you have the white stuff and the can I got is black. I just want to be sure that is ok. Thanks Larry!
 
Stanton681EEES said:
I have one of those in my parents old Magnavox. Arm is broken but it still spins. I should probably gut this and keep the amp and preamp section as well as the speakers and get rid of the cabinet. It does have sentimental value, though as my mom use to play records all the time on it and she just passed away last Aug.
Click to expand...

You can find a replacement arm on "THAT AUCTION SITE" for an inflated price, but there were factory rejects NIB complete Turntables last week for under $10. They are the newer style but they will fit.

I'd keep it intact to keep your memories alive. You'd be surprised at the comments from the younger kids now a days. "It's a WHAT??", "Where's the MP3 port?", What's Vinyl?" "What's a Stylus....Oh yeah!, You operate a Palmpilot with it.", etc., etc., etc.,

I've got 4 MAgnavox's(3 working) my latest is a 1969 End-table set in Early American. Plus a 1969 Fisher Royal Electra. The Wife likes the Fisher better than the Maggies, BUT has conceeded to the end tables Maggie on either side of the couch once we re-do the Living Room in the Summer. The Fisher is in the Dining Room and we use it during dinner for mood music.

Black/White Lithium Grease. I don't see a difference except the Black probably has some Graphite in it. Then it just gets messier with the graphite in it.

Larry
 
New cartridge for Magnavox?

I just got a very nice working Magnificent Magnavox. I believe it is 62 or 63 with tube amp.:banana:
I would need a new cartridge and needle. Any suggestions? Can I replace it with newer Shure cartridge? Which model?

Many thanks in advance!!

solos
 
I'd stay with the original type astatic or electrovoice cartridge. Depending on what cartridge was in there originally, will dictate which brand/model you use.

If you have the cartridge, get the # off it. Unscrew it from the tonearm top. Write down the # and match it in the cartridge by OEM #. It will come up with the updated #, and needle #.

None of the current shures will fit either physically or electronically. They are magnetic and the originals are ceramic. The output voltages are all wrong. And the VTF on the Maggie is 3 to 5 grams where the shure will only handle 3/4 to 1.75 grams.

Go here..... http://www.turntableneedles.com Click on "FIND MY PLAYER", select Magnavox:Collaro. Find your model # of your console. It will tell you the needle. Probably a 365 if your tonearm is bakelite, black with a gold colored insert.

If you need the whole cartridge, try the find my cartridge section

Larry
 
Last edited:
The later tonearm as shown in the above tutorial is a Magnavox 560345 which is one of the most common cartridges for that arm type. The modern equivalents are an ASTATIC 165 or Pfanstiel P-134 The stylus # is 557.

For the older type (black bakelite) Needle #365. Cartridge Electro-voice 149, 158, or 242.

This is what I've found based on 4 different models ( 1p3642,1p3700,1p3412(all newer) and 1st693(older)). The older types are all same shape, but different output voltages. Which one you get would depend on what the model of the console is.

All info was derived from Turntablesneedles.com. Other vendors will have other brands, etc.

I did see at one time, and can't remember where I saw it, a modification of the tonearm to fit a stanton 400 into the newer tonearm. It's supposed to work fairly well and without having to use a preamp.



Larry
 
Last edited:
Hooray for this thread! I'm starting on my Micromatic tonight. I think it's early 70's. I'm hoping to find some more info when I start to suck out the layer of dust from the cabinet.

The guts of my unit look a bit different when I remove the turn table. Only one large rubber wheel. I'll try to modify your superb directions as I go.
 
Ok, so turns out my turn table is quite a bit different, but I'm getting the idea. Clean, degrease, re-grease, oil, etc. I'm following these directions generally, and they're helping tremendously.

I ran into one thing that I wanted to ask. When I run my table, it's got a nice high pitched mechanical buzz. I traced it to the motor, which I removed. When I spin the stepped spindle with my fingers (motor mounted or not), it does not spin freely. It vibrates inside the chamber, causing the buzz and keeping it from spinning.

I recorded the sound. Here is a link to an mp3. Each one of those little chirps is me spinning the stepped spindle. When the chirp ends, the spindle has stopped. I wiped out the motor, but it was already pretty clean. Any ideas? Should (or can) I replace it?

Edit: Sorry...I realize this may have turned into a thread hijack. To close up my question...I added a drop of oil top the shaft under the stepped spindle, and one at the bottom of the shaft. Shazam. No squeek, greased everything else up with your grease/oil cut. Spinning fantastic now. Picked up a couple new needles today locally and will test it out tonight! Thanks again for the rad how-to.
 
Last edited:
Wow I just yanked one from a console and was gonna chuck it think I will keep it now.I also have a bunch of stylus that were in the console. Thanks for the thread
 
Guess I'm gonna have to do a tutorial on the newer (post 65') tables. The origianl tutorial was done on a '64 table. The only thing really different was the cycle actuator, and the shape of the tonearm and the platter. Basically the rest is/was same.

Glad it worked out. My cut is at least 1 extra stylus from every overhaul:D.

Larry
 
that was so helpful

That magnavox is almost identical to my GE wildcat that I bought last month at the thrift shop. Thanks! It can be much more difficult sometimes- I took a TT out of a 70's model Capehart console that was going to be thrown away- it was the first time I had taken a TT apart and I did a terrible job! Anyway- I finally got everything back together except the tonearm and I took specific care with the tonearm parts- to make a mental note and keep all of the parts together and now- still no tonearm. I simply cannot remember or get anything to go together, there are many pages and schematics and even patents but the problem is- just like a selonoid in a vehicle- it seems like they are always in a different place on diff TT's.
 
Was that the tonearm on the capehart or the GE. Shoot a couple of pics and I'll see what you have. Maybe a little long distance eyeballing is needed.

Larry
 
Sorry I didn't reply- I didn't know anyone had answered! Anyway- after some
2nd degree burns while trying to learn how to solder and other annoyances- I gave up on the Capehart. Matter of fact I gave up on turntables altogether. I did find out that it was a BSR changer put into a Capehart. And I did finally find out how to put the tonearm back together after seeing a close-up shot on someone's youtube. After about 6 months now- I decided to get back to my new hobby. I will use the BSR for parts maybe. But my project now is my GE wildcat. I would have been ever so much more gentle with it if I had known it was a 1968 model and the "green" one that is rare. The plastic on these record players breaks so easily! But live and learn I guess. I have a question about your pics. And it relates to my wildcat. The "spring clip" that is at the end of the spindle. On some of the pics it looks like it is standing up or - I just can't see how the clip is attached? On my Wildcat- GE Really made these so no one could work on them. I won't get into everything- but it is very hard to see into the workings. And I am sure that a spring or something goes onto the "J" shaped part at the bottom of the spindle itself. If I move it- I can see that it is the mechanism that lets the records drop. Hope I haven't confused you too much. Anyway the pics are fabulous and I wish more people would post theirs. And soon as I get my kids to show me how to post a pic I will.
 
I did know how to attach pics- just for you to see what I am talking about.
 

Attachments

  • 006.jpg
    006.jpg
    57.8 KB · Views: 116
  • 003.jpg
    003.jpg
    63.7 KB · Views: 105
Biddykitty; Can you take a pic of the springclip? I looked at the patent drawings and just can't correlate them to what i see in the pictures above. Different turntable. Most of the spring's of that shape lay down. I really wouldn't see a difference if it was standing up as long as the tension was there. But on your pics I just don't see an attachment point for the spring.

Larry
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom