[morzh]

Kirk,

If you are reading this, you are the local turntable expert.

I am overhauling the PE Rex changer for this radio.

First, I cleaned and lubed the motor , so it runs now. Was gummed up.

Not sure you would know the ones below but what if.....

When I took the triangular plate off, I noticed one pin was not held by e-clip, and the grommet did not have the washer on top.. Then I realized it was threaded. No nut.
Then another pin had two washers.

So:
1. Is the threaded pin supposed to have the nut and the washer?
2. What size nut is it. The pins diameters are 3.5mm. Is it M3 or something else?
3. One E retaining clip broke. What size clips are those?

More Qs:
Have the cartridge, no styli. Where do I get those?
What lube do I need for mechanical parts (other than the motor)? Would white Lithium grease do?

Where do I get the belts? They hardened and became drop-shaped. Are there PRB or other belts for it?

[morzh]

The belt in the photo tries to walk up.
I know there is a thumbnut that can regulate something, which is one of the three posts going through the grommets in the triangular plate holding the motor.
Is this the one that regulates the motor axis angle?

Anything else that could be off?

Does anyone here have experience with these PE Ebner Rex changers?

   

[morzh]

OK. Meantime, the speaker came yesterday from The Sound Remedy, re-foamed.

I put it in.....even the way this thing sounds on AM is incredible.
And on FM.....and with the equalizer.......man, that is sweet!

Now I have to finish the changer.

[morzh]

The nut on the motor holding pins did the job - the belt stopped walking up.

The platter seems to change speeds like it should but there is a loud knocking - it is synced with the visible excentricity of the idler. Like I should be surprised.
So I ordered the rebuilt one from Gary Stork at the Voice of Music. I need to send him the old one - he exchanges the idlers.
Also bought the needles for the cartridge.

Now the last item: the mat.
The mat is 7-5/8" and is in pretty bad shape. So are all the ones I see on the photos on the Web. Particular sort of rubber, I guess.
The problem is, the centerpiece is a metal washer that is held by tabs in teh center; the washer is used to hold the spindle.
So.....I think I will be buying a piece of felt and trying to make one.

[morzh]

Today the EM34 tube I ordered from eBay came. The guy who was selling it was in Belgium and the price was way better than the rest, mere $70 plus shipping which still came about $87 tax included.
Today I heard a loud knock on the door: the international shipping guy was holding in hand a really smashed box. He asked me if I wanted it 'cause it was really dented. I looked at the size of the box, and it was way oversized so I figured it was not likely the tube if packed well would be damaged from this dent. I accepted the box, photographed it, sprayed it with disinfectant and let it sit awhile before opening it. When I opened it I realized the box was very soft - the outside was mere wrapping brown paper so it was not, strictly speaking, a box, and the rest inside was a lot of bubble wrap - not a bad packing for a single tube.

I have just tested it as Hickok described - it involves connecting 1M resistors from the Plate jack to the pins 3 and 6 of Loctal socket which are in parallel to the same pins in the Octal one; the tube exhibited bright key-lime-green glow with both sectors closing when said by the manual.
So, I have a new bright tube. Again the old one seems to work, just not as bright but still kinda acceptable.

I received the idler wheel from Gary Stork yesterday; I installed it and it became much better. There was still some rumbling but I figured it was not coming from the idler and was exacerbated by the turntable being on the bench - once I put felt pads under the points of it touching the table the rumbling became very low. Still I thought there (as described by the SAMS) might be a problem with the bearing balls. I tried to take it out and the balls started falling out. I have not lost any, but one ball felt a bit uneven, though that could've been my fingers with the guitar playing damage. So I ordered 2mm balls of G10 grading (seems like to get better one i have to go to ceramic ones; I think it is fine) and as long as I am at it I will try to replace it. Not a simple task without fully taking apart the bottom of the player which so far was not in the plans. I also need to order the grease - I am not sure Lithium is good for it, plus regular grease holds the balls in place better. They should come tomorrow.

Will see.

[vecher]

Can you send me a diagram on how you hooked this up?

Skip

[morzh]

Skip,

two resistors 1M, from the P jack, one to the pin 3 and one to pi6 of Loctal socket on your Hickok.
Then the tube goes to Octal socket.
Set English to 100, Voltage to 6.3, and teh setting according to the Hickok databook. Press P5. Rotate the Bias to see the sectrors close/open.

[morzh]

I refilled the ball race with new 2mm balls. The holder I came up with worked nicely. It was not a walk in the park, but unlike before, it worked within a reasonable amount of time.
The bearing became quieter.

However there is still noise and I eventually traced it to the motor. I do not intend to rebuild the motor in full; if I ever get my hands on a quieter one I will replace it.

I need to replace that mat. I think I will acquire a second felt mat, cut it to accept the center ring and be done with it.
Then the needles will go in and I will try it.

[morzh]

Well, I concocted the slipmat.

Here it is:

   

I cut the bottom for the lower part of the centerpiece and cut the upper with wider circle and the tabs for the upper part.
Not ideal but it worked.

Then I installed 33-1/3 rpm Pfanstiehl stylus, put the changer in the setr, put a record of 1930 dance music on, and turned it on.
It played VERY well. 

I still have some mechanical issues of the tonearm not automatically coming to the start of the record, so it goes back but does not turn off by itself and at this point I can manually position the tonearm to the record.
Well, I have the SAMS so I will try to align it. Anyone with experience - some advice is welcome.

I have a video that shows the record and the radio playing, but as I no longer am on the Youtube, I am not sure how to show it here.

BTW, the BC plays marvelously with this radio. I am sure the local "Jersey Shore" station uses the HiFi wide band, but I never got this sound out anything including 38-690.  Maybe the equalizer is the reason.

[morzh]

So, I decided to stop, at least for now.
I realized I had to insert the spindle as a bayonet, 'till it clicks, and this made the changer work with the exception of the disk pack holding - I need to glue rubber on that spindle, but if I go for that, it does no longer require for me to take the turntable out - I just have to unlock and pull the spindle which is one twist move.
I thought I had some old square belt but it seems I discarded the ones I had replace. That according to Gary from VOM might work.

Otherwise it drops the record, plays it, raised the tonearm and moves it back and such.
Nice sound. Loui Armstrong sounds real nice.

So....I think for now this concludes this adventure.