Hello everyone. I hope it's OK to write in English here; I apologize for not knowing any German.
The following are two question I posted on another board. I was told to post them here as well. I hope you will be able to help me out.
1) I've been playing around for a few days with a Dual changer I was given, a 1211, and had a few questions which I hope you'll be able to help me with.
Before I go on, YES I do realize it's not a 'good' turntable, but I've always wanted to restore a changer to play records for fun.
I've been sent a Service Manual which has been of help in, for example, determining that some previous owner had jacked the arm lift height all the way up-- it just about clocked one on the chin when engaged, and furthermore was causing some bad friction in the left-right plane.
Once that was set properly again, the arm started moving much more freely; still however it's lacking that last bit of freedom, and I was wondering whether it would be possible/easy/worth it to clean and/or lubricate the horizontal pillar bearings. The manual doesn't really go into any detail on that.
The other question is related to the arm height setting (I could post a picture but it won't be clear at all); it's a set-screw just below the left-side vertical bearing locking nut and screw.
I've looked at it from up close with a flashlight and can't picture how the mechanism works, so I refrained from fiddling with it in case it could cause the whole arm pillar to plummet down or something (hardly unusual...)
I was wondering whether any of you knows how that particular adjustment works and whether it could be in any way related to the slight stiction I seem to be noticing in the horz. plane.
[that was one question, now a later one]
I've just taken five minutes to clean the rim of the idler wheel, inner rim of the platter and the motor shaft. I cleaned the idler wheel with watered-down rubbing alcohol on a slightly raspy paper towel and the motor shaft and platter rim with straight alcohol and more of the same kitchen towels.
The changing mechanism worked just fine before cleaning, but I thought I'd go over the idler/shaft/platter anyway since it's like Changer Maintenance 101 and have never made things worse by doing it.
However now the change cycle has become very sluggish with the platter almost stalling during it, and taking a good few seconds to start turning (when starting the turntable in auto mode).
Speed looks stable on a strobe disc but it does seem to take a few seconds to stabilize, and the platter doesn't have much torque either (not sure whether it's supposed to, didn't check before cleaning.)
So overall this doesn't make much sense. Could it be that whatever it was that was making the idler dirty was also 'holding everything together'?!? I did get a fair amount of gunk on the paper towels, specially from the idler.
[end of cut-and-paste]
So those are the two. I copied and pasted them rather than typing them in again. I would truly appreciate any help/suggestions/ideas/advice/etc. regarding either of the two issues.
Thank you so very much in advance.