I like to play the two jukeboxes I have in our summerhouse, when I'm working in the garden. This is the younger of the two. It dates from 1976. They were produced for hotel foyers and high-end bars, where "Silver Age" machines were considered to be out of place. The graphic is a reproduction of Monet's Sunlight Under the Poplars. I've had it about fifteen years. Over time, I've had a problem with the carousel motor, running slow, to the extent it would often activate the trip that protects the mechanical side. I took it out and gave it a bit of a service a few years ago, but it was recently doing it more frequently. It meant that sometimes if the next selection was a couple of dozen records further away in the carousel than the last played, it would stop. So I "bit the bullet," and took it out this morning. This was no easy task. A question of removing three bolts. Sounds easy, but it's a nightmare. It would have been impossible without a set of spinners. There's no way you could get any sort of regular open-ended or ring spanner on the bolts. To be able to see anything, the front had to come off. It's just two latches that secures it at the top. I've added a 60w heater, which gets turned on during the cold months, as these machines, "don't like it cold or damp." Then the back panel. > This is all you can see. It was a question of finding the bolts by "feel" and then getting a spinner on them. You have to do this, by lying full-length on the floor. Not too easy when you're 84. These motors are exceptionally well-made. They had to be, as most jukeboxes in their time were working all day, every day. There was a lot of scoring on the armature. This happens if dirt gets between the brushes and the armature. I'd attempted to reduce this on a previous occasion, but it was difficult, so didn't do it that well. But this time I used a tip given me by another jukebox enthusiast. I put it in my electric drill and then locked the drill in the vice on my bench. Then wrapped a strip of emery paper lengthways around half a pencil. Just a question of turning on the drill and holding the pencil against the armature. A few changes of paper and the job was done in a few minutes. Then I carefully ran the tip of a Stanley knife blade to scrape out a bit of the insulation between the segments, as these need not to be proud of the rest of the armature. I did connect it up and had it running to check it out before I started to put it back in. Getting it back into the jukebox is a bigger nightmare, as you're doing it by feel. I put Blu-tac around the bolt and the head of the spinner to stop it falling off. I managed to wedge a Philips head screwdriver through one of the holes in the motor bracket and the jukebox chassis to line it up, So I could screw in the first two bolts. Sounds easy, but it took me half an hour to get it back in. Now in perfect working order. If I'd called out one of the very few jukebox servicing companies, no way would they have wanted it to do it here. They'd want to take it back to their workshop and raise it off the ground to a working height. This would have cost "an arm and a leg." It cost me 59p for a sheet of emery paper.
These motors also start to become troublesome when greace in their worm gear assembly gets old and gummy. So I always open that section, wash it in petrol, (gasoline) - But when putting them back together, I don't apply ordinary grease. Instead I apply silicon grease. Yes it's costly, but for such beautiful vintage items with nostalgic and sentimental value, it is well worth it. Since this jukebox is from 1976, the grease inside it must have dried out 25 years ago. Silicon doesn't dry up, as it doesn't have any moisture content in it which can evaporate. Thats5why it'll last forever. All in all, I think you're done an excellent work of restoration and maintenance on such a beautiful piece of an iconic time and culture. I wish more people had your enthusiasm to preserve such things. Everybody, please give @Doghouse Riley a like for sharing with us all that he did here!
By the way, I use this screwdriver to get in all the tight places. It's ratcheted in both directions, while centered is locked, so can be used like a normal screwdriver also. And it's got a tilting head. Therefore this is unbelievably useful. It has all the different type of tips in the back. But more can be ordered when we need to open nuts and bolts. https://m.youtube.com/shorts/NK3rOplCN40
Thanks for the kind words. I did actually check out the gearbox. The gear wheel is actually plastic. It looked as if it had been serviced before. It wasn't too bad, but I cleaned it out and changed the grease anyway. The jukebox had been in private for at least twenty years before I bought it on eBay. It was in excellent cosmetic condition, other than it reeked of cigarette smoke and needed a good clean. The way the jukebox was made, it was designed in a way that you could get a spinner on anything. It reminded me of a pre-war Rover 16 car I had in my teens. That was designed in a way that any nut or bolt anywhere on it, you could get "half a turn" on it with a ring spanner.
I made another video this evening. This shows how well the motor is now working. As well as the weight of the carousel, it also has to overcome the friction of the edges of the records, that are only stopped from falling out of the bottom half, by a thin strip of stainless steel which contain them as they rub against it, as the carousel turns.
DHR interesting mechanical design. Kind of reminds me of the many layers of movements of Rube Goldberg Chain reaction machines. Similar patterns and reactions. Very nice to have the music you luv at your finger tips. Beautifully maintained .
As is often the case, you can solve one problem and then find you've caused another. I did. A few days after sorting out the carousel motor, I noticed that some selections weren't being cancelled after playing and when the jukebox had played any selections before it on the carousel, it would play that one again. I noticed the "hammer" that returned the pin was missing it. I also noticed there was nearly half an inch of play in the carousel. This would affect where the hammers stopped on the wobble plate. So I slackened off the motor's bolts and pushed it forward a couple of millimetres to better engage the sprocket. This removed the play and the machine was working perfectly again. "You expect something that's only 47 years old to not give you too much trouble." As they say, the proof of the pudding. The ticking noise at the beginning of the video is the clock on the wall.
DHR interesting to see the mechanics , nice repair. Your mini frig is well stocked. Oh boy does that song bring back memories. By Starship/Grace Slick -White Rabbit… a fav oldie but goodie.
DHR I cannot believe how many years has flown by. I think we can stay busy, active and stay strong by understanding our limitations. Your proof positive - just look at your garden. Heck, Kim Cattrall is only 68, she’s just a young woman compared to our years. Yet as you pointed out with the music played on your jukebox, as time passes, music keeps our past memories alive. That’s a good thing.
