lexx21:
Yes you can get xyz stages, but finding one the size you want is not so easy. I own a few along with a rotational stage. If you buy a Newport xyz other similar type stage new it will cost you big bucks. I found several at a reasonable price on ebay but others may not want to spend that much money. I could tell some eyebrows raised when I mentioned $70 tungsten carbide rod !!!
There are a couple of different type height gages that could serve as the main support for this arm plus give you a digital readout to boot. Having the tools and skill to alter this tool into an arm is another story.
Joe
Yes you can get xyz stages, but finding one the size you want is not so easy. I own a few along with a rotational stage. If you buy a Newport xyz other similar type stage new it will cost you big bucks. I found several at a reasonable price on ebay but others may not want to spend that much money. I could tell some eyebrows raised when I mentioned $70 tungsten carbide rod !!!
There are a couple of different type height gages that could serve as the main support for this arm plus give you a digital readout to boot. Having the tools and skill to alter this tool into an arm is another story.
Joe
Actually I was thinking more along the lines of something from Hong Kong, not a Newport.
Hi,
I decided to polish my bearings, 10 x 3 x 4mm open. I used a dremel with a cotton buff and smooth buffing compound. Washed it out in alcohol. They must have had a bit of oil in them because they then ran really fast with a small spin.
The arm now wouldn't track more than a few turns. I spent 2 evenings trying different weights, cable dressing but had the same problem. I cleaned them again and blew them clean with compressed air and still the same problem. I then tried some very thin (hair clipper) oil and still the same problem.
Have I damaged them?
What bearings are you using? What do you clean them with and are they dry?
Colin was using sealed bearings initially but I thought open were recommended later.
kffern
I decided to polish my bearings, 10 x 3 x 4mm open. I used a dremel with a cotton buff and smooth buffing compound. Washed it out in alcohol. They must have had a bit of oil in them because they then ran really fast with a small spin.
The arm now wouldn't track more than a few turns. I spent 2 evenings trying different weights, cable dressing but had the same problem. I cleaned them again and blew them clean with compressed air and still the same problem. I then tried some very thin (hair clipper) oil and still the same problem.
Have I damaged them?
What bearings are you using? What do you clean them with and are they dry?
Colin was using sealed bearings initially but I thought open were recommended later.
kffern
likely that you have damaged the bearings yes. you cannot use compressed air to spin bearings as most are not meant for that speed. Get a new set of bearings and you should be good to go don't spin them up with the
Dremel either when you smooth the edges. Best regards Moray James.
Hi Moray,
I guess I've been doing it all wrong for years. Conventional wisdom says you are right. BUT I have yet to damage a bearing with compressed air spinning.
Before I would discard those bearings I would clean them again a couple of times and dry them. Sure, spin them up again, if they are broken, it will not break them more for all useful purposes. I am very suspicious of the solvent not doing a really good job. I use acetone, running them by hand fully immersed followed by an additional rinsing in acetone. Next comes the oil. The only hair clipper oil I'm familiar with is closer to SAE 15 or 20. I use clock oil about #5 weight. Then between the inner race and the outre race, in the gap, on the back end of a sewing needle, pick up a drop and apply it. Then rotate the races relative to each other, by hand and quite a few full rotations to be sure the balls and races are fully coated. Then let us know how you made out, PLEASE.
This brings back a question I want explained. Why does CANTUS work only with dry clean bearings and our 4 bearings carriage seem to work only on lubricated ones. Something is fishy here.
Rgds,
Bill
Here's asource for parts..... not particularly cheap, but still - readily available 
http://www.edmundoptics.com/optomec...-translation-stages/3216?ref=related-products
http://www.edmundoptics.com/optomec...t-holders/adjustable-height-post-holders/3421
http://www.edmundoptics.com/optomec...-translation-stages/3216?ref=related-products
http://www.edmundoptics.com/optomec...t-holders/adjustable-height-post-holders/3421
THX , lexx21 !
I got several 103 revisions here , incl. a soundsmith with ruby cantilever and polished naked diamond .. think I'll just through one in and see how it goes .
THX
Paul
Here's asource for parts..... not particularly cheap, but still - readily available
http://www.edmundoptics.com/optomec...-translation-stages/3216?ref=related-products
http://www.edmundoptics.com/optomec...t-holders/adjustable-height-post-holders/3421
look on ebay, they come quite frequently, I managed to get two for 30GBP each.
I bought 2 sets of bearings.
The first set I soaked in a product called "Goof off" for about 4 hrs.
The arm would skip unless excessive weight was on the needle, at the end of the album it would not take to the center after the last song.
I soaked the second set for 7 days......everything is perfect now.
There were a lot of floaters in the liquid after this amount of time,
I imagine grease bits.
There must be a bunch of these bearing manufactures, all with a different
lubrication types. My bearings have aps-racing on the container with the number
APS510MS 5x10x4, although I know my bearings are different size, they just threw
all 8 of them in this empty container.
The first set I soaked in a product called "Goof off" for about 4 hrs.
The arm would skip unless excessive weight was on the needle, at the end of the album it would not take to the center after the last song.
I soaked the second set for 7 days......everything is perfect now.
There were a lot of floaters in the liquid after this amount of time,
I imagine grease bits.
There must be a bunch of these bearing manufactures, all with a different
lubrication types. My bearings have aps-racing on the container with the number
APS510MS 5x10x4, although I know my bearings are different size, they just threw
all 8 of them in this empty container.
Thanks guys,
I will wash them in acetone this evening and try again.
I have ordered some more sealed bearings.
The oil I used is the thinnest I have come across and came with a Wahl hair trimmer. My bearings had a bit of corrosion on the outside which was why I buffed them. they are nice and shiny at least.
kffern
I will wash them in acetone this evening and try again.
I have ordered some more sealed bearings.
The oil I used is the thinnest I have come across and came with a Wahl hair trimmer. My bearings had a bit of corrosion on the outside which was why I buffed them. they are nice and shiny at least.
kffern
Hello kffern
I had the same problem as you in that the bearings in my straight-line tracking tone arm were sticking. I purchased bearings with shields which assumes that they are lubricated with grease. Once I ralized what the problem was, I degreased them with a circuit board cleaner which was guaranteed not to leave any residue. That cleaner is not cheap and it evaporates extremely fast. I placed the bearings into a glass vial with a threaded cap and sprayed the cleaner into the vial and quickly closed it with the cap. Then I let it sit for a few days, agitating it every so often.
When I thought that I was finished, I blew dry, clean air (from a can) through the bearings and have been happily listening to music ever since.
I have been told that acetone leaves a residue.
I am adamantly opposed to any kind of lubricant in bearings for the application at hand.
Lubricated bearings are a must when they are driven by a motor, or used at high speeds or bear substantial loads, none of which applies here.
Lubricants are always grease, not oils as oils would leak out.
The viscosity of lubricants, however small, would have to be overcome by the tiny force generated by the stylus/groove interface.
Sincerely,
Ralf
I had the same problem as you in that the bearings in my straight-line tracking tone arm were sticking. I purchased bearings with shields which assumes that they are lubricated with grease. Once I ralized what the problem was, I degreased them with a circuit board cleaner which was guaranteed not to leave any residue. That cleaner is not cheap and it evaporates extremely fast. I placed the bearings into a glass vial with a threaded cap and sprayed the cleaner into the vial and quickly closed it with the cap. Then I let it sit for a few days, agitating it every so often.
When I thought that I was finished, I blew dry, clean air (from a can) through the bearings and have been happily listening to music ever since.
I have been told that acetone leaves a residue.
I am adamantly opposed to any kind of lubricant in bearings for the application at hand.
Lubricated bearings are a must when they are driven by a motor, or used at high speeds or bear substantial loads, none of which applies here.
Lubricants are always grease, not oils as oils would leak out.
The viscosity of lubricants, however small, would have to be overcome by the tiny force generated by the stylus/groove interface.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Last edited:
Hello All
Much has been written about the surface finish of bearing outer races and the various guide rods upon which they travel. kffern for instance, polished the outer races of his bearings. What in my opinion is more important in addition to a good surface finish, is what is referred to as "Lay". Lay refers to the direction of the tool marks left by the manufacturing process used to make a particular component part.
The outer races of ball bearings are cylindrically ground which produces tool marks whose directions are oriented at right angles to the axis of the bearing. The tool marks are thus correctly oriented for a rolling application.The various guide rods could also be cylindrically ground, which would place their tool marks at 90 degrees to those of the bearings which in turn would result in micro detenting. Therefore, before I would polish a bearing I would make shure that my guide rod did not have any transverse tool marks on it, however small. If the guide rod needed to be polished, I would make sure that the direction of the polishing process was parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guid rod.
A description of "Lay" may be found in the "Machinery's Handbook". Look in the index.
Glass rods probably don't have tool marks and probably are the best choice.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Much has been written about the surface finish of bearing outer races and the various guide rods upon which they travel. kffern for instance, polished the outer races of his bearings. What in my opinion is more important in addition to a good surface finish, is what is referred to as "Lay". Lay refers to the direction of the tool marks left by the manufacturing process used to make a particular component part.
The outer races of ball bearings are cylindrically ground which produces tool marks whose directions are oriented at right angles to the axis of the bearing. The tool marks are thus correctly oriented for a rolling application.The various guide rods could also be cylindrically ground, which would place their tool marks at 90 degrees to those of the bearings which in turn would result in micro detenting. Therefore, before I would polish a bearing I would make shure that my guide rod did not have any transverse tool marks on it, however small. If the guide rod needed to be polished, I would make sure that the direction of the polishing process was parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guid rod.
A description of "Lay" may be found in the "Machinery's Handbook". Look in the index.
Glass rods probably don't have tool marks and probably are the best choice.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Last edited:
Thats correct Ralph. I used a foot pump with the nozzle pointing into the bearing. What I did do a bit was take my finger off the bearing while polishing with the dremel which did spin them for a very short time.
I washed them in ethyl achohol. Before the oil they spun extremely well while mounted on the arm. They spun for several seconds with the lightest spin and made a high pitched whine. They still wouldnt track on the glass tube so I tried the oil. With the oil (the lightest I have come across) they spun like when they were new ie slowly but they still woudnt track on the glass tube.
I think they are smooth now and don't feel any grit or noise.
I don't have any circuit board cleaner so will try acetone this evening. At work right now.
Thanks,
kffern