I am rebuilding an AT-1000 MK lll tonearm. Disassembly was straight forward until I got to the bearing cups. They take a tiny U-shaped tool to unscrew and it seems impossible to find the right size. I tried taking two sewing needles and gluing them onto a small wooden stick, but the needles broke before the caps unscrewed. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Pics? Need something like this? https://www.zoro.com/facom-adjustab...HecvW-6akOomyv5ZVygaAtVZEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Thats probably way to big. Sometimes a set of snap ring pliers will work.
Biggest issue is damaging the finish on those finely machined parts.
Years ago I made a face pin spanner wrench by drilling holes in the side of the jaws of a cheap adjustable wrench and fitting pins in the holes. Grind end of pins to fit slots or holes as needed.
BillWojo
Biggest issue is damaging the finish on those finely machined parts.
Years ago I made a face pin spanner wrench by drilling holes in the side of the jaws of a cheap adjustable wrench and fitting pins in the holes. Grind end of pins to fit slots or holes as needed.
BillWojo
Oh that is so cool. I'll have to find one in the UK. I could have done with it while trying to fit a replacement dérailleur hanger.... Got a spanner, but that's not as versatile.
Seems like that one should work.
Universal Spanner Wrench as a quick and efficient method of attaching or loosening spanners.
KIT INCLUDES:
Universal Spanner Wrench as a quick and efficient method of attaching or loosening spanners.
KIT INCLUDES:
- One Adjustable Tool
- Five Metric (1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, and 4 mm) Spanner Pin Sets
- Five Fractional (1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 5/32", and 3/16") Spanner Pin Sets.
- Complete with a Molded Carrying Case.
NOTE: Minimum pin spread center-to-center is 1/4" (6 mm).
Is that the one with something near 1/4" head in a recess on the outer gimbal? If that's it, could you file a slot screwdriver tip to suit?
I know that Pro-ject has a tool to adjust the bearing: https://www.project-audio.com/en/product/adjust-it/
Here is a photo. The problem with the above wrenches are the pins are too big and are too far apart at their min setting. The paper clip in the photo is a SMALL paper clip, not the standard size. The end of the paper clip is slightly too thick to insert into the openings for the bearing cup. A number of folks have removed these and serviced their tonearms but I have no idea what tool they used.
You need to measure the hole diameters and spacing. Then look for a tool to match. If you can't find one then you can always have a friendly machinist make one for you.
If you can measure the paper clip diameter, at least that might be a start.
If you can measure the paper clip diameter, at least that might be a start.
It's a Japanese build so most likely metric.
Back to diy, how about taking a couple of drill bits, sized to fit the dimples, (If no suitable metric is available, I'd guess the size to fit properly will be one somewhere between #54 and #64 imperial ) and drill two holes into the butt end of a 6" length of lets say roughly 1" x 1" hardish wood stock , spaced same as the dimples. Once the first is bottomed out remove it. Do the other one and once similarly bottomed out release the bit from the chuck. Re-insert the first bit to the same depth and now you have an inline wrench. Or something like that.
Think it could work?
Back to diy, how about taking a couple of drill bits, sized to fit the dimples, (If no suitable metric is available, I'd guess the size to fit properly will be one somewhere between #54 and #64 imperial ) and drill two holes into the butt end of a 6" length of lets say roughly 1" x 1" hardish wood stock , spaced same as the dimples. Once the first is bottomed out remove it. Do the other one and once similarly bottomed out release the bit from the chuck. Re-insert the first bit to the same depth and now you have an inline wrench. Or something like that.
Think it could work?
Wood is probably not the right way. If you don't have a milling machine, maybe find two pieces of drill bar stock that fit into the holes. Cover the end of the tone arm bearing with wax paper and mold release compound. Slip two snug fitting brass sleeves over the protruding drill bar stock. Make up some epoxy putty and form an epoxy structure to hold the brass sleeves in precision alignment. Once the epoxy has hardened, remove the sleeves, barstock, waxed paper etc. Then use the hollow sleeves in epoxy as a drill alignment jig to drill two holes in the end of a piece of aluminum barstock. Cut off two pieces of drill barstock to fit in the aluminum holes. Only allow them to protrude enough from the aluminum barstock to fit into the bearing cap holes. That is so the hard yet brittle drill barstock will have the most support to prevent stress cracking when you use them to turn bearing endcap. Whew! What a lot of work to make something that could be made in a jiffy with a machinist milling machine. Woodwork tolerances are probably not the best way to go when dealing with ultra-precision bearings. Just sayin'
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/tonearm-bearing-adjustment-theories-practice.746353/
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/where-to-buy-tonearm-bearing-adjustment-tool-online.1164493/
https://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=14029.0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABEC_scale
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/what-bearing-do-tonearm-bearings-have.582767/
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/tonearm-bearing-adjustment-theories-practice.746353/
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/where-to-buy-tonearm-bearing-adjustment-tool-online.1164493/
https://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=14029.0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABEC_scale
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/what-bearing-do-tonearm-bearings-have.582767/
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I got the caps off! That paper clip in the photo has wire that is a bit thicker than other clips. Once I found one that is on the thin side, it worked perfectly. I held the two wires with a small pair of pliers. Thanks for the inputs!
I've had a turntable for a long time but was never much interested in tonearms per se until a friend and I went in on same carts, each one mounted on each's own tonearm and both put on the same table to see how much difference there could be. There could be a lot ! ! I'll never again think they don't have their own input to the sound.
Post your progress will you? Thanks.
Post your progress will you? Thanks.