My SAT tonearm's ground wire broke on the inside of the arm pillar and am trying to fix it myself.
I'm attempting to attach the broken end of the wire to the rest of the wire bundle so that I can pull it through the arm pillar from the headshell end. When I pull it far enough through the arm pillar, I should be able gain access to the broken end and resolder the ground wire to the other, broken end.
Unfortunately, I'm having difficulty attaching the broken end to the rest of the wire bundle to allow me to pull it through without it snagging and catching on something. I've tried bundling all the wires together with thread, dental floss, and packing tape but each has failed for a variety of reasons. In each case the wires get hung up somewhere when I try to pull them through.
I'm looking for advice on how I can securely attach the broken wire so that it can be pulled through with the rest of the bundle.
See pictures.
I'm attempting to attach the broken end of the wire to the rest of the wire bundle so that I can pull it through the arm pillar from the headshell end. When I pull it far enough through the arm pillar, I should be able gain access to the broken end and resolder the ground wire to the other, broken end.
Unfortunately, I'm having difficulty attaching the broken end to the rest of the wire bundle to allow me to pull it through without it snagging and catching on something. I've tried bundling all the wires together with thread, dental floss, and packing tape but each has failed for a variety of reasons. In each case the wires get hung up somewhere when I try to pull them through.
I'm looking for advice on how I can securely attach the broken wire so that it can be pulled through with the rest of the bundle.
See pictures.
Attachments
At the end of the (wooden?) tonearm there is a silvery screw. Maybe if you remove it (with an Allen key?)you can help the wire through.
The screw you refer to is not removable. Even if it were, I'm not sure how that would help.
The issue is that that I'm trying to pull the wires (with the broken end attached) up through the arm pillar. The hole that the wire bundle must be so small that the bundle is catching on something. I'm trying to find a way of attaching the broken wire to the 4 remaining wires so that it securely holds the broken wire without taking up more space and allowing it to slide through the arm pillar unencumbered.
The issue is that that I'm trying to pull the wires (with the broken end attached) up through the arm pillar. The hole that the wire bundle must be so small that the bundle is catching on something. I'm trying to find a way of attaching the broken wire to the 4 remaining wires so that it securely holds the broken wire without taking up more space and allowing it to slide through the arm pillar unencumbered.
The tone arm sure is bored out, so it is only a plug closing the end. You should be able to help the wire through the arm with some small, long tool.
Usually I would think about super glue to connect the wires, but that may get too hard to do a turn inside the arm. If you try this, use very few glue. Put a drop on something disposeable and use a tooth pick to apply it.
Usually I would think about super glue to connect the wires, but that may get too hard to do a turn inside the arm. If you try this, use very few glue. Put a drop on something disposeable and use a tooth pick to apply it.
Superglue doesn’t like to stick to the wire insulation.
It was a good suggestion but doesn’t work in my case
It was a good suggestion but doesn’t work in my case
Hello ckniker,
It seems you are not giving us enough information. I see a black wire coming from an off-camera "bundle" and another black wire descending from the arm tube.
Are they the ground wires?
Is the black insulating sleeve severed?
Before the ground wire broke, did the "bundle" exit from the pillar's rear and then enter the arm tube at its 6 O'clock position within the gimbal?
I successfully fed slinky tone arm wire through arm tubes by first inserting a small diameter solid and insulated hook-up wire and soldering the tone arm wire to it.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Get some cotton thread and suck it through the arm tube with a vacuum cleaner. Then attach the wire to the cotton and pull it through.
Some blk/gnd wires attach at the pivot/tube and don't run all the way to the headshell. Have you got 5 wires? If so, that will be the likely situation.
Some blk/gnd wires attach at the pivot/tube and don't run all the way to the headshell. Have you got 5 wires? If so, that will be the likely situation.
I'm just wondering what is the exact point where the ground wire should be connected to the tonearm: is the tonearm carbon fiber (even if it does seem wood)?
I would have thought my pictures would be worth 1000s of words but to answer questions...
The entire bundle of 5 wires should go through the pillar, up through the C-yoke, gimbal and into the armtube through a hole in the underside of the armtube, and the ground wire fixed at a point somewhere on the inside of the armtube. The remaining 4 wires of the bundle go to cartridge clips, obviously. (note: SAT was unwilling to divulge any of these details and wanted me to upgrade to a new arm (for large piles of $$$) rather than repair the wiring).
Before the black (ground) wire was snapped somewhere inside the armtube, the wire bundle was only visible at the point where it exits the pillar. And, yes, the wire bundle was wrapped in black heat shrink. The individual wire strands were not visible.
The entire bundle of 5 wires should go through the pillar, up through the C-yoke, gimbal and into the armtube through a hole in the underside of the armtube, and the ground wire fixed at a point somewhere on the inside of the armtube. The remaining 4 wires of the bundle go to cartridge clips, obviously. (note: SAT was unwilling to divulge any of these details and wanted me to upgrade to a new arm (for large piles of $$$) rather than repair the wiring).
Before the black (ground) wire was snapped somewhere inside the armtube, the wire bundle was only visible at the point where it exits the pillar. And, yes, the wire bundle was wrapped in black heat shrink. The individual wire strands were not visible.
"the ground wire fixed at a point somewhere on the inside of the armtube"
What material is the "armtube" so it makes sense to ground it?
What material is the "armtube" so it makes sense to ground it?
The outside of the armtube is carbon fiber. But I have no idea whether the armtube is lined with something else.
SAT (Swedish Analog Technologies) isn’t divulging and I have no way to access the inside of the armtube. It’s also expensive enough that I don’t want to do any damage trying to rip it apart
SAT (Swedish Analog Technologies) isn’t divulging and I have no way to access the inside of the armtube. It’s also expensive enough that I don’t want to do any damage trying to rip it apart
I think the idea in post 2 is OK.
In that if you can remove the end closure you can use a small torch to illuminate down the tube, possibly you can see where the wire was originally attached and then you can figure out how you are going to remake the connection.
If you use a thread or fine wire you should be able to thread it through the base and come up to the underside of the arm tube. There you can use a pair of needle nosed pliers to ease the wire or thread into the arm tube. Once into the arm tube you could use a knitting needle or chopstick to help ease it down the arm tube. But where do you connect it ?
If using a thread I like the idea of using a vacuum to suck it down the arm tube. I will have to remember that one.
Interestingly, have you tried it with a cartridge wired up to your system and do you get massive hum or is it quiet. If you have not got a Wi-Fi source near by, a mains cable, or RF transmitter nearby it may be noise free depending on cartridge and wiring layout.
Good luck with you endeavours.
In that if you can remove the end closure you can use a small torch to illuminate down the tube, possibly you can see where the wire was originally attached and then you can figure out how you are going to remake the connection.
If you use a thread or fine wire you should be able to thread it through the base and come up to the underside of the arm tube. There you can use a pair of needle nosed pliers to ease the wire or thread into the arm tube. Once into the arm tube you could use a knitting needle or chopstick to help ease it down the arm tube. But where do you connect it ?
If using a thread I like the idea of using a vacuum to suck it down the arm tube. I will have to remember that one.
Interestingly, have you tried it with a cartridge wired up to your system and do you get massive hum or is it quiet. If you have not got a Wi-Fi source near by, a mains cable, or RF transmitter nearby it may be noise free depending on cartridge and wiring layout.
Good luck with you endeavours.
As extrema ratio, maybe one could also consider connecting it to another point of the tonearm since carbon fiber, as far as I know, is quite conductive.
Maybe you could also try using a very thin guitar string as a guide wire.
Just a couple of related thoughts.
Maybe you could also try using a very thin guitar string as a guide wire.
Just a couple of related thoughts.
I haven't much to add except to say that if you do use thread as suggested above, I think low breaking strain fishing braid would be worth trying, being extremely strong for its thickness and quite slippery.
I second the acknowledgement of sucking it through with a vacuum cleaner; what a great idea!
I second the acknowledgement of sucking it through with a vacuum cleaner; what a great idea!