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All Lit Up and Nowhere to Go — Parallax Forums

All Lit Up and Nowhere to Go

ercoerco Posts: 20,256
edited 2014-10-11 21:25 in General Discussion
We're about to leave on vacation for two weeks, visiting family back east. One stop is staying with my brother Louis in Oriental, NC. He has promised the locals that I will get their beloved but silent Wurlitzer jukebox going again. I've never worked on a jukebox before, so it should be a fun mostly mechanical challenge. Someone else has "repaired" the electricals, whatever that means. IOW, they probably got the lights working. :) Of course, they might have messed something up, too. Often times it's easier to fix a simple problem if no one has fiddled around inside, you never know what they may have done to "help".

Anybody have any jukebox experience here? I'm not sure if they have a manual or not.

Louis and the Wurlitzer are featured at http://towndock.net/news/wurlitzer-work-goes-on-at-history-museum With a little luck, we'll get that jukebox playing again soon. But you guys are on your own to find good deals for a while. :)

Comments

  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2014-04-07 13:31
    Looks like Joe Valinoti got the amplifier working, which is a quarter of the battle. The rest is the mechanics. Fortunately, there are Web sites that sell parts for these things, including any belts that might be broken, stretched, and worn.

    I've not worked on the model shown in the pic, but on some old Seeburgs from roller rinks. Your bro talks about caked on grease. Definitely remove that, and replace with Lubriplate. Do not use oil on the sliding surfaces, and of course we'll shoot you if you use WD-40.

    Your brother Lou(is) spells his name with one f. Maybe you can loan him one of yours when you're back there.

    Happy and safe trip. Send us a postcard now and then.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-04-07 13:53
    I suppose it is going to "Spit Fire" when coins are inserted after you are done, huh??? Have a great vacation and don't spend too much leisure time on work!!!!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-04-07 15:23
    Give me a multimeter or give me death. I have been fortunate to keep my 1977 Gottleib "Jungle Queen" pinball game operational for 30 years without a single manual or wiring diagram. That was the last year for mechanical pinball. The number of relays, latches, rotary accumulator switches is astounding. All those #47 incandescent lightbulbs and 120VAC relay coils heat up the interior of the game, and that unmistakable smell of warm vintage plywood comes wafting out...

    So this is a good project for a day or two. Hopefully I won't let it become the single-minded object of my fixation, ruining our family vacation for all! There are lots of used assemblies from parted-out machines on EBay. Dried-out rubber drive wheels and bent main drive units...

    Sounds like fun...
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2014-04-07 16:48
    You're in for a challenge my friend. These things in less than perfect working order ruin perfectly good 45s. Old rubber is pretty much common fare in the parted replacements market. That's why they make rubber rejuvenator. You probably have that for your old Gottleib.

    Quick story. I was once interested in repairing and restoring old gumball machines, especially the ones from the 1950s. In 1977 I lived in North Hollywood, and found one like the one below at a used pinball machine store in Burbank. Price was $95. Not bad shape, and the price was okay, but $95 was a lot of money back then for a struggling writer (it still is!). Anyway, I told the guy I was very interested, and that I would be back after the weekend to get it. Returned, and it was GONE! He apologized, and said somebody from a local movie company bought it. They just did a space movie, and thought it would be cool for their offices. Years later, I see a George Lucas interview with MY rocketship gumball machine in the background! Dirty rotten scoundrel. Since then I haven't much cared for George Lucas.

    rocketgumball.jpg
    rocketgumball.jpg
    433 x 768 - 97K
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-04-09 15:51
    Just found these videos of the model 1650. I'm lovin' that record elevator. This could be a fun project unless something is hoplessly broken (a distinct possibility).
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2014-04-09 16:08
    Ya know..that looks just like the mechanics that they use to shuffle IC wafers. I bet you can find one for say $400,000.00.

    Can't be that hard, and you don't need a class 1000 clean room. :)

    If you need some help, I'm only 13 hours away.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2014-04-09 16:59
    erco wrote: »
    Just found these videos of the model 1650. I'm lovin' that record elevator. This could be a fun project unless something is hoplessly broken (a distinct possibility).

    Even if it is, you've been wanting a reason to justify getting your own 3D printer. Just make the parts yourself.

    "But honey," Erco says to Mrs. Erco, "it's a business deduction!"
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-04-14 19:38
    Onsite and halfway home after one 3 hour session. Got all the mechanicals working, a few things were jammed/out of sync. It selects, loads & plays records & resets . Left to do: get pushbuttons and amplifier working. For some reason, there's an RF section with a 2.3 Mhz oscillator for agc & muting. Funky stuff.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2014-04-14 23:14
    Is all the plywood ok?

    Good work erco. Remember - you are not just doing this for your family. You are representing all of us somehow....

    Enjoy your vacation!

    Mike
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-04-15 15:37
    Mission accomplished! A day and a half for these brothers to fix the silenced Wurlitzer. Fully functional now, set for free play. This thing is like a washing machine, industrial motors, gears & cams moving silly little plastic records around. Very cool to watch though. Second video shows two tonearms in action to play both sides of record. Now the vacation & beer drinking begin in earnest.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2014-04-15 15:49
    erco Is the man. Here you see the power of two brothers. Well done.

    Happy vacation & beer drinking in the earnest...

    Enjoy!

    Mike
  • AdamantiumOgreAdamantiumOgre Posts: 31
    edited 2014-04-15 16:23
    Sweet!! Way to go. Love the old stuff.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2014-04-16 07:51
    Neato! Way to go erco!
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2014-04-16 10:23
    erco wrote: »
    For some reason, there's an RF section with a 2.3 Mhz oscillator for agc & muting. Funky stuff.

    Tonearm skip suppressor?
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-04-16 18:34
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    Tonearm skip suppressor?

    Some type of ALC/AVC to make all songs equal volume.

    I need to round up an extra set of vacuum tubes for my bro. I'll just barely make it home for the next TRW swap meet, phew.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-04-16 20:12
    The two phono cartridges are Zenith Cobra brand. Info on the RF section (Radionic tonearm) near bottom at http://www.ohio.edu/people/postr/bapix/Zen48RP.htm
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-04-25 01:10
    Back home from vacation. Here's the final video of the Wurlitzer after I repaired the coin-activation feature. It was previously set for free-play since some relay contacts were broken, but I ferreted those out and reconnected them. A challenging but satisfying project.

    The audio is much clearer in this demo, due to a newer record. And spokesperson Amy is cuter than my brother Louis. :)
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-10-11 14:06
    Finally I can take my bow (from the opposite coast). The repaired Wurlitzer is center stage at tonite's Jukebox Jam Street Dance! :)

    http://towndock.net

    After today see http://towndock.net/on-the-cover/fixing-the-wurlitzer
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    edited 2014-10-11 14:32
    erco wrote: »
    Finally I can take my bow (from the opposite coast). The repaired Wurlitzer is center stage at tonite's Jukebox Jam Street Dance! :)

    http://towndock.net
    Congratulations! I don't suppose you sneaked a Propeller inside somewhere? :-)
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    edited 2014-10-11 15:24
    I need to round up an extra set of vacuum tubes for my bro

    I happen to have a very large collection of vacuum tubes. Let me know what you need, I can dump a pile of NOS 12AX7's on you.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-10-11 21:25
    localroger wrote: »
    I happen to have a very large collection of vacuum tubes. Let me know what you need, I can dump a pile of NOS 12AX7's on you.

    IIRC there is at least one 12AX7 in there. Still in big demand for audiophiles, I found out!
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