Basket Problem

Well, just when I think I solved my pickup problems, I am consistently getting failed pickups in 2-3 parts of the basket. Really chasing this problem around. Looking at it, several of the seperators are further apart than each other. At some point I think someone has tried to fix their alignment and gear problems by bending the seperators out a bit

Before I remove all records and try and even them out, is there any particular rule for doing this? I.E a set distance. Im planning to select every record once and record the affected slots then set about beding them slighty. Most other slots the record comes out fine with no scraping sound.

I dunno Doghouse, I seem to be going round in circles on this issue. Very frustrating, especially as its my first Jukebox. I did select all records (a-sides), then check they were placed and reject, I got the following results:

C8 - Picked up, placed badly
E8 - Missed
A1 - Missed
C1 - Missed
E1 - Missed
G1 - Missed
J1 - Missed
L1 - Missed
P1 - Missed
Q1 - Missed
S1 - Missed
U1 - Missed
A2 - Missed
C2 - Missed
E2 - Missed

All others picked up, some with a "scrape" sound when placed back, and A5 was missed

Im aware I have been adjusting the read out carriage, and moving the motor gears, so potentially this now needs some adjustment back. I doubt all those spacers are bent! And as you say, the gripper seems pretty tolerant and doesnt need the record "dead on".

The only other thing I can think of is my gripper may not flex very well when it actually makes the pickup, making it less tolerant. Though I have been dripping some 3 in 1 motor oil into the bow and various places. I dont see much of the original greased on the bow, perhaps this needs a full strip down and regrease if all else fails.

Psychman,
Just a guess--try the following--
Remove any record and select that "space"--stop the gripper when the arm is straight up--check on the spring tension, and "freeness", of the inner (smaller) gripper, and the same, on the gripper bow ( caution--don't pull on the "end" of the bow--use the center). At this time be sure to oil the outside griper section, then allow the arm to proceed to over the TT, and oil the smaller, inner section- I think you are still having "lube" problems with that gripper.
Ron Rich

Just so I have this correct I've uploaded a few pictures to make sure I know the terminology:

1 is the inner "smaller" gripper right? This is the part I push in?



2 is the gripper "bow", with the bow shape to the left? 3 being the "inner" part?



4 is the "outside" gripper section?



If I have this all correct I just keep oiling with 3 in 1 motor oil? As it is the center part that pushes in moves freely and springs back, not sure how "smooth" it needs to be. It may catch ever so slightly on something inside, but doesnt appear to make too much difference.

Thanks for your help Ron,

Adam

The number 1 red arrow is pointing to what I called the "inner", and just past the arrow, the black painted part of the griper arm is what I called the "outer"--these must slide freely, and independently--- Ron Rich

I oiled the hell out of the gripper mech this didn't seem to help unfortunately

I did adjust the read out carriage again and results are a lot better. I do get some records scraping when being returned still, but at least they're picked up.

I was looking into this a little closer when I wondered if my gripper arm was bent slightly. When it's sitting over the basket as it rotates looking for a record, it seems like the gripper isn't completely parallel to the basket seperators. If you stop it over a separator and look straight down over it, it's quite noticeable that you can see more separator on the left side if the gripper. Is this normal?

Coincidentally my read out carriage stopped identifying selections as I was testing all this. The carriage with the coils and switches in seems to have moved away from the wobble plate, if I press the carriage in against the plate just before a pin it hits it and plays fine. Always the way with this one at the moment, fix one issue and another one rears it's head!

After adjusting the read out carriage screw to the left (to move the basket forwards in a alignment) it's picking up everything, I did this gradually. The gripper picks up the record from the turntable fine but on several records they were returned to the slot behind them, jammed next to another. I do wonder now if the arm is bent or perhaps the whole gripper mech could be bolted at a slight angle? When I look above the gripper when it's over the basket, the slight "angle" here does look look it could cause this problem. I may try going back on my alignment slightly but I suspect something else is going on

Another item I'm considering is dynamic braking. It seems to work well but I wonder if a slight delay caused by a poor connection could have been a contributing factor here

Ab-sol-lut-ley ! A poor connection might allow only 1/2 of the brake to work, which could advance the basket --
Ron Rich

From the manual it sounds like a contact in the "control box" is used to cause the motor to brake. Except I don't see a unit labelled as such. Under the credit unit there is a small metal box which I suspect is the the one, but the internals don't match the diagram in the service manual. I looked at all the switches inside and couldnt see any of them moving at all when the braking occurred

I'm really starting to wish I hadn't bought this. It would appear the jukebox is fine, it just needs a new jukebox!

The "control box" is located under the mechanism shelf--usually held to the shelf with two ( or three?) screws--"motors" plug into it, along with "other things"---
Ron Rich

Thanks Ron, control box located, several blasts of deoxit d5, dabbed excess and reinstalled, but no difference. The braking does seem pretty sharp so I think I've ruled that out.

Anywhere else I can go on this issue? Based on the searches I've done it doesn't seem anyone else has as many issues as I do with record pickups, I seem to have exhausted all the regular fixes for this

Sorry, no, as I can't recall ever seeing that happen on a RO---
Ron Rich