Back to it after a nice vacation seeing friends and family in the Great Northwest. This means getting back on the New G. I have a buyer and it is my priority. I went out to the garage, cranked up the music, and started re-assembling the mechanism. Motor and clutch done. Applied voltage with a jumper cord and watched it run back and forth manually tripping it occasionally to see how she do. It do fine. Installed the rack aligning it to the mech. Took apart and cleaned the contact block installing the replacement contact. Same thing with the selection slide block. I make sure the two lamp sockets have a clean connection and also the copper slider pieces.
The selection indicator channel had been rechromed but the original yellowed number strip was still attached. I guess it went for a ride through the various tanks at the chrome platers. Didn’t hurt it at all from what I can see. But….that strip has to go. This is a delicate undertaking. I do not have the type rivets originally used. I use a split rivet that can be installed by hand. They are 1/8″ and eleven are cused. Once I get the old rivets out and the old strip removed everthing has to be drilled with a 1/8″ bit. The chrome channel piece, the plastic strip, and the metal bar that backs the plastic strip. I move slowly and pay strict attention to what I’m doing. It’s so easy to make a mistake and mar a cosmetic piece.
These split rivets have an attractive head and short legs perhaps 5/16″ long. I’ll insert a couple through all three pieces for an initial fit and slowly work the split legs apart until I can flatten them gently with a hammer and punch. There’s usually a little mis-alignment which calls for more light handed drilling. Once assembled I’ll run it back and forth over the selection indicator slide to make sure there are no hang ups. Once installed on the rack and the pop meter hood in place the mechanism is starting to look pretty good.
My Seeburg Life 