Re-Inventing The Wheel

Seeburg has been pretty consistent with their parts. Most of the electrical and mechanical parts, especially the mechanisms, follow a logical step forward as technology improves. The basic mechanism has been the same from 1950 to 1984 with minor electrical and switch changes and major changes such as losing first the pinbank in 1956 then the tormat in 1978. Its consistency has been one of the pleasures of working on Seeburgs. In fact the first manual I got and continually refer to is the one for the 1950-51 M100B. Since the 100B was the introduction of the 45 rpm mechanism Seeburg went all out with explanations, flow charts, and diagrams. Occasionally some engineer seems to have to prove he can re-invent the wheel. Witness the 1963 LPC1 jukebox. Its mechanism will pick up records in one direction of travel only. The clutch was cut differently so that the mech could literally not return to scan should it somehow trip going from right to left. Seeburg gave it one more year-the LPC480 before giving up on that mess.

One of the consistencies has been the reversing switch. The one with the big paddle front and center as low as you can go on the mechanism. It started out with four pairs of switches. With the disappearance of the pinbank it went to three pairs of switches and then finally to two pairs of switches with the microlog jukes. The two pair being the 115vac to the motor that has been present in all the reversing switches. But apparently some engineer saw a chance to prove he could re-invent the wheel yet again. Witness the reverse switch for the 6000 series of home consoles.

I was poking around on this 6000 album player and noticed the reversing switch looked unlike any I had seen before. It consisted of only one set of switches and was obviously missing a spring. A spring unlike those seen on a reversing switch before or since. I had no idea if that spring came off since being in my possession or possibly it was the reason the 6000 got put away. I gave a cursory look around the bench more out of habit than hope for the spring. However, the spring may have been funky but it was still a reverse switch. I have a box of these taken from scrapped mechanisms over the years and dug out a nice two-pair to convert to use on the 6000.

I’ve replaced broken paddles and broken contact blades on many reverse switches over the years. It becomes fairly critical on the four pair switches used on the 100 Selects as even good used ones are fairly difficult to find. Amazingly, NOS ones come up now and then. The thin fiberboard or bakelite actuator is so fragile on any of these but especially the four pair. These switches are put together using two small cylinders to hold all the various bakelite spacers and metal contacts together. I use a somewhat dull pocket knife to get between the spacers and work each piece off. I don’t use it to cut at all but the knife edge works well at getting between the pieces. It’s basically a matter of keeping everything in order.

I kind of like this type of work. It’s something different and a challenge to be able to fashion something to take the place of a seemingly irreplaceable part. One set of contacts would work for the 6000. I wanted to get it the same size or thickness as the original as it mounts to a metal piece screwed to the mechanism. Once I got the reverse switch pared down to size I trimmed the two hollow stems with a Dremel and cut-off wheel and re-stacked the pieces. I made sure to clean the contacts when I had them off. Once put back together the switch was the same thickness as the original and switched perfectly. It was then a matter of soldering the three wires to their respective spots.

And of course I got my comeuppance. After successfully making a replacement reverse switch and mounting it I tested it by manually switching it as the mechanism ran. It dutifully changed direction back and forth so I let it run the width of the base. BAM!!! It went all the way to the left end and hung. The new switch paddle did not have as much inward curve as the original and scooted right by the actuating tab. You would think this is something minor but NOOOOO. I had broken a gear on the HSC1 this summer by trying to force the mechanism and had learned my lesson. Using the T shaped tool to move these mechs with it wouldn’t budge.Not gonna force it, gotta save the gear. I would have to somehow get the clutch loose enough that I could move the mechanism without it catching the geared track. The only way to do this is to loosen the clutch. I really didn’t want to take the tormat and record rack off. I had spent a lot of time aligning them. I somehow managed to loosen the four clutch mounting screws and managed to move the mech enough that the T tool would work.

While I had the clutch loose I bent the left and right actuating tabs out to hit the new reverse switch paddle and double-checked by moving the mechanism by hand. After tightening the clutch I then applied power and watched it run back and forth. I was extremely grateful I had not broken the replacement gear. And very pleased with the new reverse switch.

The Seeburg Big B

I recently started on what I thought was an HSC3. After talking with a buddy it turned out to be a 6000, a later home stereo version of the LP playing console. My first. After lugging the mechanism onto the bench from the shed today I nicknamed it the Seeburg Big B or Big Bastard. I had to take the tormat and record rack off inside the hot shed just to be able to get a handle on carrying it. It may be fall in the rest of the country but here in Texas the temperature on a sunny day is still getting into the 80’s. Magnify that with a metal shed and it’s a sweaty job.

After finishing the SMC3 I poked around getting a few things in order like lining up all the tonearm assemblies, tearing a few down, and getting the rest in one spot. Poked around the shop straightening up here and there. Just trying to figure what to start next. I dragged the amplifier/radio piece for the 6000 onto the bench and examined it trying to figure out how and where to start. I hooked it up to speakers and an input and tested it. It had volume but one channel was extremely weak. This is very typical. As old as this unit is all electrolytic capacitors have to be replaced. This is actually the SR500 or Stereo Receiver…It has a cover with the selector buttons in addition to the radio, tone, and volume controls. I was pleased to discover that after taking the cover off this unit will open in half. It makes access to the boards inside much easier. It is still quite a job having to recap several small boards. I actually de-soldered several wires to two of the boards so I could remove them.

It’s a process,removing and identifying the capacitors including making sure to get the polarity noted. I make drawings and will also take pictures with the digital camera. I’ll then make a capacitor order with Mouser and once I get them installed then re-install the board. I did this process with another board as well. It is time-consuming but is an excellent way to make sure I get the right values and install the caps correctly. Most of those capacitors were 6 to 25 volts and unbelievably were axial. Were there not radial designed capacitors then ? I ordered radial capacitors and just made them all 35v. You can go up in voltage but never less. Modern capacitors are way smaller than those I replaced. The radials are much easier to install as well. The manufacturer of this SR500 put the positive end of the capacitor down and then bent the negative lead over into the board. What a mess. And speaking of messes I had to clean up someone else’s modifications. One of them were resistors in series with the speaker fuses and some hinky cap wiring. The manual I had from Victory Glass did not have a schematic. So I was left wondering just what was the correct wiring? I actually got an original Seeburg manual on ebay. When I received it I was more than pleased to see that it had a full schematic for the SR500. I was able to get pictures of Larry R’s SR500 to further verify just what the correct wiring was. In addition I replaced an unmatched pair of output transistors with a matched set to complement the pair already installed. I finished the amp last night and bench tested it. Lots of volume and tone. Balance control is equal on both sides. AM radio picked up a few stations. All I could want!

And so today I hauled the mechanism in and will start on it. The first thing I have to do is install one of Sean Boyers’ fine reduction gears into the scan motor. I found out the middle gear was broken when I was working on the HSC2 which also had a broken gear and looking for a replacement. This mechanism won’t get literally washed like I do the 45rpm machines but will get a good cleaning nonetheless. After oiling and any adjustments I’ll connect 115vac and see if I can make it run correctly. I have a feeling this Seeburg Big B will go together fairly quickly and easily. I know I will run it for several hours to ensure it works correctly before letting it go.