spring ends not catching ....

[xtal_01]

OK, so I have a 3 spring L door unit

 

When I took the springs out and repacked them, they didn't want to catch the center pin.

 

I remembered reading somewhere that all I needed to do is bend the end of the spring.

 

It took me 5 tries... first one spring would not catch ... then a different one would not catch.

 

Finally, they all worked.

 

It has been working for a week with no issues.

 

Today, one spring didn't catch  again.

 

Pulled the drum apart.

 

Saw the spring that was not catching ... bent the center ... great.

 

Put it together and then a different one did not catch.

 

Bent that one and now the center one is not catching.

What is going on ?????

 

Is there some special way to bend the centers?

 

I even made sure the pin has a good face.

 

What am I missing?

 

[phonogfp]

Make sure your bend is tight enough that the mainspring will continue to grip the arbor.

 

Also, don't allow the motor to run down completely.  The turntable acts as a flywheel and will continue to "unwind" the mainspring even after it has come to a complete rest.  Always leave a tiny bit of tension on disc machine mainsprings - just enough so the crank pushes back a bit when you turn it.  (This is not a problem with cylinder machines.)

 

George P.

[xtal_01]

29 minutes ago, phonogfp said:

Make sure your bend is tight enough that the mainspring will continue to grip the arbor.

 

Also, don't allow the motor to run down completely.  The turntable acts as a flywheel and will continue to "unwind" the mainspring even after it has come to a complete rest.  Always leave a tiny bit of tension on disc machine mainsprings - just enough so the crank pushes back a bit when you turn it.  (This is not a problem with cylinder machines.)

 

George P.

WOW ..... In my mind, this is exactly what I thought would happen.  When it runs down, it is now sooooo free that it would just keep going and wind past "zero" causing the springs to come unclipped.

 

The only reason I did this was because I watched a video where the person (who owned many many units) said to "let it run completely down and leave no tension on the springs" ... so that is what I did.

 

Once i get them to catch again, I won't make that mistake ... I will stop it with just a bit of tension on the springs.

 

Thanks!

 

[Jerry]

1 hour ago, xtal_01 said:

WOW ..... In my mind, this is exactly what I thought would happen.  When it runs down, it is now sooooo free that it would just keep going and wind past "zero" causing the springs to come unclipped.

 

The only reason I did this was because I watched a video where the person (who owned many many units) said to "let it run completely down and leave no tension on the springs" ... so that is what I did.

 

Once i get them to catch again, I won't make that mistake ... I will stop it with just a bit of tension on the springs.

 

Thanks!

 

 

That's definitely the way to go!

 

Also, when you say you bend the end of the spring, how exactly are you "bending" it? What is needed, is to close down the curl of the inner end such that it grips the shaft. It should require a small amount of pressure to slide the shaft into the spring. I position the drive rivet so it fits in right along side the very end of the spring, and not necessarily in line with the pear shaped hole, (assuming that's the style you've got, or is yours the type where the spring engages with a milled slot in the shaft?), I then rotate the shaft in the same direction as when winding. At some point, the shaft will turn and the rivet will snap into place within the pear shaped hole in the spring end.

[xtal_01]

1 hour ago, Jerry said:

 

That's definitely the way to go!

 

Also, when you say you bend the end of the spring, how exactly are you "bending" it? What is needed, is to close down the curl of the inner end such that it grips the shaft. It should require a small amount of pressure to slide the shaft into the spring. I position the drive rivet so it fits in right along side the very end of the spring, and not necessarily in line with the pear shaped hole, (assuming that's the style you've got, or is yours the type where the spring engages with a milled slot in the shaft?), I then rotate the shaft in the same direction as when winding. At some point, the shaft will turn and the rivet will snap into place within the pear shaped hole in the spring end.

Exactly what I am doing ... or trying to do.  I know the end of the spring is soft (annealed) and bends easy.  I do have a pear shaped hole.  I am using two pair of needle nose pliers to curl it inward.  Just does not seem to sit tight against the shaft.  Maybe I am being a bit to gentle with it.  This is my first unit and I an bending it just a bit at a time.

 

I have two of the three catching now ... just took a supper break ... going to try the third (middle) one now since it has decided not to catch (and in the beginning it was the only one to catch).

 

Thanks!