Meet my friend Rusty the Fisher KM-60 Tuner

[Tim D]

I recently finished up my Fisher KX-100 ratrig Integrated Amplifier and have it up an running and in rotation. In it's case you could never tell it was a wreck at one time. After completing that project, I thought it was time to look at the Fisher KM-60 tuner that I picked up with the KX-100 a while back. The KM-60 is a BASKET CASE. His name is Rusty. I will go through a renaming ceremony when he's no longer rusty.

- No tubes except for the tuning eye 6FG8 (but I have enough 12AX7's and three of the four needed 6UA6's on hand),
- no fuse cap,
- missing one knob bright,
- will need a recap (electrolytics for PS and audio path),
- needs a light bulb (GE-47AF), and
- probably should replace the bridge rectifier (and add a 100ohm resistor to drop the higher voltage)

The stenciling on the chassis is completely gone. The multiplex unit seems to have less corrosion so I can still read the stenciling on it. My best hope for the chassis is to be able to read the serial number after the chassis is cleaned. Right now I can't even find the serial number under all the rust. I still need to determine if the PT is good.

At least the face plate and glass are good and the knobs are in decent shape. It has all the tube shields too. I have an assembly manual with schematic. The assembly manual is missing a few of the assembly diagrams, but I don't believe that will be a problem with the assembly steps and schematic intact. I already have an original Fisher wood case. (I picked up two cases on flea bay a while back - one for the KM-60 and the other for the KX-100 that is up and running well.)

I'll be hitting the rust with the "Krud Kutter" (from Wally World) that I used on the KX-100. This is going to take a while to clean up as the rust and pitting take a lot of elbow grease. I love a challenge!

 

[Tim D]

Ok, started hitting it with the Krud Kutter. That's a slow and labor intensive process, but it is taking the corrosion and pitting off. (BTW, this much took about 3 evenings.)

 

[Tim D]

The eye tube is FILTHY! Anyone have any idea on how I can get the dirt off without taking off the stenciling on the tube? (Should I even care?)

 

[gadget73]

Brush off what you can with a paint brush, and try a drier sheet on what remains. Failing that, just wipe it down and know that the lettering is a goner. It may be anyway.

 

[larryderouin]

Used Dryer sheet on the tube. Then wet it using a damp Q-TIP and go all around the tube, getting close as you dare to the lettering.

I've got the assembly diagrams for the KM-60. You want I should make copies for ya at Office Depot? 2 double sided 17" x 22".

PM on the way.

 

[Tim D]

Thanks guys. I'll try the dryer sheets. I will try to figure out where the lettering is under all that dirt to try to preserve it.

 

[onwardjames]

"Private Joker is silly and ignorant, but he's got guts, and guts is enough." - R Lee Ermey.

Why did that just pop into my head? Oh yeah, you're BRAVE bringing that one back, sir. Best of luck!!!!

 

[Tim D]

Continued cleaning the chassis. It's slow going. I took the bottom plate off for the first time. Had to cut one of the screws off with a hacksaw as it was just turned into a blob of rust. It wouldn't turn no matter what I did. That side of the chassis is crumbling the rust is so bad. Opening it up I had chunks of dirt from a mud wasp nest inside and bodies of dead wasps. Yep, this is a wreck alright.

I did manage to check the PT and both the primary and secondary are not blown - which is good. I put some power on it via my variac and got some voltage out at the selenium rectifier. I had to jumper the fuse holder to do that since there is't any fuse or cap for the holder.

Based on the PT being good, I'm moving forward. I've ordered the misc parts to start the transformation. It will be a while before I get to the electricals though. For now I continue cleaning the chassis.

 

[larryderouin]

onward; On the subject of FMJ....I took the late wife to see it when 1st came out. Turns out I was surrounded by Former and Active Duty MARINE's (me being a Former FMF Navy Corpsman). So when SSGT Hartman (Ermey) tells the assembled NUB's on the Range that "The Deadliest thing in the World is a MARINE and his Rifle", I quipped outloud "NAH, it's a Po City Pro, with a Dose!" Dead silence for about a second and a 1/2 and then the guys around me started cracking up. It got so bad they had us go out in the lobby. But it was worth it. We had to explain a "Po City Pro, with a Dose" to the wife, who was a Cardiac Care Unit Nurse. She still didn't get it. We got invited by the MARINES to the local hooch for drinks. Had a ball. Still in contact with most of them. SEMPER FI!

 

[arts]

The biggest worry,and most probable difficulty, will rest with the RF,IF and multiplex transformers.These guys are really affected by humidity & corrosion,and I'm guessing that being in Florida all of that corrosion was caused by salty air. Yikes!! In addition to damage to their (very very fine) wiring & insulation,frozen cores may also be an issue.

Well,you won't know until you try,and that is a truly excellent tuner; the design and execution is beyond reproach,and it doesn't suffer from all of the ''bells and whistles'' that the more coveted Fisher tuners were laden with.Good luck!

Art

 

[larryderouin]

You could always have a machinist grind off the rusty side and then have him weld on a new side.

 

[Tim D]

You could always have a machinist grind off the rusty side and then have him weld on a new side.

Where's the fun in that? I've got dozens of tedious nights ahead of me to look forward to.

Actually I'm about 1/3 done with the removal of the rust right now. Did the dryer sheet thing and it certainly helped. I can see the stenciling on the eye tube now.

 

[larryderouin]

I was referring to the side that's flaking off. It would help with outside shielding.

OK so who made the eyetube??

 

[Tim D]

I was referring to the side that's flaking off. It would help with outside shielding.

OK so who made the eyetube??

Larry,

So the eye tube is branded as Fisher and it says Made in Germany. Should I pull it out of the socket to check for the diamond on the bottom?

 

[larryderouin]

Nah, it's doubtful it's a Tele. More like an ITT, or a Philips subsidiary.

Larry

 

[Tim D]

Ok. More than half way done removing the rust.

While cleaning it I've had some time to look at the top of the chassis and noticed that the tuner cord is rubbing on one of the controls. In looking at the assembly manual it looks like the cord is installed wrong on the left most pulley. It was actually supposed to be installed with the cord coming off the bottom of the pulley connected to the pointer. Instead the cord coming off the top of the pulley is connected to the pointer. This is actually pulling on the pointer with an upward angle and I suspect that as the pointer goes to the left end that the angle will get more acute and cause some problems. Might be an original boo-boo. I'll have to figure out how to fix the installation error. I've got a spool of cord around. I just don't know how to terminate it yet.

I'll post some pics soon.

 

[larryderouin]

Tim; I take about 6" and fold it back from the end, then tie an overhand knot with the loop integrated into the knot. This will be your starting point. Make sure the knot is within 1/2" or so from the end of the loop so it will fit in the wheel. Slip the knot over the tab, then string it as shown in the assy manual. When you get to the end and wrap it around the wheel and turn the string to the center for tying down, hold it taut, and loosen the center screw 1 turn. Slip the string under the washer and loop it twice, then tighten screw.

Larry

 

[Tim D]

Finally getting back into this project. Got sidetracked with about 5 turntables that needed attention and a bunch of home projects.

The chassis is 98% rust-free now. I pulled the power trannie and repainted it and its now re-installed. Starting on the electrical work now. So far I've:

- Replaced the fuse socket because the original was missing the cap.
- Added a CL-90 in-rush limiter
- Replaced the selenium bridge rectifier with a 3 amp silicon bridge and added a 100 ohm 10W resistor for the voltage drop needed to get the voltages back down to design voltage. [EDIT: Ended up increasing this to 200 ohm because the current draw is so low that it didn't drop enough.]
- Replaced two 0.1uF coupling caps. They were the brown turd kind.

I'll be moving on to the only can cap soon. I will restuff it. I believe it has 4 sections. I have a couple of the other electrolytics to replace too. Lotsa of work before I can bring it up on power.

 

[cptnCanada]

Love seeing these rusty boat anchors restored. More pics please

 

[1rebmem]

Nice work Private Joker.......