Advice on polishing Empire bearing and replacing thrust plate

[ateal]

I would like to refurbish / repolish the bearing and thrust plate on my 50 year old Empire Turntable and bring it back to original factory condition. On inspection by magnification I can see that the actual bearing has worn slightly flat and that the trust plate has got a small dimple in the center due to years of wear.

Has anyone performed this repair and if so how is it done. Also how do you get to the bearing thrust pad out to flip or replace as the end of the shaft that houses this seems to have some kind of epoxy securing it all in place.

I have attached pictures of the bearing shaft, both inside and out + a picture of the bearing itself (not mine but an image from the web.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ateal]

Bump, bump, bump. Anyone? Surely with all the vintage aficionados out there I could get some loving on this issue

 

[ictwoody]

I'm curious about this too since I'm in the middle of a Empire 298 Restoration.

- Woody

 

[Ohighway]

Hmm. Wonder if someone has an old junker that they can do a little exploratory surgery on ....

If I had one and a decent lathe I'd chuck it up and carefully start cutting away epoxy a little at a time....

 

[dbxdx5]

Bumping a semi- old thread. Is the answer that most 208/298/398 owners just put another delrin thrust pad on top of the old rather than attempt to remove the bottom seal?

 

[MisterDK]

It can’t be all that hard to get the epoxy out. Why not use a Dremel and a round carbide burr to take that stuff out, or maybe just try to break it up by gently tapping it with a small center punch or cold chisel? I’m sure it’ll come out of there.

I haven’t bothered with it on my early 208/298. The tiny bit of wear doesn’t keep my platter from spinning - for a long while.
I’d just just clean the bearing well with some brake cleaner spray, re-oil it and spin some records. ^_^

 

[WaynerN]

I would leave the bearing well alone. It made it for 50 years and has minimal wear. I like dbxdx5's suggestion of just adding another thrust washer (use Delrin). Problem solved.

 

[Hawkeye83]

I would leave the bearing well alone. It made it for 50 years and has minimal wear. I like dbxdx5's suggestion of just adding another thrust washer (use Delrin). Problem solved.

Just bumping that this worked. Had a speed issue in mine that was driving me NUTS! CRAZY! it was basically a "wow" or a "wahwah" type sound.

Dropped in another Delrin thrust washer...bam. I tried new belts, lubing the platter spindle, adjusting the motor, anything I could think of. Nothing worked.

Shined a light down in the bearing well, could see a clear dimple, dropped in the new washer, few drops of liquid bearings, back to the music, woohoo!

 

[WaynerN]

Party on!

 

[Hawkeye83]

Anyone running these Empire tables (or anyone else really) - my 208 table came with a very heavy record weight. I've been using that, even keeping it on the table when not in use. I wonder if this extra weight causes the Delrin thrust washer to dimple more easily/quickly? Should I ditch the weight? Or at least not store it on the table?

I have a new thrust plate in there now. I can flip it later. And I have a second thrust plate. so I've got 4 times I can make this "repair." Just wondering if this is my "Forever table" if I need to have more of these thrust plates. I'm always paranoid with this old gear that they'll quit making/supplying parts.

Any thoughts on the record weight appreciated! It's a heavy one that I have! Just weighed it on my digital scale and it's 2 lbs, 12 oz.

 

[longtimealas]

Just bumping that this worked. Had a speed issue in mine that was driving me NUTS! CRAZY! it was basically a "wow" or a "wahwah" type sound.

Dropped in another Delrin thrust washer...bam. I tried new belts, lubing the platter spindle, adjusting the motor, anything I could think of. Nothing worked.

Shined a light down in the bearing well, could see a clear dimple, dropped in the new washer, few drops of liquid bearings, back to the music, woohoo!

Hawkeye83 - I have a question - Where do you get your Delrin thrust washers? I haven't been able to find any.

 

[ictwoody]

Hawkeye83 - I have a question - Where do you get your Delrin thrust washers? I haven't been able to find any.

I made a bunch out of delrin... two thicknesses. Black and white in color. PM me your mailing address and I'll send you a couple.

- Woody

 

[longtimealas]

I made a bunch out of delrin... two thicknesses. Black and white in color. PM me your mailing address and I'll send you a couple.

- Woody

Thank you. That's very kind of you. I have a JVC QL-A2 that needs the spindle adjusted higher by about 1/16 inch. The magnet on the motor rubs on the circuit board and shorted it out. Fortunately it blew a fuse and the circuit board is ok. What I need is a Delrin thrust pad about 1/16 inch thick with about a 1/4 inch diameter. Are yours about that size?

 

[ictwoody]

Thank you. That's very kind of you. I have a JVC QL-A2 that needs the spindle adjusted higher by about 1/16 inch. The magnet on the motor rubs on the circuit board and shorted it out. Fortunately it blew a fuse and the circuit board is ok. What I need is a Delrin thrust pad about 1/16 inch thick with about a 1/4 inch diameter. Are yours about that size?

No. I laser cut these and they are sized for the empires. They are about 3/8" or so. I can't remember exactly... but larger than 1/4". You can order delrin sheets on amazon. You could probably get a sheet and then cut what you need.

- Woody

 

[longtimealas]

Thanks Woody. I really appreciate your offer. I thought about getting a sheet of Delrin and trying to cut my own. I don't have a means of cutting them. What I thought I would do is use a hollow punch to cut the material. I can get a hollow punch in the 1/4 inch size and I can get a Delrin sheet that is 1/16 inch thick. I should be able to create a Delrin pad by cutting the sheet with a hollow punch.

 

[ictwoody]

Thanks Woody. I really appreciate your offer. I thought about getting a sheet of Delrin and trying to cut my own. I don't have a means of cutting them. What I thought I would do is use a hollow punch to cut the material. I can get a hollow punch in the 1/4 inch size and I can get a Delrin sheet that is 1/16 inch thick. I should be able to create a Delrin pad by cutting the sheet with a hollow punch.

I'll measure what I have when I get home and let you know what I have.

- Woody

 

[Twanx]

I made a bunch out of delrin... two thicknesses. Black and white in color. PM me your mailing address and I'll send you a couple.

- Woody

Any chance you still have some?!?!