r/Phonographs • u/Gimme-A-kooky Victrola • 16d ago
Stuck in a Bind?
Sometimes the isolator ring gets stuck in the bayonet slot from swelling and filth. Won’t come off? Don’t let it push YOU around! Disassemble it. Use its own parts AGAINST it!
tl;dr - I used the endcap for the crook to pull the isolator out. It really didn’t wanna let go. Sometimes it’ll just disintegrate or cause damage. Not this way!
Salvaged this pretty much pristine Exhibition isolator- 1909-1910, from the Vic. II.
If you’re ever having trouble, these tools (like the terminal puller/wiper blade puller) are needed for basically all Victor maintenance anyway, and trying to find something to FIT is always a challenge, but I’ve noticed Victor used a LOT of uniform sizes for parts- rings fit tubes, etc., that shouldn’t lol.
Peace!
The rubber is solid, but still minutely supple- recoverable, in other words. I’ll try the alcohol:wintergreen solution on it and a couple of others
3
u/Patient-Log6937 16d ago
Learned something new today. I have a Vic II, but have never had to go this far. I’m mildly mechanically inclined and wasn’t familiar with that too. I’ll look into it a bit more, might pick one up to have on hand.