My Rek-O-Child (Record Lathe)

[Gus]

Thank you TheCrates!
So now it's time to give a good clean to the bearing with denatured alcohol,also the ball bearing was replaced with a new one Silicon Nitride Ball super precision diamond polished Grade 5 from World Champions ACER Racing

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[Gus]

Also i disassemble the rest of mechanical parts for clean and re lube.

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[Gus]

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[Gus]

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[Gus]

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[Gus]

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Now my 60+ years old Rek-o-Kut looks like new !

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Now it's time to rebuild the hardened 33.3/45 rpm idler wheel or will we see...

[Gus]

I spoke with Terry http://www.terrysrubberrollers.com/ and seems to be very professional guy
but because i live in Europe and i don't want to pay import duty and taxes i will send my idler at Svalander Audio https://www.svalander.se/about_us/svalander_audio_ab/kontakta_oss/ in Sweden i have read good reviews for them.

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[Gus]

Here is the rebuilding idler wheel by Svalander Audio from Sweden
i will come back in a few days for a review

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[Gus]

After many hours of tests here are the results

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They used soft rubber unsuited for the Rek-o-Kut and i'm sure for similar U.S idler wheel turntables with huge induction motors. Μaybe they do good job on European idlers like Thorens,Garrard or Lenco's. Terry should have been my first choice...

[Gus]

Because I don't want to spend time and money to send it back to them,my next attempt will be to build from the start a new one idler wheel acrilic with o-ring rubber. As far i know torqueo audio in Italy are excellent re builders about Rek-o-Kut turntables
http://www.torqueo-audio.it/olive/
Also is a good choice to build a new pulley to work properly at 50hz under load.
I spoke with them and they are able to build an idler wheel and pulley at my own specifications,
fingers crossed until i receive the items...

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[Gus]

Today i received the idler and pulley wrapped in kitchen paper
I'm going to test them and i will return for my review.

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[socialroots]

Wow, I took a look at their work, quality fe sure, but oh soooo beautiful, i never thought a rek o kut could be so lush! How much did the idler wheel cost? Mine is still pretty new, but its not gonna last forever and I like the replaceble d ring option , great and smart choice, waiting for your verdict!
respect,
Patrick

[Gus]

enjoy it ! my own review with video coming soon...
And if doesn't work well for my lathe then i will build a nice high end r-o-k for my living room.
As you can see my own R-O-K LP-743 is not the classic piece with the square line on the frame.

[Gus]

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Idler & pulley installed

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[Gus]

My Review
The Rek-O-Kut works silent and torquey not so torquey as the Stanton st-150 is but it's torquey.For example if Stanton's torque is 4.5 kg/cm, Rek-O-Kut's torque is 4 kg/cm.
Embossing examples will be coming soon.

[sifis1983]

Excellent Work Gus!!!
Congratulations!

A lot of information here and great results with sapphire stylus on polycarbonate!

Keep it up!

Sifis

[Gus]

Thank you Sifis, for your kind words.

Finally I re wound my Fairchild for 8ohm my multi meter reads DC Resistance 5.2 ohm, also the magnet recharged,and i replaced the rubbers who are placed inside the tubes,cutterhead connected with 300 w power amp and it sounds very loud and crispy
i'm waiting to receive a new one sapphire to test it.

[Gus]

Back again after one year I've made many improvements on my Rek-o-child lathe
enjoy my version 1.0 and i will come back again

[EposLab]

..any news??

Tasos