New Troll with a few questions

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Reeltone
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Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2017 2:01 pm

New Troll with a few questions

Post: # 49206Unread post Reeltone
Sat Feb 03, 2018 12:07 pm

Hi I am relatively new to the society of trolls and this is my first posting. I have been restoring two lathes in last couple of months, a Presto 6N and a RCA. Restoration is coming along well with both machines, the Presto being the one I am concentrating on now. I have tried several test cuts with the machine, and its basic functionality is working reasonably well, although the cuts sound pretty horrendous. From what I understand this is to be expected. I have tried cutting on New Old stock discs, preheated and used lighter fluid to prepare for the cuts. With out signal to the cutter head the tungsten stylus when cutting produces a scraping sound and does not change much when adjustments are made to the spring on the cutter head carriage. I have not been able to get anything that looks like Swarf (size of human hair) from the cuts. Under the microscope some of the cuttings look like little curly pieces while some are just straight chips. I have also tried cutting on lexan with the same sort of results.
I would love to hook up with someone from the Society via Skype to help with a few of these questions I have.
Thanks Rob

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piaptk
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Location: Tucson, AZ
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Re: New Troll with a few questions

Post: # 49208Unread post piaptk
Sat Feb 03, 2018 3:07 pm

If you want to learn how to cut on that machine, you should consider coming to my lathe cut camp in a tucson March 3-5. I've got eight 6ns set up and I'll show you most of what you need to know.

http://Www.lathecutcamp.com
I Buy/Sell/Restore Vintage Machines/Parts and Provide Phone/In Person Tech Support
www.MichaelDixonVinylArt.com
www.LatheCutCamp.com
www.RecordLatheParts.com
www.MobileVinylRecorders.com
www.LatheCuts.com

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rsimms3
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Re: New Troll with a few questions

Post: # 49221Unread post rsimms3
Sun Feb 04, 2018 11:14 am

You mention Tungsten so I am guessing you are referring to cone shaped stylus. If so, those won't cut. Those can only be used for impressing (embossing). There is no cutting edge to them so all you are doing is plowing through the material. Even with some impressing some material may come out, but nothing like if you are cutting. You need to use a proper stylus, angle, depth, etc. to cut. If you bought new steel or tungsten cutting stylus needles from eBay, then you need to get a sapphire stylus to cut with as the sharpened steel stylus will not have the proper angles to them.

As for prepping NOS discs, I've never used lighter fluid but used castor oil and a humidifier to soften them up a bit before cutting them. A bit messy but nothing like trying to catch myself on fire.

I found this book to be a great primer on cutting and audio.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015007927877;view=1up;seq=1

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Reeltone
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Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2017 2:01 pm

Re: New Troll with a few questions

Post: # 49222Unread post Reeltone
Sun Feb 04, 2018 12:14 pm

I would love to attend the course you are putting together in March but it is a little too far away for me to participate (1600miles) at this time. The cost of the airfare is approximately $900.00 US. Obviously this would be the thing to do to get fast tracked on the lathe and cutting. This is why I would like to partner up with someone via Skype and do this on line. I do this with my MCI console and multi track decks with a fellow in Nashville and I have had a lot of success repairing and maintaining my machines. If you ever do a lathe camp up towards Minneapolis I would not hesitate attending, only a 7 hr drive from Thunder Bay ON. Thanks for your reply much appreciated RJ

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Reeltone
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Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2017 2:01 pm

Re: New Troll with a few questions

Post: # 49226Unread post Reeltone
Sun Feb 04, 2018 12:27 pm

Thanks for your reply rsimms, I thought that I might not have the right stylus and blanks. Any heads up on purchasing a Saphire Stylus in North America? Thanks for your help RJ

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