Commonwealth Electronics restoration

[cafe latte]

Finally got somewere with the restoration. Here is were it all started



Getting the paint off on my very tidy desk

Paint is now off and the lead damping ring is removed

First coat of primer on platter. Not sure if to paint the spindle or not as it is pitted from rust

Chassis stripped

Just how wet this TT has got!!!! Amazingly the rusty shaft came up perfect

Chassis undercoated

The various parts stripped

Undercoat

Filling the many casting flaws/ air bubbles in the platter. Not really needed as a mat will be on it but all the same I wanted to at least improve the situation

Here is a filled air bubble

Sprayed in hammertone.. Grumble grumble, still not sure about hammertone

The first coat of the platter in satin black. It will be rubbed back and recoated, but you get the idea. The original TT had the sides in silver, but it is hard to do well and it is hidden in the chassis anyway so I did it all black

This is the metal plate that covers the motor after stripping. Not sure what it is for as many Commonwealths apparently do not have it. It did not have the rubber ring, but it rang like a bell, but I found that cutting and gluing a rubber to fit killed the ring dead. My feeling is it may aid cooling or it may be a shield to help aviod motor interferance, but I am not sure

I will add pics as I do more
CL

[cafe latte]

Not at the mat point yet, but what is the best mat for an idler drive??

[LPfan]

Not at the mat point yet, but what is the best mat for an idler drive??

IMO, cork. I use it with all drive systems.

Regards,

LPfan

[Spinnr]

Cafe.

Well done. I was about to give up following this restoration when you mentioned you were going to finish it in an everyday auto silver and not the original hammertone, so it would not have been a restoration at all.

I am proud of you to put your aesthetics aside and to spring for some hammertone. Having done restorations before, once done, you will be prouder of your work.

I can't believe how well the base surfaces look after some loving care, putty, and elbow grease. Amazing, and new. Agree with leaving the platter side all black as it can't be seen.

Are you doing any restoration work to the motor internals apart from just a spray with Deoxit? My counsel would be to Deoxit, oil, and leave as is. It looks like it is built like a tank, and the loads on it are not stressing.

To help the motor stay unstressed I would give the platter a push with a finger to get it turning before switching the motor on. The biggest stress will be at the start. If the motor is helped like this it should last forever.

Have you done any research on what arm and cartridge was usually fitted to this magnificent table?

As I remember you were going to make a plinth out of ghost gum. Bloody hell. For those that don't live in Australia, and have never walked through a stand of tall ghost gums in the morning as the sun is first filtering through the leaves high above, you haven't lived. The trunks of the trees trees look etherial and transparent.

Vinyl forever.

[J.D.]

IMO, cork. I use it with all drive systems.

Interesting, I'll try that with my table. It kinda makes sense that something so non-uniform, organic, and irregular might make the best mat.

And there's something to vinyl, cork, bottle, I've noticed......

[Mark Kelly]

Cafe.

The biggest stress will be at the start. If the motor is helped like this it should last forever.

Start up stress is mostly due to starting on load. Most idlers are designed so that the motor starts and spins to speed before the idler mechanism engaes with the motor and platter so the motor is effectively unloaded at startup.

One benefit of using a washing machine motor like the Commonwealth is that it is a simple matter to have them rewound if they are truly stuffed. Just look up your local rewinder in the yellow pages.

[cafe latte]

Soo pleased with how it is going!! Not sure of the platter, I was wondering if to redo it in matt. The satin was very gloss IMO. Really appreciate input on this.
Thanks for your kind words Spinnr!! The motor will be pulled down, it is not worth the risk. When I got the tt I blew it out with the air, the wasps that block every motor, tube ect in Aus so I want to be sure that I have got them out.
Spoke to the neighbour and he said he will cut me a slab, and today i found a fallen Ghost gum that will fit the bill!! so all looking good!!
Still not decided o the arm, but the missus said that if I keep it below 1000 dollars she will buy it for me ( my 40th is next oct so I get more than norma, but I need to wait l) Cart wise I want an arm with a removable lheadshell so I can use all my carts. Love the Technics, but the Commonwealth is so quiet I wonder with I will prefere???????????

[davidsss]

That is looking great, every thing I have heard about these TTs tells me it will be worth the effort. Sure you don't want to bring it down to Melbourne so I can have a listen Really, with all those floods and cyclones up in Queensland it would be much safer down here!

DS

[bakelite2]

With cyclone Yasi headed your way I hope you have your freshly painted Commonwealth stored in a nice dry place. Come to think of it, it can't get much drier than in Perth so you may as well send it to me for safe keeping and I will let you know how it performs.
On a more serious note I hope the cyclone fizzers out and all in that beautiful part of the world are safe with little loss of possesions.
Good luck and hope to hear from you soon.

[dmagalhaes]

The best mat for an idler that I have tried is the Technics mat. Part number is RGS0008. There are several guys on the Lenco forums using them as well.

[cafe latte]

Just ordered one

[cafe latte]

With cyclone Yasi headed your way I hope you have your freshly painted Commonwealth stored in a nice dry place. Come to think of it, it can't get much drier than in Perth so you may as well send it to me for safe keeping and I will let you know how it performs.
On a more serious note I hope the cyclone fizzers out and all in that beautiful part of the world are safe with little loss of possesions.
Good luck and hope to hear from you soon.

All my stuff was in bin bags, but we were ok if not really really really frightened from mid night till 530 am.
The car port was rising and falling by 6-8 inches!!!! I have ordered a lot of metal to reinforce it in the next days!!!
We have been working 12-14 hours a day to fix fences and help others, but in a couple of days I hope to have time to put my TT together
CL

[Spinnr]

Cafe.

Very glad to hear that you are safe. And I will join in the loud chorus insisting that you send your magnificent hi fi gear, and my Quads, to a safe place, like here in Sydney. The speakers and turntable do not look their best in bin bags.

The worst that might happen around here is the China Town New Year parties, Oprah House parties, Bondi Beach parties (just fifteen minutes away), Mardi Gras parties, or my dinner parties with a jazz singer or two spinning eternally in the background.

Yasi was good to us, upset the late summer pattern and sent some very cold air in for a couple of days.

Vinyl forever.

[cafe latte]

Finally got round to posting my pics so far..
Here are the field coils out for cleaning as here in Aus we have a solitary wasp (no sting) that block any pipes holes they can find with soil


Here is some of the rubbish that came out!!

The speed selector back together

Starting to look like a TT again!!


motor side view

All finished!!!!! Dont look at mt untidy desk


With a Technics mat on

Now i just need an arm and plinth!!! It runs silently, even using a screwdriver pressed to my ear and on the chassis, however a friend has a motor refurb company and said if I have any rumble from the bearing he will redo the white metal in the bearing for free!!! I do not think it is needed though.
Cant wait to hear it!!!