They laughed until the DIY retips started to play

[bakelite2]

Fabulous work, I am green with envy as I have a B&O SP12 in need of a new cantilever which I have been trying to work out how to fix myself. Trouble is the stub which the cantilever attaches to is longer than what is left of the cantilever and I can't figure out a way of removing the left over part so as to re-attach a new cantilever.
Your post gives me hope, keep up your great work.

[Paladin]

Glad to help. Sounds like a chore but it is so much fun to retip. There is a certain thrill to hearing a dead cartridge brought back to life.

On the SP12 I had only a small stump to work with. To open the nosecone you’ll need to pop off the clear nose from the front. I gave it a downward push. The nose will probably snap off the three plastic fingers that push into the metal. Don’t worry: later we’ll put it together just as strong.

From the outside you can push inwards on the micro-cross assembly with a toothpick (not used one…yuck) and the micro-cross should drop out the back. It is just pressed in place. Install the cantilever/cactus-splint and carefully assemble from the backside.

To put the nosecone on use lacquer thinner as glue. Sound strange? Nobody knows that plastic model glue is straight lacquer thinner. The thinner will melt the plastic and the parts can be re-bonded, chemically welded back together. It will set in 20 to 30 seconds but give it 2 hours to really dry. Then apply Future with a brush between the metal and plastic seam to make sure everything sticks together. One thick coat should do it. And put Future around the clear nose cone just to shine it up.

If you give it a shot then tell us the results. It’s fun.

[bakelite2]

Thanks for your reply. I have been able to dismantle the cartridge but I am unable to remove the remnants of the cantilever from the stub. Do you have any ideas as to how this can be acheived as I would love to try the SP12 on my system. Mybe heat, maybe some sort of solvent would do.

[Paladin]

I don’t understand. To make an internal splint work, I want a stub on the Micro-Cross so a cactus thorn would be shaved to size and inserted. The other side of the thorn would be shaved to fit a new cantilever. If you really wanted to make the surface flat then a fingernail file could work.

Can you take a picture?

[bakelite2]

Not sure if my camera can take such a close up but I will try. From what I can see the stub is solid and the cantilever positioned over it. When the cantilever broke it broke half way down the stub leaving a small part attached to the stub. I am of to try to take a picture and will attempt to post it tomorrow.

[Paladin]

I am thinking maybe a file or the possibility of using a pin vice and a small drill bit to take out the old stub leaving a hole to insert a new cantilever.

[bakelite2]

Sorry I could not get a clearer picture, tried to get as close as I could. Pity you can't get a good look at the remnants of the B&O SO12 cantilever on the stub.

[Paladin]

Oh, that picture says a lot. I had less to work with. You could file back the stump until you have a clean edge then insert a trimmed down thorn. Of course the other end of the thorn would fit a replacement tip. Seal it and reassemble. The Sumo was the tougher.

File first then see it if the job is good enough to put another tip on.

[bakelite2]

Hi will,
Here is another picture which shows the remnants of the cantilever a bit better.
If I file down the stub how do I go about attaching another cantilever from scratch. I would prefer to remove the left over cantilever and work with the original stub.
Do you have Skype connected to your computer?
Joe

[1200y3]

A pice of wire insulation, or heat shrink, or some sort of tube could be slipped over as a connector. Or the thorn could be glued to the outside. If a simpler attempt could be done without irreversible damage, try it first. I glued thorns to the outside and it sounds better but it is not easy without accurate vice "hands" to hold things. And we know what other risks are involved.

There is enough room on the Stereodyne to clove hitch the extension to the stub with fine dental floss or thread. Then glue stylus tip onto the end of the extension with nail polish or white glue. It does not have to be an exact fit if you don't want to permanently damage the cross assembly, but it has to be tight to avoid resonances. (There is also a rubber piece that should be on it as well isn't there?)

If attempting to tie cantilevers, they squash easily.

[bakelite2]

What you see is what you get. This is all that was there when I pulled it apart. I like the idea of gluing the thorn to the outside so I may go this way to see how it works before trying a more permanent solution.
What is the distance from base of ths stub to stylus on the B&O SP12, wanna make sure I get that distance correct at the first attempt.

[1200y3]

9 millimeters from the cross to the stylus tip. (Dynaco B&O Stereodyne II red base).

There are cantilevers that will slip over the stub. N75EC from MCM, but it may not be the same today as it the one they sent before.

[Paladin]

Do I sense doubt? The SP12 is worth the effort for a rebirth. A telescope cantilever is ideal for slipping over the original shaft. It was not necessary but I slipped a small sliver of a cactus thorn in the tube to deaden resonance.

[1200y3]

Records, turntables, and styli. What else do we need?