Well tempered Classic Platter issue

floor ...

I have the Well-Tempered Classic with the square motor. I had the Teflon bearing cap come off of the well on two different occasions. Both times, Bill Firebaugh made good on it. After the second time, they installed bigger "caps," and I have not had a problem since. The last repair was in the early 90s.

On the Originlive belt ... I highly recommend it. I've had mine for about five years now. You will get much better speed control, and that helps the tonality of instruments ... particularly noticed on piano. Dynamics and clarity are also improved. Funny thing ... upon first listening to the new belt, you can actually hear it breaking in. Weird, I know ... but it steadily improves over the first hour, and then it settles in. 

Contact Bill Firebaugh here:

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• info@welltemperedlab.net

Frank

35.1 belt

I have a Classic (was SQ motor but replaced by the upgrade version awhile back).
The Origin Live belt is great BTW! Closest to the original spec I’ve had in 20 years or more.

The bearing? First off: It’s CRITICAL that the fluid that is in the cup is the exact fluid specified by Well-Tempered! If it’s not, that is the reason your bearing fell off. I know because at one point some had spilled and I thought I could could use any old thin oil: Wrong! Whatever I used just about destroyed my bear and I ended up buying an entirely new bearing and cup (this was 25 years ago when they still made the TTs).

You can try and contact whomever is producing WTT these days and see about the same but... They don’t make the same tables at all anymore so they might not have any around. If that’s a dead end it’s possible to remove the bearing tube/cup in order to effect the repair yourself (I’ve done it and it’s not that hard despite all the steps below):

1. Find a way to suck out as much of the fluid as possible. Do NOT discard the fluid though; just put it in another container. Maybe a turkey baster or something similar for pulling the oil out. Don’t worry about getting it ALL out yet, just as much as possible.
2. With a marker or piece of tape, make a mark on the plinth and then a matching one on the cup. It’s important to be able to put it back in exactly the same position as it is now.
3. Place the TT between two tables with the mid-section underneath it open.
4. Get a smaller head plastic hammer and start tapping the bearing cup upwards. It’s not glued in or held by any mechanical means (no screws etc.) but by friction so it WILL come out.
5. Once it’s out tip it to the side to let as much of the rest of the oil out into the container you picked.
6. The bearing point might drop out in the above step but if it doesn’t just turn it completely upside down and it will.
7. Cleaning out the remaining oil... This can be tough but I’d start with something like de-natured alcohol (Where gloves and do it outside) and if that doesn’t do it move up to mineral spirits. The plastics used should not be affected by these chemicals, but then again don’t leave them sitting in there too long either.
8. Once that’s done wash it all out with hot water and soap. Allow it to dry for a day.
9. Once it’s all dry put it back in the hole in the plinth, but only an inch, maybe less. You just need it to stay in place and not wobble.
10. You’re going to need a way to manipulate the bearing back in place... Maybe two thing strips of wood taped together at the ends (almost like chopsticks). Practice this a few times until you feel confident.
11. Glue: It needs to be a plastics glue that will not break down again once the fluid is back in there and something that can work on very slippery plastics. For that you’ll have to do some research or talk to someone knowledgeable at a hardware store. What ever it is, make sure it is SLOW set, nothing instant.
12. Once you find it, put a few drops down in the bottom, carefully align the bearing point... Your steel shaft could be a great way to push it down once it’s been placed and also will help make sure everything is where it should be. Give it a day at least to totally set and cure. and then reverse the steps of the beginning.... Good luck!