!Exclusive! Hammond L-103 Rebirth

[Guest]

Here is my Hammond L-103 (Serial# 9333)spinet organ after painstakingly cleaning the tonewheel generator and lubricating each gear bearing/bushing individually with a syringe full of Singer sewing oil.... it sounds even better now ;) These are the first sounds it's made in over 30+ years according to the original owner. When I have the time and can afford it, I'm going to recap the entire generator.... and the reverb has some scratchy sounds every so often... and after 5-10 mintues or so a slight motor-like hum builds up in the audio signal's output.. but other than that she sounds beautiful :))))) This was a great project and I look forward to many more ;)</P>
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*Special Thanks to StormRover from Undernet's IRC for his guitar jingle contribution... your interest has helped push me further.. :)</P>


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<H3><FONT color=#808000><U>Hammond L-103 Rebirth</U> &lt;----Here's the Link! :))</FONT></H3></CENTER>

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[Clavier]

Re: !Exclusive! Hammond L-103 Rebirth

Sounds good! Congratulations.

[Fenrirlupus]

Re: !Exclusive! Hammond L-103 Rebirth

[quote user="NoahBenzing"]

Here is my Hammond L-103 (Serial# 9333)spinet organ after painstakingly cleaning the tonewheel generator and lubricating each gear bearing/bushing individually with a syringe full of <u>Singer sewing oil</u>....
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GAH! don't do that!</p>

singer oil isn't formulated for no wax like hammond oil, it could gum it up! -_-</p>

use hammond oil (there's some cheaper versions available, but it has to specify that it's for hammond organs...) </p>

just don't use singer oil again (or you will need to painstakingly REclean the tone generator.)
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[Guest]

Re: !Exclusive! Hammond L-103 Rebirth



Fenrirlupus... I am so glad you replied to this very subject... you are the first! :)))) And I must say that you hit the main underlying concerns that I and my Father researched for months.</P>


The viscosity of Singer sewing machine oil is ALMOST identical to that of the so-called vintage "Hammond" oil sold at premium prices by many online retailers. My Father is a geophysicist from ConcoPhillips and has had both oils analyzed with a transmission electron microscope and mass spectrometer *e-mail me for .pdf of raw data files*.</P>


I learned of this most secret and underground method from Steve Leigh of SL-Prokeys *see website* who has used this method for almost 30 years with amazing results. I don't have time to write a detailed article on his methods, but needless to say his generators only take 2 seconds to start *this is verifiable* and to this day still run cleaner and better than generators using traditional "Hammond" oil. What most people don't realize is that the oil they purchase online, in most cases, is not actually Hammond oil at all but rather a very similar machine oil with a high content of nano magnetite. Mr. Leigh recommends the use of a brand called "Alpha Sew" that he has used for decades with exceptional results and as it turns out, Alpha Sew is nothing more than rebranded Singer sewing machine oil.</P>


Before the actual oiling of the generator using a syringe, three passes were made over each individual gallery *or bin* using a high-quality electrical contact cleaner and an air compressor set to 100-125lbs/psiwith a narrow nozzle. Great care must be taken however during this step of the generator restoration to aim the nozzle at the correct angle otherwise the air pressure can and will break the delicate cotton oiling wicks. Mr. Leigh recommends "QC" contact cleaner but I could not find this particular product here in Tulsa, Oklahoma and had to use a very similar product by the brand name of "Electroklene" The contact cleaner is not nearly as important as the oil however and is used in conjunction with the air compressor to "blow-out" almost half a century of dust particles and associated deposits built up in the bearings and bushings of each tonewheel.</P>


Feel free to contact me for more details if you are interested in my methods. If you are still skeptical, study the data.</P>


I am already somewhat of a pariah in the Hammond Community although not nearly as much since I have aquired scientific proof of Mr. Leigh's ingenious solutions to age-old problems. My goal is not to hurt Mr. Al Goff's sales figures.. but to educate a new generation of musicians and technicians alike on how to restore and maintain these amazing historic instruments so that they may continue to provide the worldwith new Hammond sounds for years to come.</P>


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[Steve Leigh]

Re: !Exclusive! Hammond L-103 Rebirth

NoahBenzing wrote:


The viscosity of Singer sewing machine oil is ALMOST identical to that of the so-called vintage "Hammond" oil</P>


Singer (Alpha-Sew) is thinner.</P>


I learned of this most secret and underground method from Steve Leigh of SL-Prokeys *see website* who has used this method for almost 30 years with amazing results.</P>


:) It's no secret. My website began in 1995 - I've written volumes about this (and dozens of other "non-secrets").</P>


I don't have time to write a detailed article on his methods, but needless to say his generators only take 2 seconds to start *this is verifiable* and to this day still run cleaner and better than generators using traditional "Hammond" oil.</P>


Thousands of Hammond owners have used my "generator rebuild" and/or shipped generators to me. It's a fact. 2 seconds on START, release, wait 2 seconds, hit RUN - and it syncs. Some "techs" even believeTHEY invented the process. LOL!</P>


Mr. Leigh recommends the use of a brand called "Alpha Sew" that he has used for decades with exceptional results and as it turns out, Alpha Sew is nothing more than rebranded Singer sewing machine oil.</P>


Fact. I used to go to the local Singer store, and buy 8 quarts at a time. I had to explain that one.</P>


The contact cleaner is not nearly as important as the oil however and is used in conjunction with the air compressor to "blow-out" almost half a century of dust particles and associated deposits built up in the bearings and bushings of each tonewheel.</P>


Compressed air and quality alcohol based contact cleaner is CRITICAL. It's the only way to reduce 30-50 years of what is present in ALL Hammonds. 125 pounds of air isn't optional: it's required. Those little squirt cans of air? Don't waste your time or money. The bearings are sintered bronze: POROUS. There's so much filth in them, you'd never believe until after you've done a "generator rebuild" according to my guidelines.</P>


I am already somewhat of a pariah in the Hammond Community although not nearly as much since I have aquired scientific proof of Mr. Leigh's ingenious solutions to age-old problems.</P>


Actually, "Mr. Leigh's solution" was no more than common sense. (A) oil with color appears to have some kind of additive in it- (B) clear oil seems purer. Common sense said "make some experiments - see what happens". </P>


Next little tip: OVEROILING does not exist as long as gravity keeps working. It is impossible to overoil a Hammond, contrary to popular myth. </P>


Hammond friends - go have fun on my Prokeys website. It's there to help you, and it's (mostly) nothing but common sense.</P>


Steve Leigh www.sl-prokeys.com (click Prokeys then click Enter)</P>
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[Guest]

Re: !Exclusive! Hammond L-103 Rebirth



/action steps aside..... The man has spoken ;)</P>


Thank you for clarifying for me Steve.. I'm really glad you're here to set the record straight ;)...... :)))</P>


May I be so kind *from myown experiences*to remind anyone who tries this method of TWG cleaning to be careful if they used compressed air so thatthey don't break the cotton threads with the pressure *use the nozzle you have pictured on your website*. A proper nozzle is important to focus the air pressue on one spot of course.</P>


Great to have you here on the organforum! :)</P>

[TheAdmiral]

Re: !Exclusive! Hammond L-103 Rebirth

Thank you all for bringing up this very important information. I have known of this for years but never used the Singer oil as I still have original Hammond oil and have seen it argued both ways. I have several VERY old Hammonds to take care of (an A and E from the 1930's plus M3's from the 1960's----double doses of dust collections). Thanks for the website, Steve. I'll check it out. Thank your Dad, Noah.