Converting Leslie Motor Stack from Horizontal to Vertical

[theseacowexists]

I have a spinet motor stack that I intend on using for adding horns to my 130. The slow motor engages the O-ring just fine when the stack is in its original position (horizontal for a vertical rotor). When I turn the stack vertically, the slow motor does not spring up to engage the O-ring.

I understand that some changes need to be made involving the spring on the slow motor. I've read that the spring can be stretched if the stack is being converted for a lower rotor (i.e. slow motor on top). However, I intend to have the motor stack with the slow motor on the bottom, typical horn setup. Can the original spring be used, either stretched or in a different position? Will I need to get a new spring?

[alpine]

I bought 2 ex T500 ones. and swapping over the spring and washer set from one side of the armature, plus a little judicious stretching works fine in my FrankenLeslie 147. The aim is to balance the weight of the armature against the spring thrust. Make sure you mark the bearing housings and get them back the same way they were originally to optimise the bearing alignments. Tone Wheel General sell new spring kits if you decide you need them. I also put new O rings on, 63mm ones from Ebay, and then spent a lot of time messing about with the heights and motor angle before I was happy all was well. The 3/32 hex socket on the Oring wheel was really tight on mine and I twisted an Allen key getting it loose. Now got a better quality one!

[theseacowexists]

The spring was originally on the top portion of the armature, so I moved it to the bottom portion. It seems that this particular spring might be a bit too long to fit down there though, since even when it's fully compressed and the motor is off, the armature is sitting quite high. It does spring up when the motor turns on, though only about 1/16". The upper motor spring over at TWG looks to be a lot shorter than mine, maybe I should just save myself some headaches and "spring" for that?

[Brendon Wright]

The spring was originally on the top portion of the armature, so I moved it to the bottom portion. It seems that this particular spring might be a bit too long to fit down there though, since even when it's fully compressed and the motor is off, the armature is sitting quite high. It does spring up when the motor turns on, though only about 1/16". The upper motor spring over at TWG looks to be a lot shorter than mine, maybe I should just save myself some headaches and "spring" for that?

I know the little kits from Tonewheelgeneral come with a bunch of different washers too.
...AND a nifty little plastic bag!
It's always nice getting presents in the post.

[theseacowexists]

I realized why the armature was sitting so high - I had the two brackets that hold it swapped! Oops. Fixed that, but still the armature doesn't seem to move up far enough to engage the flywheel. Even tried it with some different length springs salvaged from ballpoint pens.

In your experience, how far should the armature move up when the motor is engaged?

It is always nice to get presents in the mail, isn't it? Seems like they come in waves that correspond to when I'm in the middle of a project...which explains the wave I'm riding right now!

[Brendon Wright]

In your experience, how far should the armature move up when the motor is engaged?

Actually it's been so long since I've played around with 'em I've forgotten.
However, let me engage my vague sort of memory...
It NEEDS to move a whole bunch, cos it HAS to engage the rubber tyre, right?

The SPRING..
The spring.
I recall that not only is the spring a different length it's in a different position depending on whether the motor is upside down or the other way up. If the motor is assembled for the OTHER way it will never engage.
Hmmmmm,
There's a pic around here somewhere...
Ha! Looks like it was from one of my own posts!



Take a peek thru the thread it came from, might have useful guff...
https://www.organforum.com/forums/sh...l=1#post277889

[alpine]

In your experience, how far should the armature move up when the motor is engaged?

Not a lot. You're aiming to adjust it all so that the end of the shaft only just doesn't engage with the corner of the o-ring when it's in fast mode, but pushes up against it in slow mode. But you want it to happen when the armature is neither at the top or bottom of its movement.

[bnelson218]

ALPINE...I love your decal! 😁

[alpine]

ALPINE...I love your decal! 

I did it on a colour laser printer with sticky backed transparent film. Unfortunately laser printers don't do gold ink, so it's just yellow:->:-(