Where can i get a stylus/needle for Presto K-8

[littles]

Recently got a Presto K-8 - everything seems to be working fine and I can't wait to test it out! but no stylus...
I emailed Apollo about a quote for these...
Fairchild/Presto Long Shank Long Shank Ruby AL
haven't heard anything back.
Is there anywhere else I could try besides waiting for something to show up on Ebay???

[piaptk]

Apollo is the only place to get them unless you can scare up a NOS one from someone. Call apollo and you can place an order...

[Angus McCarthy]

Gib at West-Tech may have some NOS ones as well.

[littles]

thanks for the help -- I'm new to this what does NOS mean?
and this is the one I need for a Presto K-8 from Apollo?
462 Fairchild/Presto Long Shank Long Shank Ruby AL

[Angus McCarthy]

NOS = "New Old Stock"
It means unused equipment (usually still in the package) that has been sitting around for a while - in this case 50 years!

The NOS styli you'll find are all "standard" width - that is, the wide groove that was the standard for 78s before "microgroove" LPs became more common. They still work just as well, but just be aware that if you cut with a "standard" size stylus, it may not play back as clearly with a modern microgroove pickup needle.

Actually I'm still a little blurry on the long shank/short shank characteristics myself... I'm assuming most consumer-grade styli were short-shank, around a half inch long, is that right?

[Jesus H Chrysler]

the stock head for the k8 (presto 5-c) would use a short shank stylus, but you could always cut one down if a long one is all you can get.

[Techie]

I believe the Transco # 362 would be equivalent to the short shank common to most home recorders of the day. Can someone confirm this? I'm going to need one for an RCA soon.

I assume any new cutting stylus would be cutting a microgroove. I know what happens when I assume...

The Presto 1D uses a long shank- the short shank is too thick to fit, and the Presto 1D manual states that it's specifically designed to give the widest frequency range with a long shank.

[piaptk]

I've used short shanks in a 1-D before... They aren't too wide, (although steel needles are) just have to put them in JUST deep enough to hold.

[Techie]

I was probably trying to use a steel needle. I have a saphire short shank. I'll have to check that out. Thanks for the education.

[piaptk]

There are also variations in length with both short and long shank, especially old ones... some of them have really long stones, and some have been resharpened so many times that there isn't much sapphire left. 4 years of scrounging up all the NOS/lightly used old styli I can, and I've only found about 4 or 5 *(out of 75+) that wouldn't work on my Presto to some extent. You may have to adjust the cutting head some, but they usually work alright.

[littles]

thanks for all the help and sorry i'm gonna have so many amateur questions
inserting my first stylus in the 1-c cutterhead - have the old manual but cant see to well on it - the flat side of the stylus is facing which way?

[Techie]

The flat part of the shank will face the front of the head, so the set screw will come in contact with the flat and hold it in position.

[piaptk]

thanks for all the help and sorry i'm gonna have so many amateur questions

Not that this particular question would have been answered, but have you read the entire Lathe Trolls Wiki? http://lathetrolls.pbworks.com
I put a TON of info for newbies on there, and it will answer a LOT of your questions... and hopefully some other people will continue adding to it as well...

[piaptk]

Also, I would buy a couple of styli from apollo, because you are almost guaranteed to ruin your first one with half an hour.

Be very careful about the weight on the stylus...