Vanrock Stylus Oops!

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Hi Newbiie question

I just got myself a vanrock, Got it all set up very excited, until the stylus fell out as soon as I lifted the head! So I guess my question is how do I ensure the stylus is in the correct position when I try and put it back in and also how do I reattach that darn red wire thanks advance
Mark
Brownsville, Oregon

[rsimms3]

Did the stylus look like that when you put it into the cutting head? That stylus is severely bent, I can't imagine that's how it should look. It looks like the screw to hold the stylus was significantly over tightened and bent the shank on the stylus.

[g-minus-mark]

Thanks! I fell out, It was shipped so maybe it happened in transit!

[EpicenterBryan]

Thanks! I fell out, It was shipped so maybe it happened in transit!

There is a troll thread here that you will want to look over:
https://www.lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?t=5109

One picture of the cutting head clearly shows the stylus should be straight. Also, you will want to look closely at a page from the manual that shows the broken wire attaches to a stylus heating coil that is wrapped and glued directly on the stylus. You can not re-attach that since it looks like the wires broke too close to the stylus. But you could wind a new heater coil using nichrome wire (usually 7 turns). I don't remember the gauge of the correct wire. It might be worth holding on to the bad stylus to experiment with - but obviously you need a new one. When you order one, request heater wires be attached.

What's not clear to me is what happens with the other end of the nichrome wire loop. Perhaps it is connected to the stylus directly for the current return.

I should also say that normally there is a flat spot on the stylus shank. That faces forward so the set screw can press against it. That helps self center the stylus when the screw is tightened. The manual shows that as well.

Since you are just up the road in Brownsville, feel free to bring it down to Eugene some weekend and I can take a look at it. Would love to see it in person anyway.

Bryan

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Amazing you're in Eugene! I have a friend in Corvallis who's an Engineer, Builds Tesla Cars, He said he's willing to look at straightening the Stylus & attaching the wire, It's worth a shot for sure, It does have a flat head, There's a screw to attach it on the head, I would love to bring it down, Let swap contact info
Thanks!
Mark

[mrd]

Yep, can that stylus is definitely not right!

You don't necessarily need the heat wire if you have a decent lamp to go on the top and warm the material like that... Wire attaches to the screw top when you do get it sorted and dental cement to the stylus I believe...

[g-minus-mark]

Well it’s not been a very good day for my van rock I’ve been waiting for my new stylist to arrive from France and €300 later it came I carefully fitted the new one just as I was supposed to try to cut one record and the stylus bent again! I really don’t know what to do now

[The Shank]

Wtf???

Send it back here...
Or the head or the whole system has a problem, or you put it in a wrong way in the cutting head...or...

When did the stylus bent exactly?
Have you been able to start a groove?
If not I suppose it has bended at the first touch on the record?
What pressure is setup (head on the blank)?
Plate was on and running when you’ve started to cut?

[dubcutter89]

Hmm, on the Picture it Looks like the Stylus is bent sideways (not in cutting direction, nor in the direction the set screw acts...) - can it be that the Stylus is crashing the platter when moving in?
Like, is the head already down (in cutting position) before the machine is in the right position (stylus above rotating blank)?

You can check with either the old Stylus or to save some money maybe an old grammophone needle or some wire cut to same length...

Hope that helps!
Lukas

[g-minus-mark]

Thanks Everyone

I suspect what happened is the cutting head didn't pop up into place, It stuck when it started moving to the disc it hit the side of the disc! This must be what happened to the other one that snapped

[g-minus-mark]

I heard something about using cheaper Pesto type Stylus, I would like to try before I put another new one in there & break it, Is that an option? Just to test it