Technics SL1400MK2 Arm Lifter mechanism repair

Thanks for your explanation of the photo cell picking up the arm.. I always wondered why when I was skimming a record quick without going to the runout groove but to the last track, the auto return would kick in prematurely .. I didn't know it was photocell.. i assumed it was like a timing arm or something.

[@idahovintageelectronics3589]

I have fixed many plastic parts with a soldering Iron! after melting them together though I mix a little epoxy and fill the divot made by the Iron and it lasts a lot longer.

[@12voltvids]

So have I. Plastic gear in EVS7000 that splits was one of them. Still going strong.

[@colewoodard8920]

Believe it or not, technics actually made this model (along with the mk2 variants of the 1300 and 1500) from 1976-1978. They were really ahead of everyone else during that period.

[@12voltvids]

I have the SLM1, and it goes back to the mid 80's when the T4P cartridges started rolling out. Same motor design, but the M1 is quartz locked.

[@fernandomartins7261]

Thanks for taking the time to explain things properly and taking lots of the guess work out of the way. Thanks again.

[@robinsonsoto8471]

YOu do know what you are doing. One of the hell experienced tech.

[@kingdavid99887766554]

I'm so glad I found this video. I have the exact device with the exact same problem, but I was too chicken to open my heirloom pickup. So, I got me some scratches on my prized records... Keep up the good work my dude!

[@DoRC]

Funny you posted this. I just picked up a 1401 to fix up and resell. Mines in good shape but the auto play isnt moving the arm into position. Ill be taking it apart soon to clean and fix it. I imagine they arw similar inside.

[@Digiquarium]

There is no auto-play on the 1401, that's the 1301. With the 1401, you press start and move the arm over. It's semi-automatic i.e. no auto start, only auto return.

[@DoRC]

@@Digiquarium well I'll be darned. I'm really glad you said that before I dug into it. Now that I know it's fully working I'll probably just clean it up and sell it. Thanks for saving me some head scratching!

[@DoRC]

@@Digiquarium I was wondering if you knew what type of plastic the 1401 dust cover is? The one I have has a small crack and I'd like to fix it. Thanks!

[@SianaGearz]

Probably a polyamide lever. Not easy to break in original condition, even with gummed up mechanism, but PA relies on water content to remain tough, and loses it over time, at the same time the parts shrink slightly, and if they were fitted around a metal shaft, they will break. Can be put into a bag with some water for a few days to restore the flexibility. No matter, it's likely to last for decades as it is now that it's set into its new shape. Part like this likely won't scan, generally just about nothing scans properly, it's kind of a sci-fi dream. If someone were to CAD it up, a laser sintered PA part could be ordered off Shapeways, that's sensible, not too expensive. Not sure i'd want to print on my home printer other than for test fitting. If copying a part like that is needed, i just take 2k silicone from craft store, make a mould, and build up a copy out of epoxy inside the mould, made decent functional copies as durable as original of very delicate parts that way too, but i don't have the process down to where i would do it for someone else, it's not exactly efficient, would need to learn a lot more about making sensible moulds and resins. A copy wasn't needed in this case, i'm not criticising, just sharing. Maybe doing small-series copies of parts that are likely to break and offering these replacement parts to repairmen can be a business model of sorts? That way the design or setup costs are better distributed, while $200 for a part is of course bollocks, but at $20, it starts to look much more sensible. Clients don't like to spend more than they have to, but perhaps they'd be forced to spend a bit extra as original parts decay further, good units become rarer and more desirable, and ad hoc repairs like with welding or gluing without replacement parts may become untenable.

[@markmarkofkane8167]

That is a fine looking turntable!! Glad you can fix it!!

[@markmarkofkane8167]

P.S. the end of the record where it moves inward faster is the lead-out groove. :)

[@luismuniz2697]

Very educational... I thank you for posting this video.... I would like to learn how to repair a cassette player........ I sincerely hope you have a wonderful upcoming holiday season with those close to you..... Thank you for sharing this video...... I agree with you on the parts being hard to find for turntables to has the automatic mechanism....... I thank you once again for the video..............

[@joemartin6439]

Sure wish you were in the Toronto area. I have the very same ST-1400 Mk II

[@ilanmagen]

The hole clear cover con be removed separately. Cool stuff love your work.

[@keenancristian7981]

you probably dont give a shit but does anybody know of a trick to get back into an instagram account?? I stupidly lost my password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me.

[@sebastianzechariah1319]

@Keenan Cristian instablaster ;)

[@keenancristian7981]

@Sebastian Zechariah I really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff now. Takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@keenancristian7981]

@Sebastian Zechariah it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy:D Thanks so much, you saved my ass!

[@sebastianzechariah1319]

@Keenan Cristian Glad I could help :D

[@davidhamm5626]

So there was enough silicone left in the damping piston for it to work okay? When you said it was gunked up, it sounded like there was a lot of it lost.

[@12voltvids]

Yes there is still good damping on the lifter piston. The solicon damping oil gets gummed up just like any old grease. I used to have a jar of it back when I worked in the shop. It was like glue.

[@imfrcd]

That part is now available from Shape Ways www.shapeways.com/model/1760114/technics-sl-1400-mk2-cueing-cam-lever.html Be aware, there are two different types.

[@Doubleugene]

Thanks Richard! Who knew anyone was making this obscure, obsolete part that I happen to need. I have one on order!

[@This.Here.Channel]

I had to do some repairs on my sl1300, mainly the arm lifter. The lever for the arm lifter would just slide back down after I moved it to lift up the tone arm. And when the record was finished, the needle would scrape across the record as it was returning to its resting position. Long story short, once I got it back together the lifter stays up longer when you are automatically starting it, but if you do it manually, the lever doesn't seem to stay up as long. So I decided to try again to look online for info. I noticed that the videos on a 1200 and 1400 (and a few others) seem to show a (much) larger spring used on the arm lifter, than what mine has. Should all the springs for arm lifters the same regardless of the model? Thanks to anyone who can help me.

[@juliannemicallef3059]

Very good video of the repairs, well done. Also do you reckon that whenever the tonearm does not lift on these types of turntables, most probably it would be the lift mechanism?

[@vskhat]

Same problem here, Thank you for detailed explanation. As soon as customer aware that replacement part actually available it`s on him/her. melted plastic might hold for a decade or might not. This table deserved to be repaired properly.

[@12voltvids]

Not when they say fix it for 30.00 so I can sell it. Very few people will spend any money to repair stuff. This is something all you people fail to understand. The majority of my customers are ebay flippers. They want something working functionally air they can flip it to the phools that get into a bidding frenzy and pay too much for junk. I would love a client to bring me something and say do what you need to to restore no expense soared but that doesn't happen in the real world. I have a few people that buy and sell old stuff. They are not going to put more into something that they can sell it for.

[@grahamcoffey8052]

Hi thanks for great video... I opened mine up and there was no spring or clip... Missing!! Think that's all it needs... I suppose it would be impossible to find replacement?

[@1959Berre]

The original arm lift part is no longer available, but some people offer 3D printed parts for the SL-1400. This is a common problem of this model as the part was not well designed in the frist place, it has a weak spot where it always breaks. You can find these guys on the sites of audiokarma and vinylengine.

[@12voltvids]

Yes I know the original part is nla. It had not been available since about 6 years after that unit was made as that is all Panasonic retained parts for.

[@robertlewis7305]

I installed one of the 3D printed versions you speak of - it works ok so far. However, you need to install some thin heatshrink around the bearing, then press the new part on. The diameter isn't quite right

[@botseed]

update, i think shapeways modified the part as recently when i've done the repairs they need to be sanded for filed before they will even fit on the bearing, but they have worked like a charm after that

[@edwardcowburn2632]

I was told the queuing lever on my 1500 Mark II is sealed and not fixable. Is that true? If it is fixable is it expensive? Thank you.

[@agvintageeletronica-especi755]

SFPJL13203K where do i enter this piece? it seems that some do it in a 3d printer, does anyone know of any technical library to download the STL file?

[@zx8401ztv]

Smashing repair :-D. The art of the wiggle jiggle :-D, some things are just a pain like the insides of rasta blaster stereos, too much crammed in to too small a space. Plastic fantastic is a bloody pain in the ass, vcr's can be a bloody nighmare. Small bits of weak plastic crammed into a small space, not enough room for a brace to support a joint.

[@miloshanek6272]

Could you advise me how to lubricate the arm lift piston of the Technics SL-1900? It was falling fast, so I cleaned and I need to put a new refill, thank you.

[@ElectoneGuy]

There are guys on Audiokarma and Vinyl Engine that are 3D printing that part. It's a common failure point on those tables.

[@12voltvids]

I am aware of how common that part fails. I changed many back in the 80s. I also know how much work it is to get to it. I started "fusing" the part back together back in the 80s or 90s. What is thought to cause it, besides the lifter freezing is thermal expansion of the metal part it fits over. Seemed to happen more on setup where the turntable was sitting directly on amplifier. It all boils down to cost and how willing the owner is to spend money.

[@SianaGearz]

@@12voltvids My alternative hypothesis is not that it's the metal that expands, but the PA lever/gear that shrinks around the metal shaft as it loses water, which happens faster if you keep it warm. PA is generally factory conditioned to absorb a few percent water by weight after moulding to give it optimal mechanical properties.

[@toneyisaiah408]

Sir you are working on a Technics turntable that's having issues with the tone arm.

[@djmo942]

Cleaned of the gum, too bad the most important stuff is not in the video. How did you Get the armlifter completely off? I did remove the armrest but that did not help. And most importantly How did you Get access to fix the broken plastic cueing lever. Too bad those things are not in the video.

[@12voltvids]

I didn't remove it.

[@DamianYesiolowow]

What kind of grease or oil do you used for lubricate the tonearm elevator? I will do the same lubrication on my sl-1710, but i don't know which oil is the best.

[@basspig]

Where do you get a replacement nylon part that drives the plunger? I'm working on one where the nylon broke apart and can no longer turn the plunger. It's too greasy in there to fix with epoxy.

[@billwren5033]

I have a Technics sl 1300 MK2 same issue but it will not eject either or autoplay as an automatic should any suggestion sir

[@savvassidiropoulos5952]

You can get a replacement part for the broken lifter 3d printed on shapeways

[@AeroModule]

This is now the second video on youtube that attempts to repair this issue without knowing about the replacement part. Maybe melting the crack back together is easier though.

[@12voltvids]

It is all about cost. I had a limit of 50 to repair this. Could you order a part and do it for 50 bucks? I think not.

[@12voltvids]

@@AeroModule Yes it is and faster. To disassemble that arm and replace the part would add at least another hour in labour charges. When the client comes in and says I have a limit or 50 to repair this you do what is necessary to restore operation. Since there is no stress on the part and the only reason it broke in the first place was because the lifter pin froze, the fix will likely outlast the owner. KZbin armchair quarterbacks think everyone with vintage gear is an audiophool that spends 1000 on s patch cord and has unlimited resources to repair it. In reality most of the collectors are older retired people that have limited funds. They want their old gear repaired because they don't want to buy new for the limited use it will get. It was no different back in the 80s and 90s when I made a living doing this. A customer would spend 60 to 80 fixing something and it it was more than that they tossed it. At 80 an hour shop charge (that is what the shop rate was) 1 hour labour seats up most of the limit. Start adding parts and tax and people walk. It is even worse now. Some repairs I make money on, typically the high end or rare stuff but most of it I make hardly anything on, so I wont spend much time on it. There are many units that there is no video made because when I open it there is something major wrong and I know I can't do it for the limit that is placed on the repair so I close it up and hand it back. Not that the unit can not be repaired but when the cost of say a laser assembly is 40.00 plus shipping and the limit placed on the repair 40 bucks. Well you get the picture. That is why you haven't seen me replace laser assemblies on CD players. When they can go to the second hand store and pick one up for 15.00 why spend money fixing old one. I make more from the KZbin video than I ever do fixing equipment. For the stuff shipped in for repair, the post office is making a lot more than me on the repair.

[@savvassidiropoulos5952]

I respect the limitations that may be imposed in a repair, especially those involving costs. I mentioned the availability of the 3D printed part (for $23 plus shipping) because it may be of use to anyone wanting to do the repair. I have repaired this tonearm lift (details and pictorials on Audiokarma) about 10 years ago. A replacement part was not available back then so I had to improvise as well. I did clean the spring and shaft as well (as well as the entire tonearm assembly as I did it myself and labor cost was not an issue for me. The tonearm stopped working this summer when I did use the turntable a lot. It did last 10 years worth of infrequent use. I am now going to redo this trying out that part.

[@12voltvids]

@@savvassidiropoulos5952 23 us dollars plus shipping to Canada. A minimum of 50 it seems. Call it 100 for the part. Turntable isn't worth that. Dome people seem to put unrealistic values on turntables. Most will not spend that amount. Since you have already had the arm apathy you know how much time it takes. Very few are willing to pay to have this done when as you pointed out your repair lasted 10 years.

[@GustoTheGamer]

Why not changing the old caps?

[@12voltvids]

Because the owner is not paying me enough to do anything more than make it work. Caps are fine.

[@chilledoutpaul]

you normally only do what is agreed with the customer

[@12voltvids]

Customer brought it in with the lifter not working and wanted that fixed. He didn't give me a blank cheque to start changing everything. I can't remember anyone, ever saying to me, even when I was doing this for a living, change everything that might break.Never happened in over 20 years. Not once. Every customer was the same fix it for the cheapest you can, and even that was too much in many cases. When I hear people say "why didn't you recap it" of this or that. Well if someone came to me and said "change all the caps just in case" First I would geta bloody big deposit up front, and then I would do just that. But that never happens.

[@chilledoutpaul]

@@12voltvids Same here too. I though i do carry quite a bit of stock "just incase" but what ever I use has still got to be paid for.

[@vskhat]

Because that is stupid. not every cap deteriorates enough to justify spending ungodly amount of time and money. People just assume they do. If it ain`t broken don`t fix it. Right now you can get capacitor tester that can do so in circuit. if it tests outside parameters then change it if not leave it alone.

[@TheGuitologist]

Great vid, as always.

[@ricardorowland6718]

Excelente..!..muchas gracias, aprendo mucho con este tipo de reparaciones específicas, ..saludos desde Bs.As. Argentina...sigo tus videos..

[@marcelomandiola2530]

Ricardo , esta esta reparando la hola donde el brazo descansa ?

[@ricardorowland6718]

@@marcelomandiola2530 muestra la.reparacion de la subida y bajada del brazo , más el autoreturn.....que en estos modelos de Technics, son similares ..pero no iguales ...

[@michaelperez9386]

Hello, i have the same player with the same issues is there anyway you could help me out?

[@animalcorvair]

i am working on one now waiting on Turntable Tonearm Cue Dampening Silicone Fluid an a new plastic part thats broke ..a guy is making them i think the boy paid 32 bucks for it just to let you know you can get them ..wish they were made of metal

[@animalcorvair]

just got it back together works great thank for this vid

[@shotsrodder]

Great step by step 👍 thanks

[@joelafives]

The lifter part is available now 3d printed

[@12voltvids]

Doesn't matter because the owner had a 50.00 limit. So the part would have to have been available for 5.00 including shipping to make it worth my while to do that. I told him he would be looking probably 100 which is low considering the work involved and he said his limit was 50 all in. So he paid me to make it a manual turntable.

[@glenngoodale1709]

Nice video

[@digriz602]

You need a tone arm weight scale.

[@12voltvids]

I just balance and use the markings on the weight. Good enough for me. I am not a vinyl guru. I havent played or pitched vinyl since cds came out.

[@TheFelix63]

bello, ma troppe parti in plastica usurabili

[@joemartin6439]

With is my table and I have Audio funck mate .

[@apexmike849]

I should look more carefully, I thought that this was the SL1200MK2, which I have (one of..).

[@eduardleon9636]

Thanks bro, so heipfull

[@TheBudgie29]

I have Three SL-1210mk2's

[@shaun9107]

Manual is better , more fun in the mix

[@apexmike849]

Can you imagine trying to use one for DJing? "Hmm, I'll just nudge this speed up a notch - OH BUGGER!"

[@shaun9107]

@@apexmike849 You can use it , I use to use a fix speed to get me started . Poor mans turntable mix 1980s . I had 2 to start with until I could afford a starter kit , I still have it today . Would you believe I had my first 2 Hi Fi turntables stolen , I spotted them in a second hand Hi Fi shop with my Newmark mixer & amp back in the 90s. Buy ......., I was pist off

[@jason1979007]

Dam Canadian post ..

[@darcymoxley2990]

I see you disabled your comments on your “screw you Canada Post” video lol didn’t like the responses you were getting eh? Next time be smarter.

[@12voltvids]

The comments were disabled because there is no point rehashing it. The sender fucked up because he did not require signature, the positie also fucked up because he didn't use common sense. The other positie that was doing the route always either took it to the other door or carded it. They would card stuff that did not require a signature. I know this because I have to sign for stuff and show Id when signature was required and most carded stuff I didn't have to show Id. So everyone that was making negative comments must be postal workers now worried about their job security. When I disabled I had about 1000 up votes and 70 down votes so clearly the majority of viewers agree with me. Perhaps the system is broken and needs to be fixed. When stuff gets stolen, if it is a new item the merchant has to eat it because the credit card company will reject their payments. I talked to another postal worker and they told me they can at point of delivery card it regardless if it is signature required. So the know it alls out there don't know it all. End of discussion. He fucked up, I didn't and I shouldn't be the one people are pointing their flame throwers at. I am showing what happens and why so much stuff gets stolen, nothing else. I did nothing wrong, but said at the end, had this been stolen Canada post wouldn't be on the hook for it, I would and if the owner decided to sue me for losing it I highly doubt that you all would be paying for my lawyer bill of offering to chip in and replace it. Now do you understand where I am coming from. He was just being lazy. Didn't want to ring the bell and wait for 30 seconds to see if someone answered then go back to his truck get a card and scan it in. I don't care how overworked they are. I am overworked at my day job too. Very rarely do I get done by the end of my shift. Guess what, I suck it up and put in a few minutes of OT and get paid ot premium. Almost every day as that is what it takes to retire the work load and keep customers happy.

[@MartinSBrown-tp9ji]

This is an over complicated, engineered, and expensive toy, that rely dose not do that much. Your hand can do that much for a less cash..

[@capaudio10]

#1 Take off the dust cover. #2 throw away the screw gun Use only a manual screwdriver on a vintage piece of gear.

[@12voltvids]

Says who? Since when were you the screwing police?