The Mellotron Group

--- On Thu, 12/10/09, thomasooo2003 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

From: thomasooo2003 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Stiff pinch roller
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, December 10, 2009, 3:13 AM

Hi fellow Mellotron owners (especially the experienced one's or those who already had to fix some problems on the instrument.. .),

since a while one note on my M400 has rapidly become flatter and playing an octave has become close to a major seven interval. And it is, you may guess, the stiff pinch roller. I have found a description how to drench the roller into pure alcohol (must it be 100%? I have bought today a mix of 70% / 30% water...), but that was not so easy to do. Do I have to get the pinch roller off from it metal axis to get it seperate into the bath of alcohol or is this no good idea (cause it will demage it...)? Has someone made a detailed description how to clean the pinch rollers, including photos for such folks like me who are more musicans than diy guys :-) ?

Any help & advice would be great!
Greetins, Thomas

On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 4:56 PM, Mark Pring <markpringnz@yahoo.com> wrote:

Frank's method seems to work very well: gently remove the axle by prising apart the axle holders with a flat blade screwdriver, clean the axle using the wire brush attatchment of a dremel tool or similar, re assemble. The alcohol method is only a quick fix.

You have to very careful and gentle, I damaged several when I was working on mine. You could alway buy a new keyspring but they are expensive.

Cheers

Mark

PS I am not an expert. Proceed at your own risk!

--- On Thu, 12/10/09, thomasooo2003 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

From: thomasooo2003 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Stiff pinch roller
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, December 10, 2009, 3:13 AM

Hi fellow Mellotron owners (especially the experienced one's or those who already had to fix some problems on the instrument.. .),

since a while one note on my M400 has rapidly become flatter and playing an octave has become close to a major seven interval. And it is, you may guess, the stiff pinch roller. I have found a description how to drench the roller into pure alcohol (must it be 100%? I have bought today a mix of 70% / 30% water...), but that was not so easy to do. Do I have to get the pinch roller off from it metal axis to get it seperate into the bath of alcohol or is this no good idea (cause it will demage it...)? Has someone made a detailed description how to clean the pinch rollers, including photos for such folks like me who are more musicans than diy guys :-) ?

Any help & advice would be great!
Greetins, Thomas

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, Chris Dale <unobtainiumkeys@...> wrote:
>
> Never use 70% alcohol. It must be 99% or 100% .
>
>
>
> On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 4:56 PM, Mark Pring <markpringnz@...> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Frank's method seems to work very well: gently remove the axle by
> > prising apart the axle holders with a flat blade screwdriver, clean the axle
> > using the wire brush attatchment of a dremel tool or similar, re assemble.
> > The alcohol method is only a quick fix.
> >
> >
> > You have to very careful and gentle, I damaged several when I was working
> > on mine. You could alway buy a new keyspring but they are expensive.
> >
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> >
> > Mark
> >
> >
> > PS I am not an expert. Proceed at your own risk!
> >
> > --- On *Thu, 12/10/09, thomasooo2003 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>* wrote:
> >
> >
> > From: thomasooo2003 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>
> > Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Stiff pinch roller
> > To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
> > Date: Thursday, December 10, 2009, 3:13 AM
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Hi fellow Mellotron owners (especially the experienced one's or those who
> > already had to fix some problems on the instrument.. .),
> >
> > since a while one note on my M400 has rapidly become flatter and playing an
> > octave has become close to a major seven interval. And it is, you may guess,
> > the stiff pinch roller. I have found a description how to drench the roller
> > into pure alcohol (must it be 100%? I have bought today a mix of 70% / 30%
> > water...), but that was not so easy to do. Do I have to get the pinch roller
> > off from it metal axis to get it seperate into the bath of alcohol or is
> > this no good idea (cause it will demage it...)? Has someone made a detailed
> > description how to clean the pinch rollers, including photos for such folks
> > like me who are more musicans than diy guys :-) ?
> >
> > Any help & advice would be great!
> > Greetins, Thomas
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 11:09 PM, thomasooo2003 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hi Chris,

why? Because it doesn't work or because it can damage the rollers???
I'll try to get 100% alcohol, sure...

Greetings, Thomas

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, Chris Dale <unobtainiumkeys@...> wrote:
>
> Never use 70% alcohol. It must be 99% or 100% .
>
>
>

> On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 4:56 PM, Mark Pring <markpringnz@...> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Frank's method seems to work very well: gently remove the axle by
> > prising apart the axle holders with a flat blade screwdriver, clean the axle
> > using the wire brush attatchment of a dremel tool or similar, re assemble.
> > The alcohol method is only a quick fix.
> >
> >
> > You have to very careful and gentle, I damaged several when I was working
> > on mine. You could alway buy a new keyspring but they are expensive.
> >
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> >
> > Mark
> >
> >
> > PS I am not an expert. Proceed at your own risk!
> >
> > --- On *Thu, 12/10/09, thomasooo2003 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>* wrote:
> >
> >
> > From: thomasooo2003 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>
> > Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Stiff pinch roller
> > To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
> > Date: Thursday, December 10, 2009, 3:13 AM
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Hi fellow Mellotron owners (especially the experienced one's or those who
> > already had to fix some problems on the instrument.. .),
> >
> > since a while one note on my M400 has rapidly become flatter and playing an
> > octave has become close to a major seven interval. And it is, you may guess,
> > the stiff pinch roller. I have found a description how to drench the roller
> > into pure alcohol (must it be 100%? I have bought today a mix of 70% / 30%
> > water...), but that was not so easy to do. Do I have to get the pinch roller
> > off from it metal axis to get it seperate into the bath of alcohol or is
> > this no good idea (cause it will demage it...)? Has someone made a detailed
> > description how to clean the pinch rollers, including photos for such folks
> > like me who are more musicans than diy guys :-) ?
> >
> > Any help & advice would be great!
> > Greetins, Thomas
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

>
> It damages the rollers, and weakens the wood. The 30% water is
> absorbed as moisture into the pinch roller and surrounding wood. In
> changing temperatures and humidity this shortens the life of
> everything, because it expands and contracts from the heat / cooling /
> movement of air from the flywheel spinning.
>
> A physics expert could explain it better than me.
>
> 100% alcohol is a controlled substance. You will have an easier time
> getting 99% alcohol, perhaps at a drug store. You may have to ask for it.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> .
>

There's wood in a pinch roller? Not in mine.