Thread: Thorens TD 224
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Old 14th Oct 2021, 5:58 pm   #1
Jetsonz
Triode
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Wakefield
Posts: 19
Default Thorens TD 224

I've wanted a TD 224 for many years. I have a largeish collection of singles & 78's and thought that this would be the ideal player for them.
I finally found one coincidental with me having some disposable cash. It was sold as 'looks complete, motor works'. I took the plunge.
A couple of afternoons in the shed got it up & running. The major problems were caused by 2 levers unseated from their cam guides. The rest was the usual cleaning & lubrication.
I then had a very happy week watching this magical machine and incidentally listening to 78's & 45's.
Then it suddenly came to a standstill in the middle of a change cycle. Back in the shed it turned out that the top of the camshaft had sheared off - it has done a lot of work over it's 60:years.
I hoped that it would be a straightforward welding job - but would involve a major strip down to get the camshaft and cams out. It took me a few days to build up the nerve to tackle it. Fortunately there is a service manual on The Vinyl Engine. Nervously I stripped it down and took the shaft to a Blacksmith at the Yorkshire Coal Mining Museum. He repaired the broken shaft while I waited - I was very pleased.
I carefully put everything back together and, as expected, nothing worked. The service manual is quite clear - if anything is disturbed you have to work through a set of adjustments and recalibration. Which took about a week.
Thankfully it now works perfectly and I am again enjoying the entertainment.
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