BSR UA25 Arm Height Part Missing - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

harvestgold · 24th Nov 2020, 6:06 pm

Hi. I bought a very nice Dansette Bermuda from a charity shop last year and am finally getting around to sorting it out.

The autochanger is, I believe, a BSR UA25 and is in good condition, although I'll be giving it a good old clean and re-lubricate, but there appears to be a part missing from underneath the tonearm which comes into contact with the pin that rises up to lift the arm. The adjusting grub screw is still present however.

Photographs are attached. Would someone be kind enough to tell me what the missing piece looks like please, so I can see if it's possible to make something suitable to fit?

Many thanks,
Neil.

Edward Huggins · 24th Nov 2020, 6:15 pm

Yes, this a BSR UA25. I don't have the exploded views to hand, but from memory there should be a small plate that is secured by that grub screw, holds the 4 tone arm wires in-situ and provides a platform for the rising pin to make contact with. I just don't know where you will find this part other than for it to come from a donor deck.

Techman · 24th Nov 2020, 6:52 pm

Here's a complete and working one...

Techman · 24th Nov 2020, 7:10 pm

Here's a couple more that should be helpful before I pack the player away...

harvestgold · 24th Nov 2020, 7:40 pm

That's wonderful, thank you both, now I know what it looks like, I reckon I should be able to make up something to fit. It looks like it is held in place by a small screw at the bottom and then the grub screw pushes it down from above to adjust the height.

I can't imagine why it has gone missing / been removed from mine, but I'm something can be done now I know what I need.

Thanks again, Neil.

AC/HL · 24th Nov 2020, 9:18 pm

You could try a wanted post, members often keep BER decks for spares.

Techman · 25th Nov 2020, 2:04 pm

You might be lucky and find someone with spares, but folk tend to have complete decks going spare, so making the part would be the way to go.

It's sprung steel, so it presses against the adjusting screw and follows its adjustment in and out. Ideally, if you make a replacement you'd need to 'temper' it to give it 'spring', but in practice I think you'll get away with an ordinary bit of un-sprung tin so long as you bend it to tension against the end of the adjusting screw and try to keep all your adjustments carefully made in one direction only, as it won't want to follow the screw back out again if you go too far. So to sum up - I think you can fairly easily make the part.

One last observation - it's a very clean deck from what I can see (less dusty than mine), so someone's given it a going over. It makes me wonder why someone needed to dismantle the arm far enough to lose that part and also makes me wonder whether there's any other lost or misassembled parts on the rest of the deck, hopefully not.

harvestgold · 25th Nov 2020, 4:36 pm

Thanks again for the replies,

I reckon in the first instance, I'll try a request in the wanted section to see if anyone has a spares deck they wouldn't mind pinching the part from. Typically, I have a few BSR spares decks myself, but no UA25s or any with a similar arm.

Otherwise I'm certainly going to have a go at making one, and if I run into any problems, there's a gentleman who lives near to me with far greater skills in this area than mine!

I have just popped out to the workshop and given the UA25 a check over and thankfully, nothing else seems to be missing and it cycles correctly (other than the arm not lifting, of course), so why the plate is missing is anyone's guess.

Thank you for the advice, Techman - it is greatly appreciated.

Neil.

24th Nov 2020, 6:06 pm	#1
harvestgold Hexode Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 282	BSR UA25 Arm Height Part Missing Hi. I bought a very nice Dansette Bermuda from a charity shop last year and am finally getting around to sorting it out. The autochanger is, I believe, a BSR UA25 and is in good condition, although I'll be giving it a good old clean and re-lubricate, but there appears to be a part missing from underneath the tonearm which comes into contact with the pin that rises up to lift the arm. The adjusting grub screw is still present however. Photographs are attached. Would someone be kind enough to tell me what the missing piece looks like please, so I can see if it's possible to make something suitable to fit? Many thanks, Neil. Attached Thumbnails

24th Nov 2020, 6:15 pm	#2
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,325	Re: BSR UA25 Arm Height Part Missing Yes, this a BSR UA25. I don't have the exploded views to hand, but from memory there should be a small plate that is secured by that grub screw, holds the 4 tone arm wires in-situ and provides a platform for the rising pin to make contact with. I just don't know where you will find this part other than for it to come from a donor deck. __________________ Edward.

24th Nov 2020, 6:52 pm	#3
Techman Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 5,000	Re: BSR UA25 Arm Height Part Missing Here's a complete and working one... Attached Thumbnails

24th Nov 2020, 7:10 pm	#4
Techman Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 5,000	Re: BSR UA25 Arm Height Part Missing Here's a couple more that should be helpful before I pack the player away... Attached Thumbnails

24th Nov 2020, 7:40 pm	#5
harvestgold Hexode Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 282	Re: BSR UA25 Arm Height Part Missing That's wonderful, thank you both, now I know what it looks like, I reckon I should be able to make up something to fit. It looks like it is held in place by a small screw at the bottom and then the grub screw pushes it down from above to adjust the height. I can't imagine why it has gone missing / been removed from mine, but I'm something can be done now I know what I need. Thanks again, Neil.

24th Nov 2020, 9:18 pm	#6
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: BSR UA25 Arm Height Part Missing You could try a wanted post, members often keep BER decks for spares.

25th Nov 2020, 2:04 pm	#7
Techman Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 5,000	Re: BSR UA25 Arm Height Part Missing You might be lucky and find someone with spares, but folk tend to have complete decks going spare, so making the part would be the way to go. It's sprung steel, so it presses against the adjusting screw and follows its adjustment in and out. Ideally, if you make a replacement you'd need to 'temper' it to give it 'spring', but in practice I think you'll get away with an ordinary bit of un-sprung tin so long as you bend it to tension against the end of the adjusting screw and try to keep all your adjustments carefully made in one direction only, as it won't want to follow the screw back out again if you go too far. So to sum up - I think you can fairly easily make the part. One last observation - it's a very clean deck from what I can see (less dusty than mine), so someone's given it a going over. It makes me wonder why someone needed to dismantle the arm far enough to lose that part and also makes me wonder whether there's any other lost or misassembled parts on the rest of the deck, hopefully not.

25th Nov 2020, 4:36 pm	#8
harvestgold Hexode Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 282	Re: BSR UA25 Arm Height Part Missing Thanks again for the replies, I reckon in the first instance, I'll try a request in the wanted section to see if anyone has a spares deck they wouldn't mind pinching the part from. Typically, I have a few BSR spares decks myself, but no UA25s or any with a similar arm. Otherwise I'm certainly going to have a go at making one, and if I run into any problems, there's a gentleman who lives near to me with far greater skills in this area than mine! I have just popped out to the workshop and given the UA25 a check over and thankfully, nothing else seems to be missing and it cycles correctly (other than the arm not lifting, of course), so why the plate is missing is anyone's guess. Thank you for the advice, Techman - it is greatly appreciated. Neil.