Lightnin' Grease Speed

Like an old boxer, an agile, high performance mechanism was grounded due to waxed up lubricants. The signs were everywhere..











The cams and gears...












To the door plunger assembly...


Right down to the pressure roller assemblies..











All the various parts were disassembled to the final part, completely cleaned of all dirt and lubricants. The amount of dirt was not surprising, but without getting rid of the dirt, this machine was not going to make any good music yet.

Dirt accumulated on the pressure roller.


Dirt, Hair and Grime.


Dirt deposited on a tape guide adjacent to pressure roller.

The parts are laid out carefully. All components are inspected for wear and worn components are marked for replacement. All washers and fasteners are automatically marked for replacement, as are rubber parts.

The good parts are gently cleaned using a variety of methods. Plastic parts are washed clean in water and detergent. Solvent is used to gently work the lubricants off metal parts. Springs and other parts need to be bathed in solvent for effective cleaning.

More updates in the coming days as the parts travel back in time to reveal their former glory.