The Secret Society of Lathe Trolls

BongoJim · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Hi I have recently got hold of a Fairchild 740 lathe, I was wondering if anyone had one of these and if they could give me any background info on it.

It came with a British made MOY Type B1/A B.B.C mono feedback cutterhead that takes a Fairchild/Presto Longshank styli. Any info on this would be great.

There are a few things wrong with it at the moment that I think are pretty simple to solve, namely, the belt is loose and the electrics that power the motor seem to turn themselves off after a few minutes... apart from that the cutting mechanism seems to work well.

It came with no cutter or feedback amps so any advice on what to replace it with would be great!

Thanks!

Simon · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 137 Location: London, England

Is this the one that came off ebay this year?

In the UK
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Happy to learn something new. Great!

Wanted: Stylus for Presto head, Mono heads Grampian, Fairchild, Presto, I would love an old Fairchild 740 carriage, Presto 8n, 8d etc, Presto, Rek O Kut or wot ever recording Amps - PM me what you have for sale.

BongoJim · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Same one yes. Am thinking of replacing the head with a Vinylium SC99. Only just getting up and running to a testing stage.

Simon · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 137 Location: London, England

where are you?
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Happy to learn something new. Great!

Wanted: Stylus for Presto head, Mono heads Grampian, Fairchild, Presto, I would love an old Fairchild 740 carriage, Presto 8n, 8d etc, Presto, Rek O Kut or wot ever recording Amps - PM me what you have for sale.

BongoJim · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Hackney

Simon · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 137 Location: London, England

Camden
_________________
Happy to learn something new. Great!

Wanted: Stylus for Presto head, Mono heads Grampian, Fairchild, Presto, I would love an old Fairchild 740 carriage, Presto 8n, 8d etc, Presto, Rek O Kut or wot ever recording Amps - PM me what you have for sale.

Tron · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 29

CRAZY, =)
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[Q/::][Q/::]

Simon · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 137 Location: London, England

just down the road then - it was great to speak to you on the phone - meet up soon to see the fairchild.... Laughing

The world of the internet....
_________________
Happy to learn something new. Great!

Wanted: Stylus for Presto head, Mono heads Grampian, Fairchild, Presto, I would love an old Fairchild 740 carriage, Presto 8n, 8d etc, Presto, Rek O Kut or wot ever recording Amps - PM me what you have for sale.

blacknwhite · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 113

Nice lathe, BongoJim; any other pics you could possibly post to the forum of the feedscrew and cutterhead transport assembly, if not too much trouble, would be greatly appreciated.

Always fun to see new, different approaches to building a lathe.

- Bob

Lewis D · Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 3:00 pm Post subject:

Hey, I cut with Grampian and I am also in Camden. I have manuals and stuff.

Simon · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 137 Location: London, England

I know you Lewis

I spoke to your Dad today...
_________________
Happy to learn something new. Great!

Wanted: Stylus for Presto head, Mono heads Grampian, Fairchild, Presto, I would love an old Fairchild 740 carriage, Presto 8n, 8d etc, Presto, Rek O Kut or wot ever recording Amps - PM me what you have for sale.

BongoJim · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

BongoJim · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

sorry,these=are=MASSIVE!

Simon · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 137 Location: London, England

What did you do these with a microscope

Laughing

_________________
Happy to learn something new. Great!

Wanted: Stylus for Presto head, Mono heads Grampian, Fairchild, Presto, I would love an old Fairchild 740 carriage, Presto 8n, 8d etc, Presto, Rek O Kut or wot ever recording Amps - PM me what you have for sale.

cuttercollector · Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 317 Location: San Jose, CA

I wonder if there are any Fairchild 641 stereo cutting systems still operating anywhere? I have seen parts of it including the transmitting tube type cutting amps and I think I saw the lathe once. The head is the most interesting part in that it has a lateral coil and a vertical coil. You feed it sum and diference signals rather than Left and Right. I think that is why there is a switch for this on their famous 670 limiter which I guess was also part of the system. For some reason they chose to use an rf signal which the feedback coils modulated for their feedback scheme.
A very "outside the box" design. Some 60s Dot and I think Vanguard records credit it on the back cover.

blacknwhite · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 113

Awesome B-Jim, you're the man, thanks. Great details.

Love the design of making it so you simply turn the screw heads on the turntable to channel the suction for different diameters. Brilliantly simple; would be much easier to machine, compared to other designs.

- Bob