From what I can see, around 1968. About the era I started doing warranty service on this kind of product. The Garrard turntable dates it pretty accurately. Small volume manufacturer, built as quickly and cheaply as possible.

OO -ER - selenium rectifier! Interesting it's still working.

I have concerns about your comment on LV DC there is little low voltage DC in that set (B voltage can be over 250VDC) and the HV DC is the most dangerous as it "grabs". You do not know how leaky,or shorted a cap is without testing for leakage. 99.99% of paper caps in those things leak. That's why we toss them.

Secondly unless the chassis is mains grounded, there is every possibility that if seriously faulted or monkeyed with the set could be live? An antenna coil primary grounded to such a chassis can kill.

These sets out of there cabinets are not intrinsically safe and after a transformer, rectifier, & perhaps a rectifier directly on the mains, and RCD will not save you.

"Complacency Kills"

This thing needs a lot of work before it is safe to power.

From the pics it has a mains ground, a mains fuse and no paper caps (it was made in 1968 after all). Nothing to do really.

Looks as safe as it could be to me and not worthy of any panic. Obviously you don't go poking around in a mains powered device while it is running unless you know what you are doing. but the risk with this chassis is no worse than any other. It's true, an RCD won't save you.if you put your body across the radio's B+ supply, it's lethal.

The construction does look a bit like someone has been playing with it, but as I recall that's the standard of construction typical of this manufacturer.

I would check that the selenium rectifier (that's the rectangular block under the chassis about 80mm x 40mm and 8mm thick) isn't running hot. Run the set for an hour, unplug it and check the temperature rise of the rectifier. It should be less than 15 degrees C above ambient.

If it's getting hot, it should be replaced with 4 x 1N4937 or similar diodes because it is about to fail. It will create a memorable, terrible stink when it does!.

After fitting the diodes (I can help you with this) check the output voltage after the valves have warmed up. It should be no more than 250 volts DC. If it's higher than this, add a 47 ohm 10 watt resistor in series with the bridge output.

Gawd

You guys are scaring me.

I’ve bolted the chassis in the box, the aerial wire is strung around internally, I added the speakers and put in a headphone plug. It booms out there with the phones I have. (but is it safe ?).

I thought the transformer steps HV down to low DC. So, if it fails there, whatever components are in the way will surely pop, 3amp fuse too, and there won’t be too much hazard.

But IanRob says 250v dc in places.

I don’t plan to do lots of work to it. But to sell it in an upcoming swap-meet.

I’ll go with the weight of opinion on earphone safety.
Maybe I could fuse it on earth return.

I listen to it all the time at the moment.
IanRob, it gets mildly warm after hours, but I have no temp sensing machine to evaluate what you mentioned. To me, it is running just of cold allround. Luke warm.

Inside the case, is it currently safe to sell to public?
I guess, unless there is a knowledgeable buyer.

When I got it the nipple was missing of the 6N8. It had been in a shed a long time, was rough and dirty. So maybe it blew early in life.

Next task is to test and work on the turntable.

Stop worrying!

The selenium recttifer is OK, you'd nearly burn your finger on it if not.

The mains transformer has a segmented nylon bobbin - the safest there is.
The chassis is earthed - doubly safe.
The speaker transformers add more isolation - even safer.

Any piece of valve equipment is likely to contain lethal voltages when running but you first have to touch them. Neither you or your buyer is likely to do that without suicidal intent.

Re the turntable, the usual thing with these is oil that's turned to a sticky gel and rubber that's gone hard.

Remove the circlip in the middle of the turntable and pull it off.
A little CRC on the motor bearings (top and bottom) and other moving parts to free them up, followed by a drop of "sewing machine" oil.
Garrards have a ball thrust bearing on the TT which needs to be cleaned and re-greased.
Wipe off all excess oil, especially from the motor pulley and the inside rim of the TT - use metho for this. These and the rubber jockey pulley must be absolutely oil-free.
The rubber tyred jockey pulley will have gone hard and may have bumps in it. If it has a split in the rubber it's beyond saving and you'll need to get a replacement. If no split, use the deck's motor lathe-like to drive it and hold a fine file against the other side to grind it down to the supple rubber underneath until it;s smooth. No, reducing the diameter does not affect the speed!

I hope the pickup cartridge is OK, If not, replacements are available online.

Enjoy!

Thanks

IanRob for great tech tips.

I'm going to step away from it for a week or so.

I'll let you know how it goes.

IanRob

Are you there? And fellow posters.

I have now added a computer fan running off the lamps. The TT is in great condition, so barely used before tube failure. I have discovered that the mechanics of the thing need to be set up in neutral I suppose, so that it will function properly. What fo I do here?

You are right, it is a Garrard model 1000. The rubber jockey pulley is as described, split and unusable, it gives varying speed above the slowest, where slow is not at all. And the needle ( the pickup cartridge?) is broken on one side. It is a dual function setup, with 33/45 on one side and 78 on the other, just flip the little lever.

SO, as far as cost is concerned, I wonder if it is worth it?

Anyway, if someone can help with the needle pickup and jockey wheel, please let me know.

Any questions?

Thanks

For the stylus and cartridge, Google is your friend:

https://www.storedj.com.au/category/DJ-Equipment/Turntables-Cartridges/Styli

I recommend you change the entire cartridge, even if you can source the stylus. The 78 needle will not play vinyl with the possible exception of single 45s. The original cartridge is probably stuffed by now. You will need a ceramic cartridge, I saw a suitable one on the 1st page.

They all have half-inch mounting centres, at least that became a standard.

The jockey pulley is harder to source. As the site below says they are rare and come in a mind-boggling variety of incompatible types.
Here's what I found:

https://www.turntableneedles.com/GARRARD_c_50070.html

$$$$ Ouch!

Only you can decide if it's worth it.

IanRob

Thanks.

I have decided to not spend any more money.

So, the next problem is the mechanics. The center post goes in a special way, and the other parts I suppose must be aligned and timed..

How do I do that please?

If the jockey pulley tyre is split you are wasting your time without a replacement.

Once everything is clean, judiciously lubed and back together, it should just work.

I just did a BSR changer. Apart from the landing adjustment under the pickup arm, what I described above is all it needed.

OK IanRob, and thanks everybody.

Goodbye.

Only just noticed the thread, so this may be too late, but I have plenty of spares for the RKR if they're needed. The model goes back at least as far as 1966, and all examples of the chassis I've seen have Philips polyester capacitors, and turntables with Ronette 105 crystal cartridges. The same chassis was used in Kingley's larger radiograms. I still have a 1966 RKR, but It's been retired until I can find or make a working Ronette. The sound is a bit tinny with a BSR ceramic.

Hi Sue

Your lucky, I wasn't going to come back in. I'm going to an auction with it soon. If needs be, I'll pass on the details as someone might need parts for the turntable. And so on.

Goodo.