Tel-Ray Super Organ Tone No.2: The Beat Goes On :) 

Our day is complete, Mr.G. We hope you enjoy the video :)

Thanks, James :)

Thanks, Frankie. Good luck with your E-R.

No kidding, Matt. I can't help but wonder what happened to all the oil in the can when I first opened it. It doesn't just "evaporate".

Thanks twice, Lee :)

Thanks, JJ......"marrettes".....I have never heard that word in my life (at least until now).

Thanks, ToS. I already have him fending off the bill collectors :)

Thanks, John. I'm a big fan of electromechanical devices......from vintage pinball machines and jukeboxes all the way up to weird effects, like this one.

Thanks, TT. Although adding variable motor speed might be an interesting modification, the owner of the unit had no interest in having it altered. To be honest, it's a "winner" just the way it is :)

@@UncleDoug Agreed! Oil can delays are simply wonderful!! Now we know how to really tune one of these units up, not just oil. Your videos are truly an asset, thank you so much! Wait till you get your hands on one with variable speed though..LOL Keeping an eye out for a trem-trol for you, I've had a couple over the years, very archaic devices for sure.

It would be interesting to run the SOT motor through an external speed control, so the device itself was not altered. I'll keep my eye out for a Trem-Trol.

Thanks, Nic. It seemed to respond well to the adjustments.

@@UncleDoug expect the complaints as it was not serviced in a dust free environment nor were you suitable dressed hahaha I did like the sound surprised you cranked it up to max as you're usually a tad more conservative

My NASA suit was at the cleaners, Nic.

I wouldn't put it past her, S-L ;)

That sounds like an interesting concept, Jack. Let us know if you have any success with it.

Thanks, Ideal :)

Thanks so much for all your very nice (and accurate) comments, Mark. We always look forward to hearing from you :)

Thanks, Brian. We try :)

It didn't help it any :)

I don't think many techs. would ever have picked up on what was wrong with that unit unless you time traveled back to the factory @@UncleDoug

Thanks, DB.

Yes, that's why it's No. 2.

Thanks, Mike. Actually, I think they were intended to make a guitar sound like an organ.

Ahhh... nod to Forbidden Planet! Cool.

The Krell were way ahead of their time, Mega :)

Thanks for an excellent suggestion, Kolin.

Uncle Doug I put waay too much thought into this for something I don’t And likely won’t own , but if the 12AX7 filament is series and 12v it could be full bridge rectified for the DC motor voltage, the PWM speed controls generally are controlled by a single Variable Resistance pot The upper speed could simply be limited by V to the motor I.e upper V and motor choice At a low speed I think it would have the type of subtle effect a lot of ‘professional’ musicians would find interesting , make the Var speed a pedal and you’ve invented a whole new effect lol. Thanks for sharing.

@@kolinevans9127 Thanks for your detailed analysis, Kolin. Perhaps a viewer who owns one of these devices will try your proposed modifications.

Uncle Doug would be cool to hear although digital VST modules have probably tried to emulate a similar thing, nevertheless.

Don't upset Whoopi......she's sneaky and vengeful :)

Thanks so much, Paul. The tremendous technical advances.....from the days of Model T's and biplanes to Bugatti Veyrons and routine space flight.....sure did happen in a brief period of time. I'm glad that I'm too busy working on primitive circuitry to be bewildered by the astonishing rate of technical innovation. God only knows what the future holds.

That's what the cats said, as they ran to hide.

I wish you could find them too, FJ. They are a neat device.

It's not a magnetic recording process though. It's an electrostatic process that relies on the oil coating the disk to prevent the recording from dissipating away almost instantaneously. I would think that when the motor is shut off and the oil runs off the disk total erasure would occur.

@@sootikins Ah, I see - I've learned something new

@@Mrsteve4761 Doug explains it pretty thoroughly in an earlier video. Let's see if youtube lets me post a link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--VvrmsT6zfw.html

Thanks for answering this, Sooti. Excellent job.

I am familiar with the different versions of oil can devices, Y, but I tend to think they are all based on the same principles and use the same UC electrolytic oil.

Thanks for your insightful comments, Leon. I agree.....there is more to it than simply taking some readings with a DMM :)

@@UncleDoug Yea, they didn't start playing records backwards until Black Sabbath sleuths started looking for messages from Satan himself... >;) And I have a gut feeling that the dried bearings and direction of the heads being reversed 180' against disc rotation, besides the concentricity issues didn't help matters. The old girl is just worn, but sounds pretty darn good considering. Great troubleshooting Mr. Holmes! I do have 2 questions you didn't mention, 1) How does the neoprene write and read? 2) The head perpendicularity with the axis made sense, but I might have missed the diametrical alignment, do the neoprene heads have to be centered in line with one another on the face or is that non-critical? Thanks!

@@ThePreyMantas , actually, back in the 1960s some people thought or were spreading a rumor that if you played I Am The Walrus backwards, you would hear a chant saying "Paul is dead, Paul is dead". There were some turntables back then, such as the original belt drive Acoustic Research turntables, AR for short, that if you spun the platter backwards and then subsequently turned on the power, the platter would indeed run counterclockwise and you could play a record backwards on it. I never tried it myself, and anyway I suspect it might have been rather rough ff on your stylus.... I don't remember ever hearing anything about playing Black Sabbath records backwards, but Cheech and Chong joked about it on record, that if you played Black Sabbath at 78 speed you would see God.

@@goodun6081 LOL, in my best stoned Chong voice, " I think you have the car park, mannnnnn". ;)

Answers to PM's questions: 1.) The reading and writing is done electrostatically......not magnetically, like most recording devices. 2.) The heads must all contact the same 1/2" ring on the disc, since they are continuously writing and reading.

Correct, the special effects produced where so good they replaced the whole soundtrack with them, created by Louis and Bebe Barron.

Thanks for the info, Steve :)

And the Forbidden Planet was a very cool landmark film in my book so this is definitely a good thing!! Leslie Nielson only went down hill from there, lol.

@@jackallen6261 Yes, and the special effects where groundbreaking, my favourite the robot, a near copy later in the lost is space series.

@Steve, Oh yes!! Danger Will Robinson, lol., Yes Robbie the robot was the carry over star of several Sci Fi movies and series appearances I Loved all of them!! I know special effects are better today but I still love the old 50's and 60's movie effects as much if not more!! Have a great day!!

Thanks for the info, Lee. I use STP. It lasts ~ forever.

@@UncleDoug 90w instead of the UCON?

@@cheezhead6007 The bearings for the drive shaft are outside the can, CH, so they must be lubricated separately.

Amen, brother........poor man's saltpeter.

I'm really looking for the Model 60 unit, that is free-standing, without a pedal, but would consider working on your father's Trem-trol. If you do get the replacement motor, please let me know.

@@UncleDoug will do, thanks

Thanks, P :)

It could be a Theremin, Jim, but one of these units could do the job more easily and inexpensively.

Thanks twice, Brian. Let us know if any good items turn up :)

Thanks so much for your very nice comments, Robert. I would attribute the skills to a long life spent learning how to do everything myself, mainly because I don't trust anyone else to do it right :)

Thanks, RR.

You could be right, P.

It is Glyptal sealant. I have used it for 35 years as a Test Equipment Engineer in the Aerospace Industry. We used to seal small potentiometers adjustment screw heads so nobody would change the settings after the electronic circuit was calibrated and tested ready for delivery. We also sealed the machine screws to make sure if they were tampered with we may not honor the warranty.

That agrees well with my speculation, Bill. Thanks !!

I've seen nail varnish used for the same purpose.

Lots of Japanese made audio equipment had fasteners secured with red or green lacquer-like stuff. At the electronics repair shop I work for, we use nitromethane (rocket fuel!) to soften it. Just don't allow any open flames near the nitromethane!

Thanks, Carl :)

Sweet ‘32! She yours?

Thanks so much, AM :)

That's good to hear, JG, because behind the scenes, there is some occasional desperation and cursing :)

Thanks, JB :)

I'll look into it, Adron. There may be some patent infringement going on here that we need to investigate. Yep, you were right: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DTmh3n2Q0y0.html

Thanks, Tom. Yes, it was a real challenge.

I see it, AG. Never fear, Jack is irreplaceable.

I agree, it boggles the mind. Thanks so much, FC :)

More of an "ordeal" Frank. I wish the discs were still available, or repairable. As it is, we're stuck with what comes in the can :) Thanks, as always, for your interesting and knowledgeable comments.

@@UncleDoug A good machine shop may be able to replicate the discs...might be worth looking into.

It's the coating that makes them special, Frank, and no one knows how to do it.

@@UncleDoug Sorry for jump in the conversation... First of all, I never worked on such equipment, but, I believe the magic of the disc is not the coating itself, it's the aluminum, from which it's made, and how it behaves with eddy currents, the coating seems to me more as a wear protection and friction reduction coat. About it, the coating, judging by the appearance, I would say it's usual anodization, which forms a thin layer of aluminum oxyde (alumina) over the aluminum disc. This process can be reproduced at home, not that difficult. Maybe it worth a try, the worst that could happen would be it not work.

Thanks for the suggestion, .@@merlin1943

Yes, it did, Sean. I agree.....the ultra-clean appearance was deceiving. Luna and my cats definitely agree on something.

They are really special, Z2000. I'm glad that others share my enthusiasm for them.

It may have been a scam, John. They run ads for great items at ridiculously low prices and harvest e-mail addresses and phone numbers for sale to telemarketers. Either that, or the best deal of the century just slipped away.

@@UncleDoug I thought it was either BS or a pissed off girlfriend. Was kinda hoping for the pissed off girlfriend. 😂 Oh well...

You're welcome, T73 :)

You guys were quite inventive. I spent my college years looking for pizza, beer, and girls......as my transcript will attest ;)

We eventually gave up on the metal disc due to the lack of frequency response and settled on a loop of tape.

Actually, I may beat it with a stick......to make it look older :)

You're welcome, JP. I picked the wheel color to exactly match the interior.

Thanks so much, Doc.

Thanks, Bob :)

Have you tried to mount your alternator on the bottom of your block.The boys in So.Cal.have done this to make their engine bay a little nicer.👍🎸🔌

Thanks. I tried it on an earlier engine, Bob, and there simply wasn't enough room on a Model A.....maybe on a '32.

You're welcome, ATL. We always appreciate your insightful comments.

Thanks, Mac. Yes, they are quite unique, and for that reason I find them, and other electro-mechanical devices, fascinating.

I would like to buy a non-working DeArmond and fix it up, RBC. I have considered trying an Echo-Sonic.......maybe some day :)

Thanks so much, Thomas :) We really appreciate your nice comments.

Thanks, K. The disc is also grounded by the contact between the axle and the bushings......but the additional ground from the end springs is helpful too.

Uncle Doug I had to do some digging to learn how the signal was “stored” on the disc. Electrostatic ! NOW it makes sense … Pre bucket brigade capacitive memory. I'm impressed . The trials and tribulations of maintaining good electrical contact with moving parts have been something I've been dealing with on a couple of my guitars lately. Despite being wired perfectly correctly I've been getting a light crackling noise while tuning. Grounding is solid and the crackle happens both hands on and hands off the rest of the guitar. I figure it must be the dissimilar metals in the tuner mechanism making intermittent contact as the steel worm winds through the brass pinion, micro separated by the lubrication. As they make and break contact there has to be electron flow between them. It's been a puzzle. I've made one attempt to test my theory by adding temporary jumper wires between the peg and the post but that moving contact problem reared it's head. Besides, the wire was copper, the peg is chromed “something” and the same at the post end. For my next try I'd like to find some conductive lube and inject it into the machine head/s. Problem number one - getting hold of a syringe in Britain isn't the easiest thing to manage (unless one registers as a drug addict …) but I'm sure I'll find a way. The noise isn't the worst thing in the world. Way quieter than scratchy pot noise or dodgy earthing. It's just irritating that it's there at all.

Thanks for your very detailed and helpful response, Eric.

I agree, Boogie. A speed control would be a great addition.

It is, Andy. Yes, indeed :)

Yes, it might be better, if the drive pulley was not pressed onto one end of the shaft and the disc support pressed onto the other. The last think I wanted to do was damage the unit trying to disassemble it.......especially when it wasn't really necessary. We will :)

Thanks, Eddy. No fancy tools used, but I'll keep your suggestion in mind.

Yep.......all sound good to me, Raffy.

Thank heavens, Gary. Those alien probe sessions can begin to chafe a bit, especially without plenty of Ucon oil.

Thanks, Petey. I think the first effect was the DeArmond Tremolo, back in the late 40's.

I've never encountered such a device, Wayne, but at least now I know how it will sound when I do.

Thanks twice, Mark :)

As I understand it, P, the message is stored as static charge on the disc surface. Static can "pass through" insulators......just like it does when you walk on carpet with rubber-soled shoes. You can't build one of these units, however, since the rotating anodized disc is impossible to duplicate (at least for the present).

@@UncleDoug so there are no schematics online for such a thing? I would like to try out a few different things and see if they work any how

Yes, there are schematics. You will have to look on Oil Can Delay forums.

Thanks, WwM :)

I gave it to a friend to hang on the wall at his hot rod shop.

@@UncleDoug It would have been nice to see you do an amplifier with that🤣🤣🤣

Thanks so much, MB. I agree with all your comments. I believe that once set up with proper "mystery oil", the units were quite reliable.....but God help you when they aren't.

They are not as necessary as they once were, Luis. Back in the 60's there were hugely powerful AM radio stations scattered over the US. Now, they are mostly FM. It would not hurt to include them in your build, however.

@@UncleDoug Thanks! I will send you pics of the circuit when is ready :D

I thought grid stoppers or am i thinking of grid leak resistor are sometimes necessary i had a tube car radio that wouldn't work without grid leak.

So that's what that little guy was doing in the tank :)

He is a very versatile cat, Jeff.

Thanks for your observations, Mr. TM.

That's my motto, NDL.......unless a device upsets me and I am forced to use an axe to "get its attention".

The body of the can is carefully pried away from the rear lid, which is bolted to the motor plate. It's tricky, but can be done......be careful not to bend anything.

Wow.....thanks so much, Robert. We really appreciate your kind comments.

Wow.....high praise indeed, RR. Thanks so much :)

I understand that is an issue with them, RRR.

Thanks for the info, OFR :)

What a great inventor. We are in his debt :)

Thanks, KG :)

No, it has to be the Ucon oil for the device to work. Any other substance will disable it.

Thanks, Colin. Fortunately it responded to treatment before the axe was utilized :)

No doubt it is worn, AL. Glad you enjoyed it :)

These old electromechanical devices really are pretty snazzy, Tom. I have not seen one with a speed control.

Thanks, Demian. It is rather elaborate.

Thanks so much, Jeremy. Likewise on the good wishes :)

Yes, I would think it could be done rather easily, Andras, without altering the device. Thanks !!!

Thanks, Robert. I hope so :)