[mcp6453[_2_]]

A friend gave me a pair of beautiful, very large Modutec VU meters. They were in a custom case with a buffer amp that he
built about 30+ years ago. It's a beautiful piece of work, all the way down to the machined front panel and the etched
printed circuit boards.

When I fired it up, it didn't work. After a little signal tracing, I discovered that the needles on both meters are
frozen solid. When I took them apart to see why, I found that the movements are totally saturated with metal filings. It
looks like someone dumped the guts from an Etch-A-Sketch in it.

You would think that these meters were stored near a milling machine or some such. However, the meters appear to be
sealed. They were stored in his attic. They were certainly hard to open. Do you have any thoughts what might have
happened? I seriously doubt that there is any hope for them.

[Scott Dorsey]

mcp6453 wrote:
When I fired it up, it didn't work. After a little signal tracing, I discovered that the needles on both meters are
frozen solid. When I took them apart to see why, I found that the movements are totally saturated with metal filings. It
looks like someone dumped the guts from an Etch-A-Sketch in it.

You would think that these meters were stored near a milling machine or some such. However, the meters appear to be
sealed. They were stored in his attic. They were certainly hard to open. Do you have any thoughts what might have
happened? I seriously doubt that there is any hope for them.

There is hope for them, but it will take some time. Take some Scotch tape,
fold a loop of it in half, and brush it across the movement. Keep doing this
over and over and don't forget to clear the gap in the middle by sliding small
pieces of Scotch tape down into it to pull the particles out a few at a time.
It is annoying, painstaking work, but it's not impossible.

Tramp metal is nobody's friend. Who knows where it comes from? It's like
those fake Beatles tracks...
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Mike Rivers[_2_]]

On 2/2/2015 3:00 PM, mcp6453 wrote:
A friend gave me a pair of beautiful, very large Modutec VU meters.
When I fired it up, it didn't work. After a little signal tracing, I
discovered that the needles on both meters are frozen solid. When I
took them apart to see why, I found that the movements are totally
saturated with metal filings. It looks like someone dumped the guts
from an Etch-A-Sketch in it.

Contact http://larsonmetercraft.com/
He's da man when it comes to fixing VU meters. It might cost more to
have them repaired than it's worth for you to have them working, but an
autopsy will only cost you the price of shipping.

--
For a good time, visit http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com

[hank alrich]

Scott Dorsey wrote:

Tramp metal is nobody's friend. Who knows where it comes from? It's like
those fake Beatles tracks...

The Fake Beatles were the best!

--
shut up and play your guitar * HankAlrich.Com
HankandShaidriMusic.Com
YouTube.Com/WalkinayMusic

[Scott Dorsey]

hank alrich wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:

Tramp metal is nobody's friend. Who knows where it comes from? It's like
those fake Beatles tracks...

The Fake Beatles were the best!

Hey, I did an album for fake Beatles and it was a whole lot of fun. Way
better than working with the ELP cover band...
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[hank alrich]

Scott Dorsey wrote:

hank alrich wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:

Tramp metal is nobody's friend. Who knows where it comes from? It's like
those fake Beatles tracks...

The Fake Beatles were the best!

Hey, I did an album for fake Beatles and it was a whole lot of fun. Way
better than working with the ELP cover band...
--scott

Extraneous Leftover Parts?

--
shut up and play your guitar * HankAlrich.Com
HankandShaidriMusic.Com
YouTube.Com/WalkinayMusic

[Scott Dorsey]

hank alrich wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:

Hey, I did an album for fake Beatles and it was a whole lot of fun. Way
better than working with the ELP cover band...

Extraneous Leftover Parts?

Hint: they called themselves the "Brain Salad Surgeons" and they came onto
stage in white lab coats.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Ron C[_2_]]

On 2/2/2015 7:00 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
hank alrich wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:

Hey, I did an album for fake Beatles and it was a whole lot of fun. Way
better than working with the ELP cover band...

Extraneous Leftover Parts?

Hint: they called themselves the "Brain Salad Surgeons" and they came onto
stage in white lab coats.
--scott

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends
We're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside ...

==
Later...
Ron Capik
--

[JackA]

On Monday, February 2, 2015 at 9:19:52 AM UTC-5, Scott Dorsey wrote:
mcp6453 wrote:
When I fired it up, it didn't work. After a little signal tracing, I discovered that the needles on both meters are
frozen solid. When I took them apart to see why, I found that the movements are totally saturated with metal filings. It
looks like someone dumped the guts from an Etch-A-Sketch in it.

You would think that these meters were stored near a milling machine or some such. However, the meters appear to be
sealed. They were stored in his attic. They were certainly hard to open. Do you have any thoughts what might have
happened? I seriously doubt that there is any hope for them.

There is hope for them, but it will take some time. Take some Scotch tape,
fold a loop of it in half, and brush it across the movement. Keep doing this
over and over and don't forget to clear the gap in the middle by sliding small
pieces of Scotch tape down into it to pull the particles out a few at a time.
It is annoying, painstaking work, but it's not impossible.

Probably dirt in the jeweled movement. Could always demagnetize, blow away the metal, then remagnetize!!

Jack


Tramp metal is nobody's friend. Who knows where it comes from? It's like
those fake Beatles tracks...
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."