Hi all- I am working on a Kurt Reichmann lute-back hurdy-gurdy; the wheel is very difficult to turn, even with no strings touching. I cannot see any obvious evidence of the mechanical method Mr. Reichmann uses for holding the shaft in place; most hurdy-gurdies I've seen have a visible bearing or sleeve in the end of the instrument beneath the tailpiece; remove this sleeve, secure the wheel and unscrew the shaft to remove. Mr. Reichmann's instrument has no such sleeve or bearing that I can see, just the end of the shaft poking out of the end of the instrument.
I'm told that there is some kind of washer located between the "tail" face of the wheel and the bracing which holds everything in place; this would explain the lack of a removable tail bearing. But I don't know what the bearing material is which holds the tail end of the shaft, so I'm not sure about what would be best for lubrication, or how to adjust it if it is just to tight. Nor do I know what holds the other end of the shaft inside the instrument; same problem knowing what to lubricate it with. I sent Mr. Reichmann an email message inquiring about this, but I haven't had a reply. I could just start taking things apart, but I've learned that the "shoot first and ask questions later" mentality can get someone in trouble fast when attempting hurdy-gurdy repair. So - does anyone know for certain about the mechanics behinds this design, so I can see about getting the wheel turning properly? I would appreciate any information before I dive in... ~ Matt
