Leveling Your Turntable
A very common problem you will find on 1934 Worlds Series games is that the turntable will not be level with the playboard. Specifically, at second base it will ride below the play surface and balls will not clear the board when the game is reset. I've found this problem over and over myself and customers frequently report the same condition.
One logical fix, and one that I used for years, is to remove the turntable assembly and remove wood from the bottom of the playboard at the appropriate points and replace the assembly. This is NOT the solution because while solving the obvious problem it does not solve the problem of the four base stops on the underside of the turntable dragging or hitting the assembly support frame as it rotates.
Both of these problems are caused by the misalignment of the support point at the bottom of the turntable axle (A in photo below). My theory is that over 70 years of constant spring tension on mounting arm B causes it to bend or warp slightly in the direction of the spring thus moving the location of the screw C and causing A to be out of proper alignment.
My solution that I've used successfully many times is to modify the flat metal bar that supports the bottom of the turntable. I cut a slot in the bar (see photo below) that allows me to slide it and change the position, then hold it in place by tightening the machine screw C. If you look closely at the photo above you will see this was done to that machine. Because of the geometry you will find that a very small change of position at point C has a significant effect on the level of the turntable at second base in relation to the playboard. You will also find that now the underside of the turntable does not hit the support frame.
One logical fix, and one that I used for years, is to remove the turntable assembly and remove wood from the bottom of the playboard at the appropriate points and replace the assembly. This is NOT the solution because while solving the obvious problem it does not solve the problem of the four base stops on the underside of the turntable dragging or hitting the assembly support frame as it rotates.
Both of these problems are caused by the misalignment of the support point at the bottom of the turntable axle (A in photo below). My theory is that over 70 years of constant spring tension on mounting arm B causes it to bend or warp slightly in the direction of the spring thus moving the location of the screw C and causing A to be out of proper alignment.
My solution that I've used successfully many times is to modify the flat metal bar that supports the bottom of the turntable. I cut a slot in the bar (see photo below) that allows me to slide it and change the position, then hold it in place by tightening the machine screw C. If you look closely at the photo above you will see this was done to that machine. Because of the geometry you will find that a very small change of position at point C has a significant effect on the level of the turntable at second base in relation to the playboard. You will also find that now the underside of the turntable does not hit the support frame.