yet another boring one trick pony turntable build

[IslandPink]

Or anybody who likes jazz, or anybody who likes the Beatles ..

[Dave the bass]

That narrows it down a bit then

[Cressy Snr]

The expensive AT cart has been sounding a bit crap lately, so it went to our Ant’s yesterday for a look at the stylus.

Despite regular cleaning with an AT637 vibrating brush and the complementary cleaning fluid, the thing was caked up to buggery in God knows what.

It was treated with the magic eraser and vodka soak regime he’d used on the ‘knackered ‘ Hana to such good effect. This cleaned off all the gunk and restored the AT cartridge tip to pristine condition.
As a stopgap, I put my budget Goldring E3 into the SME headshell:

I’d forgotten what a nice cartridge this is, and it certainly looks the biz in the SME arm. It doesn’t have the treble resolution of the AT VM540ML but it gives a nice, solid, grounded sound in the SME. It’s a super match for the classic tonearm, and playing at 2.25g it tracks securely. I’ll mount the AT in another headshell and use it for best, with the Goldring as the daily driver, for shagged old records.

The problem is that my 30-50 year old records are basically filthy, even though on the surface, they look OK. The tiny AT, nude square shank, line contact stylus is tracking further down the groove walls on my ancient vinyl and is picking up all sorts of garbage.

I’ve got interested in old records again and if I don’t want gungy line contact styli every five minutes, and in order to get the best out of old vinyl I’m going to have to invest, sooner or later, in a proper record cleaning machine. That’s if I want to be a serious vinylista.

BLOODY VINYL! BAH!

[RhythMick]

I have a MOTH machine. Haven't used it for ages.

[Ant]

I was very close to buying a project vc-e cleaner a few weeks ago, I didn't though I decided to stick with the knosti cleaner for now and use the money for it on getting my lathe fettled instead
Can make more stuff and things that way to make some more money for a vc-e down the line. Seemed more of a sensible option.
The Knosti cleaner is not as good as a proper cleaner, but it does a good enough job to be a worthwhile thing to have

[simon]

You know where I and my record cleaner are Steve

[DSJR]

How wonderful now that there are decent hand built tonearms for under three hundred quid that can be specified to drop straight into a Lenco arm mount, saving the butchering that goes on and often removal of useful idler retraction parts Have a look for Silver Note tonearms, mainly on Facebook but the odd stuff goes on eBay.

[Dave the bass]

You know where I and my record cleaner are Steve

Exactly you rotter!

Why you don't drive here and offer to clean my records for nothing I'll never know

[Cressy Snr]

You know where I and my record cleaner are Steve

Cheers Simon.

[Cressy Snr]

How wonderful now that there are decent hand built tonearms for under three hundred quid that can be specified to drop straight into a Lenco arm mount, saving the butchering that goes on and often removal of useful idler retraction parts Have a look for Silver Note tonearms, mainly on Facebook but the odd stuff goes on eBay.

I guess you don’t approve of people getting creative with knackered old idler turntables then.
You’re on the wrong forum mate. This is a place where the bleeding edge of DIY lies, and nothing, but nothing is sacred; except of course, classic SME arms and Garrard 301/401s. Adulterate them? Unthinkable!

[Nick]

Garrard 301/401s. Adulterate them? Unthinkable!

Well, other than try better power supplies, that makes a big difference, so they are not that perfect.

[simon]

Exactly you rotter!

Why you don't drive here and offer to clean my records for nothing I'll never know

Sos Dave! You're welcome to pop over too. You might need to bring some record cleaning fluid though as I suspect you might just have a few more records than Steve.

[Cressy Snr]

Exactly you rotter!

Why you don't drive here and offer to clean my records for nothing I'll never know

Sos Dave! You're welcome to pop over too. You might need to bring some record cleaning fluid though as I suspect you might just have a few more records than Steve.

I have literally dozens of records.

[Ant]

another one

IMG_20200401_181745 by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

plinth came out of the clamps this evening, 6" deep, so abit larger than usual. thought i might as well use all the sheet material i had rather than saving some for something else. when its cut out it will be either 20" wide or 21", depends if i decide to make it able to accept a 12" arm.

plan is for walnut veneer and initially an acos lustre GST-1 arm.
it will be a big heavy bugger

also finally managed to track down a 1/2" shank laminate trimming router bit for this project, these seem to be difficult to source and the majority are 1/4" shank. When squaring up something this big with the router the 1/4" shank ones are abit marginal. this new one i found should be perfect, 1/2" shank, 12.7mm wide flutes and a 12.7mm baring on the bottom. plus its 3" long so something of a beast. cost a fortune (in terms of a router bit) so i hope it wears fairly well....

[Ant]

slow progress, it got veneered in oak because i couldnt get any walnut, but thats ok

Bte designs type 3 Gl75/88 conversion by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

cant do the arm board quite yet as im waiting for some grommets for it

Bte designs type 3 Gl75/88 conversion by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

reused some nice aluminium feet i had knocking around