DIY Turntable - This is how I spent my afternoon

[squeegy200]

I've always been curious enough to build one of my own turntables. Although my current turntable setup is quite capable, I've always had a desire to DIY and make my own from scratch.

I've read a few DIYers doing this very same experiment on some of the other audio forums. Since I've never done this before, I thought it would be wise to experiment using inexpensive materials until a satisfactory design can be reached. I started with two layers of MDF just to layout a prototype of my initial design. Its nothing like my initial drawings which are far too complex for my skills, available tools, and budget. So I am starting very simply with a flat plinth and belt driven platter. Im also still exploring sources for other parts.

Since today was a nice sunny afternoon with no prior obligations, this was an opportune time to spend a few hours in the shop in front of the table saw laying this out. I scavenged an NAD 5125 turntable for the first mechanical parts. It's readily available and a very good source for such items.

Enclosed are some pictures of my initial prototype. It's not at the listening stages just yet. But I've already solved a few challenges just from going through the exercise.

I've not decided on final materials just yet. Acrylic? or Wood? I've also explored the idea of Corian as a plinth material.

Any suggestions, criticisms, or feedback is welcomed.

-Les

[jrhymeammo]

thats pretty nice man, like it alot. Cant beat a linear tracking arm as long as it tracks well(duh).

If i was to make my own, I would make it as heavy/rigid as possible and install 3 adjustable cones on the bottom with detachable headshells. I`m not too crazy about headshells, but installing carts is much easier as we all know.

[squeegy200]

I too was looking at adjustable cones for for the base. I saw some adjustable cones intended for speakers that would probably do nicely in this case. (source Madisound)

One other task related to the base that I've seen done is a pedestal filled with some vibration absorbing material. The cones would sit on a hard surface atop the pedestal that would contain some sort of inert material such as fine sand. The object is to isolate the base from vibration. The box full of sand would be easy enough to fabricate. Someone suggested to look into sand blasting material due to its uniform consistency.

One of the nice things about this tonearm, is that arm wands are available separately. I can mount a cartridge, align it, and balance it. Then if there is another cartridge I wish to try, they I can do the same on another arm wand. The wand slides off the end and I can slide on the other and resume playing LPs very quickly. Since each cartridge/wand is already setup, it enables me to compare cartridges in seconds.

[royphil345]

Pretty cool!!! Was sorta' wondering why you wanted to build your own table with parts from just one other table. Looks like you had some other stuff up your sleeve!!!

You could buy a sheet of sorbothane and sandwich it between the two plinth pieces. Attach other parts only to the top piece. ...Or not... Looks like you know what you're doing... LOL... Nice work so far!!!

[squeegy200]

Pretty cool!!! Was sorta' wondering why you wanted to build your own table with parts from just one other table. Looks like you had some other stuff up your sleeve!!!

You could buy a sheet of sorbothane and sandwich it between the two plinth pieces. Attach other parts only to the top piece. ...Or not... Looks like you know what you're doing... LOL... Nice work so far!!!

For this prototype I indeed used padded carpet tape to decouple the two plinths. It would be a waste to purchase something like sorbotane for this exercise.

I did mount the motor and platter bearing to the top plinth. However, this design would not isolate the two.

I could accomplish isolation if I made the motor outboard in its own containment, then I would have to use a different platter and a different diameter drive pulley on the motor. The platter would have to be driven by its outer most circumference.

Anyone know where to get nice acrylic platters?

That may also mean a longer spindle to accomodate thickness of a different platter. Any suggestions?

[basite]

nice work, next step is to start your own tt brand...

that motor is tiny compared to mine...
is it belt driven?

[squeegy200]

nice work, next step is to start your own tt brand...

that motor is tiny compared to mine...
is it belt driven?

Building turntables as an occupation would be fun.

Yes it is belt driven. The drive pulley is located underneath the platter. That makes it a challenge to isolate motor vibrations from the platter spindle.

I would like to extricate the motor outside the platter and maybe seperate from the base itself (ala Teres) style. But that would introduce other issues which may be beyond my ability to fabricate properly.

I was surprised to hear that others were using floppy drive motors for their turntables. But then when I dissected the doner turntable, the motor was surprisingly the size of a floppy drive motor. Go figure.

[trollgirl]

Maybe it is just the angle at which the photo was taken, but it looks as if the arm is set so far back that the stylus is not even with the platter spindle, as it should be.

On the subject of the motor isolation, I had a project going with a Logic Tempo E TT, which used a suspended motor. The suspension cords had gotten stretched, and I decided to glue the motor to a support block which would sit on the same surface the TT did. The motor thus would stand up in the same hole in the plinth that is used to hang in. A few shims whould get the pulley to just the right height. Maybe this will give you an idea...

Laz