Aluminum instead of carbon
An alternative is to buy an aluminum arrow from an athletics shop,one used for olympics arrow shooting. The cost is circa $ 8 to 10.It is perfectly balanced and more controllable than carbon fiber.
Do not forget that resonanse excitation in carbon fiber is enormous,due to the extremely high stiffness. If you have the means to measure it,and dump the resonanse of the tube,go to carbon.But as a DIY effort,aluminum tubes are much easier to work with,and in the end more predictable of some sort.
Happy trails
An alternative is to buy an aluminum arrow from an athletics shop,one used for olympics arrow shooting. The cost is circa $ 8 to 10.It is perfectly balanced and more controllable than carbon fiber.
Do not forget that resonanse excitation in carbon fiber is enormous,due to the extremely high stiffness. If you have the means to measure it,and dump the resonanse of the tube,go to carbon.But as a DIY effort,aluminum tubes are much easier to work with,and in the end more predictable of some sort.
Happy trails
I thought about that actually, but the ring from aluminum is greater than the particular carbon tube I have. I actually have a BETTER carbon tube design (stiffer, lighter and will not ring); however the cost associated with that design will be ~$1,000.00 for the first tube due to tooling and engineering costs of the carbon shop... And then I may find out it is not as good as I think it will be...
I am having good 'vibes' from the tube I have selected. It is a small diameter with a heavy wall. Very 'stiff' (but also rather compliant- bendable) but rather dead (for carbon) at the same time. I am also using the pivot hardware to both dampen the arm, and also to control the length of 'free arm' that might be prone to resonance, to tune the possible resonant frequency as best I can. It is difficult to say the least; however I think it will be a decent arm when it is said and done.
My main problem right now is finding a shop with a reasonable price to machine the parts. The geometries are quite complex (to make it the way I designed it) and therefore quite expensive. It's frustrating really...
I thought about that actually, but the ring from aluminum is greater than the particular carbon tube I have. I actually have a BETTER carbon tube design (stiffer, lighter and will not ring); however the cost associated with that design will be ~$1,000.00 for the first tube due to tooling and engineering costs of the carbon shop... And then I may find out it is not as good as I think it will be...
I am having good 'vibes' from the tube I have selected. It is a small diameter with a heavy wall. Very 'stiff' (but also rather compliant- bendable) but rather dead (for carbon) at the same time. I am also using the pivot hardware to both dampen the arm, and also to control the length of 'free arm' that might be prone to resonance, to tune the possible resonant frequency as best I can. It is difficult to say the least; however I think it will be a decent arm when it is said and done.
My main problem right now is finding a shop with a reasonable price to machine the parts. The geometries are quite complex (to make it the way I designed it) and therefore quite expensive. It's frustrating really...
If you do feel, that your chosen materials will have the expected outcome,go on for it.
But your motto,of making good use of what is still around speaks volumes,about the route that you have to take.
The cost of your project cannot be commented,because there are not expensive or cheap gear.Only people with lots or little money to spend.
However, by targeting on the tonearm side only,you may trigger other problems in the playback chain( turntable,cartridge) that will interact in strange ways with your dream tonearm.
B.L.
cabsvrt, very nice. Congrats.
Making clips is as easy as using RadioShack sourced D-sub mini connectors from one of their crimp style connectors. They work quite well.
Regarding materials for use in any tonearm, their is good carbon fiber, and good aluminium. There is also a lot of junk out there too. If aluminium is used Easton "7505" tubing is excellent. It is my personal favourite. I avoid carbon fiber usually. It goes back to my cycling days when carbon-fiber bike frames would fail catastrophically. I know in tonearms this wouldn't be the case, but old dogs require a little time to learn new tricks.
What was used for the headshell mount? The complete headshell/cartridge mount looks very good, and well executed.
Making clips is as easy as using RadioShack sourced D-sub mini connectors from one of their crimp style connectors. They work quite well.
Regarding materials for use in any tonearm, their is good carbon fiber, and good aluminium. There is also a lot of junk out there too. If aluminium is used Easton "7505" tubing is excellent. It is my personal favourite. I avoid carbon fiber usually. It goes back to my cycling days when carbon-fiber bike frames would fail catastrophically. I know in tonearms this wouldn't be the case, but old dogs require a little time to learn new tricks.
What was used for the headshell mount? The complete headshell/cartridge mount looks very good, and well executed.
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I would second the arrow shaft recommendation. Another choice would be kite spars or various rc parts.
I tried a golf club shaft years ago and wasn't impressed. Arrow shafts have to made very accurately and come in a wide range of sizes and wall thicknesses. That's what Naim uses in their high-end unipivot.
I tried a golf club shaft years ago and wasn't impressed. Arrow shafts have to made very accurately and come in a wide range of sizes and wall thicknesses. That's what Naim uses in their high-end unipivot.
I thought about that actually, but the ring from aluminum is greater than the particular carbon tube I have. I actually have a BETTER carbon tube design (stiffer, lighter and will not ring); however the cost associated with that design will be ~$1,000.00 for the first tube due to tooling and engineering costs of the carbon shop... And then I may find out it is not as good as I think it will be...
I am having good 'vibes' from the tube I have selected. It is a small diameter with a heavy wall. Very 'stiff' (but also rather compliant- bendable) but rather dead (for carbon) at the same time. I am also using the pivot hardware to both dampen the arm, and also to control the length of 'free arm' that might be prone to resonance, to tune the possible resonant frequency as best I can. It is difficult to say the least; however I think it will be a decent arm when it is said and done.
My main problem right now is finding a shop with a reasonable price to machine the parts. The geometries are quite complex (to make it the way I designed it) and therefore quite expensive. It's frustrating really...
BTW ,how do you plan to control the lateral azimuth of your tonearm?
Looking at the first photos of the CF unipivot, with the cartridge mounted inwards, there isn't a means to tweak it.
B.L.
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Paint test for the turntable.
I am now very close to finishing my TT and have been thinking about finishes. I painted this Griffin TuneCenter in the Colorshift Paint that I'm going to use on this massive new turntable I'm building. It shifts between greens and purples and I think I like it... It's a little ghetto but cool. Better than the blacks or grays that I usually employ...
I am now very close to finishing my TT and have been thinking about finishes. I painted this Griffin TuneCenter in the Colorshift Paint that I'm going to use on this massive new turntable I'm building. It shifts between greens and purples and I think I like it... It's a little ghetto but cool. Better than the blacks or grays that I usually employ...
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