Lightweight turntable project

[JesseG]

Hi all:

Here is an interesting ultra-lightweight turntable project that I just finished (well, almost).

It was VERY easy. The donor for the bearing, hub & spindle as well as the motor & control was a B&O Beogram R4000, found in a junk shop with broken arm for $15 (cdn).

The plinth is a single chunk of 3/4" pine shelving, cut to shape with a band saw (a jigsaw would work just as well).

a 7/8"hole for the arm (in this case a Mayware Formula 4 - thanks Dave!) and a 5/8"hole for the bearing - that's it!

The suspension springs were stolen from the bottom of an old BSR console table - the only useful parts on it and they are stuffed with a bit of polyfoam to dampen them a bit.

[JesseG]

Here is a photo of the works underneath the original B&O aluminium platter and felt mat. Notice how tidy the motor controller board is.

Hey, guys - this is a DC motor with electronic speed control for a couple of hours work and less than $20! Ok, so the Mayware is worth more than $5, but I think this table is a great candidate for Nanook's balsa-wood tonearm, and that does cost less than $5,

The guts of the B&O tables are quite well made - its just all the compromises they made for that slick Danish styling that made them sound bad.

As for sound, this thing eats all of my other tables for breakfast, then lays there chewing on the bones. It is way more detailed than the Pioneer PL-51 with Grace 714 tonearm, much lighter and airer that the Ariston RD-11 / Grace 707 and snacks on the Rega just for the fun of it. In other words the table sounds terrific.

[vinylkid58]

That's a sweet little TT Jesse. nice work! I bet it sounds wonderful with that arm.

What cartridge?

Jeff

[MashBill]

Originally posted by JesseG
..... It is way more detailed than the Pioneer PL-51 with Grace 714 tonearm.....

So, do you want to sell me your 714? You could buy a lot of balsa with the money......

Nice job on the TT!

Bill

[planet10]

Looks good Jesse...

dave

[JesseG]

Thanks, Guys.

The cartridge is a NOS Ortofon N120

[Nanook]

or more correctly, I do...(as they say, a sane man in an insane world appears insane....)

Jesse, as always beautiful work. When I grow up I want to be just like:

P10 and bretheren
SCD and you
Stephen Hawking
Frank Lloyd Wright and Gustav Stickley
Peter Walker
etc
etc

Pretty sure it ain't gonna happen.

Jesse, where'd ya get the motor and controller?

stew

[vinylkid58]

Hey Stew, sounds like you could do with a big slice of sweet potato pie, and a double espresso.

Jeff

[Nanook]

something to get me motivated as these folks all are..OK, I could settle for emulating any from the previous list (except Hawking, who by the sheer brilliance he has precludes any from emulating him).

stew

[Brett]

Sweet. I love reclaimed bits'n'bobs made into something useful.