I used a product called "Goof off". I submerged the bearings in a small container with a lid, placed them on the kitchen window sill and shook them every time I walked past. Did this for 48 hrs then blew clean with canned air......clean as a whistle.
Goof Off | Bug & Tar Remover - Decal & Sticker Removal | GOOF OFF
Didnt realize the Cantus bearings were so small......1/4" is about 6mm.
For some reason I thought the tube was a larger diameter as well.
When I bought my tubes from a glass blower he had a large fully equipped
shop. I convinced him to try and cut a third off of a 10mm glass tube with his rotary diamond wet blade. There were hairline fractures but he said if he took his time he could prob cut it without fractures. Maybe that will be my next project.....although the arm I have now is working really well.
Moray, do you know what the Cantus arm weighs, cartridge free?
Thanks
Goof Off | Bug & Tar Remover - Decal & Sticker Removal | GOOF OFF
Didnt realize the Cantus bearings were so small......1/4" is about 6mm.
For some reason I thought the tube was a larger diameter as well.
When I bought my tubes from a glass blower he had a large fully equipped
shop. I convinced him to try and cut a third off of a 10mm glass tube with his rotary diamond wet blade. There were hairline fractures but he said if he took his time he could prob cut it without fractures. Maybe that will be my next project.....although the arm I have now is working really well.
Moray, do you know what the Cantus arm weighs, cartridge free?
Thanks
I am hard wired to the TT base I don't want to take it apart to weigh it but the main acrylic piece to which the arm tubes and bearings are attached to could be drilled out to make it lighter. From what I know from past discussions with Bo all you need is a good old glass cutter. Best regards Moray James.
I asked a friend who has the Opus 3 arm and he measured it - the glass tube has an outside diameter of 12mm which is a tiny bit less than 1/2" and the ID of the tube is just around 9mm - the bearings are metric - the closest standard bearing matching the dimensions is the open bearing 683 - 3mm ID, 7mm OD and 2mm thick.
Since I could only get a borosilicate glass tube with 10.5mm ID (16mm OD) I opted for the 684 open type from SKF - 4mm ID, 9mm OD and 2.5mm thick.
The open bearings by default come dry - no lubrication.
I expect my bearings today and I'll check for lubrication when I get them.
I am surprised that no one mentioned use of Weldtite's TF2 as a lubricant. I successfully used it with the linear LBBR bearing - it wouldn't work neither lubricated with the factory lubricant (thin oil?), neither dry.
Since I could only get a borosilicate glass tube with 10.5mm ID (16mm OD) I opted for the 684 open type from SKF - 4mm ID, 9mm OD and 2.5mm thick.
The open bearings by default come dry - no lubrication.
I expect my bearings today and I'll check for lubrication when I get them.
I am surprised that no one mentioned use of Weldtite's TF2 as a lubricant. I successfully used it with the linear LBBR bearing - it wouldn't work neither lubricated with the factory lubricant (thin oil?), neither dry.
I have a few 12mm x 8mm tubes. Question is, how do I cut them?
Would a dremel do it? What kind of disc? Diamond or Carbide?
Should I fill it with bluetac or something similar?
Cut it under water?
There seem to be a few 3 x6 x 2.5mm bearings in some hobby shops for helicopter rotors.
My 4 bearing version is working quite well now. My problem was I had a bit too much of a space between the carriage and the first bearing. It worked very similarly with locked and free inner races. I have them free now running on M3 nylon screws with nylon bolts. The extra lightness may also help.
I skips occassionally on some LP's but doesn't skip. I'm running 1.5gm on a M97xe with an Swiss aftermarket stylus. Will eventually set up another with a MC.
kffern
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Yes, Dremel with diamond round cutter
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Regards zeoN_Rider
Hi.
I found a diy link and was lead to this tread. I did fancy building a WTA clone, but after seeing some photos I would like to go for this design instead. I like the simplicity of form it has. After joining an seeing some photos I have a couple of questions:
Is there any particular reason why solid glass rod hasn't been used?
Could the carriage not be placed under the glass tube?
Thanks.
I found a diy link and was lead to this tread. I did fancy building a WTA clone, but after seeing some photos I would like to go for this design instead. I like the simplicity of form it has. After joining an seeing some photos I have a couple of questions:
Is there any particular reason why solid glass rod hasn't been used?
Could the carriage not be placed under the glass tube?
Thanks.
Be prepared to invest a lot of time and patience - building a WTA clone is really simple if you're careful - Turntable Forum • Simple DIY Turntable but building a linear tracking tonearm requires much more than just "... following a few simple rules and doing some math..."
Be prepared to fail a few times before you manage to get it to work and don't get discouraged - it can be done. Just take your time and carefully read the whole thread.
Be prepared to have at least one less than perfect LP and a cartridge/needle you can live without at hand for the trial process.
Good luck.
cutting a glass tube .. can't get any easier !
glass tube cutting - YouTube
of course making a horizontal cut as per cantus would require another technique . not tried
that one yet .
glass tube cutting - YouTube
of course making a horizontal cut as per cantus would require another technique . not tried
that one yet .
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cantus glass tube
I'm willing to ask my glass rod supplier ( here in Holland ) to copy a cantus glass tube . these guys are doing this kind of jobs on a dialy basis .
Will report w/i a couple weeks , so anyone interesting can order one ( at actual cost + shipping cost ) , payment through PayPal .
I'm willing to ask my glass rod supplier ( here in Holland ) to copy a cantus glass tube . these guys are doing this kind of jobs on a dialy basis .
Will report w/i a couple weeks , so anyone interesting can order one ( at actual cost + shipping cost ) , payment through PayPal .
I got mine cut to length. Cutting it by/at (?) length might be an interesting task. A single pass with a 3 or 4mm wide diamond disc cutter is probably far from enough, so two parallel cuts have to be made. I'll see tomorrow how lucky I am... Fortunately I have six pieces so if one or two breaks...
BTW, youtube is loaded with these videos but none of them has the recipe how to cut a borosilicate tube by it's length...
This is a quick and rather simple implementation using a carbon rod and Yoyo bearings, cart weight is 14 gs.
Runs smoothly without any problems on a simple aluminium tube.
It is, however, very delicate and only a try to look if it is working. Definitely not my final setup.
Runs smoothly without any problems on a simple aluminium tube.
It is, however, very delicate and only a try to look if it is working. Definitely not my final setup.
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