Jerry T's Stablizer

[mpm32]

Nice piece of work Jerry and thanks for the cad drawing. Can you explain how it works?

It has eight smaller grooved rods sitting around a cental core that are held in place by rubber o-rings?

This sits on the TT pin.

Does the compression of the o-rings on the central core do anything other than hold the small rods in place?

Does it compress the "pin" hole in the central core for a tighter fit?


I think I can replicate in brass if I get those questions answered.



Thanks,

Mark

 

[sreten]

Certainly looks very nice.

But having over the years tried nearly every variation
of the theme I generally don't use anything, though
I do still have a rubber friction fit clamp.

Of the devices I tried certainly the "best" is the screw
type clamp that uses a washer under the centre hole
and a screwdown clamp that flattens the record ( via
cantilever action ) against the the mat surface.

A system also used used on the Oracle I believe.

Very fiddly though, but the best.

Second best is probably combined edge and centre weights.

I just feel I should caution heavy centre weights on
their own don't work that well as they tend to lift up
the edges of a record (one of its ways up at least).

sreten.

 

[Jerry T.]

Thanks for the compliments.

The measurments on the drawing are in millimeters.
As the picture shows, the 8 outer rods are held in place by 2 O-rings 55mmX3.5mm (55mm is inner diameter). And that is all there is to it!
Make sure that the diameter 30.3mm of the core, and diameter 19mm are spot on for a perfect fit.
Most pins are about 7.1mm diameter so a hole of 7.3mm diameter is good enough.

 

[Jerry T.]

Here's a bigger picture of the stabilizer.
It weighs about 500 grams.

 

[Jerry T.]

I just feel I should caution heavy centre weights on
their own don't work that well as they tend to lift up
the edges of a record (one of its ways up at least).

sreten.

Lift up the edges of a record?

 

[Raka]

Yes, if the "hole" that accomodates the label of the record is deep enough.

 

[sreten]

Raka is right, (I was assuming a label "well" in the mat)

With a flat mat it won't lift the edges of a record, but given the profile
of an LP the inner grooves would not be in contact with a hard flat mat.

sreten

 

[Jerry T.]

I'm using a felt mat.

The stabilizer's weight (500 grams) is distributed to the 8 rods on the outside. So in a way you have 8 "stamps" of 62.5 grams pushing down on the record in a diameter of 70mm.

 

[sreten]

Hi JT,

I was just advising caution,
sometimes things don't work the way you expect.

On a felt mat above a flat platter your stabiliser should work well.

With a hard mat with a label recess (like mine)
results would be more difficult to predict.

sreten.

 

[Jerry T.]

Hi JT,

I was just advising caution,
sometimes things don't work the way you expect.

On a felt mat above a flat platter your stabiliser should work well.

With a hard mat with a label recess (like mine)
results would be more difficult to predict.

sreten.

Sreten,
No problem, i just wanted an explanation, so i gave you the facts.

Oh, Mark you wrote that you wanted to make one of brass. Make sure you putt some kind of coating or lacquer on it, because if you don't, you'll go crazy from the fingermarks on it.

 

[mpm32]

Yes brass (non-ferrous) because I think I can turn the parts with the tools I have. I would lacquer it to prevent the tarnishing.

Of course, I think I need to find a decent TT first. Building this first would be putting the cart before the horse. I am looking at the thorens models.

I like building things in my head, you know, figuring out how something is made, researching the materials and sourcing, figuring out how I could build it with the tools I have. Then, determining that I can build it, file away the info for the opportune time.

I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one that does this.

Thanks again.

 

[Jerry T.]

Yes brass (non-ferrous) because I think I can turn the parts with the tools I have. I would lacquer it to prevent the tarnishing.

Of course, I think I need to find a decent TT first. Building this first would be putting the cart before the horse. I am looking at the thorens models.

Look at it this way, it gives you something to do till you got your TT

I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one that does this.

Thanks again.

I think you'll find that every normal person does it like you do. Here's what i've got planned for the near future

 

[mpm32]

That looks very cool. I take it you have access/own milling machines?

 

[Jerry T.]

Yes, i've got acces to C.N.C. lathes and milling machines.
Although this shouldn't be to difficult on a conventional lathe.

I made this drawing over a year ago, but didn't know much about a TT. So i started modifying my Thorens, to get a better understanding of how a TT works. All i have to do now is modify the tonearm on my Thorens, so i understand the basics of that too. Than i can start to build a proper TT.