DIY Idler Drive......

[Paul Dimaline]

......has anyone tried to make one?

[johnnyx]

Wot's an idler drive?

[Stocker]

a circle within a wheel within a circle. motor turns wheel. wheel turns platter.

try this

[analog_sa]

has anyone tried to make one?

Not to my knowledge. Too much precision mechanics involved.

[maxro]

Originally posted by analog_sa



Not to my knowledge. Too much precision mechanics involved.

No more precise than a decent belt drive.

Just remember, all that matters is the ratio of the diameter of the wheel on the motor to the diameter of the driven surface of the platter.

Same as a belt drive.

The idler can be any size that is convenient.

max

[Paul Dimaline]

Originally posted by analog_sa



Not to my knowledge. Too much precision mechanics involved.

For a "traditional" idler drive yes, but build it just for 33.3 rpm and you dispence with a shed load of complicated and unnessesary work (modern power supplies can provide push button speed changes if needed).

I was having a play last night and lashed up a very quick set up useing an LP12 inner platter and a Airpax motor....no idler, just ran the motor on the sub platter and it got me thinking.....do we need the idler wheel if the motor can be moved instead?? The big problem would be what to use on the motor pulley. To soft and it would wear, affecting speed. To hard and it might not offer enough grip or decoupling, (would decoupling be nessesary if the motor ran smooth enough?)
Even if the above is to impractical, useing an idler wheel in a single speed set up should not prove to difficult me'thinks.

I have a Garrard 401 in a Loricraft type plinth and I love its sound, it is easily the best record player I have ever had (note; I am not saying its the best record player there is), the only thing I dont like about it is the huge size of the thing. I reckon I can make a single speed idler drive no bigger than a LP12.

I'm on a mission

[Nanook]

Idler wheels if using a rubber traction surface can offer some isolation or the motor/platter system. The larger the idler, the fewer the revolutions and theoretically tha potential for lower noise. Idlers need not be on the inside of the platter either, they can be on the outside. I am trying to develop a high precicion idler based on a Garrard Lab motor, Custom Bearing, and a custom idler. If I ever get it done I will post my findings.

It really need not be more complex than a belt drive. Adapter drive wheels for the motor can be machined and should not be difficult. (My donor Lab 80 was/is missing an idler, and either I have a new custom one built or hack something together myself).

[maxro]

Originally posted by Paul Dimaline

....no idler, just ran the motor on the sub platter and it got me thinking.....do we need the idler wheel if the motor can be moved instead?? The big problem would be what to use on the motor pulley. To soft and it would wear, affecting speed. To hard and it might not offer enough grip or decoupling, (would decoupling be nessesary if the motor ran smooth enough?)...

That's where the soft idler comes in. It doesn't matter if the idler wears down, the platter speed will be unaffected.

As for decoupling as a necessity: No, as many great direct drive tables prove (duck).

Max

[Paul Dimaline]

Originally posted by Nanook
...... Idlers need not be on the inside of the platter either......

I have a spare Linn LP12 sub platter, so I am going to use that for starters. Think I will try it without an idler for starters, for the simple reason that I dont have one handy!

I dont know of any idler drive TT's that use a seperate platter and sub platter but I cant see any reason why it wont work.

[Paul Dimaline]

Originally posted by maxro



That's where the soft idler comes in. It doesn't matter if the idler wears down, the platter speed will be unaffected.

Thats a big plus point and probably the best option long term, especially from a commercial POV, but I am going to try without first....removing the idler and its bearings has got to be a good thing, worth a try I reckon.