Wood tonearm

[Impunity]

My interest in speaker building led to turntable building and then to tonearms.I never thought I’d make one but you know how it goes...... People have made arms from dowel but my concern is that it could distort with changes of temp/moisture so I laminated mine with Maple and Purple Heart. Aesthetics play a part in whatever I make and I try to focus on simplicity and elegance. So with attention to detail and using a decent cartridge (Denon 110) I believe the results are worth the effort.... also keeps me off the streets.

 

[Impunity]

The previous images show the steps to machining the arm

 

[Straight Tracker]

Hello Impunity,

Your construction also provides for a clever wiring passage.
Is there any reason for the purple heart strips to be off center?

Sincerely,

Ralf

 

[Marra]

Nicely done. I look forward to seeing the finished arm.

 

[Impunity]

Nicely done. I look forward to seeing the finished arm.

Thanks - sorry for the delay, but I had trouble uploading pics.
The reason the purple heart strip is off centre is because I started with 3/16" strips and my finished size was just over 1/2". I could have used thinner strips but I liked the idea of a non symmetrical look.
The results are good but I cant produce evidence as I have no measuring equipment.
That TT has been sold and I'm building another with Black Walnut and Maple.

 

[Impunity]

Does anyone know how to prevent pictures from rotating during upload? The previous photo of the head shell is actually rotated left and I removed another because it looked silly and I couldn't seem to control it.
Regards John L.

 

[Pano]

What are you on, Mac, Windoze or Linux? There are easy ways to rotate in all those.

 

[kevinkr]

Nice arm!

 

[Impunity]

What are you on, Mac, Windoze or Linux? There are easy ways to rotate in all those.

I was initially trying to upload from my iphone. I sent them to my windows comp and uploaded from there. They view correctly in the folder but rotate during the upload process. But not always ...

 

[6L6]

Wonderful arm! Thank you for sharing!!

What's the pivot, I assume you used an existing tonearm?

 

[dtut]

Very nicely done.

 

[russc]

The cartridge is made from the same material?
It is a good colour match!

 

[Impunity]

Wonderful arm! Thank you for sharing!!

What's the pivot, I assume you used an existing tonearm?

Thank you. The gimbal is from a Technics BL2. It's a nice looking unit and was in very good condition. I am building another right now using a Sonab gimbal.
Regards John L.

 

[Impunity]

The cartridge is made from the same material?
It is a good colour match!

I hadn't thought about the colour match and you're right.
It's Denon 110.

 

[planet10]

Does anyone know how to prevent pictures from rotating during upload?

It is usually related to the software you edited it in before uploading. My pics, tidid in Photoshop, have never been rotated after upload. Chris’ who ofyen uploads from his iPhone need rotating to be right.

One of the janitor jobs i have to do fairly often.

dave

 

[Impunity]

One of the janitor jobs i have to do fairly often.

dave

Yes and you helped uploading some photos of my speakers a couple weeks ago Dave. Thanks.
Regards John L.

 

[elsinoacat]

my wood tonearm



YouTube

hanging tonenarm with silicon oil bath.

 

[jplesset]

I remember a Grado wood arm, maybe 45 years ago? My dad had one.