Hi Everyone,
In order to continue this thread with the new and improved version of my tangentially tracking tone arm and its "floating head-shell", I have to digress and post some pictures of a tone arm I designed and built in 2021-2022.
When I wrote my application for US patent, I discovered that, my floating head-shell would be of benefit to conventional pivoting tone arms. When I mentioned that to a European manufacturer, he asked me to design a conventional pivoting tone arm incorporating my floating head-shell. The tone arm was to conform to Bearwald geometry and have a tone arm pivot to turntable spindle distance of 222mm.
I now have five of those tone arms and have not heard another word from that manufacturer. The tonearm only, minus the base for rotation, was designed very much like my tangentially tracking tone arm. but with improvements. After looking at that tone arm for a while, I decided to apply these improvements to a new version of my existing tangential tone arm and while I was at it, I decided to improve my existing tangentially tracking tone arm from top to bottom.
Even though the pictures I am going to post, don't belong in this thread, I need to show them so that everyone understands what lead me to this improvement craze.
I also intend to start a new thread featuring the tone arm I designed for the above mentioned European.
The last two PDF files are of my new tangentially tracking tone arm and they are CAD only, because no metal has been cut yet.
Sincerely,
Ralf
In order to continue this thread with the new and improved version of my tangentially tracking tone arm and its "floating head-shell", I have to digress and post some pictures of a tone arm I designed and built in 2021-2022.
When I wrote my application for US patent, I discovered that, my floating head-shell would be of benefit to conventional pivoting tone arms. When I mentioned that to a European manufacturer, he asked me to design a conventional pivoting tone arm incorporating my floating head-shell. The tone arm was to conform to Bearwald geometry and have a tone arm pivot to turntable spindle distance of 222mm.
I now have five of those tone arms and have not heard another word from that manufacturer. The tonearm only, minus the base for rotation, was designed very much like my tangentially tracking tone arm. but with improvements. After looking at that tone arm for a while, I decided to apply these improvements to a new version of my existing tangential tone arm and while I was at it, I decided to improve my existing tangentially tracking tone arm from top to bottom.
Even though the pictures I am going to post, don't belong in this thread, I need to show them so that everyone understands what lead me to this improvement craze.
I also intend to start a new thread featuring the tone arm I designed for the above mentioned European.
The last two PDF files are of my new tangentially tracking tone arm and they are CAD only, because no metal has been cut yet.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Attachments
Hello everyone,
I have made great progress since I announced that I would build two improved tangentially tracking tone arms. At that time, I had finished all the CAD work and I was ready to start making hardware. Since then, I have ordered all the materials and off the shelf items. I divided all the parts to be made into four groups: 1), Lathe parts that I would make in my friends shop, using his lathe, 2), Lathe parts that I would pay another friend to make in his shop, 3), CNC parts that I would make in still another friends shop, using his CNC vertical milling machine and 4), parts that I would make in my own shop using my own Bridgeport milling machine. The parts in the first group are completely finished, while the parts in groups 2) and 3) require secondary work in my own shop.
The pictures I am posting, are from all four groups; some are completely finished and some need secondary operations.
This weekend I am going to try to make a video of my 3D solid model of the new tone arm explaining its various features.
Sincerely,
Ralf
I have made great progress since I announced that I would build two improved tangentially tracking tone arms. At that time, I had finished all the CAD work and I was ready to start making hardware. Since then, I have ordered all the materials and off the shelf items. I divided all the parts to be made into four groups: 1), Lathe parts that I would make in my friends shop, using his lathe, 2), Lathe parts that I would pay another friend to make in his shop, 3), CNC parts that I would make in still another friends shop, using his CNC vertical milling machine and 4), parts that I would make in my own shop using my own Bridgeport milling machine. The parts in the first group are completely finished, while the parts in groups 2) and 3) require secondary work in my own shop.
The pictures I am posting, are from all four groups; some are completely finished and some need secondary operations.
This weekend I am going to try to make a video of my 3D solid model of the new tone arm explaining its various features.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Attachments
Hi Ralf,
Kudos for your dedication to this project! 🙏👍And empathy regarding the difficulty in bring it to market.
At the risk of stating the obvious, have you considered the way some tonearm developers have gone the independent route? Kind of like self publishing. Jeff Spall's Audiomods comes to mind -- http://www.audiomods.co.uk/ -- if only because I bought and built a couple of his kits, and I like his products. For a limited, high ticket niche product, this might be a viable route. You'll probably need help with logistics. I know this kind of business can quickly become too much for one person to handle.
Kudos for your dedication to this project! 🙏👍And empathy regarding the difficulty in bring it to market.
At the risk of stating the obvious, have you considered the way some tonearm developers have gone the independent route? Kind of like self publishing. Jeff Spall's Audiomods comes to mind -- http://www.audiomods.co.uk/ -- if only because I bought and built a couple of his kits, and I like his products. For a limited, high ticket niche product, this might be a viable route. You'll probably need help with logistics. I know this kind of business can quickly become too much for one person to handle.
Straight Tracker, your ingenuity and perseverence is to be applauded. Well done!
It strikes me that your tonearm is sort of the opposite to the Technics linear-tracking tonearm.
They have a linear servo for low-frequency traversing movement and a rotary (pivoting) passive assembly for high-frequency traversing movement, whereas yours has a rotary servo for low-frequency traversing movement and a linear passive assembly for high-frequency traversing movement.
That's oversimplified of course, but an interesting comparison!
Cheers,
Mike
It strikes me that your tonearm is sort of the opposite to the Technics linear-tracking tonearm.
They have a linear servo for low-frequency traversing movement and a rotary (pivoting) passive assembly for high-frequency traversing movement, whereas yours has a rotary servo for low-frequency traversing movement and a linear passive assembly for high-frequency traversing movement.
That's oversimplified of course, but an interesting comparison!
Cheers,
Mike
Hi Mike,
Thank you for your kind words.
I am not at all familiar with the Technics tangentially tracking tone arm although it must be a good one considering the manufacturer.
My tone arm is actually not servo controlled. Its tangential accuracy is mechanically controlled by two precision machined cams. The geometry of the cams allows the tone arm to track an LP with zero tracking error. However, the "inward force" (my term for antiskating force) still exists but is controlled by a servo.
Because the "inward force" varies considerably, I designed the head-shell to move independently of the tone arm itself with a clearance of plus or minus .090".
If you knew all that, my apologies.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Thank you for your kind words.
I am not at all familiar with the Technics tangentially tracking tone arm although it must be a good one considering the manufacturer.
My tone arm is actually not servo controlled. Its tangential accuracy is mechanically controlled by two precision machined cams. The geometry of the cams allows the tone arm to track an LP with zero tracking error. However, the "inward force" (my term for antiskating force) still exists but is controlled by a servo.
Because the "inward force" varies considerably, I designed the head-shell to move independently of the tone arm itself with a clearance of plus or minus .090".
If you knew all that, my apologies.
Sincerely,
Ralf
