Hello everyone,
I am back with more photos.
This is the RCA connector housing assembly, plus ground. It is attached to the back of the central column. In the future I'll try to locate it under the tone arm board.
This is the RCA connector housing assembly as viewed from its rear.
This is the cams follower. It has two precision ball bearings attached to its underside which follow the two cams machined into the shelf. The underside of the cams follower has a machined recess which houses the printed circuit board of the servo amplifier. The "tunnel" visible at the six O'clock position allows access to a potentiometer on the servo PCB. The two large "vee" blocks visible at the top of the cams follower locate the tone arm assembly without any looseness.
This is a view of the underside of the cams follower.
This is a view of the underside of the cams follower and the servo amplifier printed circuit board. The PCB is CNC machined, not etched and obviously has not yet any components soldered to it.
This photo shows the component side of the PCB at the left and the solder side at the right.
This image is of the servo amplifier PCB of my original 2019 tone arm.
It is getting late again and I am going to quit because I have to be up at 5:30 AM to get ready for my CNC date to machine the final two head-shells for my tone arm.
Sincerely,
Ralf
I am back with more photos.
This is the RCA connector housing assembly, plus ground. It is attached to the back of the central column. In the future I'll try to locate it under the tone arm board.
This is the RCA connector housing assembly as viewed from its rear.
This is the cams follower. It has two precision ball bearings attached to its underside which follow the two cams machined into the shelf. The underside of the cams follower has a machined recess which houses the printed circuit board of the servo amplifier. The "tunnel" visible at the six O'clock position allows access to a potentiometer on the servo PCB. The two large "vee" blocks visible at the top of the cams follower locate the tone arm assembly without any looseness.
This is a view of the underside of the cams follower.
This is a view of the underside of the cams follower and the servo amplifier printed circuit board. The PCB is CNC machined, not etched and obviously has not yet any components soldered to it.
This photo shows the component side of the PCB at the left and the solder side at the right.
This image is of the servo amplifier PCB of my original 2019 tone arm.
It is getting late again and I am going to quit because I have to be up at 5:30 AM to get ready for my CNC date to machine the final two head-shells for my tone arm.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Hello Mark,
Thank you for commenting.
My intent is to finish the various parts of my tone arm like the beautiful SME 3009 tone arm I purchased around 1975.
I have yet to find out how they got that satin finish.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Thank you for commenting.
My intent is to finish the various parts of my tone arm like the beautiful SME 3009 tone arm I purchased around 1975.
I have yet to find out how they got that satin finish.
Sincerely,
Ralf
SME - satin anodized after a light acid pretreatment - imo
c
(no direct experience, but many with a local anodizing workshop when diying some view camera accessories for my work)
c
(no direct experience, but many with a local anodizing workshop when diying some view camera accessories for my work)
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Hello Carlo,
I have had almost no time available to research the "finish question" during the construction of my tone arm. But soon, I will contact one of the several anodizing shops in Phoenix, to find out once and for all.
Sincerely,
Ralf
I have had almost no time available to research the "finish question" during the construction of my tone arm. But soon, I will contact one of the several anodizing shops in Phoenix, to find out once and for all.
Sincerely,
Ralf
It is rather difficult with anodizing to have both shiny and satin surfaces on the same part, because the pre-treatment serves precisely to make them uniform.
For several years on my TAs I have been using a simple water-based wood sealer, which enters the porosity of the aluminum and protects it for many years, without altering its natural look
ciao - c
For several years on my TAs I have been using a simple water-based wood sealer, which enters the porosity of the aluminum and protects it for many years, without altering its natural look
ciao - c
Hi Doug,
Here are more:
This photo shows the central column, the beam, the shelf and the cams follower at the "start of play" location, on a test stand.
Same as above, but in the "end of play" location.
Same as above, showing the RCA and ground connectors.
Same as above, mounted on an actual turntable.
As above.
This image shows a precision alignment gage with the cams follower at the "end of play" location. This is where accuracy of alignment counts the most. The gage rests on the cams follower in the exact same way that the tone arm does.
This image shows the tone arm installed on a turntable of my own design at the 3 O'clock position.
As above.
As above.
These Plugs connect the Hall-effect sensor in the cradle to the printed circuit board on the underside of the cams follower. They are not keyed. The green dot is the ground pin.
Last Tuesday I finished the head-shells, and I'll post a few pictures in a few days. Also, I'll post some pictures of the way I am mounting the Hall-effect sensor in the cradle.
So, good night everyone.
Ralf
Here are more:
This photo shows the central column, the beam, the shelf and the cams follower at the "start of play" location, on a test stand.
Same as above, but in the "end of play" location.
Same as above, showing the RCA and ground connectors.
Same as above, mounted on an actual turntable.
As above.
This image shows a precision alignment gage with the cams follower at the "end of play" location. This is where accuracy of alignment counts the most. The gage rests on the cams follower in the exact same way that the tone arm does.
This image shows the tone arm installed on a turntable of my own design at the 3 O'clock position.
As above.
As above.
These Plugs connect the Hall-effect sensor in the cradle to the printed circuit board on the underside of the cams follower. They are not keyed. The green dot is the ground pin.
Last Tuesday I finished the head-shells, and I'll post a few pictures in a few days. Also, I'll post some pictures of the way I am mounting the Hall-effect sensor in the cradle.
So, good night everyone.
Ralf
I like your attention to detail, and I’m a fan of industrial design.
An AudioMods Series Six just arrived here, but I would love to give one of these tangential pivoting arms a go in the future.
An AudioMods Series Six just arrived here, but I would love to give one of these tangential pivoting arms a go in the future.
Hello kouiky,
Thank you.
When these tone arms are finished, I intend to make a major effort to get them manufactured.
Thank you.
When these tone arms are finished, I intend to make a major effort to get them manufactured.
Hello everyone,
I am going to post the last two pictures that I took Today.
These are the head shells, outside and inside. I made them a week ago, from last Tuesday. If you look closely, you can see the magnets at the rear of the head shell. The two pennies are for size comparison. They are as old as I am.
These are the Hall effect sensors, glued to their holders. This assembly fits into a .250" diameter hole in the underside of the cradle. The disk at the top is a little smaller than the .250" diameter hole and the disk at the bottom is a light press fit into the same .250" diameter hole.
This post completes the mechanical aspects of my tone arm except for the printed circuit assembly. I will post pictures of that the minute I figure out how to clean the ugly flux from it.
In a few days, I'll write a few words to remind everyone as to why I think that my tone arm is unique.
I have a video demonstrating the functioning of the flex pivots. However, I have yet to find a page that tells me how to attach it to a post.
Sincerely,
Ralf
I am going to post the last two pictures that I took Today.
These are the head shells, outside and inside. I made them a week ago, from last Tuesday. If you look closely, you can see the magnets at the rear of the head shell. The two pennies are for size comparison. They are as old as I am.
These are the Hall effect sensors, glued to their holders. This assembly fits into a .250" diameter hole in the underside of the cradle. The disk at the top is a little smaller than the .250" diameter hole and the disk at the bottom is a light press fit into the same .250" diameter hole.
This post completes the mechanical aspects of my tone arm except for the printed circuit assembly. I will post pictures of that the minute I figure out how to clean the ugly flux from it.
In a few days, I'll write a few words to remind everyone as to why I think that my tone arm is unique.
I have a video demonstrating the functioning of the flex pivots. However, I have yet to find a page that tells me how to attach it to a post.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Hi everyone,
I thought that I was finished with making parts but one of my Hall effect sensors decided that it didn't like to be glued to its Delrin holder. So I made new holders from fiber glass rods. The surface finish of the machined fiberglass lends itself better to glueing. The glue I used is Loctite Black Max. I choose red to distinguish them from the original white holders.
The above two pictures show the audio cable and the Hall Effect cable respectively, both internal to the tone arm. It was important to me to be able to assemble the internal tone arm wiring entirely external from the tone arm.
This image shows the servo PCB. Although it functions perfectly, it is too crowded for my liking. I am working on a new layout using Surface mount technology for a possible future replacement. The trimpot is adjustable from the outside of the assembled tone arm but it is way too big.
The last image shows the PCB assembled to the cam followers housing. Using a PCB with surface mount technology would allow me to make the PCB smaller, thus allowing me to increase the thickness of the wall adjacent to the curved part of the PCB.
I will be back soon with more information,
Sincerely,
Ralf
Quite apart from the complexity, the detail and sharpness of the photos is magnificent!
Hello rayma,
Thank you for the information, but the pot is too tall and the adjustment should be on one of its sides instead of on its top.
However, I looked at their website a little closer and I found another pot which fits my PCB perfectly. It is called 3214G-1-203.
I ordered a few of them for a future SMT version of my PCB.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Thank you for the information, but the pot is too tall and the adjustment should be on one of its sides instead of on its top.
However, I looked at their website a little closer and I found another pot which fits my PCB perfectly. It is called 3214G-1-203.
I ordered a few of them for a future SMT version of my PCB.
Sincerely,
Ralf
Hi Mike 56,
Thank you for commenting.
I purchased a new camera specifically for documenting my tone arm. The camera is digital and has a huge number of features that I may never completely learn to use.
Sincerely,
Ralf
It is so very enjoyable to observe a piece of art in progress. Back when I did theater work, the very best parts were always during the construction and evolution, and shouldn't this be just as true for a "mobile"?
All good fortune, and thanks for the opportunity,
Chris
Dear Ralf,
I am a newbie about the tonearm and turntable.
I am approaching the analog side of the table after I design and build my own DACs, preamplifier and amplifiers.
I am really fascinated about the amount of engineering that is behind the a "simple" tonearm.
I come to this thread jumping from the other amazing thread "DIY linear tonearm" (I am at half of the long thread, long way to go)
Congratulation for your patent and the amazing job you did!
Chapeau
Enrico
I am a newbie about the tonearm and turntable.
I am approaching the analog side of the table after I design and build my own DACs, preamplifier and amplifiers.
I am really fascinated about the amount of engineering that is behind the a "simple" tonearm.
I come to this thread jumping from the other amazing thread "DIY linear tonearm" (I am at half of the long thread, long way to go)
Congratulation for your patent and the amazing job you did!
Chapeau
Enrico