I've made a few headshells in the past but most were given away or made for an arm which I wanted to use.
The wellknown type of headshell in the pics is very expensive if bought with ZA Rands and as far as I know, there's no local importer. So I took a deep breath, got a few pieces of aluminium and some brass rod and started the job. The first item I made was the coupler from non-magnetic stainless.
From starting to turn and mill the bits to final anodising (done inhouse) took about 1 week with a few hours each day.
bulgin
The wellknown type of headshell in the pics is very expensive if bought with ZA Rands and as far as I know, there's no local importer. So I took a deep breath, got a few pieces of aluminium and some brass rod and started the job. The first item I made was the coupler from non-magnetic stainless.
From starting to turn and mill the bits to final anodising (done inhouse) took about 1 week with a few hours each day.
bulgin
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Hi,
looks nice, how much mass does it have?
Seeing the thick material and brass rods it makes the impression of beeing quite heavy.
The mass at the end of the arm tube -like the mass of the pickp- is the biggest contributor to inertia, which limits the number of useable cartridges to those with low compliance.
jauu
Calvin
looks nice, how much mass does it have?
Seeing the thick material and brass rods it makes the impression of beeing quite heavy.
The mass at the end of the arm tube -like the mass of the pickp- is the biggest contributor to inertia, which limits the number of useable cartridges to those with low compliance.
jauu
Calvin
Hi
The slots are to lessen mass.
If you look closely, you will see the rods have been drilled so they are tubes and weigh less than aluminium or titanium rods.
The mass is a bit less than 18g and 3 of my arms can accomodate the headshell. The arm for which I made it is a Micro MA-202L.
bulgin
The slots are to lessen mass.
If you look closely, you will see the rods have been drilled so they are tubes and weigh less than aluminium or titanium rods.
The mass is a bit less than 18g and 3 of my arms can accomodate the headshell. The arm for which I made it is a Micro MA-202L.
bulgin
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Hello maestro Conrad🙂
I made the couplers for both. The 4 pins were lengths of brass wire and nickelplated. the locating pin was a short piece of electric fence wire. The EMT-style headshell's coupler was a real pita but I had an original headshell to work from. The fingerlift for each was made from a piece of stainless steel strapping as used by municipalities. Sawing the first lift for the wood h/shell cost me a blunted slitting saw. The second was cut using a jewellers hand saw. So one learns...
Regds
bulgin
I made the couplers for both. The 4 pins were lengths of brass wire and nickelplated. the locating pin was a short piece of electric fence wire. The EMT-style headshell's coupler was a real pita but I had an original headshell to work from. The fingerlift for each was made from a piece of stainless steel strapping as used by municipalities. Sawing the first lift for the wood h/shell cost me a blunted slitting saw. The second was cut using a jewellers hand saw. So one learns...
Regds
bulgin
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Yup, I think they do🙂
They should match the arm and the connector should be a perfect fit. I'm not really a prolific headshell maker - I make them when I have a need for them.
What I have found in the past, is that there are small variances in the diameters of headshell connectors, locating pin lengths and even in connector tube lengths.
Both headshells shown in the pics above were custom made for specific arms so I was able to machine the two connectors to exact tolerances.
I have a dislike of headshells with blind holes such as some AT headshells as I then have to remove threads on the stainless capscrews I prefer to use when my cartridges also have threaded mounting plates.
bulgin
bulgin,
Let me be clearer. If you make and design two different headshells with different materiels and make it perfect, do one of the headshell sound better than the other?
I have a Technics SL1200 mkii turntable. If yes then your diy headshell will sound better than the Technics? You must have compared a lot of headshells.
Let me be clearer. If you make and design two different headshells with different materiels and make it perfect, do one of the headshell sound better than the other?
I have a Technics SL1200 mkii turntable. If yes then your diy headshell will sound better than the Technics? You must have compared a lot of headshells.
sreten thinks his old Garrad changer is very hard to beat too?
Anyhow bulgin, impressed by your diy connector off the end!
wondering what you used for the plastic part that holds the pins?
that is a lot of work... the connector part. hope you machined the blanks for more than one when you had the cut(s) set up? 😀 I always try to machine more than one of things like this, even if I leave the finishing cuts/final dimensioning for later.
I was hoping to find an inexpensive source for the two halves of the standard headshell connectors (no luck so far).
Making the female side is a bit more daunting.
_-_-bear
Anyhow bulgin, impressed by your diy connector off the end!
wondering what you used for the plastic part that holds the pins?
that is a lot of work... the connector part. hope you machined the blanks for more than one when you had the cut(s) set up? 😀 I always try to machine more than one of things like this, even if I leave the finishing cuts/final dimensioning for later.
I was hoping to find an inexpensive source for the two halves of the standard headshell connectors (no luck so far).
Making the female side is a bit more daunting.
_-_-bear
Hi,
The standard Technics headshell is very good by comparative standards.
Lightweight and stiff. Cloned to death with cheap copies though.
rgds, sreten.
The standard Technics headshell is very good by comparative standards.
Lightweight and stiff. Cloned to death with cheap copies though.
rgds, sreten.
I agree with sreten. AT's headshells are superb quality. I have a few such as this model shown in my pics. They also make/made models with azimuth adjustment.
@ bear
No chance for male connectors as this is not my job. I am aware machining 10 or more in a continuous run would make things easier.
I think the plastic part of male connectors is moulded in a jig also holding the 4 contact pins. Those I made were turned on my lathe and then precision drilled on my milling machine. The plastic I used came from a 15mm length of engineering plastic roundbar.
Regds
bulgin
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yes, bulgin, I admire your work on the connector part. I'm sure there is a molding machine somewhere that does them in the thousands. Think I'd break apart a cheap commercial headshell and steal the part! 😀
Just one thing... next time use silver rods in the connector?
Just one thing... next time use silver rods in the connector?
Hi bear
Necessity is the mother of invention😀
Years ago, I made a wooden headshell more or less patterned after the black AT 'shell in the pics above and for this one, I did indeed broke up a headshell to get the connector. This sounds easy but isn't. Many of these el cheapos have the connector riveted. Once one gets the thing out, the connector still has to be lathe turned to remove the rivet marks.
Regds
bulgin
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