Why not make it different from the 'norm', there was an 'Intelligent' counter weight, can't remember who made it, Roksan I think, essentially it was a low slung weight so the mass was in the same plane as the record/stylus interface, just a thought seeing as you are making one anyway.
Just another thought Jim: The Infinity Black Widow was one of the highest compliance arms ever made and that greatly limits the carts that can be used. I don't think anyone made an MC cart that was light enough from that arm. SO. I am hoping with the added length and weight out at the end, that I can use an MC cart.
I'll post results soon.
I'll post results soon.
Yes, it is a good idea to have the CoG of the counterweight at the same level (or damn close) to the record surface.
Most of the "upgrade" counterweights for the Rega arm (most upgraded arm out there) are 'low slung' such as Michell's TechnoWeight...
If you can, a rattle can foam fill of the arm tube will enhance stiffness. But otherwise for every doubling or arm tube length you need to add a 1/3 to the diameter of the arm tube to keep stiffness the same.
Just looking at it I'd say you need 15mm tubing at least to be as stiff as a 9" arm of the diameter you use now.
Just looking at it I'd say you need 15mm tubing at least to be as stiff as a 9" arm of the diameter you use now.
This is fairly thick wall tubing and the 10" piece I have laying about does not deflect much when trying to bend it. Time will tell.
I thought about that, but ended up swabbing the inside of the tube with rubber cement. I know this is not going to make it any stiffer, but it sure is dead sounding.
DJN, carbon has pretty good self damping, adding anything to improve that can't hurt other than for the mass it adds. All other things being equal, larger bore thinner walled tube is better. Just stay under the critical 50:1 coke can ratio for diameter to sidewall thickness.
But having a heavy-ish headshell assembly will be causing resonance at some frequency.
Looking good though,.,
But having a heavy-ish headshell assembly will be causing resonance at some frequency.
Looking good though,.,
I don't know the exact wall thickness but the tube is only 6mm. This is my first TT so I am really on a steep learning curve here. I really tried to make the headshell as light as possible and still look good. This one thing I can do if it is just too heave is to cut off everything from where the cart screw holds on the cart forward. But at this point, I just want to get it up and running.
I was just out in the garage and found another aluminum bolt and still have a couple lengths of CF tube. The tube fits onto the Black Widow hub buy just a VERY tight slip fit, so I thought that today I would make up another headshell and tube WITHOUT all the fancy and get the weight down to absolutely nothing. That way I can swap the headshell and tube assembly out if needed. Since I am not going fancy, it should only take me an hour or so.
This is basically what I am doing. I have an angled carbon headshell to be superglued to the arm tube. Is is quite light...
That looks like it well be very refined looking. Is that a clapming system right off the gimble?
Yes it is. One of the many revisions since I started the process...🙄
It allows me to adjust the azimuth of the arm. I will do an initial set up on a surface plate, and then file in a witness mark. Then I can do the mono record/inverted channel trick to check it on a playing record for finer accuracy, and if I screw it up, I can go back to my original witness mark!.
It allows me to adjust the azimuth of the arm. I will do an initial set up on a surface plate, and then file in a witness mark. Then I can do the mono record/inverted channel trick to check it on a playing record for finer accuracy, and if I screw it up, I can go back to my original witness mark!.
Good idea. I am doing the same type of thing. My tube is just a very tight slip fit onto the hub on the gimble so I can move the tube in and out and twist is for azimuth.
I wanted a 'slicker' azimuth adjustment (turn a thumbscrew and it rotates the arm) but that was far too complicated and heavy.
This is (still big) a bit more manageable and also makes the yoke easier to manufacture, as it is in smaller pieces that get assembled.
This is (still big) a bit more manageable and also makes the yoke easier to manufacture, as it is in smaller pieces that get assembled.
What size tube are you using. I have some spare CF tubes in verying sizes. Let me know and I can send you some for nothing if I have the right size.
It's around 1/4 inch OD (don't have the calipers handy) and fairly heavy wall (small hole down the center)
I have already designed around it, but thank you for the generous offer!
I have already designed around it, but thank you for the generous offer!
No problem Jim. I bought a bunch of different sizes thinking I was going to make my own tone arm but then a friend give me the Infinity Black Widow and it was so cool looking I had to use it.
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