low cost tonearm rewire

[JesseG]

From ericpeters
I've twisted them slichtly after exiting the arm but I've put a separate shield around it wich was connected to ground.

Thot so 😀 So, what did you use for shield?
Did you ground at both ends, or just one?

From nuvistor
Note that insulation can't be removed by soldering iron with these small wire gauges, I've scraped them with a small knife, any better suggestions?

I think it would depend on whether the insulation is laquer or enamel. But, I would try dipping the end in paint remover for a half hour or so, then draw thru steel wool. That should melt the coating, then brush it off. To get it really clean afterwards, I have used jewelery cleaner (you know, the stuff they show off on TV by dipping a penney in it - I use it all the time) , then water.

Jess

 

[fergs1]

greetings I was under the impression that the best way to remove the enamel from the ends is to use a match and flame it of and then a quick wire wool and away you go
cheers fergs

 

[ericpeters]

The shield is connected to the ground wire at the tonearr end only. The ground cable is connected to the pre-amp case (not the phono stage) from trial and error this was the best result in my setup

 

[dnsey]

I would try dipping the end in paint remover for a half hour or so, then draw thru steel wool.

but be very careful of the noxious fumes evolved by the remaining traces of stripper when you heat the wire to solder it

 

[zagyvalaszlo]

you can try burning the insulation with flame(not too strong). with lacquer it works...

 

[JesseG]

From ericpeters
The shield is connected to the ground wire at the tonearr end only. The ground cable is connected to the pre-amp case (not the phono stage) from trial and error this was the best result in my setup

Thanks ericpeters - I have been considering rewiring my mouse cable rewire to run continuous from cart to phono stage input, and will add grounded shield to this new one.

I wouldn't have thought of grounding to the pre instead of the phono stage - I am going to try this also.

 

[tubenut]

Having recently acquired an Ipod shuffle to use at the gym, I have been looking at headphones a bit.
It seems that most earbuds, even the cheapest use copper litz wire, often claimed to be OFC.

As per a previous suggestion to use this as tonearm cable, is it believed to be an upgrade over say stock Linn Akito wire?
Just something to use if you have a broken wire?

I quite like the idea as Litz tends to be liked as an audio conductor and the hphone application (portable) has great flexibility as a requirement.

Would one strip the outer plastic insulation off and run inside the arm just the enamelled litz?

 

[lancer]

0.1 mm

I rewired my RB 250 with enamelled solid core copper wires. Twist pair of wire on a drill and for removing lacquer on ends (soldiering purpose) twiddle wire on fingers and
scrap with hobby knife. I must say I had very good results and with minimal cost outlay.

 

[AndrewT]

Hi,
what diameter/thickness?

 

[lancer]

Hello Andrew,

It's 0.1 mm diameter.

 

[AndrewT]

Hi,
the modern polysomething (urethane?) enamel burns off at soldering temperatures and saves damaging the ends of the wire.

Do the fluxes in lead free also achieve this?

This prolonged heating will also help anneal the ends.

The avoidance of nicks and the annealing will improve the fatigue life of the copper just at the point where it is likely to break.

 

[JuanLu]

Hello!

how about wrapping wire?

I have here lying around some 30g kynar insulated and imagined that stuff should be right for the matter.

JL

 

[Raka]

Maybe is not flexible enough. I still have a lot of 0.1mm enamelled copper wire, if you want some, let me know.

 

[JuanLu]

are you sure? The original cable on my SMEII improved is less flexible and thicker than the wrapping wire, and multistranded. Difficult to believe nobody has tried yet the wrapping wire!

JL

 

[Zero One]

Enjoying this thread, trying to get as much info before I DIY a turntable to go with the rest of my DIY system.

If you wanted to wrap the wires, would teflon plumbers tape be a good thing to try, I have made interconnects using cat 5 cables wrapped with a foil sheath and then teflon tape to hold the foil tight followed by shoelace outers. The foil is then earthed to the - post. THis has worked very very well, absolutely no noise pick up in the system at all.

Plumbers tape is cheap as chips and easy to get and you could use several thicknesses is you wanted.

I am looking to building a resin coated woden unipivot tonearm with the cables run along the top through small eyelets, so I was considering a downsized version of my cables, with just the wires where it exits the arm above the pivot. I am a little worried about picking up noise.

 

[JesseG]

From Zero One:
cat 5 cables wrapped with a foil sheath and then teflon tape to hold the foil tight

I've used this one too - good. Even better is to salvage some braid from old RF cable (antenna coax), do up your Cat5, thread it thru the braid and solder a short wire to one end of the braid only. Then finish the ends with heat-shrink, leaving the wire protruding. Connect the wire to the ground post at the preamp end - no hum and the interconnect stays intact - looks good too!

building a resin coated woden unipivot tonearm with the cables run along the top through small eyelets, so I was considering a downsized version of my cables, with just the wires where it exits the arm above the pivot.

I have a Grace 714 tonearm on my Unity Rotary Platform table - I tried buidling a copy for fun a few years ago. Bad hum. On the Grace the wires run thru a brass tube set into the bottom of the teak arm. So, on my clone, I tried running the wires thru a fine braid, grounded at the termination strip. This worked aces. You just have to find a fine coax to be donor for the braid.

Happy building

Jess