Apologies if this is in the wrong forum. If it needs moving, perhaps the moderator could do the honours.
Right then... My darling wife has accidentally allowed my flight-cased guitar to fall against the front of the lid of my Thorens TD166 Mk II, pushing the lid backwards & shattering the hinges.
Excellent.
So, I guess the short answer is "it's new turntable time!" but I'm wondering if I can find a new lid or lid & hinges. (The lid has some small melt marks where a hot light bulb burst over it some time ago, so I wouldn't mind replacing it.)
Is this literally going to be a case of finding a second hand one that is not in full working order & swapping the parts or is there a resource for this kind of thing?
Bearing in mind that it's an old turntable which I've just brought back into action, I'm probably going to have to look at replacing the drive belt & cartridge too. Depending on the price tag of all this, it might be worth my while considering new gear.
If that's the case, what turntables would you recommend me that are similar to or better than my existing turntable?
During my search prior to posting, I gather that the 166 is not particularly special in the first place but then I'm no audiophile. (Please note, funds are somewhat limited. I would suggest a ceiling of £500.)
Thanks.
Right then... My darling wife has accidentally allowed my flight-cased guitar to fall against the front of the lid of my Thorens TD166 Mk II, pushing the lid backwards & shattering the hinges.
Excellent.
So, I guess the short answer is "it's new turntable time!" but I'm wondering if I can find a new lid or lid & hinges. (The lid has some small melt marks where a hot light bulb burst over it some time ago, so I wouldn't mind replacing it.)
Is this literally going to be a case of finding a second hand one that is not in full working order & swapping the parts or is there a resource for this kind of thing?
Bearing in mind that it's an old turntable which I've just brought back into action, I'm probably going to have to look at replacing the drive belt & cartridge too. Depending on the price tag of all this, it might be worth my while considering new gear.
If that's the case, what turntables would you recommend me that are similar to or better than my existing turntable?
During my search prior to posting, I gather that the 166 is not particularly special in the first place but then I'm no audiophile. (Please note, funds are somewhat limited. I would suggest a ceiling of £500.)
Thanks.
At least around here belts are $15 each.
As to the dust cover, the tables usually last longer then the covers, so an official cover is probably scarce. These were, to the best of my knowledge -- never hinged so if you want hinges then retrofitting a cover from a budget TT is a realistic option (i have some kicking around here, but shipping would be prohibitive)
I often remove the dust covers from my TTs (and use quite a few as parts bins). Here is the dust cover i actually use.... it only keeps the important parts dust-free and does illustrate why one might want an enveloping cover (i just don't like how those sound).
dave
As to the dust cover, the tables usually last longer then the covers, so an official cover is probably scarce. These were, to the best of my knowledge -- never hinged so if you want hinges then retrofitting a cover from a budget TT is a realistic option (i have some kicking around here, but shipping would be prohibitive)
I often remove the dust covers from my TTs (and use quite a few as parts bins). Here is the dust cover i actually use.... it only keeps the important parts dust-free and does illustrate why one might want an enveloping cover (i just don't like how those sound).
dave
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Hi Dave,
What's up with that record, now that's a dust cover.. I've heard of era obstacle course III but that's a bit over the top..
What's up with that record, now that's a dust cover.. I've heard of era obstacle course III but that's a bit over the top..
My old AR had a dust cover that just sat over the top. When you wanted to use the table, you lifted it off and set it somewhere. You could get some Plexiglas and cement. Have a step routed in one edge, make up four sides and a top plate, glue as needed. Or, do the sides in some nice wood, groove near the top, and install a simple clear Plexi window. If the rest of the table is ok, you should probably keep it. Another possibility is that turntable dust covers are all very similar. Find some current table, buy a new lid for it, probably paying too much, then adapt it to yours, maybe even with a new set of hinges for it. I bought a turntable with some minor damage, and it's a wonder what some careful work, combined with epoxy, can do.🙂
Hi Snowdog,
You have a nice table. Keep it. Mine does not have it's cover on either because it's in a cabinet.
-Chris
You have a nice table. Keep it. Mine does not have it's cover on either because it's in a cabinet.
-Chris
Thorens TD166...
Hi snowdog
I've had a few turntable covers 'reproduced'with great success with signmaking firms. You can have an acrylic colour choice too.
If you call around for the best price, show up in person, suitably attired with a walker and old ragged clothes for an even keener price. These firms often still think turntables are for old, impoverished pensioners and often quote prices to suit pensioners' pockets. Better still, rustle up a pensioner's card and display it prominently when you take the job to them.
bulgin
Hi snowdog
I've had a few turntable covers 'reproduced'with great success with signmaking firms. You can have an acrylic colour choice too.
If you call around for the best price, show up in person, suitably attired with a walker and old ragged clothes for an even keener price. These firms often still think turntables are for old, impoverished pensioners and often quote prices to suit pensioners' pockets. Better still, rustle up a pensioner's card and display it prominently when you take the job to them.
bulgin
Thanks for the replies & suggestions.
It wasn't actually the hinges themselves that were damaged but the front (inner) part of the plastic fork that holds the lid which broke on both sides.
I've glued the pieces back together. Nice clean breaks so they matched well.
Next I'm going to try & re-insert the lid into the forks & see if the mend is strong enough. I'm not quite sure what kind of load is placed on the forks when the lid is lifted but I'll give it a go.
If they break again, I'll glue them once more & try & strengthen them with some more plastic & some epoxy resin before re-inserting the lid.
I'm keeping some raggedy old clothes & a small bottle of eau de tramp handy in case my plan doesn't work!
It wasn't actually the hinges themselves that were damaged but the front (inner) part of the plastic fork that holds the lid which broke on both sides.
I've glued the pieces back together. Nice clean breaks so they matched well.
Next I'm going to try & re-insert the lid into the forks & see if the mend is strong enough. I'm not quite sure what kind of load is placed on the forks when the lid is lifted but I'll give it a go.
If they break again, I'll glue them once more & try & strengthen them with some more plastic & some epoxy resin before re-inserting the lid.
I'm keeping some raggedy old clothes & a small bottle of eau de tramp handy in case my plan doesn't work!
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