I bought a very nice dust cover for this turntable, it is an aftermarket item. I would like to add some hinges to it. Every time I use the table I have to take the cover off and look for a place to put it while I place the record and get it started. It is pristine and I don't want it to get scratched or marred. I can use the turntable while the dustcover is in place. I am asking if anyone has gone down this path already and can save me some hassle on making my own.
Acoustic Research AR XA hinged dust cover?
- Thread starter HiFiThor
- Start date
Thank you, that sounds like a great idea except it would be inconvenient in that if you wanted to remove the dust cover for whatever reason you would have to remove screws I think. I was looking on eBay for a set of hinges but it is extremely difficult to find a set of hinges that will separate. You need a complete set; parts for the plinth and parts for the cover. For instance the hinge set on my Sansui turntable allows removal of the cover because the hinges separate into a pocket and tendon type of arrangement, just pull them gently apart. It makes for cleaning the dust cover a lot easier.
KrisM
Lunatic Member
Former cabinet maker here.
Good cabinet door hinges can be removed with a push of a little 'lock'.
There's a plate that screws to the cabinet, and the hinge screws to the door. They snap together. Better components from companies like Blum and Grass do this way better than the cheap shit.
The problem is that the plate would screw fine to the table, it's attaching the hinge to the dust cover that would be tough.
If you've got time to burn, go to richileau hardware's website and poke around. They are IT when it comes to cabinet hardware around here, tons of hinge options. Perhaps one that would work for you.
Chip Chester
Super Member
Be careful supporting a dust cover only from the back, unless it's designed for it. If your repro is anything like the original, it'll be awfully weak.
I think a good product would be a metal dust cover frame with hinges, into which you set the dustcover. So all the loads are in the metal frame, and none in the plastic. A basic Z-shaped aluminum extrusion would do it, for the front and sides. The back could be more heavy-duty.
Chip
I think a good product would be a metal dust cover frame with hinges, into which you set the dustcover. So all the loads are in the metal frame, and none in the plastic. A basic Z-shaped aluminum extrusion would do it, for the front and sides. The back could be more heavy-duty.
Chip
Thank you all for suggestions! Checked out the Richileau site, About the closest I could get was a "lift off" hinge. I guess hinges for turntables are pretty exclusive in their design. It would be helpful if they only opened a little past 90 degrees, were able to separate without using tools, would hold at whatever degree you have opened it at, etc. I think probably the best solution may be modifying the lift off hinge. I would have to come up with some sort of stop so when open it wouldn't continue past say 110 degrees.
I have a Thorens turntable with the hinge pins, didn't think about trying that. Hmmm...
This AR turntable came out of a pawn shop and was basically functional. Gig Harbor Audio (Gig Harbor, WA) made the custom dustcover and is tall enough to allow playing a record with the cover closed. I have put a lot of work into this turntable and I think it looks great. I buffed and polished the platter to a high gloss mirror finish, painted the metal top plate a gloss black and left the pebble finish. Cleaned up the tonearm with some never-dull. It all looks great with the exception of the cartridge shell, it is still stock. Maybe that is what gives it it's charm. I have seen where some have modified the tonearm to accept a SME type headshell, little too ambitious for me. What I really like about these simple turntables is their ability to isolate feedback. Impressive that you can thump the table with your finger and nothing but music is heard over the system.
Yes, I think it will come to that. I went to Home Depot today to see what I could find, zip. The hardware guy just looked at me with that clueless stare when I told him what I was looking for. He just pointed to the bins and said, "That's what we got." I guess the world is getting smaller, things are getting harder to find. Use to be if I need something to fix a HiFi I could just run down to Radio Shack. The last one in my area went belly up last month and is now a cell phone store. Come to think of it, how many cell phone stores do we need?
I have some spare hinges I'd be happy to send you. They even match. Pix attached. The bottom-rear-edge of the dustcover just slides into slots, no permanent fixing (no screws, bolts, etc) so the cover lifts up and out of the hinges quite easily, and back again. The slots are 4mm wide, so the thickness of the dustcover must not exceed that (but no doubt the slots could be enlarged). If these will work for you, just say it's your birthday and I'll owe you a present.I have two other sets so I won't be needing them...
SteveS in VA
Active Member
Why a hinge? Just craft a simple rack that would hold the dust cover in the almost upright position. It would need to let the cover lean just enough to be stable. Such a rack would take only a very small amount more that a hinged dustcover would require.
Those are the exact hinges to which I eluded.
KrisM
Lunatic Member
My XA came out of a pawn shop, too. It was on top of a stack of turntables, seven if I recall correctly.
I tuned it up myself, but one of these days I'm going to Marc Morin to work some magic on it.
Did a Google on Marc Morin to see if he has a website. I didn't see any. Wanted to see some examples of his work. I sometimes wonder how far you can push a turntable with upgrades and tweaks before you realize you could of just went out and bought a Sota, Rega or Linn.
Back in the day when I was in the Navy my ship pulled into Subic Bay, P.I. The Navy Exchange had a huge store called the Far East Trader where they stocked HiFi and Camera gear. I walked in there was a couple of pallets of AR XA turntables, 40 bucks each. At the time I truly could not appreciate what a marvel of engineering it was, after all it was just a no frills record player. I was more interested in bells and whistles like auto return, cuing, direct drive, etc. Bought one anyway. Pretty amazing to set it up in the shop while at sea and listen to records, most memorable was "The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot.
KrisM
Lunatic Member
He doesn't have a website, but you can PM him.
Lots of guys here have had him do work on their tables, and have given glowing reviews. Great guy to deal with.
Wouldn't playing that tune while at sea be bad luck?
KrisM
Lunatic Member
No doubt!
It came with an intact dust cover, but it has a slight crack. Just looking at it wrong while placing it on will cause the crack to open up just enough for it to slip down a bit too far.
I'm guessing having even one table on top of it would have finished off that dust cover.
