Resuscitating my Thorens TD-125 and looking for suggestions

fiddlefye

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Long story that some on forum already know, but my TD-125 took a horrid beating from the firemen when we had a lightning strike and fire at the house a few years back. I won't go into all of the horrors, but I'm at the point where I'm starting to put things back together and set up.

The springs, belt, mirror in the strobe and half of the AT-1009 arm vanished in the aftermath, but I've a Fidelity Research FR-24 MkII to put on, a bit of mirror cut to install and a set of brand spankin' new springs on order from Vinyl Nirvana (they're making new ones, yay!).

What I still need are new feet (also vanished), a new arm board (the one for the AT-1009 isn't reusable for the FR) and possibly at some point a new dust cover.

So I'm looking for suggestions as to type and source for those three items.

Feet - what would be the best choice for a heavy suspended table like this? The originals were small rubbed things, but I suspect that 50 years later there might be better choices to be had.

Arm board - I'd like to try making a laminated board eventually (aluminum/plexi/MDF with a veneer top), but in the interests of getting things on the road perhaps buying something ready made? I do have a spare maple board I made years back, but it is very plain and perhaps a bit light?

Dust cover - By some miracle I still have all of the hardware, so something like the original would be in order.
 
The springs vanished as in burned - evaporated? What happened to the plastic cups? I can't even imagine the extent of the damage. Some pics would be nice (or hairy). Anyway, years of trying to find the ideal feet for the TD-125 taught me one simple lesson. That TT doesn't like to ride high and the best feet are the stock felt rags that came with it.

Good luck mate! It's well worth the restoration.
 
The springs vanished as in burned - evaporated? What happened to the plastic cups? I can't even imagine the extent of the damage. Some pics would be nice (or hairy). Anyway, years of trying to find the ideal feet for the TD-125 taught me one simple lesson. That TT doesn't like to ride high and the best feet are the stock felt rags that came with it.

Good luck mate! It's well worth the restoration.
My table came with little rubber feet originally. Certainly suspended tables like to have their feet well-planted for the suspension to work well, so whatever is in between needs to couple rather than isolate.

No worries, the springs didn't vapourize nor did the belt. Apart from the filth, bits of burned matter and a ton of wet gypsum insulation the problem was that the firemen tossed the table and then stomped on it. The springs and belt simply flew off somewhere and got lost in the initial clean-up. The circuit board was cracked into several pieces, but my tech did a lovely job of repairing it and recapped and adjusted while he was at it as that was due to be done anyway. Miraculously, the bearing, spindle and motor came through unscathed. Not sure if it was luck or a testament to the incredible build of the table.

This is a pic of the top plate after a couple of rounds of cleaning. It now looks really nicely clean and the finish seems to be still just fine. Thank goodness!
DSC_7639.jpg
As you can see, the arm board was drilled for the AT-1009 and even if the spindle to pivot was close enough to dither (it isn't) the AT had a pneumatic cuing system that required three extra holes. Maybe I'll run into someone who needs a 125 board for a AT-1009?
 
Good luck fiddlefye. Didn't know your table took a beating during that terrible event...
A couple of my tables took a beating, but the Thorens got it the worst by far. The SP-15 I got cleaned up and back into service last year and this is the last table that needs to be rescued. Then I need to get into a couple of electronic pieces that are in queue, a Scott 348 receiver and a Heathkit tuner.
 
Search Ebay.
Not much out there for arm boards at the moment. Most of them are "dental stone" or "Mineral materials" and ship from Germany. There must be some elsewhere, but the search is oddly pretty lean at the moment.
 
Not much out there for arm boards at the moment. Most of them are "dental stone" or "Mineral materials" and ship from Germany. There must be some elsewhere, but the search is oddly pretty lean at the moment.
If it's just armboards for 125 look up AK member Elcoholic. He makes some nice boards for the 125.
 
If it's just armboards for 125 look up AK member Elcoholic. He makes some nice boards for the 125.
Yes, just one arm board for a TD-125. I do have a spare maple board I made myself a number of years ago, the same as the one in the photo that was drilled for the AT-1009, but I wonder if it might not be a bit light and more resonant than might be best? One of these days I will make another (or two) using a sandwich of aluminum/plexi and MDF (or some other wood product), but for now I just want to get on with getting this thing up and running.
 
The TD-125 came with a thin hardboard bottom and 4 screws holding it to the plinth going through 1/8-3/16" thick black felt. Nothing special. I have a couple extra plinths and hardboard bottoms, maybe even the felt pieces.

Most would use some isolation type feet, some going toward cones other toward the Herbie's grunge buster feet. Lots of choices.
 
See if Dave Archambault at Vinyl Nirvana can assist you, he knows of sources for arm boards. He specializes in Thorens.
Had a talk with Dave and he said I should just use the maple board I already made, should work fine acoustically. Maybe at some later date I'll play around with other options. He also has rubber feet similar to the originals and he thinks they serve as well as anything for the job so I will order a set. The less spent now, the more is available for a nice cart later I suppose....
 
I have a nickname for this TD 125 survivor, Le Phoenix! Survivor from the ashes. I have McIntosh separates (A MC 2505-2 and MX 114) which survived smoke damage from a previous owner. They are the pride of my main system, passed down to me for parts cheaply. I revived them, they make music. I hope you get the TD 125 rebuilt, back to health, and making music again. Keep a few battle scars intact, they're indication it lived life and got back on it's feet. Took a lot of work (3 days just to get semi decent chrome on my Mc survivors, and a decent bit of electronics work to get them making music and getting those pots clean enough to work again, but I did it)
 
I have a nickname for this TD 125 survivor, Le Phoenix! Survivor from the ashes. I have McIntosh separates (A MC 2505-2 and MX 114) which survived smoke damage from a previous owner. They are the pride of my main system, passed down to me for parts cheaply. I revived them, they make music. I hope you get the TD 125 rebuilt, back to health, and making music again. Keep a few battle scars intact, they're indication it lived life and got back on it's feet. Took a lot of work (3 days just to get semi decent chrome on my Mc survivors, and a decent bit of electronics work to get them making music and getting those pots clean enough to work again, but I did it)
Good choice of name, I should adopt it! This table has been with me for three decades now and for many years was my only table. I figure that putting it in the best shape possible is the least I can do for all the years of pleasure it has given me. At some point in the future part of this big 2" x 12" x 8' former fireplace mantle I have is going to make it a lovely new plinth to finish the job. First I'd just like to have it working up to snuff once more, though.
 
Well, the old spare maple board looks like a bit of a no-go. It had got itself buried in the garage shop and has developed a warp, plus it was the less-accurately cut of the two. I think I just need to find something good and be done with it.
 
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