So your Thorens TD-150 MkII is missing some parts?

Dag_3

Active Member
I've been working on restoring a Tandberg/Thorens TD-150 MkII with a TP-13A arm for my daughters birthday, and I thought I might share some of the information I have tracked down in the process. It was in pretty good shape when I got it, but it was missing some important parts. Judging by the pictures I see on the net it's fairly common for these to be missing in action. So here are some vital measurements I've found on the net in case you want to make your own parts or source them elsewhere:

1. The little anti-skating weight-on-a-thread. The weight is cylinder shaped, has a diameter of 6mm and a height of 6,8mm. It weighs 1,4g and hangs off a 55mm long thread. I lucked out with this weight. I opened up the table up to adjust the springs and out tumbled the weight! Might be worth a shot to see if it's been dropped inside your table as well.

2. The anti-skating arm. The anti-skating weight-on-a-thread drapes over an arm which clips onto the tone arm pillar. You can easily make one of these yourself. Take some fairly robust wire (I used the shiny galvanized kind to make it look nicer) and bend it into shape with pliers. Start by bending the end of the wire around something round that has the approximate diameter of the arm pillar to make a clip of sorts. The arms should be 30mm horizonally from the armpillar, then 40mm vertical, then 30mm horizontal again, angled 90 degrees compared to the bottom part. If this makes little sense in writing, see the pics. The notches to drape the weight-on-a-string over are spaced at 9, 21 and 27mm measured from the bend. You can make these with a needle nosed plier. As you can see from the pics I could have made this arm look better if I took some more care when bending, but this is a good starting point.

3. The small VTF counterweight ball that should be sitting on the arm on the right side of the tone arm. This is harder to make, and I haven't made one I'm happy with yet. Good news is that you don't absolutely need it. You can set the VTF with a stylus gauge and the large counterweight on the back of the arm. Still, I belive the smaller counterweight is important for the balance of the arm so I haven't give up yet. Anyway, the smaller VTF counterweight ball is reported to weigh 17,4g. If you can find a small black ball of approximately that weight it should be possible to drill out a hole for the arm to fit through, and then tap in a screw to fasten it. I drilled a 3,5mm hole through a bead and it seemed to be a good fit for the arm to pass through. However it didn't look as good as it should, so I haven't stopped searching for something more appropriate. Some people use an SME part as a replacement, but they are expensive and their shinyness detract from the whole black ball kugelarm experience IMHO. If anyone knows how to get their hands on a little black VTF weight ball it would make me very happy!

The other stuff I've done with this table is mostly regular maintenace. Cleaning it, adjusting the springs and talcing the spring rubber grommets, oiled the platter bearing and motor, cleaned the headshell contacts, adjusted the arm bearings and dropped a hard metal thrustplate into the platter bearing. I also changed the drive belt. Although up to specs, the new belt was too tight and it wouldn't move smoothly on the motor pulley when changing rpm from 45 to 33. The solution was simply to stretch it a bit.

When you choose a catridge for this turntable remember that you need one that can be screwed into the headshell from below. Some cartridges can only be mounted from the top and you can't use these without drilling holes in the headshell. I mouted a Denon DL-160 on this one, and I think it sounds nice.

Hope this info helps others with parts missing from their Thorens. Good luck!

Dag
 

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Bravo. Great job cleaning it up and it looks like the springs have been nicely adjusted, too.

About five years ago my TD150 had the same missing antiskate weight and arm, and secondary "klugel" weight. Interesting, my solution for the antiskate arm was very similar to yours, but I used a paperclip. I used it this way also with no secondary counterweight until a kind forum member at VA sent me spares. I've since acquired extras and paid those forward to help another TD 150 owner. I bet sooner or later you'll run into the bits you need.

This is a great gift for your daughter!

Jim

p.s. the black weights are painted, not black all the way through. I bet you could source a small piece of brass rod in a nice looking diameter, cut to the correct weight, drill etc and paint it with several light coats of a nice satin black along with repainting the main weight to match, and it would look nice. Just an idea.
 
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Great job indeed! I'm restoring a TD150 but too bad the original arm is too far gone to salvage. I have a couple of spare arms (Thorens TP-16, and Ortofon RS-212) that I'd like to mount but not sure if the armboard has enough clearance.

I tried sourcing the original TP-13 arm but ones in good condition seem to fetch handsome prices on that auction site, so it's well worth salvaging if possible.
 
There are quite a few Tandberg collectors here in Norway so I'm keeping my fingers crossed, as well as keeping my eye out for suitable replacement weights. I get some strange looks when asking people if they have a small 17,5g ball lying around :D Good idea on the brass rod Jim. I might have a look at bathroom fittings to see if anything can be modified. It's going to be hard to give this deck away. There are so many fun modifications to try. I might try my hand at making a new plinth some time, although I suspect my carpenter skills may be less than adequate. There are some stunning designs out there.
 
I am missing the exact same antiskate bar. This is a great suggestion. Thank you for the information. I'll be heading to the hardware store this weekend and see if I can duplicate your measurments.
 
TD 150 II Anti Skate Questions

D.Dog I am happy to say I have all the arms intact but no weights (except large black counter weight). The original (yup, bought new while in US Service overseas) owner said he used fishing weights and lines to tie it off. Being I am extremely un mechanical, and quite visual, it is hard for me to follow verbal or written instructions. Is there a way to see a photo image of what it all should look like originally? I have the original manual and can see and read the instructions but remain unclear on the wire, string connection between the two device arms on platter side of the arm (left if looking straight on).

Any help for this complete novice?

TIA,
David

BTW I came into the TT a couple days ago. An older gentlemen where I work overheard my conversation about an AR TT I am trying to buy and brought this in next day to "give me".

Lastly, on analog dept website they are missing page 12 (maint/warranty) off of the PDF. I have not found a way to contact them. If you know or want to I can scan and send that page off of my mint manual that came w/TT
 
Note that OEM (just measured mine) the anti weight is at 1/2 centimeter off the armboard at the innermost setting notch.
Your Diy arm is not quite reproducing the oem one shape.
Possibly in it's height Or it's parallel distance from the weight anchoring arm (2 cm.. with the Tone arm at rest/locked down) seems a bit off,
Does it matter ? Unlikely, as in 40 years of using Mine, with most every cart Shure made.. I've found the Anti skate to be largely irrelevant.

PS: an unwaxed Dental Floss DIY belt is a more than adequate (some claim it a good upgrade) replacement for the oem Thorens belt.
Should yours be so loose as to be sliding off in use ..the point where it actually needs replacement.
 
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Anti Skate Weight

Found a place that may be able to make Tungsten replacement weights.
http://www.tungstenspheres.com/inventory.html
I doubt they will sell one, but they might. If not I will let others know and we can share in this if anyone wants. Worst case I buy a pound of them made to spec, including the hole to thread onto arm. Would be about $100 and would be a lot of them. Enough for everyones 150s and then some.

-D
 
Bali,
Seems those weights are much heavier (dag says 1.4G and those are 3.5G) so I wonder how that will work? I also need the secondary balance arm weight. Search, search, search..........
-D
 
Going to bite the bullet and pay crazy for the "rider" weight as it is called. This is the smaller counterweight that "rides" on the right side (looking straight on) of the TP 13 Arm on my TD 150 MKII AB. Since shipping is almost as much as the weight if anyone else wants in let me know. The weight is $29.99 and shipping $14. Shipping would remain about the same so for each weight the shipping costs drop considerably per weight. I can ask seller to wait a day or two. Anyone want in please let me know ASAP. I will finalize the deal soon. This is from a well known Thorens seller in SWZ on the bay. Not sure how many of these weights he has. I looked every day for a month or so and found no others and using fishing weights is only an approximate solution.
 
I rebuilt the antiskating arm using tin soldered brass.
The result is excellent. For weight I used a brass bolt filed to the right weight
 

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