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Alternatives To Dust Covers?

boreas

boreas

"If it sounds good, it IS good." E.K.E.
Now that I've discovered that the dustcover on my PL-560 is pretty much a parabolic reflector I've taken to removing it when playing vinyl and replacing it when I'm done. This is a bit of a PITA with the hinges and all plus, thinking that by putting it atop a 6' high bookcase it was "out of harm's way", I managed to break the damned thing when it decided to fall off. I've glued it back together and it works but now my formerly pristine 30 year old dust cover looks like unholy Hell.

What, if anything, do those of you who don't use a dust cover use in their place to keep dust from settling on the turntable?

Thanks,
John
 
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A silk or other tightly woven scarf can work very well. I'm using black ones on my Thorens and Russco. Spend a little time on ebay and you can find exactly the size and color you prefer.

Jim
 
Anymore I just have a cover that just sits on the platter and covers the TA area. Makes it so much easier than a hinged cover, for me. I'll be finishing up another TT project in the near future, and I'll have my plastic guy make one to fit that table.


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You could use a soft cover for a computer printer, you can get them at a dollar store, it should be the right size for a turntable.

Regards.
 
ZebraBlvd said:
Anymore I just have a cover that just sits on the platter and covers the TA area. Makes it so much easier than a hinged cover, for me. I'll be finishing up another TT project in the near future, and I'll have my plastic guy make one to fit that table.


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I have a similar style cover I made myself

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My Systemdek came with a dust cover and a plastic platter cover. I only use the plastic platter cover and dust the rest of the table every now and then. I remove the stylus before attempting any dusting.

You could cut one out yourself for cheap. It works if keeping your records dust free is all your concerned about.

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Some really good ideas! Thanks, everyone.

I've seen those formed platter/tone arm covers before and they intrigued me. I'm thinking I may try to make one out of a sheet of plexi, either by gluing or heat bending one up.

Soft covers or cloths are also a possibility but I wonder about the risk of snagging the cuing arm on the headshell when removing the cover. Anyone have any thoughts on that?

Thanks again,
John
 
boreas said:
Some really good ideas! Thanks, everyone.

Soft covers or cloths are also a possibility but I wonder about the risk of snagging the cuing arm on the headshell when removing the cover. Anyone have any thoughts on that?

Thanks again,
John
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John,
Just lay a soft cloth over the table and when you want to use it just lift it from the rear of the table forward. Don't just pull it off, lift it up, forward and away. Try it a few times with the tonearm locked down. Find a nice looking soft cloth to use its no big deal and it works fine.
My Zero 100c is mint and it has no dustcover. I use a soft cloth over it and it's fine.
 
Thoughts on dustcovers

[1] Interested people can buy flexible vinyl and fabric dust covers at, for example: www.TurntableDustCover.com

[2] For reasons out of my control, both my turntables are located in ''caves" where access is limited, and depending on the turntable, room to fully open a hinged dust cover is just not there. I have removed the dust cover hinges and just store the dust cover in a safe and conspicuous place when I want to use the turntable.

[3] This is a fairly recent inspiration which I have not tried. When the NASCAR diecast collecting hobby was still healthy there were many people making acrylic display cases, and in my experience some local craftsmen some were willing to undertake custom design projects. Perhaps these people would consider making custom turntable dust covers. Cost may be a bit high, but this is custom work, and with the correct supplied specs you would get what you need.
 
ec1st said:
[3] This is a fairly recent inspiration which I have not tried. When the NASCAR diecast collecting hobby was still healthy there were many people making acrylic display cases, and in my experience some local craftsmen some were willing to undertake custom design projects. Perhaps these people would consider making custom turntable dust covers. Cost may be a bit high, but this is custom work, and with the correct supplied specs you would get what you need.
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Years ago, around Christmas time, I had a lot of time and little money at my disposal and decided to scratch-build models of several types of Chesapeake Bay oyster boats for my Maryland family. When he got his my father asked me if I could make a display case, called a "vitrine", for his model.

The method I used was pretty simple. I just cut out rectangular pieces of the correct sizes using a special plexiglass cutting tool, basically a hooked knife, and dressed the edges with fine sandpaper. Then used a special glue which comes with a small bore needle for application.

You preassemble the pieces and then run a small bead of the glue along the seams, from the inside is best as I recall. The glue, actually a chemical weld, then infiltrates the joints via capillary action. After the glue is dry you can further polish the edges if you wish.

The results were fine. Of course, the original dust covers are molded and, therefore, have no seams but with that exception a home-made one would work fine. If I were to do it, I'd use a substantially thicker piece at the back where the hinges attach.

John
 
ZebraBlvd said:
Anymore I just have a cover that just sits on the platter and covers the TA area. Makes it so much easier than a hinged cover, for me. I'll be finishing up another TT project in the near future, and I'll have my plastic guy make one to fit that table.


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made one of those myself.

fairly easy to do, just be careful heating the plexi with a heatgun, when it overheats it bubbles
 
boreas said:
Now that I've discovered that the dustcover on my PL-560 is pretty much a parabolic reflector I've taken to removing it when playing vinyl and replacing it when I'm done. This is a bit of a PITA with the hinges and all plus, thinking that by putting it atop a 6' high bookcase it was "out of harm's way", I managed to break the damned thing when it decided to fall off. I've glued it back together and it works but now my formerly pristine 30 year old dust cover looks like unholy Hell.

What, if anything, do those of you who don't use a dust cover use in their place to keep dust from settling on the turntable?

Thanks,
John
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Hi John- Sorry to hear about your PL-560 cover! We have been fabricating new clear acrylic precise fit replacement dust covers for vintage turntables for more than 5 years now - and have more than 125 various models that actually cover more than 350 various respective make and model turntables. If you decide you would like a precise fit high quality replacement for your PL-560 Pioneer - just send us an email at: sales@turntabledepot.com . We stock that model as one of our biggest and regular sellers! Tom
 
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Until I can save for an acrylic Clearaudio cover for my Performance DC this will do....cardboard carton with cutouts and saran wrap window......cats....I have cats....and this will prote
 
I
boreas said:
Some really good ideas! Thanks, everyone.

I've seen those formed platter/tone arm covers before and they intrigued me. I'm thinking I may try to make one out of a sheet of plexi, either by gluing or heat bending one up.

Soft covers or cloths are also a possibility but I wonder about the risk of snagging the cuing arm on the headshell when removing the cover. Anyone have any thoughts on that?

Thanks again,
John
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I use a towel. It isn't terribly effective but better than nothing. The key to avoid snags is to lift the front flap towards you, well away of the front of the arm, then lift up and back.
 
Hey Boreas, I know this is an 8 year old thread, but are you saying the top on your tt was causing audible things you didn't want? Always wondered about that.
 
onwardjames said:
Hey Boreas, I know this is an 8 year old thread, but are you saying the top on your tt was causing audible things you didn't want? Always wondered about that.
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Probably. I don't remember. ;) I think I was referring to leaving the dustcover in the raised position during playback, something I have formed the habit of not doing. As far as leaving the dustcover in place and closed is concerned, I don't see a problem with doing that. After the disaster with the above dustcover, I no longer remove them and can detect no degradation of sound as a result.

John
 
I avoid anything soft and pliable, like cloth or plastic sheeting — too much risk of snagging something, like a VDH stylus on a ruby cantilever.

Boreas, I made cover out of 1/4" smoked acrylic, just as you describe, for a "long" Thorens with 12" arm. Came out great. Your description of the process is spot-on. No ordinary "glues" work, not epoxy, not superglue — there is a specific solvent as you describe, but —

The best and cheapest way to chemically "weld" it together — is Ether.

That's right — Ether the Anesthetic. Works perfectly and instantly. An almost unbreakable bond,

Now just try explaining to your Pharmacist why you need it. Better hope he's an audiophile.

[I eagerly await the stream of predictable jokes...]
 
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