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Anybody Try The Hockey Puck As A Record Clamp/ Results?

Bumping this old thread. So I picked up a .99 puck at Goodwill (and one for $5 at a sporting goods store too). I figured the puck thing would be better for me because:

1. I'm a cheap bastard
2. The spindle on my P1 is plastic of some sort, so I feel more comfortable using a softer material against it.
3. I'm a cheap bastard

Any tricks of the trade for getting the hole centered? I'll probably be making use of the drill press at work. Also, I saw someone mention .25 inches for the bit diameter? Is that the best bet?
 
i just drilled one the other night at work. right in the center! perfect! ok, i cheated and chucked it in a lathe. hard to mess that up. as for the hole size, i measured the spindle and used a drill the next size smaller. it ended up being a letter drill, but i don't remember which one.

if you have a combo square you can use the angled end to draw two lines across the puck. where they cross is the center.
 
marqueemoon said:
Any tricks of the trade for getting the hole centered? I'll probably be making use of the drill press at work. Also, I saw someone mention .25 inches for the bit diameter? Is that the best bet?
Click to expand...

If I recall, what I did was, using a compass, draw a circle on a piece of paper the same diameter as the puck. Then I put the puck on the paper directly on the circle. I flipped the whole thing over, being careful not to un-center the puck, and then poked the point of the compass through the center hole of the drawn circle and into the puck.

If I remember correctly, a 1/4" bit is maybe a little snug. Try 9/32" I think.

John
 
MaxSeven said:
Both the Herbie's and the KAB are rather poopy looking if you ask me. And for an extra $15 shipping, the ttweight is still well worth the cost. In fact, I don't know of any other comparable product within that price range.
Click to expand...

Your main concern is how it looks rather than how it works?
 
Tromatic said:
Your main concern is how it looks rather than how it works?
Click to expand...

Absolutely!

Looks always trump performance to me. It does have to perform though.

In other words, If I am looking at two identically performing products, then I will pay extra for looks every time. I would never buy a product that has awesome performance, but looks like ca ca balls.

For example: Some of the PS Audio line of components are excellent performers, but I find the looks to be very effeminate (an exception is the new PerfectWave DAC & Transport products - which look much better). I would not buy one. In fact, I'd probably buy something that performs slightly less, but has superior looks and aesthetics. No offense to anyone who may own PS Audio -- it's just my personal taste and opinion.
 
marqueemoon said:
Bumping this old thread. So I picked up a .99 puck at Goodwill (and one for $5 at a sporting goods store too). I figured the puck thing would be better for me because:

1. I'm a cheap bastard
2. The spindle on my P1 is plastic of some sort, so I feel more comfortable using a softer material against it.
3. I'm a cheap bastard
Click to expand...

Maxseven thinks that marqueemoon should change his ideology from being 'a cheap bastard" to a 'lavish spender'. You will feel much better after this change. Plus, you'll be doing your part to help recharge the economy.

:D
 
Looks are so subjective. That is what bothers me about all those Hi End Expensive turntables, I just don't like the way most of them look.
 
Here's the finished product. Naturally I had to play my prettiest record for the picture.

3841641224_b6a19ddaef.jpg


I used a CD to help me mark the position of the hole. I centered the puck on an old CD and taped it down. Then I flipped the whole thing over and marked the spot for drilling the hole in the puck at the center of the hole in the CD.

I happened to have a record at work, so I found a bit that fit the hole with a tiny amount of room to spare. Once I got it home it was still a little snug, so I used my Dremel and worked a conical grinding bit around the inside of the hole until the fit was perfect.

I removed the silkscreen logos on the puck with some denatured alcohol and a rag. There are still some "shadows" of the logos there, but nothing obvious from more than a foot away.

How does it sound? To my ears it makes a BIG difference. The bass is tighter, the soundstage is wider, and highs seem to be more extended.

As far as looks go, that's pretty subjective I guess, but I'm a big fan of the look. The no-nonsense, utilitarian look is a perfect match for my P1 IMO.
 
MaxSeven said:
Absolutely!

Looks always trump performance to me. It does have to perform though.

In other words, If I am looking at two identically performing products, then I will pay extra for looks every time. I would never buy a product that has awesome performance, but looks like ca ca balls.

For example: Some of the PS Audio line of components are excellent performers, but I find the looks to be very effeminate (an exception is the new PerfectWave DAC & Transport products - which look much better). I would not buy one. In fact, I'd probably buy something that performs slightly less, but has superior looks and aesthetics. No offense to anyone who may own PS Audio -- it's just my personal taste and opinion.
Click to expand...

I like looks, too, but I spend most of my time listening with my eyes closed. If I could come up with a 1.99 hockey-puck record-clamp that worked as well as your favorite, but looked better, you would pay more?

Had beautiful tuner in the rack a while ago. Almost made up my mind to keep it. Heavy, hi-tech, finely crafted machine, sounded good too. I made the mistake of looking inside the thing. No-f'ing way was I paying that much money for some POS electronics in a big-money case.

"Hi-end" audio marketing has got you nailed, for sure.
 
totem said:
Pucks are for Hockey.:yes:
Click to expand...

Sounds like a shoot-out is in order, as most record clamps are intended just to firmly mash the record onto the platter. A puck should have far less resonance and noise transfer to the record than a bright, tizzy hunk of al-yoo-minium with a direct connection to the bearing noise via the spindle.
 
Eminently logical in thought. Wonder if the brand of hockey puck used influences the sonic signature :D. Gotta try one, cheap indeed. A little sonic research is in order. A little record clamp rolling is in order.
 
Tromatic said:
Sounds like a shoot-out is in order, as most record clamps are intended just to firmly mash the record onto the platter. A puck should have far less resonance and noise transfer to the record than a bright, tizzy hunk of al-yoo-minium with a direct connection to the bearing noise via the spindle.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I've been wondering about. I've seen some of the fancy clamps and can't help but wonder if part of the pricing is the allure of exotic looks or sounding names: " ... made from one piece of titanium alloy mined by young virgins using earth-friendly practices .... yadda, yadda"

I guess I'm just too much of a WD-40 and duct tape type-guy, but I think the hockey puck clamp looks great, and I LOVE the pricing even more. What I think I like the most is how clever it is that for only $150 less than the fancy ones, it seems to work as well. I guess the shootout will support or refute that theory, eh?
 
KentTeffeteller said:
Eminently logical in thought. Wonder if the brand of hockey puck used influences the sonic signature :D. Gotta try one, cheap indeed. A little sonic research is in order. A little record clamp rolling is in order.
Click to expand...

Hockey pucks are made to very strict NHL specifications, There should be absolutely no sonic difference from one puck to the next. The size, location and depth of the hole, however, is critical. ;)

John
 
I tried one several years ago and don't recommend them. It worked fine until I was playing a album by Queen and when the song "We Will Rock You" came on the puck immediately shot across the room taking out the Fisher-Price Ultra tonearm, the phono-pre, a lamp and spilling my beer. So use at your own risk. If it works for you keep your mouth shut about it. Otherwise the price of vintage pucks will go up and all of us collectors will be mad as hell.
 
Tromatic said:
Sounds like a shoot-out is in order, as most record clamps are intended just to firmly mash the record onto the platter. A puck should have far less resonance and noise transfer to the record than a bright, tizzy hunk of al-yoo-minium with a direct connection to the bearing noise via the spindle.
Click to expand...

I disagree on the prerequisite that there should be NO bearing noise from one's turntable -- it should be utterly silent. Also, since the spindle is already in contact with the record, it follows (if there was bearing noise) that any massy object in contact with the spindle will absorb that kinetic energy rather than the record, whether it be rubber or metal. I think the purpose of a record clamp or weight, is to merely put pressure on the record, so that the record cannot resonate with any foreign noise (such as the music itself playing). Of course, as always, my logic could be flawed!

On a different thought, in an idler wheel type table, you have to contend with the wheel's contact with the platter rim -- which put's a whole different 'spin' on this topic.

I like to do the the finger tap test to see if a record weight (or clamp) is effective: With the turntable at rest (not spinning), cue the tonearm down to the record surface. Now, without the weight and the volume turned up, tap the record with your finger and listen. Then put the record weight on and tap the record. There should be a vast improvement when the weight is in place.
 
Never as a record clamp but they make great spacers and feet for equipment. I also tried golf balls but found they interfered too much with the music delivery. Something about units rolling off the stands seemed to cause lapses in the music, sometimes permanently.
 
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