Russco Studio Pro Plinth Build
- Thread starter adnick
- Start date
adnick
Addicted Member
Thanks Bill, appreciate the original board, decided to make you one out of Black Walnut and one out of the Spanish Cedar, they will have hold down holes but you’ll have to drill for whatever tonearm.
The platter doesn’t look bad, probably try a few different mats but given the unique shape may end up with felt.
Yeah it’s a ROK 120, just sat it on there for the photo
that side of the table will get the ESL 1000
The platter doesn’t look bad, probably try a few different mats but given the unique shape may end up with felt.
Yeah it’s a ROK 120, just sat it on there for the photo
that side of the table will get the ESL 1000
BillWojo
Addicted Member
Thanks Andy, now that I'm home on my computer instead of my cell phone I can really get a good look at the armboards and they look sweet. So your definitely building a two arm table? That will be neat, never saw a Russco with two arms before. Have you put power to it yet? Terrys Rubber Rollers rebuilt my stock idler wheel, he is very reasonable. I may be ordering a few sets of mounts, Werner wants me to ship a set overseas.
BillWojo
BillWojo
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We should be friends!
I just got my first of two Russco Studio Pro Bs back from my plinth builder. I'll mount an Audio Technica ATP-12T on the Russco itself, and something WEIRD on the external armboard. Maybe my Gray 212 or 108C?
I don't even have room for this beast at my house, so I put it in storage for a bit.
I just got my first of two Russco Studio Pro Bs back from my plinth builder. I'll mount an Audio Technica ATP-12T on the Russco itself, and something WEIRD on the external armboard. Maybe my Gray 212 or 108C?
I don't even have room for this beast at my house, so I put it in storage for a bit.
adnick
Addicted Member
Yeah a two arm table, the top plate will be slightly recessed so the arm board on the other side will look very similar to the original board on the opposite side.
Believe the wood fiber arm boards will dampen the resonance better than the metal original ones…..
And yes I’ve applied power, it’s fairly quiet but not as quiet as it can be, however it’s just as it came without any massaging.
Mine will need motor mounts in the future also…
Believe the wood fiber arm boards will dampen the resonance better than the metal original ones…..
And yes I’ve applied power, it’s fairly quiet but not as quiet as it can be, however it’s just as it came without any massaging.
Mine will need motor mounts in the future also…
adnick
Addicted Member
David:
Friends indeed
That’s fantastic, very impressed with the work of your plinth builder, obviously very skilled, please pass along my compliments.
The plinth I’m building in this thread is not actually for my Russco, my plinth will look similar to yours, and I’m probably gonna run a Gray clone (Karmadon) and/or a Pickering 190D, so we think alike
Is your plinth filled?
VR
Andy
David:
Friends indeed
That’s fantastic, very impressed with the work of your plinth builder, obviously very skilled, please pass along my compliments.
The plinth I’m building in this thread is not actually for my Russco, my plinth will look similar to yours, and I’m probably gonna run a Gray clone (Karmadon) and/or a Pickering 190D, so we think alike
Is your plinth filled?
VR
Andy
My plinth builder is incredible, but also incredibly slow. I gave him two Studio Pro Bs in November, 2017, and I just got the first one back yesterday. So....yeah. I'll light more of a fire under him when he starts the next one. I also have other projects for him, including a Gates CB-77. the plinth for the turntable I am keeping forever (a Technics SP-10mk2/SME 312 and want to add a Stax UA-70), potentially a plinth for my new to me TD-124, and then maybe something for my two Gates CB-100s.
Hi, my name is David and I am a turntable hoarder.
Anyway, yes, the plinth is filled with cedar, other than a hole for the motor as well as a hole at both the back and front of the external armboard mount and underneath the factory mount-hole. I have custom plates drilled for Audio Technica ATP-12Ts that were bought for Studio Pro Bs and never installed (and the ATP-12Ts that were on them), and will compare mounting geometry to the stock plate on the Pro B right now. It might work. Finding a paint match to the chassis color will be difficult if I have to paint these new armboards.
I would like to purchase one of the newer-looking Viscous damped arms from Karmadon, and if I end up liking the 108, I may save up for that.
adnick
Addicted Member
@vinyldavid
Wow! Definitely a who’s who list of tables in your collection.
Trying to decide which table n my collection to sell, but looking for a Fairchild 412 to rebuild, that will be my last or next to last table
The Karmadon clone is an excellent arm, one of my very favorite arms, there’s something “magical” about the clone they build.
Custom builds are time consuming and generally very expensive, time, labor, & materials, not something I want to do very often, and greatly respect those who do.
Was tantalized into building the one in this thread, the individual discovered my weaknesses
VR
Andy
Wow! Definitely a who’s who list of tables in your collection.
Trying to decide which table n my collection to sell, but looking for a Fairchild 412 to rebuild, that will be my last or next to last table
The Karmadon clone is an excellent arm, one of my very favorite arms, there’s something “magical” about the clone they build.
Custom builds are time consuming and generally very expensive, time, labor, & materials, not something I want to do very often, and greatly respect those who do.
Was tantalized into building the one in this thread, the individual discovered my weaknesses
VR
Andy
BillWojo
Addicted Member
David, that looks great! Glad you came into this thread to share. not a lot of us Russco folks around. I have a second Russco Studio Pro Model B as well but no plans for it yet. Missing a few small parts that I'll eventually build or find. The one that I'm building up in this thread came from some small town radio station in Wyoming and looks like it had light use.
I'm a big fan of the Audio Technica ATP-12T tonearm, have one mounted in the back position on my two arm Victor plinth. Denon DL-103 cartridge is a perfect match for those arms.
To mount the ATP-12T tonearm on the Russco chassis it will be positioned pretty far back on the corner and you might have to trim the chassis a bit. A few folks over at Lenco Heaven tell of a ATP-12, no T on the end that is a 9" arm. That would fit perfect but I've never seen any information on one. I've been looking a while for one, ever since I picked up my first Russco. I just think it would be a great match and allow me to use my Denon cart on it. Plus I love the looks of those AT arms.
Anyway, it's great to see more Russco builders on here.
BillWojo
I'm a big fan of the Audio Technica ATP-12T tonearm, have one mounted in the back position on my two arm Victor plinth. Denon DL-103 cartridge is a perfect match for those arms.
To mount the ATP-12T tonearm on the Russco chassis it will be positioned pretty far back on the corner and you might have to trim the chassis a bit. A few folks over at Lenco Heaven tell of a ATP-12, no T on the end that is a 9" arm. That would fit perfect but I've never seen any information on one. I've been looking a while for one, ever since I picked up my first Russco. I just think it would be a great match and allow me to use my Denon cart on it. Plus I love the looks of those AT arms.
Anyway, it's great to see more Russco builders on here.
BillWojo
@vinyldavid
Wow! Definitely a who’s who list of tables in your collection.
Trying to decide which table n my collection to sell, but looking for a Fairchild 412 to rebuild, that will be my last or next to last table
The Karmadon clone is an excellent arm, one of my very favorite arms, there’s something “magical” about the clone they build.
Custom builds are time consuming and generally very expensive, time, labor, & materials, not something I want to do very often, and greatly respect those who do.
Was tantalized into building the one in this thread, the individual discovered my weaknesses
VR
Andy
Andy,
You would do well to check Barter Town for a Fairchild. A little birdie told me there's one there, and the seller could be persuaded to let it go sans arm. I also have another 412, a -2, which is in a remarkably awesome base with an ESL 1000 arm. Someday I'll even have to listen to it.
My taste in arms runs to newer SMEs and failing that, easily headshell swappable Japanese arms for my excessive cartridge auditioning and playing. I have a Jelco SA-750E on my Technics SP-15 and Audio Technica AT1009 on my original Panasonic SP-10 for just that purpose. Eventually I'll have to try my DL-103 on the Gray 108 once I get it rewired and mounted to....something!
Custom work is definitely time and materials intensive, but while I'm patient, almost 4 years.....that's just excessive.
Thanks, Bill!
I've had at least 10 of these stick shift Russcos over the last 13 years, and this matched pair of Studio Pro Bs are the best of the bunch. Reading the spec sheet for the ATP-12T, it appears that my factory mounted plates that came with ATP-12Ts may be made incorrectly, but I'll check against the stock mounting plate in a couple days. A DL-103 with an elliptical VAS retip, a Stanton 500 with original elliptical stylus, and perhaps a 680.V3 are destined for the arm, and if my Gray 212 gets mounted backwards, I'll leave the ESL C60 on there for mono use.
These tables are fun! I don't expect them to outperform my big Technics DDs, but they're a joy to use in a way that modern decks just aren't.
-David
wer_ginestar
New Member
Decided to make use of one of my better (nicer) tonearms, an FR-24.
(Please excuse the dust)
It is mounted on an Ipe board, because Ipe is said to have acoustic properties almost as good as Panzerholz. Made a quick job of the mounting base, using POM rather than aluminium. A 6mm POM mounting base for an arm lift is already done and will hopefully hide at least some of the holes left by the board mounted arm lift made for the previously used arm. Considering an antiskate arrangement, possibly similar to the MkII, but no clear idea yet.
(Please excuse the dust)
It is mounted on an Ipe board, because Ipe is said to have acoustic properties almost as good as Panzerholz. Made a quick job of the mounting base, using POM rather than aluminium. A 6mm POM mounting base for an arm lift is already done and will hopefully hide at least some of the holes left by the board mounted arm lift made for the previously used arm. Considering an antiskate arrangement, possibly similar to the MkII, but no clear idea yet.
adnick
Addicted Member
Werner:
Thanks for updating us here, we all benefit from the knowledge of others and it’s always educational…..
VR
Andy
adnick
Addicted Member
David:
Understand your tonearm preferences, have several more modern arms myself, but only have one table with a single arm, most have 2 or more so changing carts isn’t an everyday experience for me…..
On the subject of the 412–Again, wow! Very nice Fairchild, but it goes against my modus operandi to buy something that nice, and in technical speak I finagle most of my stuff
Seriously though, as you mentioned it already has things I’d change, like the tonearm and plinth, and I generally like to do my own restoration work, but why don’t you shoot me a pm about what you’re thinking.
VR
Andy
BillWojo
Addicted Member
That's very interesting. See if the ATP-12T mounting collar matches up with the bolt circle on the armboard.
Since Audio Technica doesn't label these arms as to model types are you sure you have a ATP-12T? Is there a possibility that they are ATP-12 (no T), the supposedly 9" version that I can't find a lick of information on?
If they are the 9" version maybe I could persuade you to part with one.
Also, do your platters have the ball mounted in the bottom of the spindle or are they flat at the end of the spindle. I have one of each. Seems the flat spindle is a latter build as it has the Japanese Nidec motor, not the Bodine motor.
BillWojo
twiiii
Lunatic Member
Russco's like QRK's can be pretty noisy. How about an all steel box filled with sand? Some of the radio stations had desk high enclosures filled with sand to quiet down the TT's. But the AM stations had it easy as they used filters to get rid of rumble. Fm stations might use something a bit lower frequency filters.. But they all changed to Technics tables when they came along. We chose SP 25's at the station I had done remotes for.
adnick
Addicted Member
Ok, spent the day working on getting the inside mock-up to the correct size, given the build constraints.
The table should just be slightly proud 1/8”+ all the way around, this hides the inner box and makes it appear that the table is resting on the outside (show) wood.
Achieving this was much harder than one would think, the Russco has a dropped platter and then it has supports cast into the structure; built like a tank comes to mind
Anyway it took considerable effort with a couple of spokeshaves to make some clearance divots.
Used the arm board as a pattern to trace out the platter contour, remove the appropriate amount of material, then it was just try a test fit, more material removed, try again, and……
The below photos show a couple examples, the are more, but you get the idea.
That’s what it takes to get the proud lip all the way around Next up, layers upon layers upon layers
The table should just be slightly proud 1/8”+ all the way around, this hides the inner box and makes it appear that the table is resting on the outside (show) wood.
Achieving this was much harder than one would think, the Russco has a dropped platter and then it has supports cast into the structure; built like a tank comes to mind
Anyway it took considerable effort with a couple of spokeshaves to make some clearance divots.
Used the arm board as a pattern to trace out the platter contour, remove the appropriate amount of material, then it was just try a test fit, more material removed, try again, and……
The below photos show a couple examples, the are more, but you get the idea.That’s what it takes to get the proud lip all the way around
Next up, layers upon layers upon layers
adnick
Addicted Member
Have a bit more don, the inner box is all glued up and started stacking the layers, will use a layer of sound deadening material between every few layers…
Also have the outside of the plinth cut, it’s just sitting there in the photo, nothing holding it together. Note that the sap wood is turned towards the table, not sure which way I like best, up or down
When the layer stack is finished I’ll use the empty inner box and the silent track on a test record to determine how much rumble is present and then I’ll do the same test with the complete stuffed plinth
Also have the outside of the plinth cut, it’s just sitting there in the photo, nothing holding it together. Note that the sap wood is turned towards the table, not sure which way I like best, up or down
When the layer stack is finished I’ll use the empty inner box and the silent track on a test record to determine how much rumble is present and then I’ll do the same test with the complete stuffed plinth
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BillWojo
Addicted Member
Andy, that's looking great! Don't slide it towards the end of your bench, it's liable to tip the bench. LOL I like the sap wood up as pictured but it would probably look good either way.
I'd be interested in seeing the results of your test. Since your table is "as is" and not rebuilt yet it's sure to have some noise. A perfect test specimen.
BillWojo
I'd be interested in seeing the results of your test. Since your table is "as is" and not rebuilt yet it's sure to have some noise. A perfect test specimen.
BillWojo