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Started making a plinth for my ROK L-34

beatcomber said:
That occurred to me as well. Both the ROK and my fully-serviced TD-124 take especially long to get up to 100% pitch during the cold winter months.

I've also noticed that the platter spin-down time on the ROK is considerably longer after it's been running for a while vs. turning it on and off while still cold. Once properly warmed up, it averages about 45-50 seconds to completely spin down. (The bearing has been polished and it has a new ball at the bottom of the well).
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These bearings really do spin freely.

Sometimes I watch the platter spin-down on my L-37 just as entertainment on its own. I haven't timed it in seconds, but it has so little friction and loses speed so gradually, it can be hard to tell when it makes that final transition from moving to stopped.

What are you using for oil in your main bearing? I'm using synthetic 5w30 motor oil.
 
beatcomber said:
The motor definitely produces some heat, which is why I drilled out the plinth all the way down to the bottom layer. I'm going to put some fairly tall feet on it, so that some cool air can get up into the cavity.

The slot for the 'gear shift' on the top of the unit apparently also serves as a vent.

Many thanks!
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I'll be starting a plinth for my B-12H in a bit and was considering the ventilation situation. I was thinking of drilling a hole from the bottom through the layers in the opposite corner to the motor and then cutting a horizontal channel in an upper layer(s) so there would be a circulating air flow. Maybe I'm just overthinking thngs, but that big Ashland motor probably does need to breathe well. Tallish feet certainly would help as well.
 
fiddlefye said:
I'll be starting a plinth for my B-12H in a bit and was considering the ventilation situation. I was thinking of drilling a hole from the bottom through the layers in the opposite corner to the motor and then cutting a horizontal channel in an upper layer(s) so there would be a circulating air flow. Maybe I'm just overthinking thngs, but that big Ashland motor probably does need to breathe well. Tallish feet certainly would help as well.
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You're more ambitious than I am! :thmbsp:
 
beatcomber said:
I guess that, like anything, all it takes is some advance planning.
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I guess that is a positive spin on things. :D In my case the whole project is taking far too long getting going. I've had plinths for a TD-125, SP-15 and the R-O-K essentially designed to build for quite awhile now. Planning is as far as I've managed to get! Our house has been in the middle of wide-ranging renovations for about 2 1/2 years now and the space I would be using as a shop is piled six feet deep in boxes. Very frustrating, but I suspect that setting up a table saw and drill press in the dining room might not exactly be welcome!
 
beatcomber said:
Heh heh, I'm just using plain old electric hand tools. The results aren't pretty, but it works.
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What you've got going is looking good. One doesn't need anything fancy to get the job done, really. On the other hand I don't think it would matter what tools I used the dining room is about the only open space to work in as of yet. When I get the big room in the basement cleared out and set up then I'll be able to get the bigger tools going as well. In the end much of the work does come down to hand tools, though.

What I have in mind involves using multiple material types and some experimentation. I guess I'm thinking partly of getting some better plinths for some tables and partly of a bit of casual research at the same time.
 
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"setting up a table saw and drill press in the dining room might not exactly be welcome!" another unreasonable restriction on creativity & self expression. :)
 
The top and final layer is in place, and the glue is drying.

I won't be home tonight, but Wednesday evening I should be able to drill the opening for the tonearm and mount the feet, and then give the turntable a test run. I look forward to seeing how the new plinth impacts rumble, imaging, bass, etc.

The last steps will be truing the edges and then the final finishing. :banana:
 
Bob in WI said:
"setting up a table saw and drill press in the dining room might not exactly be welcome!" another unreasonable restriction on creativity & self expression. :)
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Hah! Indeed. Back one house ago in my single days I used to restore pianos in the house and it sometimes got so bad it was hard to find a place to sit down and eat at times!

Actually it is as much my own restriction as my wife's as I'm not fond of sawdust in my food, not to mention possible damage to the hardwood floors. I find myself having to be more patient than I'd like, but the renovations have expanded to every corner of the house (including rewiring) and it just takes time. Even when the current phase of the work is finished I will need to put some work into the shop area as the water damage from the lightning strike/fire took the ceilings down and destroyed the flooring. In then end I should have a nicely laid out little shop for woodwork with an enclosed area for working on piano actions. At least I have the stereo system worked out already! :D
 
Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

Backgrounds are VERY quiet now. I still have a little more work to do on the ROK and plinth, but I am very happy with the results so far.

 
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