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Started making a plinth for my ROK L-34

olddude55 said:
I'm bookmarking this thread. Got my own L34 project, if I ever get my damned idlers back.

Anyway, my plan is to build the layer-cake plywood plinth and put it inside the original hollow plinth in order to hide my sure-to-be-sloppy wood work.
My ROK didn't come with an arm, I'll be mounting a Trans-Fi Terminator on it.
Click to expand...
I'm curious how the Terminator works out if you go that route. I'm in the middle hunting for a modern arm to use on my B-12H. A few nice options out there and you've just added another to the list.
 
And the Rek-O-Kut is done!



Audiodon suggested using several coats of Sam Maloof Poly/Oil Finish, followed by a couple of coats of Sam Maloof Oil/Wax Finish. It was quick and easy to apply, didn't stink, and the results speaks for itself.

While there are few details that I wish I'd done differently, overall I am delighted by how well this turned out! Not bad for a first attempt at woodworking.
 
Did some further work on the ROK this snowy morning...

I was getting a LOT of noise from the 33 RPM idler wheel. It wasn't audible through the speakers, but it was a distraction.

I popped off the tire, got out a tube of Flitz metal/plastic polish, and got to work on the idler spindle. I started with Q-Tips and finished it off with some steel wool, followed by some naptha on a rag. I also polished the hole in the idler wheel and the nylon washer too.

The noise has now been considerably reduced and it seems as if the music has greater clarity now as well.
 
Its current incarnation... now with an SME 3009 added, for stereo fun! Listening in stereo with a more revealing cartridge*, I can detect just the slightest hint of rumble, but it's only slightly louder than an LP's noise floor and is in no way intrusive. You really have to listen for it, otherwise you won't even notice.

(*The pictures below show a Shure M97xE mounted on the SME; I've already switched to a Shure M91ED with JICO SAS.)

As Don predicted back in March, the finish has also begun the yellowing process.



 
I just ordered a new mat for this. Yes, the red ROK mat looks cool and all, but it's made from rigid plastic, and that can't be good, sonically-speaking. I found a seller on Amazon offering 1/4" thick cork mats at a reasonable price, so I pulled the trigger. I'm hoping it will suppress what little rumble I am presently hearing.
 
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