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WOOD PLINTH / CASES - Original or Custom-made?

Do you want your gears in original casings or would you have them dressed?

  • I will keep mine stock / original design

    Votes: 6 24.0%

  • I want mine modified with new plinth / cases

    Votes: 19 76.0%
  • Total voters
    25
  • Poll closed .
89rpm

89rpm

New Member
I'm an audio wood hobbyist. I usually do turntable plinth, amplifier cases and when there's available old wood, i spend some weekends doing speaker stand or even audio racks. i earn from this hobby and able to buy gears and records. I'm posting samples of my work and would appreciate much your inputs. some people prefer the original stock design (me too) but old vintage gears sometimes need new clothes. would you opt for a new solid design or stick to the old plinth / cases? Thanks

Note: All woods we used are from trees downed by typhoons and stocked to dryA.jpg B.jpg C.jpg D.jpg E.jpg F.jpg G.jpg H.jpg J.jpg . We do not KILL trees
 
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It depends on the unit. I generally like the original wood designs used but see the beauty of some aftermarket products like what you make.
 
Definitely depends. A lot of original wood cases are quite frankly crappy. Thin plywood or MDF with not-amazing veneer. Absolutely nothing special about it other than it fits.

If its rare and unique, then it would probably stay stock but something like my Thorens 160 wouldn't upset me to see in a nicer plinth, especially if it could be made to take the stock dust cover, just because I actually have one for it.
 
HarmanKardon said:
I have a Dual 1229 with a custom-made dark oakwood plinth - no veneer. This tt is pretty heavy and looks very good.
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I observed the rumbling noises are reduced, using heavier plinth BUT there are some kinds of wood that are not good for turntable plinth especially those too hard. i have tested 3 kinds that are good. am still in search for the perfect specie :)
 
Blue Shadow said:
It depends on the unit. I generally like the original wood designs used but see the beauty of some aftermarket products like what you make.
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im not sure if its only me, but i observed the Lenco GL75 & GL78 tend to rumble using their original plinth. what i do is make a similar design (that is wrap-around suqare frame) but used heavier / thicker wood. from original half inch. I used 2" and they sound and looks great.
 
gadget73 said:
Definitely depends. A lot of original wood cases are quite frankly crappy. Thin plywood or MDF with not-amazing veneer. Absolutely nothing special about it other than it fits.

If its rare and unique, then it would probably stay stock but something like my Thorens 160 wouldn't upset me to see in a nicer plinth, especially if it could be made to take the stock dust cover, just because I actually have one for it.
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I also try to maintain the original plinth of Turntables whose platter are fixed in their frame like Lenco, TD160, SL1200 etc. but for those motor only like TD124, 301, 401, Lenco 88 where i have a choice of plinth sizes depending on the tonearm length, i prefer the heavy solid plinth. i sometimes play with the wood. i mean, if the wood grain design is to beautiful to throw i will think of something to highlight these natural beauty. goes well with the music. nice to hear and watch :)
 
vaathi said:
Nice work 89RPM. I like the live edge one.
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Thanks, the weird looking wood? LOL. i saw that seconds before turning into fire and ashes. I thought i could make a good plinth for a Garrard 301 but the spaces on the sides were too big. until my night lamp arrive and she sits nicely in it, illuminating the table and completing the presentation :)
 
IPADave said:
Very nice 89rpm. I really like the look of the plinth in your first picture.

-Dave
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Thanks Dave. The 301 oil bearing? that's my favorite too. really difficult to find a nice wood grain like that. unfortunately, I sold that turntable to get a new Grease 301. Lucky buyer. i cant find that wood anymore. i have a twin spare of that wood specie and made it for a friend who owned a Lenco. this is the picture :) narra lenco.jpg
 
They are all beautiful, but this was the one I was referring to.

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-Dave
 
IPADave said:
They are all beautiful, but this was the one I was referring to.

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-Dave
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Yup. We call it NARRA. Its our national tree. was lucky to see that piece of wood on the country side, while driving for a vacation. I screeched to a halt seeing an old man about to throw them on fire. gave him a nice price and he didnt know why? :)
 
Amazing looking workmanship:thumbsup: How do you keep those solid chunks from checking or cupping during seasonal humidity changes?
 
motorstereo said:
Amazing looking workmanship:thumbsup: How do you keep those solid chunks from checking or cupping during seasonal humidity changes?[/QUO

sometimes its a hit/miss thing with wood. i have seen some with very beautiful grain but they move when temperature changes especially with hot amplifiers. i use these woods for isolation plinth only. but for turntable i have identified which are OK. doesn't move and doesn't change regardless of humidity. we're a tropical country and not much humidity change. good question. i dont know in other country :) im choosing wood usually used in cabinet
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one more thing . . . "Please let the wood breath" even if the source told me the wood is very old and dry. i'd better be sure, i dont varnish my wood. just sanding sealer to make surfaces smooth. all my wood are natural no artificial covering. i just use wax or lemon oil. that's it. if i got big chunks and its a pity to throw them, i let them sun-dry thoroughly make something our of it like chunky speaker stand, they dont move and wood pores can breath. anti-bug treatment would also be good. speaker 5.jpg speaker 7.jpg speaker 6.jpg speaker 4.jpg speaker 1.jpg here are samples :)
 
Interesting what you say about "sun dry". I've been told just the opposite but obviously your beautiful work speaks for itself. I have 3' x 6' x 4'' thick pine slab that I made into a table some 35 years ago. It will cup about a 1/4" in the winter when the humidity is low but flatten out during the summer when there's more moisture in the air
 
motorstereo said:
Interesting what you say about "sun dry". I've been told just the opposite but obviously your beautiful work speaks for itself. I have 3' x 6' x 4'' thick pine slab that I made into a table some 35 years ago. It will cup about a 1/4" in the winter when the humidity is low but flatten out during the summer when there's more moisture in the air[/QUOTE

I'm learning here. thanks. didnt know humidity can cause wood to cup 1/4" during winter and return to flat? nice to know. thanks :)
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