DIY turntable

[raphant69]

Hi,
I just wanted to bring my contribution to this new DIY forum (great idea Tom!) and telling a little more of my turntable than I did on my system’s page.

I built this turntable in 2000 and it took me approximately 6 months of work during my free time. It was an old dream and I finally did it.

The body is made of massive MDF wood (the walnut you can see is veneered wood) and its weight is 18 Kgs.
The tonearm is made of carbon (that I have stratified myself, with very high quality carbon fibre and epoxy) and is 12" long.
I used the measurements (overhang and all distances) of the SME 312 tonearm as reference.
The motor is a very silent high precision synchronous model (so it's directly connected to 220V 50Hz with only a capacitor to give it its rotation direction) and is mounted on a carbon/sorbothane/carbon sandwich.
I picked up the heavy plate, the counterplate an the pulley from a ERA turntable.
ERA was a famous French brand of turntables in the 70's and these parts are of the highest quality.
The turntable has four rubber/sorbothane feet and is insensible to external vibration.
My carbon/sorbothane/carbon motor isolating system (never seen it on a market turntable) is incredibly efficient and this table is extremely silent.

I have been enjoying it for six years now and I can say about the way it sounds that it has a balance between Rega for dynamics (due to the carbon tonearm) and Thorens for the “romantic” side. In other words, musical and full of life, that’s the way I love vinyl!
I would only change it for a Linn LP12.

Look at the pics for more details.

Best regards
Raphaël.

 

[raphant69]

Another pic

 

[raphant69]

The counterplate

 

[raphant69]

The motor isolating system

 

[raphant69]

The pivot and the antiskating

 

[raphant69]

The headshell

 

[raphant69]

In action!

 

[JonFo]

Raphaël, very nice work indeed. Congratulations on an elegant implementation.

Enjoy,

 

[Reverb2009]

Damn Raphant,

That's a nice looking turn table, its hard to believe it’s a DIY.

Thanks for posting it.

 

[raphant69]

Hi Joe
Thanx for the compliments!

I didn't take the time to make photos during the making process (no digital camera at this time) so I have no pic of the table when it was unfinished and of the carbon parts before modeling or varnish.
But be sure it's DIY, some friends around me who thought I was completely mad (I wonder what they think now, as far as audiophiles are hard to understand for many people) still remember when I spent hours locked up in my basement working on that table.

Hope you enjoy vinyl too!

Best regards
Raphaël.

 

[kach22i]

Raphaël, where did you source the motor from?

Nice work, very professional looking.

I've wanted to build my own for six years now, maybe I'll get started in the fall. This means I should buy my wood now and let it air dry for a while in my house.

 

[raphant69]

Hi George,

The motor I use is a synchronous one made by the french brand Crouzet.
Take a look at this:
Crouzet synchrone
These are very precise AND reliable motors.

You said you should buy wood and let it air dry. Does that mean that you plan to use hard wood?
If so, it may cause you problems of resonance frequencies and vibrations sensibility.

Regards
Raphaël.

 

[twich54]

Raphael, I know I've stated it before but I'm gunna' say it again.........

BEAUTIFULL !!!!!!! could be a meusem piece !! I just love looking at your handywork, you have skills that I could only dream about

 

[Gliding Dutchman]

Well done - looks like it sounds wonderful!

Great job!