Sugden Connoisseur - lost classic? (part II)
- Thread starter Craig B
- Start date
Craig B
Re:trophile
Sorry, I was attempting to edit my reply but ended up losing the changes so deleted the post.
Basically, I was going to suggest that you go back to using the rubber belt but to clean it thoroughly by gently pulling it through a clean damp cloth first.
A slack belt, especially with a grease such as vaseline on, will surely slip on the pulley. A clean belt, even one with a bit of slack, will grip the pulley much better.
Should get you through your jazz evening and perhaps hold you over until a new belt can be sourced.
When you do get a new drive belt, also check that the pulley and platter drive grooves line up perfectly. With a belt on this is easily observed by eye. A belt in rough condition (any mended breaks?) can be quite noisy when combined with a bit of motor sag.
Craig
Basically, I was going to suggest that you go back to using the rubber belt but to clean it thoroughly by gently pulling it through a clean damp cloth first.
A slack belt, especially with a grease such as vaseline on, will surely slip on the pulley. A clean belt, even one with a bit of slack, will grip the pulley much better.
Should get you through your jazz evening and perhaps hold you over until a new belt can be sourced.
When you do get a new drive belt, also check that the pulley and platter drive grooves line up perfectly. With a belt on this is easily observed by eye. A belt in rough condition (any mended breaks?) can be quite noisy when combined with a bit of motor sag.
Craig
Craig,
thanks so much for the reply.
I went home and did all that and it only improved slightly, BUT then I was studying the motor and had a Eureka moment. I noticed that the motor shaft / spindle was slightly bent. ( I had just obtained this new motor recently ). The bent off centre shaft was the culprit I think. I put the old motor back and it is good.
Aside, I have a tragic sad story. In my silly haste doing this last night I forgot to put on the stylus guard. A screwdriver hit the stylus and wrecked a $950 Rhomann cartridge that I was just enjoying the most beautiful midrange out of. My VISA card and I are about to enter suffering. Sa La Vie.
cheers,
Paul.
thanks so much for the reply.
I went home and did all that and it only improved slightly, BUT then I was studying the motor and had a Eureka moment. I noticed that the motor shaft / spindle was slightly bent. ( I had just obtained this new motor recently ). The bent off centre shaft was the culprit I think. I put the old motor back and it is good.
Aside, I have a tragic sad story. In my silly haste doing this last night I forgot to put on the stylus guard. A screwdriver hit the stylus and wrecked a $950 Rhomann cartridge that I was just enjoying the most beautiful midrange out of. My VISA card and I are about to enter suffering. Sa La Vie.
cheers,
Paul.
eguth
pfm Member
I would say that vaseline should NEVER be used on a belt. Now that it has been used it must be thoroughly cleaned off of not only the belt but also the platter belt groove.
This can be done with a solvent, but I am not certain what solvent would be good to use so as not to damage rubber.
In future use nothing; nothing is better than vaseline.
Or why not purchase a vial of silicone belt dressing from T&G and use this? It only needs to be applied in a very small amount every 3 years or so. But it is not necessary.
Do not use whiting (chalk) as recommended originally by Sugden and is in my article. It is a mild abrasive, and has been superceded by the silicone belt dressing.
There is no cure for a bent motor shaft according to T&G. If the shaft is bent you should replace the motor.
This can be done with a solvent, but I am not certain what solvent would be good to use so as not to damage rubber.
In future use nothing; nothing is better than vaseline.
Or why not purchase a vial of silicone belt dressing from T&G and use this? It only needs to be applied in a very small amount every 3 years or so. But it is not necessary.
Do not use whiting (chalk) as recommended originally by Sugden and is in my article. It is a mild abrasive, and has been superceded by the silicone belt dressing.
There is no cure for a bent motor shaft according to T&G. If the shaft is bent you should replace the motor.
thanks,
is that to find out the diff between types of motors or do they sell belts?
P.
There is a snippet of info on Sugden on the pdfs here
relating to Thorens decks & their competitors
http://www.beykirch.net/Thorens/Buch.htm
relating to Thorens decks & their competitors
http://www.beykirch.net/Thorens/Buch.htm
eguth
pfm Member
Thanks Have Fun
I think we had some more detailed discussion of this in Part I of this thread. There is an interview with Arnold Sugden in Part I.
Also, in case it makes it a bit clearer what Thorens said about Sugden...
Pioneer of Single Groove Stereo
Arnold Sugden and His Remarkable Connoisseur Turntables
Arnold Sugden was the enthusiastic managing direct
or, technical director and owner of the Connoisseur
company. The tireless innovator tackled practically
everything concerning sound reproduction and recording.
Pick-up arms, cartridges, amplifi ers, loudspeakers,
and even microphones all came out bearing the
Connoisseur label. As early as 1950, Connoisseur was
manufacturing a 33/78 rpm turntable, a high quality
pickup with interchangeable heads, and a two-speed
disc recording system.
All this is the more remarkable if you know that
Sugden left school at age fourteen and never had any
formal engineering training, wrote Reg Williamson
in the U.S. magazine Audio Amateur. But, from the
outset of his career, he demonstrated a natural fl air for
Connoisseurs name has long been forgotten among most audiophiles, and in Germany this
brand never played a role. Despite this, A.R. Sugden (Engineers) Ltd., at home in Englands
Brighouse, West Yorkshire, garnered a reputation for itself in three decades as a manufac -
t urer of record playing products with unique detail solutions. Something that hardly a soul
in England knows is that Connoisseur had already presented the fi rst stereo records to an
amazed public in 1956 two years before the big record companies came out with them.
Arnold Sugden
continued working
in his shed even
after retiring
engineering design of an intuitive kind that is all too
rare these days. No matter what the problem, Arnold
Sugden would come up with an ingenious answer and
a high precision product a remarkable man, very
much in the Edison tradition.
The fi rst commercial tape recorders represented serious
competition for the record. Two-track tape heads
even allowed recordings to be made in stereo. When
Sugden experienced his fi rst stereo presentation on
magnetic tape in 1952, it both fascinated and alarmed
him: Was this to be the end of discs and the product
range he had so carefully nurtured? Or could the improvement
of stereo reproduction be captured on disc
and a new lease of life be brought to the long-playing
record?
Combination of Lateral and Vertical
Methods of Recording
To answer the question, the head of the company
fi rst got himself a tape recorder with two channels
and made some stereo recordings. He decided that
it should be possible to record both channels in one
microgroove by driving the cutting stylus laterally with
one signal and vertically with the other, while retaining
the independence of the two signals. That was in no
way a natural conclusion, for in the U.S. Emory Cook
had already experimented with binaural records
on which each channel was cut as a separate set of
tracks. They required two cartridges starting on the
disc in synchronization to reproduce the recorded
material. Cooks records were, nevertheless, an ergonomically
impractical idea. Sugden thought that the
main advantage of his system would be that it would
play for the same length of time as a mono record.
Additionally, a cartridge conceived for a single groove
stereo would also be able to reproduce mono records.
It was just after the coronation in 1953 that Mr.
Sugden constructed his fi rst moving-coil cutter head,
and the fi rst experimental lacquers were cut, Roger
Maude reported in the English magazine Hi-Fi News.
The 15Ω coils required only fi ve watts to drive them
fully, which was well within the capabilities of the
Connoisseur 20W amplifi ers he was using. This cutter
head was continually refi ned to give good separation
and a bandwidth extending up to 15kHz. Sugden still
needed a corresponding cartridge for stereo reproduction,
so he simply took two crystal cartridges, mounted
them at right angles to one another, and coupled the
two styli with a fi ne wire link.
Connoisseur type B
three-speed turntable
Sensation in Londons Waldorf
After three years work, the lacquer stereo discs were
ready for public demonstration. On May 26, 1956,
people stood in line in London to experience the sensational
spatial sound coming from one single groove
at the British Sound Recording Associations exhibition
at the Waldorf Hotel. The record industry, which had
not shown much interest up to that point, stormed
Sugden to get sample discs and cutters. EMI even
sent a large, mobile-recording studio to his factory so
sample discs could be cut from a variety of their own
master tapes. However, two years later an international
committee agreed to adopt the 45/45 system
of groove modulation, proposed by Alan Blumlein as
early as 1931, and Connoisseurs system was dropped
in the interest of uniformity.
Despite this setback, Connoisseurs business developed
positively within the framework of the English
hi-fi boom. In 1959, the variable three-speed turntable
Type B featuring a synchronous motor was introduced
to the market. The chassis was crafted in a heavy zinc
alloy die casting, well ribbed for strength, and fi nished
in silver hammer. It was drilled to take the Connoisseur
Super Lightweight Pickup. The full twelve-inch platter
was lathe-turned and manufactured of non-ferrous
material. Underneath the turntable, a large stroboscope
disc was fi tted that could be viewed through a
I think we had some more detailed discussion of this in Part I of this thread. There is an interview with Arnold Sugden in Part I.
Also, in case it makes it a bit clearer what Thorens said about Sugden...
Pioneer of Single Groove Stereo
Arnold Sugden and His Remarkable Connoisseur Turntables
Arnold Sugden was the enthusiastic managing direct
or, technical director and owner of the Connoisseur
company. The tireless innovator tackled practically
everything concerning sound reproduction and recording.
Pick-up arms, cartridges, amplifi ers, loudspeakers,
and even microphones all came out bearing the
Connoisseur label. As early as 1950, Connoisseur was
manufacturing a 33/78 rpm turntable, a high quality
pickup with interchangeable heads, and a two-speed
disc recording system.
All this is the more remarkable if you know that
Sugden left school at age fourteen and never had any
formal engineering training, wrote Reg Williamson
in the U.S. magazine Audio Amateur. But, from the
outset of his career, he demonstrated a natural fl air for
Connoisseurs name has long been forgotten among most audiophiles, and in Germany this
brand never played a role. Despite this, A.R. Sugden (Engineers) Ltd., at home in Englands
Brighouse, West Yorkshire, garnered a reputation for itself in three decades as a manufac -
t urer of record playing products with unique detail solutions. Something that hardly a soul
in England knows is that Connoisseur had already presented the fi rst stereo records to an
amazed public in 1956 two years before the big record companies came out with them.
Arnold Sugden
continued working
in his shed even
after retiring
engineering design of an intuitive kind that is all too
rare these days. No matter what the problem, Arnold
Sugden would come up with an ingenious answer and
a high precision product a remarkable man, very
much in the Edison tradition.
The fi rst commercial tape recorders represented serious
competition for the record. Two-track tape heads
even allowed recordings to be made in stereo. When
Sugden experienced his fi rst stereo presentation on
magnetic tape in 1952, it both fascinated and alarmed
him: Was this to be the end of discs and the product
range he had so carefully nurtured? Or could the improvement
of stereo reproduction be captured on disc
and a new lease of life be brought to the long-playing
record?
Combination of Lateral and Vertical
Methods of Recording
To answer the question, the head of the company
fi rst got himself a tape recorder with two channels
and made some stereo recordings. He decided that
it should be possible to record both channels in one
microgroove by driving the cutting stylus laterally with
one signal and vertically with the other, while retaining
the independence of the two signals. That was in no
way a natural conclusion, for in the U.S. Emory Cook
had already experimented with binaural records
on which each channel was cut as a separate set of
tracks. They required two cartridges starting on the
disc in synchronization to reproduce the recorded
material. Cooks records were, nevertheless, an ergonomically
impractical idea. Sugden thought that the
main advantage of his system would be that it would
play for the same length of time as a mono record.
Additionally, a cartridge conceived for a single groove
stereo would also be able to reproduce mono records.
It was just after the coronation in 1953 that Mr.
Sugden constructed his fi rst moving-coil cutter head,
and the fi rst experimental lacquers were cut, Roger
Maude reported in the English magazine Hi-Fi News.
The 15Ω coils required only fi ve watts to drive them
fully, which was well within the capabilities of the
Connoisseur 20W amplifi ers he was using. This cutter
head was continually refi ned to give good separation
and a bandwidth extending up to 15kHz. Sugden still
needed a corresponding cartridge for stereo reproduction,
so he simply took two crystal cartridges, mounted
them at right angles to one another, and coupled the
two styli with a fi ne wire link.
Connoisseur type B
three-speed turntable
Sensation in Londons Waldorf
After three years work, the lacquer stereo discs were
ready for public demonstration. On May 26, 1956,
people stood in line in London to experience the sensational
spatial sound coming from one single groove
at the British Sound Recording Associations exhibition
at the Waldorf Hotel. The record industry, which had
not shown much interest up to that point, stormed
Sugden to get sample discs and cutters. EMI even
sent a large, mobile-recording studio to his factory so
sample discs could be cut from a variety of their own
master tapes. However, two years later an international
committee agreed to adopt the 45/45 system
of groove modulation, proposed by Alan Blumlein as
early as 1931, and Connoisseurs system was dropped
in the interest of uniformity.
Despite this setback, Connoisseurs business developed
positively within the framework of the English
hi-fi boom. In 1959, the variable three-speed turntable
Type B featuring a synchronous motor was introduced
to the market. The chassis was crafted in a heavy zinc
alloy die casting, well ribbed for strength, and fi nished
in silver hammer. It was drilled to take the Connoisseur
Super Lightweight Pickup. The full twelve-inch platter
was lathe-turned and manufactured of non-ferrous
material. Underneath the turntable, a large stroboscope
disc was fi tted that could be viewed through a
they sell just about everything for the connoisseur - they bought the original stock
eguth
pfm Member
The BD1 motor went through a number of changes and improvements. Some of these affect performance. That is why,in my article about modifying the BDI, I specify that only the NEW (more powerful) BD1 motor should be used.
That said, I cannot say whether every BD2 motor is the same as any BD1 motor. Any BD2 motor can be used on a BD1.
That said, I cannot say whether every BD2 motor is the same as any BD1 motor. Any BD2 motor can be used on a BD1.
eguth
pfm Member
pauly99
It is pleasing to have learned how impressed you were with the small mod you did- the Farkas mod.
What next?
Why not try Mr. Sim’s tuning tip as set out on p.19 of my article? You have a copy of the article.
This should take less than 1 hour if you have the correct bits; 4 wood screws, 1 coach bolt, a washer and nut- and a saw.
I urge you to do everything exactly as set out on page 19 and in accordance with the drawing on p.20. If you alter anything the mod may not work well.
But you can safely leave out the dedshete ON THIS MOD ONLY. When you do the ‘full Monty’ (my completely modified BD1) you simply detach the batten from the underside of the plinth and re- use it in the new plinth and then dedshete it.
It is pleasing to have learned how impressed you were with the small mod you did- the Farkas mod.
What next?
Why not try Mr. Sim’s tuning tip as set out on p.19 of my article? You have a copy of the article.
This should take less than 1 hour if you have the correct bits; 4 wood screws, 1 coach bolt, a washer and nut- and a saw.
I urge you to do everything exactly as set out on page 19 and in accordance with the drawing on p.20. If you alter anything the mod may not work well.
But you can safely leave out the dedshete ON THIS MOD ONLY. When you do the ‘full Monty’ (my completely modified BD1) you simply detach the batten from the underside of the plinth and re- use it in the new plinth and then dedshete it.
Reply first message:
Great. Thanks. I am talking with T&G at moment. Would like a new motor. We just have to work out how to pay the Man from Aus. But also I see BD2's for sale on occasions and if I offer a small amount ( 35 bucks ) I can get another motor that way also possibly.
PS I sent my 2 abused ortofon's to Garrot Bro's and they have BOTH been fixed
. Terrific. Even the MC30 Supreme which was thought to be written off due to using liquid cleaning agents which ruined the suspension. The guy dried it out and repositioned it and it's like having an old girlfriend return. Ha. That unlikely. It sounds just like it used to. My near butchered Rohmann had the diamond "hanging" off apparently by the time he got it. He fixed it with existing cantilever. Also sounds great. The MC30 Sup is a bit more musical and effortless in the top, but the Rohmann is the most transparent cart I have owned. I prefer it.
PPS still need to send pics. Will one day promise.
chs,
P.
Great. Thanks. I am talking with T&G at moment. Would like a new motor. We just have to work out how to pay the Man from Aus. But also I see BD2's for sale on occasions and if I offer a small amount ( 35 bucks ) I can get another motor that way also possibly.
PS I sent my 2 abused ortofon's to Garrot Bro's and they have BOTH been fixed
. Terrific. Even the MC30 Supreme which was thought to be written off due to using liquid cleaning agents which ruined the suspension. The guy dried it out and repositioned it and it's like having an old girlfriend return. Ha. That unlikely. It sounds just like it used to. My near butchered Rohmann had the diamond "hanging" off apparently by the time he got it. He fixed it with existing cantilever. Also sounds great. The MC30 Sup is a bit more musical and effortless in the top, but the Rohmann is the most transparent cart I have owned. I prefer it.PPS still need to send pics. Will one day promise.
chs,
P.
Hi Eguth,
MATE! I can't understand this article very well. Please don't take offence. Looks like a great mod but I can barely understand the article.
1. My main connie has a SOLID plinth so this mod may need to be altered for that deck.
My second connie I can probably try it.
2. I assume "batten" is the piece of wood?
3. When it says page 19: "now tighten the bearing assembly up" what does it mean? At what point of the instructions did I loosen the assembly??? I guess if the plate steel connie is all together I can ignore this.
4. I don't understand the coach bolt. Is it 2 bolts? Diagram on page 20 seems to show a slot in the middle of the wood? I guess the coach bolt is supposed to tighten the wood on the bearing housing? But I don't understand how it does this. It just looks like a bolt screwed into the wood doing nothing.
Another read and I guess the 1 bolt goes right through the wood and you simply tighten the nut on the bolt and this supposedly squeezes the wood around the bearing, is that right? I can't quite see how tightening a bolt through the wood will tighten the hole around the bearing housing. Unless there is a slot cut in the wood to allow compression. But the article doesn't mention a slot. Although the picture does seem to show a slot and 2 bolts. It then starts talking about a mains socket, so I assume that's all the instructions on Mr Sims mod.
Aside from an Aussie not speaking true English I think I can see what the mod is all about. Reinforcing the bearing housing. Ripper idea.
thanks,
Paul.
MATE!
I can't understand this article very well. Please don't take offence. Looks like a great mod but I can barely understand the article.1. My main connie has a SOLID plinth so this mod may need to be altered for that deck.
My second connie I can probably try it.
2. I assume "batten" is the piece of wood?
3. When it says page 19: "now tighten the bearing assembly up" what does it mean? At what point of the instructions did I loosen the assembly??? I guess if the plate steel connie is all together I can ignore this.
4. I don't understand the coach bolt. Is it 2 bolts? Diagram on page 20 seems to show a slot in the middle of the wood? I guess the coach bolt is supposed to tighten the wood on the bearing housing? But I don't understand how it does this. It just looks like a bolt screwed into the wood doing nothing.
Another read and I guess the 1 bolt goes right through the wood and you simply tighten the nut on the bolt and this supposedly squeezes the wood around the bearing, is that right? I can't quite see how tightening a bolt through the wood will tighten the hole around the bearing housing. Unless there is a slot cut in the wood to allow compression. But the article doesn't mention a slot. Although the picture does seem to show a slot and 2 bolts. It then starts talking about a mains socket, so I assume that's all the instructions on Mr Sims mod.
Aside from an Aussie not speaking true English
I think I can see what the mod is all about. Reinforcing the bearing housing. Ripper idea. thanks,
Paul.
eguth
pfm Member
pauly99
I will try to see whether I can make my points differently. Please do not hesitate to ask further questions in case what I now say does not make things crystal clear for you. There are bound to be cultural differences in the way we use language, and it is useful to have alternative views so that I can improve my communication.
I will follow your numbering.
1. You say your plinth is solid. What material is it made from?
2. Yes, a batten is just a piece of wood, normally of oblong shape.
3. The bearing assembly is, in this context, the original bearing surrounded by the batten with its nut and bolt. I understand why my way of putting it led to some unclarity. The assembly was never loosened. It fits around the already tightly bolted housing. You say the plate steel Connie is all together I can just ignore this well, no. I ASSUME that your plate steel platform onto which everything has been assembled is itself mounted on to some sort of plinth. The wood screws screw into the wood portion of the underside of the plinth to hold the batten. In case your platform sits free of anything except- I assume- three or four feet- you will need to construct some sort of wooden underframe into which you can screw the batten.
4. Coach bolt is a term used to describe a thick japanned black bolt commonly available in ironmongers. It is of the sort usually used to put beds together; used to be used to fix coaches together (without the horses). In case coach bolts are not available in Australia (which I doubt) you could use ANY strong bolt of adequate length, with a nut and lock washer. The function of the bolt is simply to tighten up the batten so that the bearing assembly is reinforced.
Tightening up the bearing assembly is easy to understand. Just imagine that you are putting your finger through a hole in a piece of wood. Now that hole has a slit cut at one side so that it opens wider than it would otherwise do. Someone comes along while your finger is pushed through the hole. That someone tightens up the bolt so that the slit narrows and almost comes together, thus making the hole smaller. During this process your finger feels the pressure, and you scream in agony. Now your finger is reinforced. Same thing happens to the bearing housing when the coach bolt is tightened up.
The picture is what you should study. It will show the slot.
The mod seems as if it is icing on the cake: but I can assure you that, provided your system is capable of some decent bass, you will immediately appreciate the benefits of the mod- and the improvement WILL NOT BE SUBTLE! The reason seems to be that even a microscopic amount of wobble in the bearing housing can adversely affect what the stylus picks up off the groove in terms of bass information.
Try it and report back, please!
I will try to see whether I can make my points differently. Please do not hesitate to ask further questions in case what I now say does not make things crystal clear for you. There are bound to be cultural differences in the way we use language, and it is useful to have alternative views so that I can improve my communication.
I will follow your numbering.
1. You say your plinth is solid. What material is it made from?
2. Yes, a batten is just a piece of wood, normally of oblong shape.
3. The bearing assembly is, in this context, the original bearing surrounded by the batten with its nut and bolt. I understand why my way of putting it led to some unclarity. The assembly was never loosened. It fits around the already tightly bolted housing. You say the plate steel Connie is all together I can just ignore this well, no. I ASSUME that your plate steel platform onto which everything has been assembled is itself mounted on to some sort of plinth. The wood screws screw into the wood portion of the underside of the plinth to hold the batten. In case your platform sits free of anything except- I assume- three or four feet- you will need to construct some sort of wooden underframe into which you can screw the batten.
4. Coach bolt is a term used to describe a thick japanned black bolt commonly available in ironmongers. It is of the sort usually used to put beds together; used to be used to fix coaches together (without the horses). In case coach bolts are not available in Australia (which I doubt) you could use ANY strong bolt of adequate length, with a nut and lock washer. The function of the bolt is simply to tighten up the batten so that the bearing assembly is reinforced.
Tightening up the bearing assembly is easy to understand. Just imagine that you are putting your finger through a hole in a piece of wood. Now that hole has a slit cut at one side so that it opens wider than it would otherwise do. Someone comes along while your finger is pushed through the hole. That someone tightens up the bolt so that the slit narrows and almost comes together, thus making the hole smaller. During this process your finger feels the pressure, and you scream in agony. Now your finger is reinforced. Same thing happens to the bearing housing when the coach bolt is tightened up.
The picture is what you should study. It will show the slot.
The mod seems as if it is icing on the cake: but I can assure you that, provided your system is capable of some decent bass, you will immediately appreciate the benefits of the mod- and the improvement WILL NOT BE SUBTLE! The reason seems to be that even a microscopic amount of wobble in the bearing housing can adversely affect what the stylus picks up off the groove in terms of bass information.
Try it and report back, please!
Eguth,
thanks for your info and effort.
I'll ref the numbers also:
1. It's a solid plinth made from 3 layers of chipboard I think. I bought it by accident when I bought a 3rd connie , I didn't expect it to be a good plinth. So I transferred my good arm to it. There is a small space cut into it to allow space for the switch and bearing body and motor. When thinking about this this afternoon I have been worried about it. As I thought of putting some sort of batten clamp in there , but once the BD1 chassis is mounted then I can't get at it from underneath to tighten the coach bolt! There must be a way to effect this mod on this nice deck but I'm not sure what yet.
2.ok.
3. As I write above I'm not sure what to do yet for the solid plinth main deck. I can probably do just what you do for my second connie. The plinth is not solid and I can mount the batten as per diagram. But it's probably more important to do the main deck. Somehow.
4. The slit. Just judge it? Or do you have dimensions for the slit? What did you use to cut it, a jig saw? Or perhaps a hack saw blade put through the bearing hole.
I can understand it more now. What has to happen. I could do it on the second connie, but it's not the main deck.. I wonder what to do on the solid plinth. If you have ideas let me know.
ps at the moment the music is so beautiful I need to do nothing
cheers,
Paul.
thanks for your info and effort.
I'll ref the numbers also:
1. It's a solid plinth made from 3 layers of chipboard I think. I bought it by accident when I bought a 3rd connie , I didn't expect it to be a good plinth. So I transferred my good arm to it. There is a small space cut into it to allow space for the switch and bearing body and motor. When thinking about this this afternoon I have been worried about it. As I thought of putting some sort of batten clamp in there , but once the BD1 chassis is mounted then I can't get at it from underneath to tighten the coach bolt! There must be a way to effect this mod on this nice deck but I'm not sure what yet.
2.ok.
3. As I write above I'm not sure what to do yet for the solid plinth main deck. I can probably do just what you do for my second connie. The plinth is not solid and I can mount the batten as per diagram. But it's probably more important to do the main deck. Somehow.
4. The slit. Just judge it? Or do you have dimensions for the slit? What did you use to cut it, a jig saw? Or perhaps a hack saw blade put through the bearing hole.
I can understand it more now. What has to happen. I could do it on the second connie, but it's not the main deck.
. I wonder what to do on the solid plinth. If you have ideas let me know.ps at the moment the music is so beautiful I need to do nothing
cheers,
Paul.
eguth
pfm Member
pauly99
Do I understand the problem?
1a. THE PROBLEM. You do not state the depth of the 3 layered wood plinth. If I understand correctly it is so deep that it leaves the bottom of the bearing housing either flush with the bottom of the plinth or recessed. This is why you have no way of getting a batten to grab the housing at present.
1b. THE SOLUTION. There are various ones. What I would do is as follows.
i) First remove everything from the plinth You probably only need to unscrew the four screws at the corners of the platform. And also remove the arm and anything else fastened to the plinth.
ii) Now you have the bare, solid plinth.
iii) Cut the batten out of hardwood- mahogany or utile is good to use. The hole for the housing should be just a little larger than the housing so that the housing just slips in. Drill all necessary holes in the batten.
iv) Turn the plinth upside down. You will be working on the bottom of the plinth. Use the batten as a template. Inscribe the shape of the batten onto the plinth with a felt pen or biro. Ensure that the housing hole is located where the housing will fit into it and lined up with it.
v) Now get a ruler. Measure one inch all around the outline of the batten. Draw a second line, this time a dotted line on the plinth so that the dotted line is one inch (all round) larger than the solid line batten outline you have already drawn. You now have drawn two lines: a solid line and a larger dotted line.
vi) The next step is to remove all the waste wood within the larger dotted line rectangle. I would use an electric drill fitted with a depth gauge and a reasonably large bit- say at least ¾ to do this.
vii) Drill overlapping holes all round the inside of dotted line just touching it. Choose a depth that will be, say, ¼ deeper than the depth of the batten. Now continue drilling a second row of holes further inside the dotted line. Continue drilling holes until the entire waste area inbetween the dotted outside line has been drilled to the correct depth.
viii) When you have completed the drilling it should be easy to cut and prise out the waste wood with a chisel. Check that the batten fits into the recess snugly and has a 1 space all round it.
1c. FITTING. Reassemble the platform on the plinth. Screw it down. Fit the batten to the underside with the four batten screws, first slipping the bearing housing through the batten hole. Check that there is sufficient clearance all around the batten to allow tightening up of the bolt. The bolt and nut and washers should be loosely fitted to the batten before pushing the housing through the hole and before screwing the batten down onto the plinth.
4. THE SLIT. The length of the slit is not critical. It should be about four (4) times the length of the diameter of the housing hole so as to allow the coach bolt to bisect the slit, that is, to sit in the middle of the slit. I suppose that you could use a jigsaw but that might be difficult to control. I would use a keyhole saw to cut the slit. A keyhole saw comes to a point at the beginning of the blade to allow it to fit into a small keyhole and cut a slit. If you use a hack saw blade you may have to drill holes along the slit first because the hack saw blade will not be thick enough to allow the slit ,when compressed, to tightly grip the housing. If the housing hole is too large you should remove the batten and use tape to make the housing diameter thicker so that it fits snugly into the housing hole.
Do I understand the problem?
1a. THE PROBLEM. You do not state the depth of the 3 layered wood plinth. If I understand correctly it is so deep that it leaves the bottom of the bearing housing either flush with the bottom of the plinth or recessed. This is why you have no way of getting a batten to grab the housing at present.
1b. THE SOLUTION. There are various ones. What I would do is as follows.
i) First remove everything from the plinth You probably only need to unscrew the four screws at the corners of the platform. And also remove the arm and anything else fastened to the plinth.
ii) Now you have the bare, solid plinth.
iii) Cut the batten out of hardwood- mahogany or utile is good to use. The hole for the housing should be just a little larger than the housing so that the housing just slips in. Drill all necessary holes in the batten.
iv) Turn the plinth upside down. You will be working on the bottom of the plinth. Use the batten as a template. Inscribe the shape of the batten onto the plinth with a felt pen or biro. Ensure that the housing hole is located where the housing will fit into it and lined up with it.
v) Now get a ruler. Measure one inch all around the outline of the batten. Draw a second line, this time a dotted line on the plinth so that the dotted line is one inch (all round) larger than the solid line batten outline you have already drawn. You now have drawn two lines: a solid line and a larger dotted line.
vi) The next step is to remove all the waste wood within the larger dotted line rectangle. I would use an electric drill fitted with a depth gauge and a reasonably large bit- say at least ¾ to do this.
vii) Drill overlapping holes all round the inside of dotted line just touching it. Choose a depth that will be, say, ¼ deeper than the depth of the batten. Now continue drilling a second row of holes further inside the dotted line. Continue drilling holes until the entire waste area inbetween the dotted outside line has been drilled to the correct depth.
viii) When you have completed the drilling it should be easy to cut and prise out the waste wood with a chisel. Check that the batten fits into the recess snugly and has a 1 space all round it.
1c. FITTING. Reassemble the platform on the plinth. Screw it down. Fit the batten to the underside with the four batten screws, first slipping the bearing housing through the batten hole. Check that there is sufficient clearance all around the batten to allow tightening up of the bolt. The bolt and nut and washers should be loosely fitted to the batten before pushing the housing through the hole and before screwing the batten down onto the plinth.
4. THE SLIT. The length of the slit is not critical. It should be about four (4) times the length of the diameter of the housing hole so as to allow the coach bolt to bisect the slit, that is, to sit in the middle of the slit. I suppose that you could use a jigsaw but that might be difficult to control. I would use a keyhole saw to cut the slit. A keyhole saw comes to a point at the beginning of the blade to allow it to fit into a small keyhole and cut a slit. If you use a hack saw blade you may have to drill holes along the slit first because the hack saw blade will not be thick enough to allow the slit ,when compressed, to tightly grip the housing. If the housing hole is too large you should remove the batten and use tape to make the housing diameter thicker so that it fits snugly into the housing hole.