I just got my new(old) Pioneer pl-518. Won a auction with the turntable
sans isolators. Woulda never ordered it, but I saw someone with a
Do It Yourself sand filled feet. These feet are a honest copy of them, but with my own modification. While i was picking out the parts at ACE hardware. I started seeing problems the other design. The base of those were stuffed with sand. If I did that, how could I ever tighten the screw?
Also in the original design he had the Crutch Cap at the top, and the
plastic pipe endcap on the bottom. If I remember his design right.
I called these MKII's because it was a refinement of the original design.
These are just like the original spring loaded feet!!
Well ok here is a picture of what you will need.
You will need 16 7/16" Neoprene washers, not just 8.
This is the basic layout of the design ( a basic exploded view):
The rubber expansion is a 1/2 inch, so you will need a 1/2 inch drill
bit to open a hole in the plastic end cap.
Tape two 7/16 neoprene washers onto the larger washer. Sink the
washer into the base of the Walking Cane end tip. Then screw a
8X x 3" wood screw from the top down, through the rubber, dead
center in the washer hole. Once the tip pops through remove it
and screw the screw up from the bottom. Slip the spring over it.
I used a #155 @ 1.24 a piece at first. These were way to stiff,
so I went back and got some that were .60 cents a piece. They were
the next diameter down. Sorry the store was closing so I ran out
before I got the exact #. These springs were better, when I hit the
old assembly the whole foot vibrated!!! When I got the lower rate springs
the feet stayed dull and damped when i held the screw end and hit it against something. Much better!!!:P
This picture shows the smaller diameter spring.
Now you should have something like this:(note: bigger spring in this
photo)
What I did was get a drill bit and reamed out the threads in the rubber expansion fitting. There is a threaded brass insert inside, so I wore down
the threads with a power drill and bit. So that the threads did not catch as
badly. A thin brass tube could be put there too as well, but i did not have
time to hit the hobby shop for a clean sleeving.
The next step is to put two neoprenes on top of a smaller washer and sit
it on top of the spring. Look at the spring, there is one base that is flatter
than the others. Put that one at the base. Play around with it a little and
sight down and get the screw and spring as evenly placed as you can.
Put the expansion fitting (i think that's the name) into the drilled out pipe cap, and tape it there so it dos'nt move around. Should look like this now:
Compress the assembly. When you hit the contact just squeeze the
rubber where it wont go in and the cap will pop right in. Now thumbs on the bottom, fingers on top and compress the assembly. Once its home
push down on the nipple and make sure it is not binding or is off center thanks to the things slipping inside. If its binding just get a knife and slip
it between the rubber and plastic and pry it back up and try again. Try to bring the cap down evenly, then it seats cleanly.
Here is the finished assembly
I put the legs on the table, they were very solid, but they did not float
freely. So I noticed some of this stuff out in the garage
I put it on the bottom of all the footsies!!! Now it rocks and rolls like my
old Hitachi HT-324's isolators!!
Here is the final installation!!
SCWEEEEEEEEEEETTT!!!!
Cash outlay sans the rubber weatherstripping was around 27.50!! Seems
a lot sturdier than what I could see of what was left of the original mounts.
HAHA my turntable holds speed fine!! Some guy bought one(the one I almost bid on) and he is re-selling it cause it did not hold speed. I got two Shure cartridges with mine, and two headshells!!!
OK open for comments!
OH SHAG ME I POSTED THIS IN PREAMPS AND CARTRIDGES
can anyone move it?
