new 12" tonearm project

[moreau]

ok I have now started my 12" teak wood tonearm, maybe someone will tell me teak is not suitable, I don't know, but here goes. I decided on an axis length of 292mm and an effective length of 305mm, using a calculator provided by JaS I believe, I get an angle of 18 degrees. I have ordered the teak but in the meantime acquired a drumstick from my friends son to mock something up. I cut it in two down the length on the bandsaw and then routed a 3mm groove to take the cable. That was simple enough. It will be a unipivot so I have been sourcing stainless steel for the counterweight stub will also be used for the wand part of the pivot, I found what I needed in my scrap materials box for the metal lathe. I was planning to make an oak headshell but came across a vintage Garrard headshell, that has arrived this morning and I went about removing the Ronette cart 78/33,45 and headshell leads and pins that connect to the arm it came off. Fortunately the angle of the headshell to connection is 18 degrees the same as my calculated angle needs to be, so happy days. I will need to drill a small hole for the leads and make a stainless steel collar to join it to the teak wand. I tried fitting an SAE mc cart and found I will need a spacer so the stylus protrudes below the headshell enough.

[moreau]

have now made an oak spacer so the headshell and cart is ready for the wand

[moreau]

still waiting for the teak to arrive so made an ali sleeve to join the vintage Garrard headshell to the wand.

[moreau]

teak is now off the menu as the supplier let me down, going to try oak, not that anyone seems remotely interested at this stage. Maybe next week some progress and pics might help.

[JaS]

More pictures of progress needed

Regards,
JaS

[awty]

Yes more pictures.
How are you going to couple the head shell to the arm?

[duficity]

how about cedar for the arm?

[Dimal]

how about cedar for the arm?

Or maybe a Carbon Fibre arrow shaft; some are even made of Titanium....

Mal.

[moreau]

I am now using oak for the wand, I split it lengthways on the bandsaw and then taped it back together and turned the end to fit the ali sleeve that will connect it the Garrard headshell. When I say will, I should say would have, as it just doesn't look right, Cream headshell, asilver aluminium sleeve and oak. So cut the end off the oak and bored a hole to fit the headshell. The silver/grey bit is the tape holding it together.

[moreau]

headshell to wand is interference fit unless I find it needs epoxy glue. Next job when time allows is to make a brass section to join to the other end of the wand for the counterweights and pivot.

[dlfetters]

I am now using oak for the wand, I split it lengthways on the bandsaw and then taped it back together and turned the end to fit the ali sleeve that will connect it the Garrard headshell. When I say will, I should say would have, as it just doesn't look right, Cream headshell, asilver aluminium sleeve and oak. So cut the end off the oak and bored a hole to fit the headshell. The silver/grey bit is the tape holding it together.

Duct Tape to the Rescue!!! You would make Red Green proud!

[moreau]

red green? don't know the fella. anyways here is a picture or three of the wand split, routed for the cable and a draw wire in place.

[moreau]

another with the draw wire exiting the top side of the wand.

[moreau]

and here glued up, wish me luck. The draw wire has two purposes, 1 to pull the cable through and 2 to stop the epoxy blocking the groove by pulling it back and forth every so often while the glue dries.