Show off your AR XA tables

[snfrosten]

Love looking at everyones AR tables, especially modded and unmodded tables. So take a picture and post your XAs here.

I'll start with this one.

My modified sub chassis with a Rega RB300 and a Denon DL110 and s thrust bearing.

Steve.

[gkimeng]

About as "unmodded original" as you're likely to see. Model TT, serial number TT 20404. All original except for belts, foam mat from an 80's AR and dustcover from an XA (not shown here).

This is a "fixed delrin" model, in which the platter and arm pivots are delrin cups that have been lined with babbit metal sleeves (the original, "unfixed delrin" models are the ones that were famous for seizing up as the unlined delrin expanded in warm weather.

The table is undated, but one of the two motors is date-stamped August 1961 and the address on the turntable's bottom label has a postal zone number rather than a zip code, indicating it was manufactured prior to July 1963.

[snfrosten]

Excellent table Gene, getting the delrin models to work properly is a chore, but I like the deadness of the sub chassis. Also the solid wood base is always preferred, looks like the one with the top plate that sits inside the inner rim of the plinth.
By the way my table plinth has two coats of tung oil instead of poly this time, the finish looks very clean and is easier to apply.

Steve.

[gkimeng]

Excellent table Gene, getting the delrin models to work properly is a chore, but I like the deadness of the sub chassis. Also the solid wood base is always preferred, looks like the one with the top plate that sits inside the inner rim of the plinth.
By the way my table plinth has two coats of tung oil instead of poly this time, the finish looks very clean and is easier to apply.

I've never had a delrin problem because the babbit sleeve prevents the cups from swelling. The only time I've ever had binding is when it went into storage for several summer months during a move and came back with all of its oil congealed from the heat and needed the old ronsonol bath and shaft polishing treatment to loosen it up again. The finish is original except for an occaision lemon oil rub.

I built a clone of my main table out of bits from my spare parts box last year and it has a new tung oil refinish. This is a shot I took of it during testing and adjustment, before I put the logo plate on.



Oil is easier to apply than poly and I like its look better, but the biggest practical payoff of not using poly comes if you ever have to repair or redo the finish. When the table has lived through another 30-40 years (why not, it did it once already, didn't it?), some future owner/restorer/modder will thank you for it.

[Fido]

I can't get my pic to post in here like the ones above? I tried the Img /Img thing up there...no go...what am I doing wrong?

[danieldust]

You have to host the photo somewhere first. You can do this on your own web space if you have some, or upload it to the Gallery on this site, then use the IMG tags. Kind of cumbersome, but that's the way it is.

[snfrosten]

OK, heres another table, I use this as my #2 table since it has a removable shell, makes listening to different cartridges easier.

I started this table in 1981, building a very heavy/ridged plinth and adding a Merrill sub chassis I bought from Underground Sound for about $100.

Recently added the inner plater stainless steel spindle, co-polymer pulley and replaced the Linn springs with the heavy duty springs from Dave's Vinyl Nirvana.
The tables sporting a Pioneer series 20 arm and Grado Sig 8MZ.

[gkimeng]

OK, heres another table, I use this as my #2 table since it has a removable shell, makes listening to different cartridges easier.

I started this table in 1981, building a very heavy/ridged plinth and adding a Merrill sub chassis I bought from Underground Sound for about $100.

Recently added the inner plater stainless steel spindle, co-polymer pulley and replaced the Linn springs with the heavy duty springs from Dave's Vinyl Nirvana.
The tables sporting a Pioneer series 20 arm and Grado Sig 8MZ.

Pretty. So how much of this is actually AR parts?

[snfrosten]

Well, you have the motor-- which is next to be replaced with a 3watt Hurst motor --and the inner and outer platers. And of course the top plate is cut from an XA. OK, not much but it is a AR design/copy like the Linn or Ariston table. Its a pretty drastic step away from an original AR XA, but don't worry the original parts have been used in XA rebuilds. Most of my rebuilds hold true to the AR XA original, only when a part is exhausted will I deviate for the good of the table.

OK, I know theres a lot of XAs out there, lets get them on this thread. I would like to see a couple of more so I don't have to build another one to keep it going. Scott, Vesa, and others, put them on.

Thanks, Steve.

[Fido]

Man those are some sweet looking tables. You guys are awesome...

[bauzace50]

Hi,
Oh, those AR's are heart-warming! In particular, the XA bring back those memories vividly, and the newer models are awesome. Great!
bauzace50

[danieldust]

Steve, that last one's really impressive. I like that a lot. I almost can't believe that started life as an XA.

Anyhow, since you twisted my arm, Steve, here is mine again, but this is a photo I took tonight. This shows the AR badge polished and re-attached (though it's beginning to tarnish a bit already) and Panman's faux none-felt mat.

For those who don't know, Steve customized my subchassis to accept the Rega RB-250 arm, and I refinished the top plate as well as added a new coat of oil to the wood base. There are also a few other little tweaks under the hood, some of which are obvious. The next thing I want to do is do that spindle polish thing that proposed a while back. I think I'm ready for that now that my motor noise/vibration has finally been tamed pretty well.

[danieldust]

Ok. Forget what I said above about using the Gallery. It sucks.

[gkimeng]

This shows the AR badge polished and re-attached (though it's beginning to tarnish a bit already)

Next time you clean it (you're better off than most because you have the stamped and filled logo rather than the flat silkscreened), buff it with a soft cloth dipped in olive oil. This is an old (ancient Greek/Roman) technique for retarding tarnish on brass and copper. I did this logo about a year ago, and there's no wax, clear coats or any other surface treatment except an olive oil buffing.