Building a Plinth -- TD-124

Nice work! How long did that take you to build?
Since my "helper" (really the guy who did most of the work) is a dentist, we worked evenings and weekends when we were both free. I can't remember exactly, but probably a couple of weeks. Consider that while I didn't know what I was doing, he knew exactly what he was doing as a woodworker.
Was wondering how much weight the lead added? And did you really need to make it weigh 60 lbs? I mean without the lead it would probably weigh quit a bit.
Don't really remember if we weighed the lead by itself. Was it necessary? No idea. I didn't know when I started how much the thing would weigh, and most reading said stuff like the more mass the better, so I included it.

If nothing else I get to tell the story of going into the sporting goods store asking for lead shot and them wanting to know what I was going to shoot. I don't think anyone had been in this store wanting shot for a turntable!! :D
 
Absolutely gorgeous. I have to remember to go to Montgomery if I ever need a cap. With that crazy good attention to detail The Master must be one HELL of a great dentist! And it also sheds some light on why a top shelf turntable costs so much money. Imagine what something like that would retail for. Thousands.
 
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Aw poop. I'm planning to build a new plinth for my TD-124 and wanted to use this thread for reference, but the images are not showing up.

@tromba - is this a temporary glitch caused by the forum re-formatting, or are the image links truly dead? Any chance you could post a new link for the gallery? Thank you!
 
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The pics were there before the upgrade last week. Since the upgrade ...... pffffftt.

I am experiencing the same little blue boxes with a white "?" in them on other threads.
 
The pics were there before the upgrade last week. Since the upgrade ...... pffffftt.

I am experiencing the same little blue boxes with a white "?" in them on other threads.

Good to know... it sounds like a temporary hiccup while the forum is being reformatted.
 
So several years ago I obtained a Thorens TD-124. It's gotten to be time to give it some attention. I decided to build a new plinth, but since I didn't know exactly what I was getting into, as questions about plinths in this thread.

What follows is a result of things I learned there.

When I say I built a plinth, what I mean is that I had some idea what I was after and worked with a friend, a master craftsman in building things from wood, and he did most of the work while I "supervised".

Started with wood and glue

00_glue.jpg


I bought this glue simply because I read somewhere that hide glue was a good choice for gluing layers in a plinth. I asked about that in the forum but no on responded -- so I figured "why not?". I found out from my mastercraftsman, Robert, or Master that hide glue was what many furniture makers used to use because it wasn't permanent. Heat makes it loosen and parts could be replaced. He didn't think there was a particular need for it, but since I already had it, we used it.

The layers
I decided I wanted a good plywood plinth so we looked in the Master's wood supply and found an inch thick birch plywood piece that was about 21 inches by 17 inches. Seemed like a good size for me. I had already decided I wanted something a little bigger than the table itself. Also had on hand a half sheet of 3/4 in birch, and that was enough to give us the five layers shown here

01_ThePlywood.jpg


Now all we had to do was cut away all the wood we didn't need. We started by using the original Thorens plinth as a guide for cutting the first layer.

02_OldPlinthModel.jpg


Trace the outline

03_TracingLayerOne.jpg


then cut. Here a Forstner bit is cutting one of the holes for the "legs"

04_CuttingFirstHole.jpg


Then a jig saw cut the opening

05_CuttingLayerOne.jpg


and layer one is cut

06_LayerOneDone.jpg


the openings were cut inside the pencil marks,

18_CuttingInsidetheLine.jpg


and the to finish off the inside edges this oscillating spindle sander was used. For those unfamiliar with it like I was, it rotates and goes up and down at the same time.

07_SandingInner.jpg


both surfaces were also sanded

08_SandingSurface.jpg


To check the fit, the table was inverted and this first layer was placed in position

09_CheckingFirstLayer.jpg


to do the next layer, the high points coming through layer one needed to be checked. For this we placed a piece
of paper on the turntable and made a rough sketch of the high points

10_CheckingHighPoints.jpg


setting layer one on top of layer two, we could mark the holes the legs would come through as well as the
shape of the opening that would continue into layer two

11_MarkingHolesLayer2.jpg


newly cut layer two clamped to layer one and a router finishing the edges. The top bearing bit in the router follows the cutout in the top and cuts the one in the bottom -- only here where both pieces will eventually be the same. The large hole lower left will be
enlarged for where the tone arm will fit.

13_Layer2Fitting.jpg


working on the next layer

14_OutllineLayer3.jpg
Fantastic job! Looks magnificent...Where does one get the templates for the three cut outs?
 
The pictures on the 1st page should help. The first layer of plywood was cut by putting the stock plinth upside down and tracing it's outline. The next two were done (as I recall) by putting a piece of paper on the screws (as shown) and then drawing where all the "high" pieces would be (those sticking above the already cut first layer) and then cutting that shape. And then the same thing for the 3rd layer. Does that follow the pictures on the 1st page?
 
Hello Tromba. I just acquired a Td124 and live in “The Gump”. I have sent it off to Classic Thorens and are waiting for its return. I read your documentation and never noticed you lived in Montgomery. I would love to see the finished product. Rock on.
 
Wow! It's so nice to see that the pictures are back! It was shocking to note how far the cameras on phones have come since the "final pictures" were taken back in 2015. I'll bet there's no need to "pull out the Nikon" with a modern iphone or Android phone.
 
Wow! It's so nice to see that the pictures are back!
I didn't know they were gone!!
It was shocking to note how far the cameras on phones have come since the "final pictures" were taken back in 2015. I'll bet there's no need to "pull out the Nikon" with a modern iphone or Android phone.
Isn't that the truth. Probably 90% was done with my Android phone, and the rest with my "assistant's" iPhone when my battery would get tired.
 
And since then the turntable has stopped working.... I really hadn't done anything to it and it's probably time to rebuild the motor and get it going again. Haven't decided if I should attempt that or send it to someone
 
Why didn't you put in leveling legs? Also, if the beads are loose, they may transmit vibration thru the plinth. I would have used plasticlay.

Did I forget to say.....nice job!
 
And since then the turntable has stopped working.... I really hadn't done anything to it and it's probably time to rebuild the motor and get it going again. Haven't decided if I should attempt that or send it to someone

I would send it to someone. But I don't know your skill level. Turntable motors seem simple, but I'm always afraid that something I don't know is going to ruin an otherwise good motor. The most I will do to a turntable is clean and re-lube.
 
Why didn't you put in leveling legs?
I guess because until right now it didn't occur to me~~
Also, if the beads are loose, they may transmit vibration thru the plinth. I would have used plasticlay.
Didn't know what plasiclay was until I just looked it up. How would you have used it?
Did I forget to say.....nice job!
Thanks, although it was my friend who brought my ideas to life and then made it better!
 
I would send it to someone. But I don't know your skill level. Turntable motors seem simple, but I'm always afraid that something I don't know is going to ruin an otherwise good motor. The most I will do to a turntable is clean and re-lube.
That's certainly the direction I'm leaning, and for the very same reasons. I'm willing to try things I'm not experienced at, but the risk might not be worth it considering what I have.
 
I guess because until right now it didn't occur to me~~ Didn't know what plasiclay was until I just looked it up. How would you have used it? Thanks, although it was my friend who brought my ideas to life and then made it better!
Plasticaly is a non-hardening modeling clay. Its totally inert and very heavy, perfect for deadening a turntable plinth. In fact, I have built 2 tables myself, based on the AR bearing, platter/subplatter and pulley. The innards of both of those tables are filled with plasticlay.
 
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