I just made a DIY cork mat...
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MaxSeven
Word Skeptic
I've made a couple of those so far. I used an old record as a template and the record sleeve as a cutting mat. A super sharp utility knife slowly dragged around the circumference of the record (held tight) will do the trick for a very clean cut. Then I fashioned a hole punch for the spindle hole.
I found that I had to iron the cork with steam before I could cut it, so it would lay flat and not distort.
I found that I had to iron the cork with steam before I could cut it, so it would lay flat and not distort.
treserious
Post Punk Junkie
:worthless
I want to see what a rabid squirrel cork mat looks like
I've made a few myself.
the best method I found was this process.
1) cut out a rough 13" x 13" square
2) iron it, not too much steam, just a little.
3) let it dry
4) punch out center hole, measure it.
5) take your platter off, and sit the mat on it.
if your platter has a solid center spindle that's attached, then set it on a box with a hole in it so the bottom spindle can sit nicely.
for mine the platter just has a hole in the center, so I grabbed the sub platter from my TD125 flipped it upside down to keep the cork centered.
6) with a fresh exacto blade, the 1" wide snap blade box cutter type, cut into the cork on one of the sides at an angle, and slowly work your way over a few inches to the platter.
you have to maintain a careful angle of the blade so the edge never cuts into the platter, but glides along the platter just behind the edge. you want the blade to be vertical, and you want to work it back and forth a bit to ensure that you are cutting the cork, as it tends to want to rip.
7) work your way carefully around the platter, and within a matter of minutes, you will have a freshly cut 99% precise cork mat, made to measure your TT.
I want to see what a rabid squirrel cork mat looks like
I've made a few myself.
the best method I found was this process.
1) cut out a rough 13" x 13" square
2) iron it, not too much steam, just a little.
3) let it dry
4) punch out center hole, measure it.
5) take your platter off, and sit the mat on it.
if your platter has a solid center spindle that's attached, then set it on a box with a hole in it so the bottom spindle can sit nicely.
for mine the platter just has a hole in the center, so I grabbed the sub platter from my TD125 flipped it upside down to keep the cork centered.
6) with a fresh exacto blade, the 1" wide snap blade box cutter type, cut into the cork on one of the sides at an angle, and slowly work your way over a few inches to the platter.
you have to maintain a careful angle of the blade so the edge never cuts into the platter, but glides along the platter just behind the edge. you want the blade to be vertical, and you want to work it back and forth a bit to ensure that you are cutting the cork, as it tends to want to rip.
7) work your way carefully around the platter, and within a matter of minutes, you will have a freshly cut 99% precise cork mat, made to measure your TT.
Attachments
Redboy
a few good watts
:scratch2:Now you just need to make a DIY record clamp out of a plastic Peanut Butter jar lid and you will be set.
RC
Could I really do that?!
Oh yeah, mine's nowhere near as nice as yours, Ture...
I used a rather thick cork material - it's all I had around. Turns out to be pretty close to the original mat thickness for the Empire.
Attachments
Stanton681EEES
Addicted Member
Now you just need to make a DIY record clamp out of a plastic Peanut Butter jar lid and you will be set.
RC
Yep that's what i use as well as a metal lid that do to the size of the hole sort of snaps on, fits very well.
Stanton681EEES
Addicted Member
:worthless
I want to see what a rabid squirrel cork mat looks like
I've made a few myself.
the best method I found was this process.
1) cut out a rough 13" x 13" square
2) iron it, not too much steam, just a little.
3) let it dry
4) punch out center hole, measure it.
5) take your platter off, and sit the mat on it.
if your platter has a solid center spindle that's attached, then set it on a box with a hole in it so the bottom spindle can sit nicely.
for mine the platter just has a hole in the center, so I grabbed the sub platter from my TD125 flipped it upside down to keep the cork centered.
6) with a fresh exacto blade, the 1" wide snap blade box cutter type, cut into the cork on one of the sides at an angle, and slowly work your way over a few inches to the platter.
you have to maintain a careful angle of the blade so the edge never cuts into the platter, but glides along the platter just behind the edge. you want the blade to be vertical, and you want to work it back and forth a bit to ensure that you are cutting the cork, as it tends to want to rip.
7) work your way carefully around the platter, and within a matter of minutes, you will have a freshly cut 99% precise cork mat, made to measure your TT.
Those of us with Technics tables are sort of out of luck do to the style of platter.
Yours does look very professional. Nice work.
beatcomber
AK Member
Huh? I made one for an Audio Technica AT-PL120 (knockoff of an SL-1200MK2) and it worked fine. It's a huge improvement over the crummy felt pad it came with. Actually, I made two thin ones and stacked them.
treserious
Post Punk Junkie
Thanks!
for my technics tables I used a thorens platter as the cutting guide.
they're just about the same diameter.
Arkay
Lunatic Member
I picked up the perfect tool for cutting mats, and speaker holes, at a hardware industry exhibition...
Whenever they put up a shopping mall, airport, or other large venue with a built-in sound system, they need to cut A LOT of holes in the ceilings, to fit in the PA/music system speakers. Sometimes a few hundred holes in just one building. Ever wonder how they do it?
They use a specially-made circle-cutting device. The commercial ones can be attached to a power drill (or drill press), and they even come with "catch buckets" that automatically enclose the area around the hole being cut and seal it off, so all the sawdust is caught and kept from falling and making a mess.
They have easily adjustable cutting diameters, usually at least up to 12", and interchangeable cutting blades, including blades for woods, plastics and metals.
If you ever have a chance to visit a tool or hardware industry exhibition, look for one of these things. Or maybe ask at a big hardware store for them to get one for you. I got one at just such an exhibition, and use it to cut perfect TT mats, holes for drivers in DIY speaker projects, and basically any time I need a circular hole. They can cut small holes, too, for things like tonearms on TT plinths.
The one I have will simultaneously drill or cut a center hole, absolutely concentric with the main hole. This center hole, of course, is where the spindle goes.... unless you want to cut a mat that only supports the record under where the grooves are: then you make the center whole bigger, to give a "doughnut" shaped mat. There are arguments in favor of both designs.
Come to think of it, hardware stores usually also have simpler adjustable circle-cutters. You could probably find one of those that would go at least up to 12". For cutting cork, you want to use the thinnest blade and the slowest speed, or even rotate it by hand, just letting the weight of the blade do the cutting as you spin it round and round until the cork is cut completely through (usually just a couple of/a few revolutions). Don't force or push it; you don't want to "tear" through the cork, but just let the blade 'slice" it. A new/sharp blade is absolutely essential. Moistening the cork may help, too.
Use a good backing surface to support the cork as the blade cuts it, and if necessary, try to secure the cork with something like an upside-town platter with a slightly smaller diameter, or an appropriately-sized pot lid with handle removed. But if you use a proper circle-cutter with a sharp blade, it is not necessary to secure the cork that way.
Whenever they put up a shopping mall, airport, or other large venue with a built-in sound system, they need to cut A LOT of holes in the ceilings, to fit in the PA/music system speakers. Sometimes a few hundred holes in just one building. Ever wonder how they do it?
They use a specially-made circle-cutting device. The commercial ones can be attached to a power drill (or drill press), and they even come with "catch buckets" that automatically enclose the area around the hole being cut and seal it off, so all the sawdust is caught and kept from falling and making a mess.
They have easily adjustable cutting diameters, usually at least up to 12", and interchangeable cutting blades, including blades for woods, plastics and metals.
If you ever have a chance to visit a tool or hardware industry exhibition, look for one of these things. Or maybe ask at a big hardware store for them to get one for you. I got one at just such an exhibition, and use it to cut perfect TT mats, holes for drivers in DIY speaker projects, and basically any time I need a circular hole. They can cut small holes, too, for things like tonearms on TT plinths.
The one I have will simultaneously drill or cut a center hole, absolutely concentric with the main hole. This center hole, of course, is where the spindle goes.... unless you want to cut a mat that only supports the record under where the grooves are: then you make the center whole bigger, to give a "doughnut" shaped mat. There are arguments in favor of both designs.
Come to think of it, hardware stores usually also have simpler adjustable circle-cutters. You could probably find one of those that would go at least up to 12". For cutting cork, you want to use the thinnest blade and the slowest speed, or even rotate it by hand, just letting the weight of the blade do the cutting as you spin it round and round until the cork is cut completely through (usually just a couple of/a few revolutions). Don't force or push it; you don't want to "tear" through the cork, but just let the blade 'slice" it. A new/sharp blade is absolutely essential. Moistening the cork may help, too.
Use a good backing surface to support the cork as the blade cuts it, and if necessary, try to secure the cork with something like an upside-town platter with a slightly smaller diameter, or an appropriately-sized pot lid with handle removed. But if you use a proper circle-cutter with a sharp blade, it is not necessary to secure the cork that way.
Stanton681EEES
Addicted Member
I'm wasn't saying we can't make one, my point was with the way the platters are made would be near impossible to use it for tracing.
beatcomber
AK Member
treserious
Post Punk Junkie
yeah, my method would be difficult to impossible with a technics platter, or any other platter with a steep angle like an sl-1200, or ones with a strobe pattern in the outside diameter.
DENNYDOG
Addicted Member
Hey Nate I just made one a couple weeks back too!
I used the old mat as a template and used a pen to mark the cork. I used a good pair of scissors to cut mine and came out very nice. I placed mine on top of the rubber mat and raised the tonearm to match the height on my PL-630. There isn't much of the spindle that sticks out but is just enough that it works.
From that picture it looks like it is time to dust and clean my tt. :scratch2:
I used the old mat as a template and used a pen to mark the cork. I used a good pair of scissors to cut mine and came out very nice. I placed mine on top of the rubber mat and raised the tonearm to match the height on my PL-630. There isn't much of the spindle that sticks out but is just enough that it works.
From that picture it looks like it is time to dust and clean my tt. :scratch2:
nu2toobs
Can you here that?
Yep, scissors for me.
