Well, after brainstorming for a few months, it's close to done. It works quite well, and all thats needed is to finish the base and perhaps install a limiter on the vacuum wand to control height and torque deflection.
It's the usual velvet wand and vacuum cleaner rig, but I wanted a power table similar to Grumpy's VPI,and that's what took the time. I tried a Pioneer belt drive TT I had here, but the vacuum was too strong and locked onto the record and stopped the table. I experimented with a bleed off valve to regulate the vacuum, but wasn't satisfied. I needed more torque.
Obviously a Harley 74 engine wouldn't fit and would be too noisy, so I started looking for low rpm motors that maybe suitable. Windshield washer, microwave, even checked Ebay for "gearmotoer", but them I found the ice cream maker. I figured if it had enough guts to move a set of vanes through some thick ice cream, it could spin a few records for me.
I had planned to use one of the Dual TT platters I have here as they already have a small gear on the bottom, but that presented step down ratio issues. I switched modes and cut a disc from some 3/4" Melamine I had here and used it. Cut off the lip on the cover of the ice cream container and screwed it o the bottom. Drilled a hole in the center and used a 2" long 1/4" brass screw as the spindle and a quick release knob from Rockler woodwooking for the clamp and we were set. Vacuum power is from a 5.0 hp Eureka vac I snagged out scrounging last summer. I also used a 12" turntable from Rockler as a sub base to support the platter while scrubbing. Initially, I bolted it to the base and platter, but it wasn't centered properly and bound. Now it's bolted only to the base and platter has some wiggle room. While the base is fairly big, I was able to fit the vacuum, plumbing, and a set of toggle switches into it, so it is a complete package; no need to stck a vacuum hose in the side; it's built in.
One of the nice features with it is that I found a nice device for the wand. I'm not quite sure what it;s called, but I believe extension coupling might be appropriate. It's a stock plumbing fitting at Lowes and runs around $3-4. It's a PVC fitting that has sliding tubes with O rings that allow you to move it in out and all around. With this fitting you can pivot the wand onto the platter and adjust the height up and down. Very nice.
So far it seems to work just great. Torgue is NO ISSUE as the motor just bulls that disc around. The vacuum does well too and runs the LPs dry. It seems to clean very well too. I'm using a Nitty Gritty wet brush with a homebrew solution, and it cleans up very well. Problem is that I'm finding that there are still quite a few surface marks and an unusal "spotting" on some records that isn't simple dirt, but apparently actual scratches. Plus many of my scores seem to be well used and heartily partied, so even clean they still have pops and clicks.
So what was the damage? Let's add it up.
Ice cream maker for motor $12.99 thrift store
Eureka vacuum $ 8.00 garage sale
Electrical switches $ 8.00 Lowes
PVC parts $ 12.00 Lowes
Wood, wire,hardware Shop leftovers
Velvet One of my daughter's old dresses
Nitty Gritty Brush $29.00 Delivered from Jerry Raskin's
So for about $40.00 or so bucks out of pocket, plus $29.00 for the brush (OK, I splurged, but I wanted something better than the cut back China bristle paintbrush I was using) you can make a very respectable RCM that does a more than decent job of cleaning up the gunk from your grooves.
Is it a VPI, probably not, but I'll bet the VPI doesn't get records 10x cleaner either.
No to paint it and fit a cover plate to the top and start in on all those LPs I've scrounged the last few years.............
It's the usual velvet wand and vacuum cleaner rig, but I wanted a power table similar to Grumpy's VPI,and that's what took the time. I tried a Pioneer belt drive TT I had here, but the vacuum was too strong and locked onto the record and stopped the table. I experimented with a bleed off valve to regulate the vacuum, but wasn't satisfied. I needed more torque.
Obviously a Harley 74 engine wouldn't fit and would be too noisy, so I started looking for low rpm motors that maybe suitable. Windshield washer, microwave, even checked Ebay for "gearmotoer", but them I found the ice cream maker. I figured if it had enough guts to move a set of vanes through some thick ice cream, it could spin a few records for me.
I had planned to use one of the Dual TT platters I have here as they already have a small gear on the bottom, but that presented step down ratio issues. I switched modes and cut a disc from some 3/4" Melamine I had here and used it. Cut off the lip on the cover of the ice cream container and screwed it o the bottom. Drilled a hole in the center and used a 2" long 1/4" brass screw as the spindle and a quick release knob from Rockler woodwooking for the clamp and we were set. Vacuum power is from a 5.0 hp Eureka vac I snagged out scrounging last summer. I also used a 12" turntable from Rockler as a sub base to support the platter while scrubbing. Initially, I bolted it to the base and platter, but it wasn't centered properly and bound. Now it's bolted only to the base and platter has some wiggle room. While the base is fairly big, I was able to fit the vacuum, plumbing, and a set of toggle switches into it, so it is a complete package; no need to stck a vacuum hose in the side; it's built in.
One of the nice features with it is that I found a nice device for the wand. I'm not quite sure what it;s called, but I believe extension coupling might be appropriate. It's a stock plumbing fitting at Lowes and runs around $3-4. It's a PVC fitting that has sliding tubes with O rings that allow you to move it in out and all around. With this fitting you can pivot the wand onto the platter and adjust the height up and down. Very nice.
So far it seems to work just great. Torgue is NO ISSUE as the motor just bulls that disc around. The vacuum does well too and runs the LPs dry. It seems to clean very well too. I'm using a Nitty Gritty wet brush with a homebrew solution, and it cleans up very well. Problem is that I'm finding that there are still quite a few surface marks and an unusal "spotting" on some records that isn't simple dirt, but apparently actual scratches. Plus many of my scores seem to be well used and heartily partied, so even clean they still have pops and clicks.
So what was the damage? Let's add it up.
Ice cream maker for motor $12.99 thrift store
Eureka vacuum $ 8.00 garage sale
Electrical switches $ 8.00 Lowes
PVC parts $ 12.00 Lowes
Wood, wire,hardware Shop leftovers
Velvet One of my daughter's old dresses
Nitty Gritty Brush $29.00 Delivered from Jerry Raskin's
So for about $40.00 or so bucks out of pocket, plus $29.00 for the brush (OK, I splurged, but I wanted something better than the cut back China bristle paintbrush I was using) you can make a very respectable RCM that does a more than decent job of cleaning up the gunk from your grooves.
Is it a VPI, probably not, but I'll bet the VPI doesn't get records 10x cleaner either.
No to paint it and fit a cover plate to the top and start in on all those LPs I've scrounged the last few years.............
