Thorens TD150 refurb

[rusty bearing]

Well, I got me a sad looking TD 150 Turntable. No armboard, no lid, but thats Ok as the bearing and motor are good. so now for the refurb. It'll take a while to decide the actual design of the new plinth, some sort of cover, descision on arm, cart etc.
I've spent some time researching all this before taking the plunge but I'd welcome any hints,tips, relevant websites etc from those who have been down this road before me.....

I'll post photos as it progresses if anyone is interested?

[Pete The Cat]

A few months of fun await. I began a similar journey with a Garrard at the back end of last year and it's very rewarding. Look forward to seeing your photos...

Pete

[DSJR]

See if you can download a setup manual for the venerable fruitbox Linn LP12. If you treat the TD150 in a broadly similar way regarding arm-cable dressing and clamping to the new plinth and obviously the suspension and bearing fettling too (EP80 makes an excellent replacement oil for these bearings IMO)..

A decent mat would be to advantage. I respect the old Td124 multi-ribbed mat, but the later 150/160/125 mat isn't too hot in terms of record support. My advice is to avoid felt mats, as I think summat a bit more substantial suits the deck's sonics better - IMO...

Plinths? An old LP12 plinth is ideal and the 150 chassis drops straight in (). The fixings are slightly different and there will be a gap alongside the armboard, but it works a treat.. Russ Collinson does some nice new ones I believe too.

Good luck - and piccies please once you get going.

[Rare Bird]

The best bit will be getting the deck out of it's original plinth, see the metal top plate is screwed into the plinth with countersunk wood screws then a thin aluminium laminate glued on top, you will without a doubt damage the laminate.

[rusty bearing]

Thanks guys. Some useful info there. Definitely agree with the view on mats.
I'm planning on making a new plinth in oak so it sounds like I'll have to come up with either a clever way of not damaging the ally laminate or a 'Plan B'.

[Moko]

To lift off the aluminium cover can sometimes be easy mine was only held down with double sided tape so only took a thin metal scraper underneath to lever it off, others I've heard are glued down so you would have to use a heat gun / hairdrier to loosen it enough to get some leverage on it.


If you need any advice PM me I might with my limited experience have some useful info

Good luck with your rebuild and post some pics for us to see how you get along.

[rusty bearing]

'The Project' is now in bits on the desk in't office. I was lucky that the thin ally plate was held by double sided tape, thin blade and some Goo Gone soon sorted that!
The motor spins up quietly and the bearing and spindle are in fine nick with no scoring at all
I've done a bit of polishing on the side of the platter, bit more to acheive the final finish though.
Got my hands on some oak today, left over bits from one of last years jobs that was lingering in the customers woodshed so thats the next job. Make armboard and plinth and mount the SME arm I've picked up. It's the 3009 improved S2 which will have a rewire and phono plug conversion so I can use my existing interconnects.






I've spent some time reading about these arms and while not the best thought of it should do what I want as I'll be using MM cartridges, possibly a Grado. Till then I'll have to use an old Linn K9. Not ideal but I can fudge it for a while.

Any views on cart matching with this arm welcome......

[DSJR]

The "Improved" S2 SME will take all sorts very well IMO, depending on headshell fitted. My choice would be something like an SAS tipped Shure, but any mid compliance mm type should be great - possibly a Sumiko BPS on a Jelco headshell.

The only Grado's worth looking at are the top-line reference ones IMO. All the others are DULL, DULL, DULL - IMO

Don't get anything that tracks much over 1.5g, as dynamic wow will start to rear it's ugly seasick head. These decks work a treat with 1 to 1.5g trackers, hence the Shure suggestion...

[Pete The Cat]

I've done a bit of polishing on the side of the platter, bit more to acheive the final finish though.

Following progress with interest. Bit of an understatement above though - I can almost see MY face in the reflection ! Great finish.

Pete

[rusty bearing]

Ah well it looks mirror finish but can see imperfection when it turns and that will annoy the hell out of me. Got this finish in about 1/2 hour with a spiral sewn cotton wheel on the bench grinder using a white grade polishing wax.

Dave, I have considered the question of compliance and tracking, the SME seems to have been built very much with the venerable V15 in mind and I see glowing reports of the SAS stylus fitted in one of these. So if I can lay my hands on a Mk3 at reasonable cost.......

Otherwise the Grado reference platinum 1 seemed to fit bill. It would be great if we could try these things out, like amps or whatever, before buying. Do dealers have demo carts I wonder?