Isokinetik Stabiliser weight for Denon 103 - a warning

[struth]

i'd caution on using pure acetone. It is strong stuff. also you may have to have it immersed for some time. Some nail varnishes use a % of acetone or similar, but some dont. We used the super strength stuff occasionally and boy it is powerful. .. and dangerous; its low flashpoint and it burns almost invisibly, plus it heat drawing abilities make it highly hazardous.


I had to get a dangerous goods licence to tote it on the truck

I would use the scalpel route

[walpurgis]

I see Grant also has a negative view on the subject.

[montesquieu]

Not something I'd try myself.

The DL-103 body is a type of ABS I believe and I doubt it or adhesives used to bond it dissolves in acetone. It may even be plastic welded.

Furthermore, acetone fumes can soften other parts. Maybe the cantilever suspension and bonding, the lacquer on windings and adhesives used elsewhere. Perhaps even holding the diamond tip.

Should I wish to dismantle a cartridge body, I'd be inclined to look at watch back removing tools and possibly the fine, small rotary saw blades available for Dremel multitools.

OP is using a Zu body ...

[walpurgis]

OP is using a Zu body ...

Ah. Should have started at the beginning. Never mind. My thoughts on acetone still apply.

[mikeyb]

Yeah, its an aluminium body, so acetone be fine, mind you i'm going to leave it on until I change the arm.

Tip of the day, if you want to set fire to something and not be caught - use acetone, very hard to detect

[walpurgis]

Yeah, its an aluminium body, so acetone be fine, mind you i'm going to leave it on until I change the arm.

If you want to risk the fumes attacking other parts.

[struth]

My late son said it smelled like poppers, whatever that is ..... Yeah we went through gallons of the stuff daily...tbh the truck was basically a bomb, and a legal one

great for cleaning up tools, although they need regreasing.

[Ammonite Audio]

A few years ago I put one of these on an AT-33PTG, in order to gain threaded mounting holes. Adding this amount of mass shouldn't have impaired its performance, but it did, so I'd advise caution with this type of product that is intended to be glued into place.

I did manage to remove the stabiliser weight with a sharp knife and a bit of care, leaving an unsightly residue of superglue on the top of the cartridge body. I've not had much luck with this particular cartridge - the original ML tip snapped in half, so I had it re-tipped by a well-known specialist in the South of England, and it never sounded good after that. The huge blob of glue holding the new tip in place might have something to do with that, though. One day I might send it to the chap in Holland who seems to get good press, for a new tip similar to AT's original.

Anyway, back to the original point - unless there really is a need to add mass to a cartridge, I'd avoid this particular stabiliser weight. You can get headshell weights that do the same thing, without any permanent attachment, so that's a better way to go.

[montesquieu]

A few years ago I put one of these on an AT-33PTG, in order to gain threaded mounting holes. Adding this amount of mass shouldn't have impaired its performance, but it did, so I'd advise caution with this type of product that is intended to be glued into place.

I did manage to remove the stabiliser weight with a sharp knife and a bit of care, leaving an unsightly residue of superglue on the top of the cartridge body. I've not had much luck with this particular cartridge - the original ML tip snapped in half, so I had it re-tipped by a well-known specialist in the South of England, and it never sounded good after that. The huge blob of glue holding the new tip in place might have something to do with that, though. One day I might send it to the chap in Holland who seems to get good press, for a new tip similar to AT's original.

Anyway, back to the original point - unless there really is a need to add mass to a cartridge, I'd avoid this particular stabiliser weight. You can get headshell weights that do the same thing, without any permanent attachment, so that's a better way to go.

Wouldn't have thought the AT needed the extra mass Hugo, it's firmly in mid-compliance territory. My only experience with it has been on the original plastic body 103 where it works a treat.

[Ammonite Audio]

The aim wasn't to add mass, rather to provide threaded bolt holes. The Miyajimas all require old-fashioned nuts and bolts, so I'm having to get used to not having the convenience of threaded fixings.