My Lenco-based turntable

[keiths]

I'm a bit hesitant in putting these pictures up after the fantastic photos we've seen here over the last few days - Mark's (YNWaN's) amazing turntable, Biff's great SL-1500Mk2 re-plinth and Dom's refurb of Julian's GL75 to name but a few :stalks:, but I guess I need to show you my humble DIY effort (sorry about the bad photos too - my camera is about to give up the ghost I think)

http://www.simister.com/public/finished.jpg

http://www.simister.com/public/finished2.jpg

The donor turntable was a Goldring Lenco GL75 bought off eBay. The plinth is 12 layers of 18mm birch ply, top layer veneered in American Walnut. The top plate (mostly hidden by the platter) is a "Peter's Top Plate mk5" (PTP5) bought directly from the maker in Holland. The whole lot weighs in at 32 kilos.

The armboard at the moment is just a plywood one, but that will eventually be replaced by either a hardwood or an acrylic one (I made the ply one first as I wasn't 100% certain of the correct thickness to make it - the final one will be a bit thicker).

It sounds great with a really sure-footed and solid feel to the sound. There are no obvious rumble problems (you can barely hear anything through a stethoscope held on the plinth) or speed stability issues. I'm very pleased with it.

I will make a dustcover and add electronic speed control sometime in the future.

[John]

Nice work Keith
The plinth must of took some time to pull together
At some point it might be worth upgrading the bearing it is supoosed to make a good difference

[keiths]

Thanks John - the whole lot basically took me four weekends plus the other odd hour here and there. Routing the corners and cutouts in the plinth took the most time as I'd never used a router before.

[jazzpiano]

Hi Keith,

No need to apologize for anything - it looks great, I think that's the stoutest plinth I've ever seen. If folks feel intimidated by photos of gear that look like they came out of a hi-fi rag we'll have very few posters.

Best,
Barry

[keiths]

Thank you Barry. I probably got a bit carried away with the plinth - the plan was for 8 layers, so I had 12 pieces of ply cut on the assumption that I would mess a few up and have to scrap them, but I didn't screw any of the layers up too badly so decided to use all 12.

[YNWaN]

Blimey Keith, that is the thickest plinth I think I've ever seen! Looks smart though, I'm not sure I would even realise it was a Lenco.

I'm not a fan of acrylic for armboards. The material the armboard is made from makes quite a big difference in my experience.

[Reid Malenfant]

That Keith is a first class effort for someone who has never used a router previously! :) Looks very nice indeed...

Well done fella, I'd be as pleased as with that kind of workmanship :cool:

[WOStantonCS100]

Oh, crap!!! :lol: You could kill someone with that plinth!! Excellent - scratch that - that's f-n awesome.

Don't own any (because I can't find any 'round here); but, luv 'em. There are some great vids of rebuilt Lenco's on y-tube, of course.

[keiths]

Thanks for the comments everyone :) I've been planning to do something like this for ages, but kept putting it off due to my lack of DIY experience. I must admit, the router scared me stiff at first, but after a bit of practice (48 rounded corners, plus 22 cut-outs and rebates gave me a fair bit of practice) it became fun to use and a bit like duct tape - once you've used it, everything starts looking like a duct :eek:

[Alex_UK]

Nice one Keith, respect! :)

[keiths]

Cheers Alex :)

[camtwister]

Bravo Keith!
Your plinth design works very well with the stealth PTP5.
Has the mass of the plinth 'slowed down' the player?
I've been shaving mass from my latest plinth, trying to find a compromise between a 'groggy' response due to over use of CLD and the resonance problems of too little.
Yours looks impressive. Have you posted on Lenco Heaven?
What cartridge is that? Your Nagaoka?

[keiths]

Bravo Keith!
Your plinth design works very well with the stealth PTP5.
Has the mass of the plinth 'slowed down' the player?


Thanks! I don't think the massy plinth has had any adverse effects - it sounds very well balanced to me from the lows (which are miles better than on my SL1500) through to the top end which has plenty of life and sparkle.



Yours looks impressive. Have you posted on Lenco Heaven?


Yes - there's a build-thread on there in "PTP Based Projects" entitled "Pre-project anxiety"



What cartridge is that? Your Nagaoka?


Yes, though I'll be trying it with my Stanton 681eee too.

[Spur07]

Nice work Keith. I think I might be suffering a bit of 'plinth envy' - I recently cut the basic square layers for my Lenco ready for routing, but I might cut a few more after seeing your pics. I can only imagine how heavy your TT is now.

[Mika K]

Really nice looking Lenco you have there, congrats!

[Thing Fish]

I love the look of wood. It looks stupendous...:stalks:

[Marco]

Hi Keith,

Well done, mate - that looks superb! :respect:

The lovely turntable you've built is most definitely something to be proud of, so don't ever feel that your efforts aren't 'worthy' enough for featuring in The Gallery. It's not a competition, dude ;)

Anyway, enjoy it, as I know you will. I love Lencos! :cool:

Marco.

[Marco]

Hi Mark,


I'm not a fan of acrylic for armboards. The material the armboard is made from makes quite a big difference in my experience.

I quite agree... Could you expand your thoughts on this please, outlining your experience of the effects of different materials used?

Also, what is the armboard on your own T/T made from? :)

Marco.

[keiths]

I'm not a fan of acrylic for armboards. The material the armboard is made from makes quite a big difference in my experience.

Thanks for the info Mark. I'll stick with hardwood for now. I've got a piece of solid American Black Walnut (to match the top veneer) that I'll try first now I've located someone with a thicknesser machine to plane it down for me.

[keiths]

Nice work Keith. I think I might be suffering a bit of 'plinth envy' - I recently cut the basic square layers for my Lenco ready for routing, but I might cut a few more after seeing your pics. I can only imagine how heavy your TT is now.

It does get a bit addictive and the temptation to add more and more layers is always there. I even (briefly) considered adding a few more to mine before convincing myself that enough was enough :eyebrows:


Really nice looking Lenco you have there, congrats!


I love the look of wood. It looks stupendous...:stalks:


Hi Keith,

Well done, mate - that looks superb! :respect:
Marco.

Thanks guys!

[YNWaN]

I quite agree... Could you expand your thoughts on this please, outlining your experience of the effects of different materials used?

Yes, I could - probably best on another thread though.

[Jonboy]

very nice Kieth, gives me a bit more incentive to have a go with mine, there was a very nice one at Scalford this year with ply plinth belonging to gthang

[keiths]

very nice Kieth, gives me a bit more incentive to have a go with mine, there was a very nice one at Scalford this year with ply plinth belonging to gthang

Cheers Jon. I've seen photos of gthang's turntable on Lenco Heaven - very nice it is too, Good luck with yours when you get round to it.

[The Grand Wazoo]

It looks great Keith - have you made the matching ladder yet?

[Alex_UK]

It looks great Keith - have you made the matching ladder yet?

That's a bit cheeky, Chris!

I'm sure Keith is working on a much more elegant automatic solution incorporating a Stannah lift that "trips" at side end... ;)

[Jonboy]

I'm sure Keith is working on a much more elegant automatic solution incorporating a Stannah lift that "trips" at side end... ;)


All i can picture is Thora Fu**ing Herd now :beer:

[Reid Malenfant]

:lolsign:

[keiths]

All i can picture is Thora Fu**ing Herd now :beer:

I keep thinking of Phoenix Nights

[jason]

Very nice Keith, I think it looks great nice job....


Jason