More playing in France

[Gordon Steadman]

I seem to have done not much but make tonearms over the last month or two. My brother in law and I have been sending one back and forth to the UK and then back here and it is finally working.

A linear tracker based on the principle of a Sarrus Linkage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarrus_linkage) The sound of this thing just blows me away and just confirms that when it finally comes down to having one arm only (ha!) it will be a linear tracker of some kind. This one can only be manual as I can't see how to fit a lift to it. However, if its just the sound that matters and faffing about doesn't bother too much, this is the best sounding arm I have ever heard. It obviously needs to be prettied up but right now I'm listening and can't be bothered what it looks like:)

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8780/16911214227_bf9f4022c1_o.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7681/17092647856_7df9da4fbb_o.jpg

[Barry]

That's fascinating Gordon. I wonder why no-one has thought of it before?

[Audio Al]

Love it , it looks really cool , You need a great big electric switch in line and shout" NOW EGOR NOW " when you use it :D

[Firebottle]

Great stuff Gordon. Did it just come down to the size and geometry of the side counterweight?

Alan

[walpurgis]

That looks a lot of fun Gordon. What kind of bearings are you using for the links?

[CageyH]

That looks like something out of Transformers. :cool:

[Gordon Steadman]

Great stuff Gordon. Did it just come down to the size and geometry of the side counterweight?

Alan

Basically. Bob got the balance dead on but he forgot that once the arm was on, it would change the way the mechanism reacted. Even genius has its limitations apparently.

[Gordon Steadman]

That looks a lot of fun Gordon. What kind of bearings are you using for the links?

Hi Geoff,

The bearings are pretty simple races designed for RC racing cars. Please don't think I built it. My brother in law is a top class design engineer. The ideas might have been mine but there is no way I could do such precision metalwork. The whole thing relies on total accuracy or the two elements (two lots of two that is) wouldn't be so free moving.

[Gordon Steadman]

Love it , it looks really cool , You need a great big electric switch in line and shout" NOW EGOR NOW " when you use it :D

Didn't know they did that sort of thing......ah, I see what you mean:eyebrows:

[Gordon Steadman]

I'm missing our linear tracker as it's gone back to the UK for the next round of modifications. So today, I knocked up another one. Took half an hour, a bit of ali angle and a couple of V groove bearings. Works fine and sounds great although the bass isn't as well defined as the other one. Since I took the pic, it's been wired up of course. It will keep me happy until I get the 'real' one back. I have named the arm now. As we are BobArnold and GordonSteadman, I reckon it should be BAGS. In the internet age it might be iBAGS One perhaps:doh:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8707/17223515002_f26fd8c39b_o.jpg

[Audio Al]

Love it Gordon

Back 2 basics hifi , keep them coming :D

[Gordon Steadman]

I've just had the arm back from the UK, complete with an adjuster to vary the slope if it needs a bit of help from gravity. However, with the thing dead level it now tracks absolutely fine.

I am removing all the other arms from the main TT as there is just no point in listening to them. That includes the OL modded Rega RB250 with Technics EPC205. The linear tracker has a cheap AudioTechnica at the mo but I am looking at getting a new Jico stylus for the ADC. Because of the nature of the linear tracker, it prefers a slightly higher tracking force that the Technics is designed for. Around 2.5 grammes seems about best sound wise.

I was supposed to be doing some antiques repair this morning but just sat...and sat.....and sat and listened. It has such a clean presentation with rock solid imaging. I'm sure that some of it is because it doesn't have a long arm that resonates away. OK they can be damped but only to a degree. Tracing the path of the cutting head is also a plus of course but my other linear tracker is not in this class.

Just a little chuffed.

[Firebottle]

Brilliant, all the to-ing and fro-ing paid off then (is that spelt correctly?).

Anyway, as much as it looks like something mainiacal I might knock up, the precision of your 'helpers' work has paid off :D

Can't wait to hear it,

Alan

[Ali Tait]

So when does mass production start? :D

[Gordon Steadman]

So when does mass production start? :D

My brother in law was so impressed with putting together this likkle design of mine that he said "if anyone else wants one, they can bloody well make it themselves"

[petrat]

Whoah ... what the ... ?

Good grief, this might just be genius!

[Gordon Steadman]

Whoah ... what the ... ?

Good grief, this might just be genius!

Wadya mean 'might be?':ner:

[petrat]

Wadya mean 'might be?':ner:

Yes, you're right, I'm wrong.
But it is moderately clever, all the same :D

[Gordon Steadman]

Yes, you're right, I'm wrong.
But it is moderately clever, all the same :D

Very kind :cool:

[struth]

Remember a guy trying to built scaffolding outriggers with the wrong parts.....his attempt looked a bit like that :eek:



only jesting....

[Gordon Steadman]

Remember a guy trying to built scaffolding outriggers with the wrong parts.....his attempt looked a bit like that :eek:



only jesting....
I'll 'ave you know that I'm the sensitive type. How could you mock the result of sleepless nights, up until dawn pondering over the aesthetic details, determined to make it something no-one will forget in a hurry............between my brother in law and me, its called the spider.

[struth]

I feel quite ashamed Gordon. I shall of course terminate myself immediately :D

[Andrei]

Absobloodylutely brilliant! :idea:


I have named the arm now. As we are BobArnold and GordonSteadman, I reckon it should be BAGS.

SGAB sounds better.

[Clive]

I feel quite ashamed Gordon. I shall of course terminate myself immediately :D
Would your weapon of choice be that other linear tracker...The Transfi Terminator? Aka T3Pro.

[Gordon Steadman]

I feel quite ashamed Gordon. I shall of course terminate myself immediately :D

As you are no doubt still here, does that mean you are an ex-terminate?

[awkwardbydesign]

I knew I'd seen it somewhere before.
http://www.trip2visit.com/trip/images/belgium/atomium.jpg

[Gordon Steadman]

I knew I'd seen it somewhere before.
http://www.trip2visit.com/trip/images/belgium/atomium.jpg

Only just seen this:lol:

[Gordon Steadman]

I've been looking for yet another cheap TT to be my test deck as the old AR has enough rumble to shake the foundations.

Got this ere on eBay for €10. Sansui FR-D4. Came without weight or headshell but that is easily fixed. Fully auto and the computer says "NO"

Finding the bits that tell the damn thing to leave the arm alone has been fun as there are sensors and microswitches everywhere. I've found most of them but there is still one that switches the motor off when the arm reaches the end of side. If I take it off, it won't run at all so I need to find out how to fix that. No arm lift now as that was 'computerised' too!!

Sounds a bit lightweight but the arm is nothing special. It is dead quiet though and will be great as a motor unit. Don't know where it's been, quite disgusting layers of grease and grime all over it :eek:

Need to make a wide wooden surround and then I can mount other arms on it. It's a bit shallow as it is.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5321/17378080248_cbf8cfa790_z.jpg

[Gordon Steadman]

How come I can get a package from the USA in half the time it takes from the UK???

Anyway, my Dual 1019 came with an ADC cartridge with a busted stylus. I looked it up and it was designed track at 5 grammes:eek:. Ordered a different stylus from vintage electronics and its a surprise (It is now a QLM34). Sounds very good indeed, first time I've heard an ADC. It's tracking at just over 2 grammes in the linear tracker. Bass is good and deep and a violin sounds like it should without screeching. Nice cartridge. I have an old Stanton that needs a new stylus too so Vintage Electronics will get another order based on their good service.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8859/17717910692_c956153ac6_z.jpg

[Gordon Steadman]

After about 10 or 12 years, my old TT has started to show a bit of wear. Its been hacked about over the years and looks it.

So, as I was doing some plumbing today, I amused myself during my coffee breaks. I've used the same working bits but this one is as heavy as hell. The arms were inconvenient before so I've rearranged them. The best two are fixtures so the Rega is still unemployed.

I'm not sure how I will finish this. The quick way would be to seal it all and spray it but I suspect it will get veneered in summat nice. That is......if I can stop playing stuff and take it apart again. As ever, I couldn't wait to see how it sounded. This is very nice indeed. The bass, whilst no deeper, has taken on a much better portrayal of texture and decay. I've only tried the 12" so far so the linear tracker should be spectacular. That will have to wait until tomorrow. It will also be fitted with the sorbothane feet which should help a bit more.

https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7778/18393822531_5450a9a0bf_z.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/411/18204500130_fe63080f45_z.jpg

[struth]

looking good Gordon/ that 12" er is the business

[Marco]

Quality, Gordon! :respect:

Marco.

[Gordon Steadman]

Thanks chaps. Methinks Birds Eye Maple would look good. Not sure when I'll get round to it as the utility room really does need finishing off.

Ronnie thought my coffee breaks were more like holidays today!!:rolleyes: