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Finally got this resolved. I opened an eBay return claim against the seller. I knew he wouldn't want it back after seeing the photos of damage and I wanted to keep it really, as it's OK mechanically and cosmetically. After a bit of to and fro arguing he caved in and refunded £40 towards a new lid and bias weight. So sorted. Phew! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by walpurgis
Well now. The corroded and battered GL75 now looks like this:
http://i60.tinypic.com/2j42bz4.jpg
A stripped top plate and bags of bits!
Trickiest job was removing the silver trim/name plate at the front. I now have to decide what openings to keep and which to fill in and how. I may weld the arm aperture and recut one, depending on how the intended arm aligns.
Then the whole top plate will be rubbed down for painting. I've decided to go with a cream finish and a dark walnut veneered solid base with internal damping via dried coarse sand in cavities (if there's enough room for them).
Sounds like a plan Geoff if your good are light welding....not my forte lol. Arc yes but fancy stuff nope!
Like the cream idea. Saw one done that way and it was super
If I get the welder out, I may add some bracing strips across the underside of the top plate where there's space. Fortunately I have another complete GL75, so I can check positioning. I may fill in open areas between the bracing with a particular glass fibre mix I've in mind. Could be that using the MIG may be best, rather than the ordinary arc welder. Don't want heat causing localised buckling.
Yes. I decided on cream 'cos I want a 'vintage' look about the completed TT. Already bought the enamel & lacquer. I may even finish the platter the same.
Cream platter and black rubber looks great...id deffo use a mig or tig welder.. The arc may as yoy say buckle it...might even blow holes in it depending. Never got enough shots of wire welders to get the technique right but was handy with the arc. It will look great i think when finished
I'm certainly not the world's greatest welder, but usually manage a passable end result. Last job I did was patching the sill in my old VW Golf a couple of years ago.
Just remembered. I was considering putting some extra support at and around the main bearing mounting hole. I don't want to affect the fixing height, so maybe a large washer welded on the top of the plate and longer fixing bolts. It'll have to clear the bottom of the platter, could be tricky with a GL78 platter (I also have) which has the extended bronze bearing . I believe a few owners have done similar. I'll investigate.
I had a change of plan. The apertures for the GL75 top plate won't be welded up. I'm cutting brass inserts and soldering them in. Lower temperatures, so less likelihood of buckling. Plenty strong enough too.
I found some brass plate exactly the right thickness. Here's the armhole insert cut out and dropped in place:
http://i66.tinypic.com/wmkwb4.jpg
Here it is along with the armlift hole blanks cut and soldered in.
http://i67.tinypic.com/2qsnq1k.jpg
Seems to be working out as planned. I'll plug the armlifter lever and armrest holes tomorrow. Then it's just a surface fill and smooth, followed by the new arm mount cut out. Must get that positioned exactly. It'll be an SME mount type opening.
Nicely done mate.... Trickier job than it looks to do right
That's very nice work Geoff . As grant says , trickier than it looks .
It'll look better when I've done the rest and cleaned it all up.
Just finished plugging the top plate holes and cleaned it a bit.
http://i64.tinypic.com/zuqmua.jpg
I'll work out the arm mounting position later and mark and cut the hole.
Yes. The on/off switch bush has deliberately been left in place. 'Cos they're a bugger to refit and get tight again once removed.
Sussed out the arm positioning. Two arcs describing the distance from platter centre to arm pillar centre. One for FFSS and one for 774. both arms will use SME type bases (I'll make one for the FFSS). I've elongated the arm opening that would normally be used for the 774 as the FFSS is slightly shorter and will mount further forward. The position is the only one that allows both arms to be used using SME mount four bolt spacing and positioning and not have edges of the base plate overlapping the TT top plate. The arm counterweights may overlap the TT top plate a bit. Not worried about that. The plinth will be built to accomodate it.
http://i66.tinypic.com/4jxdvm.jpg
I see. a straight line between the 2 being the slide down/up of the plate for the 2 arms.. neat.:)
Getting there. Arm mount hole now cut and 2mm pilot holes drilled at base plate mounting positions. These will be enlarged for tapping with threads once I've established which bolt size will suit best. Surface irregularities filled with metallic epoxy, prior to rubbing down. Will do a bit more prep before priming.
http://i67.tinypic.com/152fa55.jpg
Bit more tomorrow. If it rains that may scupper painting though.
Still got to remember how to reassemble the bugger yet (should be OK). :D
Lots of components to clean up!
Certainly coming on .youve been busy
Are you painting this yourself Geoff . If you are what primer and top coats are you using . Very neat work so far BTW :)
Yes. I'll be doing everything myself. I'll be using a white car body etch primer first. If that comes up OK I'll go over it with a couple of coats of the cream acrylic enamel I've chosen, then acrylic lacquer. If I can radius the bevel edge on the platter successfully (should be OK. I have a plan), that will get the same treatment.Quote:
Originally Posted by brian2957
I toyed with the thought of powder coating, but it's not going to get knocked about, so that's probably overkill. After all the original finish was only one coat of thin enamel.
Better edited picture:
http://i65.tinypic.com/11j56wo.jpg
Very nicely done, Geoff... it should.. er.. will look absolutely spot on. can't wait to see it painted up.
Of course it will Jo. I'm doing it! :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by The Black Adder
Wait till you see the plinth (all just in my head at the moment). :D
I should add, that the platter I'm going to alter (butcher?), by radiusing the bevel is a rough spare example with dings around the outer edge so it looks crap anyway.
Sounds like a plan Geoff . I look forward to seeing where you're going with this and of course , the finished article.Quote:
Originally Posted by walpurgis
Geoff, you should start up a business restoring turntables! With that good skill you'll make good money!!
S.
I have actually rebuilt, re-armed, replinthed and refurbished quite a few turntables Shane. I now have about 4 1/2 Lencos in various states of assembly, so I'll be turning out more than one. Toying with using a GL68 as an RCM.Quote:
Originally Posted by southall-1998
GL75 top plate. 1st coat. My white etch primer seems to have taken a walk, so I used a handy can of grey auto primer. Came up OK. Given it a quick flat and will address any irregularities before another coat.
http://i66.tinypic.com/280mivc.jpg
Yes. That is a dog hair by the on/off switch position. :)
Least its not curly;) looks very good. All blemishes just disappear under a spray can. Its wet n foggy here so you must have better weather at your end of countryQuote:
Originally Posted by walpurgis
Dull & damp mate! Did it in the garage/workshop.Quote:
Originally Posted by struth
Need to get the paintwork done soon. If it gets colder, it'll provoke surface bloom on the finish and I can't do it indoors 'cos of the pong. :)
Geoff, please come and pimp my deck :D
S.
Looking good Geoff , are you planning to sell any of these refurbished decks ?
I could end up with a spare or two. I've enough bits.Quote:
Originally Posted by brian2957
1st layer of cream top coat. Bit annoyed. Got a nozzle 'spit' that'll need rubbing down (bloody aerosols). Early days yet!
Like the colour though. Platter will hopefully be the same, should go nice against a dark wood plinth. :)
http://i63.tinypic.com/21etcw3.jpg
In case you're wondering. That's a split pin with half a rubber grommet sticking out of the switch hole. Just for masking the top of the bush.
Spit a ove the switch hole thought it was anther dog hair...yes a nice colour. Always prefer a creamy magnolia colour to just white..blends with the surround much better
Excellent Geoff , love the colour too :)
Just as an aside to the turntable project. These arrived the other day. A pair of little Balanced Mode Radiator type drive units.
http://i64.tinypic.com/ok9113.jpg
As you can see they are pretty small. Quoted as being full range drivers. I just happen to have a pair of spare small cabinets the right sort of size and a pair of mini ABRs that will match them. Could be fun!
A better use might be as the mid-rangers in a 3 way ?
I was looking at BMR's last year. Where did you get them and how much were they?Quote:
Originally Posted by walpurgis
Spotted them on eBay Rob. Just under a tenner the pair, delivered!Quote:
Originally Posted by Puffin
I bought the last pair on offer. They have one left, but if you sent them a message, they might rustle another up. These are new units scavenged from unused speakers, so they may have more knocking about.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3814359674...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
These are used as tweeters in some speaker systems, apparently very successfully.Quote:
Originally Posted by Macca
Thanks Geoff. Showing as 0 available now. Maybe find some elsewhere.
GL75 phase one complete. Top plate sprayed and lacquered.
http://i67.tinypic.com/106niuv.jpg
Next. Clean and service all the component parts for the refit!
Pondering on the plinth finish. Choice of veneer against the cream turntable metalwork.
Dark Walnut:
http://i63.tinypic.com/35bv7za.jpg
Or Indian rosewood:
http://i65.tinypic.com/fxqsnd.jpg
Bear in mind, most of my equipment is dark (black) and I want a contrast against the cream paintwork.
Walnut would be best i think. Cream goes with it very well
I think you may be right Grant. Dark Walnut has that 'black coffee' tone to it that should compliment the cream.Quote:
Originally Posted by struth
I think I'll go with that, much as I like Rosewood, which is more expensive anyway.
We've gone from this:
http://i64.tinypic.com/2vhvx4i.jpg
To this:
http://i68.tinypic.com/34qaf6v.jpg
The blue streak is a reflection, by the way.
The underside of the platter had corrosion patches and a couple rather odd small dings that looked a bit like knife marks. Anyway, I gave the worst a rub down with fine wet & dry paper, then cleaned out any pitting and the dings with a fine brush and thinners and filled them with a fine smear of epoxy filler. Then I put the platter upside down on another GL75 and poured a bit of soapy water in, then used fine wet & dry for ages across the idler bearing surface. Now, despite some slightly discoloured marks, it is as even as new and smooth as silk. Should do the job!
Radiusing the platter edge tomorrow, I have ideas about going about this. Should be fun.
Looking good Geoff . Can you tell me which epoxy filler you used ? It's always handy to know which product to use for each application . If it's cheap enough I'll buy some for future jobs .
One GL75 platter with bevel edge radiused. I put it on top of another GL75 turntable (surprising how much torque these things have) and used an angle grinder, then a belt sander (both very gently), taking off the same amount of metal all round. Sanded the rough surface with wet & dry paper and then skimmed the new radius with epoxy filler. This will be wet smoothed later. It may sound like butchery, but remember, this was a battered and corroded platter (see all the scratches and scores on top) and is going to be painted! It'll look fine. :)
http://i68.tinypic.com/30m3987.jpg
Tricky thing to do. The metal can just drop off in chunks if unlucky. Sounds like youve managed well
GL75 platter. The epoxy filler around the newly created edge radius was rubbed down along with the whole of the tatty looking platter top and then the edge was checked for concentricity all round.
Then a coat of grey primer:
http://i68.tinypic.com/2qu22s3.jpg
Another quick flat down followed with a coat of cream acrylic enamel:
http://i67.tinypic.com/8x4hzp.jpg
The gloss has (as always) highlighted a couple of very minor irregularities in the finish and a hair seems to have been picked up. Not to worry. It's only the first coat and will be flatted once properly dry and another coat applied before lacquering.
Should look nice against the cream top plate.
http://i65.tinypic.com/2d9ps1v.jpg
Yes, they are the same colour. It's just lighting variations that make it look different.
Here they are tried together:
http://i63.tinypic.com/2z7o9k7.jpg
It's this stuff Brian:Quote:
Originally Posted by brian2957
http://i68.tinypic.com/2lu47j7.jpg
Probably overkill. I reckon any epoxy filler would be OK.
Thanks Geoff , I like ''overkill'':lol:
This project is starting to take shape very nicely . Excellent work sir :)