dust protection for turntables

I bought a used $30 radioshack smoke-colored hinged cover and I just let the hinge tabs hang off the back of my Dual 1019 turntable. It’s close enough that if I place it just right I can cover the table when NOT in use. When playing a record I just pull it off and lean it against the wall until I’m done playing records - like one of the original United Audio 1019 covers!

Recently I bought some extra ebay plexiglass so that I could fine-tune the fitment. Plexiglass can be glued together by just wetting both pieces with acetone. I also bought a $10 DUAL aluminum logo to glue over the existng RS logo! I didn’t want to pay $150 for a custom clear plexiglass cover.

It is OUTRAGEOUS that these expensive Turntables are sold without dust Protection. Shamefull!

What's the problem with getting a DUST cover? Because it keeps off.....you know.......DUST.

I cover the platter to keep dust from cross-contaminating my records due to accumulation on the platter.  I use an unloved Charlie Rich album given to me as the platter dust cover (I also have a "Benji's in Love" (remember that movie mutt?) picturedisc for this purpose).  I also use an aluminum foil "hat" to cover the pivot area of my tonearm (see, tinfoil hats are not just for crazy people).  Once in a great while, I wipe away the dust accumulating elsewhere on the plinth and other surfaces (I don't want the table's suspension springs to sag from the excess weight).  Otherwise, I pretend that "dust damping" improves the sound quality.

Is there no end of suppressed opinion regarding perhaps the most boring of all audiophile obsessions? There’s another recent and active thread for this commentary. Use it if you like it. I don’t and won’t.