Maple platforms

Preferred tonewoods vary with application, ie. back and sides vs. top, wind instrument vs. string. In any case the function of a platform couldn't be more different than a resonant instrument.

Has anyone compare a maple platform using spikes vs. without using spikes. I currently have a Steve Blinn platform which my vpi scout is sitting on with spikes and on that platform, I have spikes on the mdf salamander shelf. I haven't had a chance testing but wondering if anyone has.

Hi all,

Surely we need to accept the fact that some resonances will remain no matter what we do. We balance the task of minimizing resonances with a certain degree of picking our poison as far as what remains.

I've posted comments about this on several threads on this forum - agreeing with Dan_ed on the topic of maple.

Having to answer this question on a regular basis, I was prompted to consolidate all stand/shelf commentary into a separate FAQ page.

There's far too much to repeat here, but if you're interested, you can view the following page:

http://www.galibierdesign.com/faqs_stands.html

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Piedpiper, I like everything better about the Osmo hardwax oil.

Most important is the finish. It has a nice luster and brings out the grain but does not build up and look plasticy(?) like varnish. Very durable since it is used extensively on floors (Europe and Great Britain). Easy to fix scratches.

Osmo does not color the wood. I used it on maple butcherblock (equipment rack and spiked platform for my power conditioner) and loved the results. First I tried Osmo and tung oil on a scrap piece. Tung oil gave a sickly orange color and darkened the wood. Osmo just brought out the grain and gave a natural looking satin finish. It did not hide the beauty of the maple.

I don''t like the price but feel it is well worth it.

Other plusses. Very easy to apply. Brush on and wipe off. Fairly quick drying so you can recoat the next day. A fairly environmentally friendly product. Pleasant odor with a low solvent concentration.

Guidocorona--70% turpentine!!!! Nasty smelling stuff. I used to paint houses way back in the oil paint/turpentine days. Never used close to 70% and it still made me sick. In fact, I am having a flashback. Excuse me while I puke up my liver.

Tom,

Glad to read in your Faq that you also like sandboxes. I improved my sandbox by cutting up the wood plinth that rests on the sand to isolate suspension towers, motor, and flywheel from each other and prevent vibration from being conducted across the plinth. Then I converted my TT from sprung to hard suspension to improve coupling to the sand. The set-up was then significantly improved by adding springs to float the 300 lb. TT/sandbox combo. It's likely that any thick maple platform would similarly benefit from springs. The sandbox or thick maple acts as a dump for TT vibration, and the springs decouple the entire assembly from earth.