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Turntable Leveling, Again

I may have asked this here before, but...I'm in the proces of moving my music room and am having a HUGE amount of trouble getting my Technics SL-1800 level. I have it on a homemade wall shelf constructed of pine and metal braces. The shelf is as level as I can get it. The strange thing is, using a cheap see-it-both-planes level from Lowe's, at the center of the platter I'm way out, but if I move the level to the edges I'm in. This would mean to me that my platter's not flat...is that the case with the SL-1800, or do I have a big problem? I have another turntable sitting beside it I use for 78s, and it leveled up in about a minute, so I'm not sure what part of this is throwing me off. I have a circular level as well; would I be happier (and less frustrated) with a metal torpedo level, do you think?

Much appreciated,

John Sellards
vanmeter
fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
Shasta, why is torquing receptacle and breaker terminals so important? Isn't just "tightening the snot out of it" O.K.? (Sort of like Marisa Torme's "balls on" technical calibration standard for the dripping faucet in MY COUSIN VINNY!
c123666
871 posts
 
I just found that those bulls eyes levels are available at Sears (go where the levels and other measuring tools are) for $ 1.49/ea.

That has to be cheaper than what our local hi end retailer would charge us after painting it gold and putting it in a snazzy wooden box....
aceto
273 posts
 
Fatparrot, ok I have a bull's eye. But where do you put it? I know i'm being dense again but the spindle is where I would want to put it.
bright_star_audio
179 posts
 
Hi Aceto,

Place the level all along the arc that the stylus will trace from the outer edge of the record to the inner groove. Once you have adjusted it to be perfectly level along that section, rotate the platter 180 degrees. Put the level along the same arc (from the outer groove to the inner groove where the stylus will pass as it plays the record). If it no longer reads level then you probably have something wrong with the platter.

Best,

Barry Kohan
shasta
155 posts
 
Fat P.-

My comment and your inquiry are a bit OT. Sorry to everyone. Having said that, buy a new panelboard, receptacle, or circuit breaker. Look at the instruction sheet and you will see torque specs for all electrical connections. These must be followed per NEC 110-3(b).

Overtightening or guesing at fastener tightness doesn't work. Ask any auto engine builder. On an electrical connection, it screws up the metal due to thermal expansion/contraction cycles, and you end up with a looser connection over time. That's why infrared thermograpy was developed, it's part of industrial PM, and everything is re-torqued on a scheduled basis.
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