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Glue choices for making the Garrard 301 plinth

Hello Audiogoners,
Is there anyone who has experiences on making the plinth for the Garrard?. I am reading somewhere that the choice of glue could affect the sound of the turntable. I am also reading about the hide glue is one of the glue I should use. Please let me know of what you think about it and give me some advices please.

Thank you,

Calvin
dangcaonguyen
dangcaonguyen OP
207 posts
 
@bdp24 
Thank you for your advices.
As for the Tiebond hot hide glue, I have read that it cannot compare to the real hide glue. I might save some cash to purchase the hide glue pot which is sold for around $140.
For the wood, I have to agree with you about the Baltic Plywood. I used it for my first time’s plinth and it worked out great. This time I want to try the Cherry hard wood to see how the sound will change comparing to the Baltic plinth.
Calvin
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,285 posts
 

Oh, if you’re willing to use the hot hide glue, even better! I’ve never used Titebond’s Hide Glue, but as it comes pre-made in a bottle, it’s not as "genuine" as the professional, industrial hot stuff I have used. Once that stuff is made, it has to be kept heated in electric pots, or it will fairly quickly be hard as a rock. Once it dries and cures, it is impossible to even dent with a hammer. Regular wood glue is like soft taffy in comparison.

At the hardwood store I went to last week in Portland, they sell versions of Baltic Birch with outer veneers of a number of different woods: maple, walnut, the list went on and on. The drawback of solid hardwood is that it’s grain and fiber structure all run in one direction, without the 90 degree "cross-bracing" provided by plywood. And the solid wood is subject to seasonal expansion and contraction, responding to moisture (humidity) in the air. Warping is not uncommon. Solid hardwoods lack the structural stiffness and damped characteristics of plywood. But any one of them may provide a "flavoring" you find pleasing. You won’t know till you build it, install the table, and listen!

glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,793 posts
 
I'm not sure what the builder of my plinth used for glue (I think it was a two part aircraft epoxy) but we went with bamboo ply instead of the birch. I have heard the same plinth design in birch and bamboo and the bamboo has somewhat more impact in percussion and a slightly better focus then the birch other then that its about the same. the bamboo makes for a beautiful looking plinth as well. I would say the bamboo is some what more sensitive to what footers you use then the birch. I found the birch likes cones the bamboo likes a little more isolation I use ISO Acoustics Orea feet as the bamboo is somewhat heavier then birch (my plinth-table is close to 100lbs). 

I have pictures of my plinth in my system pictures if your interested.
dangcaonguyen OP
207 posts
 
@bdp24 
Thank you for the idea about the orientation of the wood layer. The main reason I want to try the hardwood plinth is based on Shindo plinth. Ken used cherry for all of his plinth and people who use his turntable have reported it sound so good.

@glennewdick Your turntable looks beautiful, and I guess it sounds delicious too. Your room and system is beautiful and well organized. Thank you for giving me the interesting idea about the plinth. I have never thought about bamboo before. I recall John Devore used bamboo for some of his speakers.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,285 posts
 
@glennewdick, I wasn't aware there was such a thing as bamboo plywood. That is VERY interesting! The appeal of Baltic Birch ply to me lies more in it's very thin and numerous plies than it's being made of birch wood. I believe bamboo is a harder wood than birch, so it may make for an even better material structurally. I'm going back to the hardwood store tomorrow afternoon, so I'll see if they are selling 13-ply bamboo plywood. Thanks for the tip!
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