Tracking Force Gauges

Opalchip said:
"BTW - in my own experience, subtle changes in antiskate have a larger effect on sonics than equally subtle changes in VTF. Everyone's different, but I need about two tenths of a gram change in VTF to hear a really significant change, while less than a 1/10 gm. change in A.S. can make a huge difference to me."

Opalchip, I have found slight changes in VTF to have a very worthwhile effect, but I actually wonder if I'm not adjusting VTF to sync with a particular antiskate setting. The former obviously influences the later, and VTF is usually adjustable in much finer increments.
I find myself setting suitable AS first, then dialling in VTF to lock in the sound. If AS is adjusted, then VTF must be fine tuned again.
IMO a single best VTF for all AS settings doesn't exist.

ALL,

Key question. Does the $95 gauge have a magnetic surface that the stylus would be positioned on? Will the magnet in a cartridge affect the accuracy of the reading with this gauge?

Aoliviero, the surface that is used to rest the stylus on is non-magnetic genuine stainless steel. It also has a thin plastic or nylon type pad with a bull's eye glued to the recessed center of the scale's metal pad. This "landing zone" is slightly concave. I guess this is there to help center the stylus and give more consistent readings as well as potect the stylus. If you place the stylus on the bull's eye, your stylus has no where to move but up hill. While this unit is built to a price point, it is also well thought out. It has nine felt feet on the bottom to protect your platter, you can turn the readout light on or off and the scale pad has a built in cover to keep the dust off the LZ to help keep your little diamond clean. It comes with a 5 gram test weight, three batteries, a vinyl case and you can calibrate the readout. Unlike many gadgets in our beloved hobby, this one has real bang for the buck.

I said the gauge comes with (there are several jokes here but I better leave it alone) three batteries when in fact it comes with four thin watch type batteries. It uses two batteries at a time so you have a spare set. I guess battery life is still an unknown at this time.

Vetterone,

I wonder if they are using a 310 or 316 grade of SS. Below is some background of magnetic properties of stainless steels. I have one on order and will check this with a magnet.

Background

Magnetic permeability is the ability of a material to carry magnetism, indicated by the degree to which it is attracted to a magnet. All stainless steels, with the exception of the austenitic group, are strongly attracted to a magnet.

Austenitic Grades

All austenitic grades (300 series) have very low magnetic permeabilities and hence show almost no response to a magnet when in the annealed condition; the situation is, however, far less clear when these steels have been cold worked by wire drawing, rolling or even centreless grinding, shot blasting or heavy polishing. After substantial cold working Grade 304 may exhibit quite strong response to a magnet, whereas Grades 310 and 316 will in most instances still be almost totally non-responsive.

The change in magnetic response is due to atomic lattice straining and formation of martensite. In general, the higher the nickel to chromium ratio the more stable is the austenitic structure and the less magnetic response that will be induced by cold work. Magnetic response can therefore be used as a method for sorting grades of stainless steel, but considerable caution needs to be exercised.

Andrew