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Building high-end 'tables cheap at Home Despot II

“For those who want the moon but can't afford it or those who can afford it but like to have fun and work with their hands, I'm willing to give out a recipe for a true high-end 'table which is easy to do, and fun to make as sky's the limit on design/creativity! The cost of materials, including 'table, is roughly $200 (depending, more or less), and add to that a Rega tonearm. The results are astonishing. I'll even tell/show you how to make chipboard look like marble and fool and impress all your friends. If there's interest I'll get on with this project, if not, I'll just continue making them in my basement. The next one I make will have a Corian top and have a zebra stripe pattern! Fun! Any takers?”

The Lead in “Da Thread” as posted by Johnnantais - 2-01-04

Let the saga continue. Sail on, oh ships of Lenco!
mario_b
jlin
57 posts
 
I have to say that 4yanx has been probably the most innovative plinth makers on the old thread, as well as having some of the most gorgeous craftsmanship. Probably the first to have really heavy plinths, the first to have the arm mounted on a separate "tower" connected to the turntable by a base, also I believe the first to carve up the top-plate into a different form depending on the overall design. Wish I had saved some more of his posts, but who knew! A bit fancy for my taste, but it would be nice if he could add a link to some of his work before taking his leave, it would give lots of ideas for some of the more ambitious future builders.

On the other hand, Jean's basic stuff is just the thing for those like myself who barely know one end of the drill from the other and want a good reliable design to build with minimum fuss. I think there's room for both in this thread.
reinderspeter
22 posts
 
Come on guys!
Who cares who did what first or second. What is important is the collective work of everybody on Da Thread, the inspiration provoked by other peoples experiments. This has led to results non of us would have reached alone.
And it goes without saying that if Jean would not have started this quest there would have been nothing to report in the first place.

I will continue on this journey and post my results, all of you please do the same.
fishwinker
9 posts
 
Well, I couldn't get rid of the hum from the motor, but I tried it out anyway, and WOW!!! Coming from an old Rega P2 with a band well past its best-before-date, the difference is startling. I'm now checking ebay for spare motors or maybe even complete TTs (I think I might be putting one together for my father, sister, girlfriend...)

Many thanks, and long may idlers continue!
justubes
47 posts
 
Is the LENCO L85IC a candidate for Jean Natias' Lenco Phenomenon??
mario_b OP
147 posts
 

Hi Justubes,

According to LencoLand this turntable is belt-driven with a lightweight, stamped platter and a good deal of automation - perhaps, not a good candidate for "the conversion".

That said, if this turntable is already in your possession, it might be worth a closer analytical look in seeing what can be done to improve on it.

Would the motor's flywheel be convertible to channel a nylon thread? Is there room underneath the platter for adding a bit of symmetrical weighting/dampning?

If so, and you're willing to work on it, this might turn out to be decent retriever.

If I'm not mistaken, the IC denotes a much improved tonearm - an S-shaped tube with an SME (non-detachable) headshell - a gimbled "modern" looking affair.

There are so many CD players in need of replacement out there, that any analog orphan can find a deserving home.
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