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Post by rexton on Mar 13, 2021 22:03:29 GMT
Hi everyone, you've probably seen many of my posts in the past where I've modified and restored turntables. I've done many including Garrards 301, Thorens, Technics, Lenco's and quite a few others. Well after being pushed and prodded by a few forum members I've decided to offer my services by opening a website offering spare parts and modifications to these classic decks. The website is still in the ether but I will use this space which has been kindly offered to me by Oli to advertise and detail future products. I intend to offer good quality spare parts and sensible modifications at realistic prices. So, hopefully I'll be able to help and serve some of you in the future.
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,070
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 13, 2021 22:11:59 GMT
Welcome to the Trade section, Andy. I like to see proper enthusiasts take the next step and convert their experience into services that other could call upon. Dont forget to add some contact details in your trade space. I found contact comes from all places and we have a lot of guest readers here, so they need a way to get in touch. Good luck with it all, and should i end up with a Garrard or a Lenco, I'll know who to call! Looking forward to seeing the work you do and if you need anything, give me a shout. Feel free to delete this message when the time suits
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 14, 2021 6:16:55 GMT
Nice one, Andy. Good luck with the venture.
How about some pics to show what it's all about?
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Post by rexton on Mar 14, 2021 7:34:16 GMT
Nice one, Andy. Good luck with the venture. How about some pics to show what it's all about? OK Jerry, I'm just in the middle of a Thorens TD160 tear down, refurb and upgrade to Super status.
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Post by sq225917 on Mar 14, 2021 16:40:59 GMT
Excellent news Andy. Give me a shout when you get the site up I'll run it through Semrush at work
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Post by rexton on Mar 14, 2021 20:37:20 GMT
Excellent news Andy. Give me a shout when you get the site up I'll run it through Semrush at work
Thanks Si, that's just simply wonderful, thanks.
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Post by brian2957 on Mar 14, 2021 21:00:27 GMT
Aye, good luck Andrew
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Post by rexton on Mar 14, 2021 21:16:54 GMT
Latest project.. Thorens TD160 updated to Super "Reference" status Firstly, tear the whole thing down...
Top plate looking very scruffy, so a clean down in preparation for new whole gloss shine top cover.
and after a clean
Top plate damped, partly chased out to receive nuts, bolts, screw etc.
Finally new springs, grommets, and washer set.
More tomorrow.
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Post by antonio on Mar 14, 2021 23:42:35 GMT
Good luck Andy in your new venture
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Post by rexton on Mar 15, 2021 18:57:53 GMT
Good luck Andy in your new venture Thanks mate!
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Post by gninnam on Mar 15, 2021 20:31:56 GMT
Good luck Andy in your new venture Same from me
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Post by rexton on Mar 15, 2021 21:03:19 GMT
Good luck Andy in your new venture Same from me Thanks again!
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Post by rexton on Mar 15, 2021 21:03:35 GMT
Another night another update.. These little decks continue to amaze me and the more you work on them the more you learn. Each little section of this deck has it's own idiosyncrasy. Bolts! Who'd have thought bolts could cause such a furore? Well in this instance they happen to be the most important component of this deck's design in that they help hold the suspended chassis and the isolation springs. It appears Thorens in their infinite wisdom altered the length of these bolts from time to time alongside spring length and it appear each version of the 160 had differing lengths. SO, NEVER EVER FORGET WHERE YOUR BOLT CAME FROM!! I have three differing length bolts, the shortest being nearest the tonearm whilst the others get longer as you approach the front of the deck. So now a couple of pictures I fully chased out the damping material and counter sunk every screw hole in the top plate. I also partially populated the top plate with the three suspension bolts and half the speed changing mechanism. The three mounting bolts were ultrasonically cleaned and the buffed on the bench polisher in the workshop. The suspension bolt head now have a mirror finish which will match the top plate cover when it arrives. Little details like this matter and it helps my OCD knowing it's been done.
Now have a look at this rats nest...
Lots of work to be done with the wiring. It'll all be rewired with decent copper wiring rather the tinned copper stuff that Thorens used back in the 70's. The decks relies on x2 caps for the motor phase shift and Switch suppressor and x1 resistor for voltage dropping. I've not measured the tolerance or if they've drifted, that's a another job for another day. They will all be replaced with tight tolerance replacements. Let's see how this improves the deck. So it looks like a smaller order to hifi collective for these. As ever stay tuned.....
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Post by rexton on Mar 18, 2021 21:17:34 GMT
My cork arrived today so I immediately got on with making a template so that I could damp the underside of the suspended chassis. And here is what it looks like. I've partly re-assembled the 160 so I have some room in my listening room. I also made a new base board and added damping. The 160 is now getting a little meaty.. And finally the deck together so you can get some idea of what it looks like at the moment. The plinth and mat are not staying. The baseboard, and sub-chassis damping will eventually be produced by myself and available from the website when I write it. I also decided tonight to make a custom set of suspension mounting bolts, that's tomorrow's work! This new set of suspension mounting bolts should be able to take any set of Thorens Springs be they Audio Nirvana, original Thoren's or any other you care to mention. Stay tuned
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Post by antonio on Mar 19, 2021 0:36:24 GMT
What is wrong with the plinth?
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Post by rexton on Mar 19, 2021 7:02:56 GMT
What is wrong with the plinth? Nothing! It's a perfectly good plinth but it's not what the owner of the TT wants!!!
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Post by rexton on Mar 28, 2021 20:32:42 GMT
I've posted a couple of Videos over on www.facebook.com/Wakefieldaudio she's 90% finished with a few little things to do. I could always do with some more facebook followers, or likes...
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,070
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 28, 2021 21:29:31 GMT
I've posted a couple of Videos over on www.facebook.com/Wakefieldaudio she's 90% finished with a few little things to do. I could always do with some more facebook followers, or likes... I listened carefully......sounded silent to me! Lovely work.
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Post by rexton on Mar 28, 2021 21:33:19 GMT
Thanks Oli, that unit had the dreaded Thoren's Knock. I managed to sort it. I've now been asked to do another Thorens TD160 and I've a Lenco GL75 project on the horizon. Happy times. I love messing around with decks.
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Post by rexton on Mar 30, 2021 20:58:23 GMT
New Lenco 75 project on it's way. This will be my 5th GL75 rebuild. I love working on these decks.
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,070
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 31, 2021 8:10:50 GMT
New Lenco 75 project on it's way. This will be my 5th GL75 rebuild. I love working on these decks. Anything custom happening on the L75? I like to see them with a nice plinth.
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Post by rexton on Mar 31, 2021 19:05:54 GMT
Dunno yet I hope to pick it up tomorrow and see what I'm up against. I'll be selling this unit when it's finished.
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Post by rexton on Apr 3, 2021 16:29:56 GMT
It's arrived, and so it begins.....
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Post by rexton on Apr 4, 2021 20:32:12 GMT
Pt I - Lets get the party started. So the deck arrived and I decided to start on the bearing. Here's what I did. This is a list of things that I offer when I do bearing refurbishments for customers. Completely dismantling the bearing. Cleaning old oil from the intrinsic shaft of the bearing and then cleaned out. Thrust plate examination and replacement (if needed) Spindle cleaned and polished (removes old oil and scratches). Ball bearing checked and polished or replaced if needed. Mounting screws ultrasonically cleaned and hand polished. Bearing housing ultrasonically cleaned. Bearing housing professionally polished. New oil change with our specially formulated oil. Replacement felt oil "O" ring (if needed). So, here's what it looked like. And after it got stripped down. And then the components got a 24 hour soak in our special oil that we had formulated. I polished the spindle and the bearing housing. Bearing now completely assembled and ready for another 45 years! The deck was in a sorry state. It needs for new mounting bolts. These are 20 minutes work to make, not difficult. It does indeed spin. I had to rewire the motor and get rid of the dodgy wiring but everything turns. The motor is very quiet which is a bonus but it will still get a service when the time comes. The platter was scratched to hell, it's had a first run polish but still needs some work. Stay tuned..
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,070
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 4, 2021 20:37:47 GMT
Pt I - Lets get the party started. So the deck arrived and I decided to start on the bearing. Here's what I did. This is a list of things that I offer when I do bearing refurbishments for customers. Completely dismantling the bearing. Cleaning old oil from the intrinsic shaft of the bearing and then cleaned out. Thrust plate examination and replacement (if needed) Spindle cleaned and polished (removes old oil and scratches). Ball bearing checked and polished or replaced if needed. Mounting screws ultrasonically cleaned and hand polished. Bearing housing ultrasonically cleaned. Bearing housing professionally polished. New oil change with our specially formulated oil. Replacement felt oil "O" ring (if needed). So, here's what it looked like. And after it got stripped down. And then the components got a 24 hour soak in our special oil that we had formulated. I polished the spindle and the bearing housing. Bearing now completely assembled and ready for another 45 years! The deck was in a sorry state. It needs for new mounting bolts. These are 20 minutes work to make, not difficult. It does indeed spin. I had to rewire the motor and get rid of the dodgy wiring but everything turns. The motor is very quiet which is a bonus but it will still get a service when the time comes. The platter was scratched to hell, it's had a first run polish but still needs some work. Stay tuned.. That looks brand new!
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Post by rexton on Apr 4, 2021 20:44:43 GMT
Yeah it took two hours to get it to that status.
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Post by rexton on Apr 5, 2021 20:35:09 GMT
I lot more work on the deck today. I completely stripped the Lenco down to it's top chassis. Everything has been separated ready for re-installation when the time comes. The paintwork was too far gone for a gentle refurbishment so I've started to strip this off which will probably take a couple of 2 hour sessions. I've noticed some corrosion under where the platter sits but hopefully this will be removed with some wet and dry. I've also removed the faceplate, again too far gone for salvage. I'm also going to fill in some of the chassis where the old tone arm lived but I'm leaving the original hole so that the future purchasers of this deck can install something of there own choice. The Lenco is versatile in that it will happily accept more Jelco, some older Linn and Ortofon arms. The platter mat got refurbished as well, it now looks mint, just like the bearing. Hopefully the deck will be fully stripped in the next couple of days. I think I'm going to do a midnight black paint job. I post some more pictures tomorrow. Stay tuned...
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Post by antonio on Apr 6, 2021 3:58:24 GMT
Nice work on that bearing, as Bigman says 'looks like new'.
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,070
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 6, 2021 7:09:49 GMT
I lot more work on the deck today. I completely stripped the Lenco down to it's top chassis. Everything has been separated ready for re-installation when the time comes. The paintwork was too far gone for a gentle refurbishment so I've started to strip this off which will probably take a couple of 2 hour sessions. I've noticed some corrosion under where the platter sits but hopefully this will be removed with some wet and dry. I've also removed the faceplate, again too far gone for salvage. I'm also going to fill in some of the chassis where the old tone arm lived but I'm leaving the original hole so that the future purchasers of this deck can install something of there own choice. The Lenco is versatile in that it will happily accept more Jelco, some older Linn and Ortofon arms. The platter mat got refurbished as well, it now looks mint, just like the bearing. Hopefully the deck will be fully stripped in the next couple of days. I think I'm going to do a midnight black paint job. I post some more pictures tomorrow. Stay tuned... The Ortofon 212 arm was sought after for these as a drop in replacement IIRC. This threat is making me think a little GL75 refurb should be on everyone's to do list.
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Post by misterc on Apr 6, 2021 8:02:49 GMT
Andrew
You could save your shelf some work here, I would look at purchasing an ultrasonic cleaner for the TT parts, we have been using them for 20 years or so to thoroughly clean the Oracle's. The only difference is the bath's have got more impressive and the cost has dropped.
They are around couple of hundred £ for medium 12 liter tank, it also makes for a professional end result
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