DIY Armboard

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Andrew
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DIY Armboard

Unread post by Andrew »

I'm going to have to make a couple of armboards so I thought I'd seek ideas and advice. I know there's been talk of carbon fibre/balsa sandwich armboards amongst other things on here recently, so I'm hoping others know more than I do here. I'm going to have to cut out an SME slot, albeit with different geometry. I also need one armboard to be circular and one oblong so I might need to use a material that's easy to work.

I have a router but it's a cheapie. My dremel broke but I dont mind buying a new one if i need to in order to make an armboard. I dont have a lathe but I do have a pillar drill.

MDF is an obvious contender but is there a better material?

Can anyone offer the benefit of their experience?

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guydarryl
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Re: DIY Armboard

Unread post by guydarryl »

Hi Andrew,

I think that "Alfi" - has posted on here a few times - has some experience with armboards from memory. It may be worth a pm to him, he is a good chap/enthusiast.

Hope you don't mind Alfi. Regards. Guy
LP12, Ittok, DV10X5, Phono2(twin supply), P50SA , Art Audio Quintet, LS5, SSC, Rega Ela mk1
Sony cdp xb930, Alessandro ms1

Andrew
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Re: DIY Armboard

Unread post by Andrew »

Cheers, Guy. Much appreciated. My first attempts at anything always seem poor. Once I have a bit of experience, I usually do an OK job. I guess I'm hoping that the benefit of other people's experience will save me doing it twice. I wish all arms were like the old Rega single hole cutout. The SME shape, allied to weird geometry is a right royal PITA

Daniel Quinn
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Re: DIY Armboard

Unread post by Daniel Quinn »

I made mine from a carbon fibre and end grain balsa sandwhich , I nicked this idea from pink triangle/funk firm

Andrew
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Re: DIY Armboard

Unread post by Andrew »

I'd love to know more about that one. Can you point me in the direction of any info? I've seen carbon fibre on How it's Made, where they coat it with resin to make it stiff. Is that what you did?

Balsa is easy to work but what about CF? Would a router be ok to do the cutout or would I cut that before stiffening? I'm clueless I'm afraid :D

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Oldpinkman
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Re: DIY Armboard

Unread post by Oldpinkman »

Oh boy - where do we start?

You can buy rigid sheet - http://www.carbonmods.co.uk/Products/Pr ... MFSRG.aspx
A sandwich with balsa is pretty easy to create.
What to make it from depends on what you are trying to achieve. MDF is, in most cases, a fairly unlikely candidate. Rigidity is a key property. Current thinking for my PT mods will probably be an aerolam/balsa sandwich. Aerolam is not the easiest material to work with if you have no experience. Straight carbon fibre was very effective for the funk arms on the much loved (on AOS)technics 1200.
MY PT currently has aluminium.
Which arm? Which TT? I'll ask a man who knows :)
Not Funk Firms paid marketing department - but friend of Arthur K's and ex-Pink Triangle.

Open minded, but always right

Andrew
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Re: DIY Armboard

Unread post by Andrew »

Cheers, Richard.

I'll also have a look on EBAY for some rigid sheet. I really do like what I've heard from Balsa when I've used for isolation, so I think it's a good choice with CF. I just hope the arm is worth the bother.

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Oldpinkman
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Re: DIY Armboard

Unread post by Oldpinkman »

Sure andrew

Just remember there's more to life than damping and isolation. In the case of the PT the armboard is designed to transmit the energy into the subchassis. Rigidity is almost certainly important too. Which arm are you going to all the bother for?
Not Funk Firms paid marketing department - but friend of Arthur K's and ex-Pink Triangle.

Open minded, but always right

Andrew
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Re: DIY Armboard

Unread post by Andrew »

It's a Helius Orion. I heard one on a Voyd many years ago and it was a very special sound. I've not seen it yet, as it's still in transit, but it's meant to be mint and it apparently has the more expensive cable option.

I'm pretty clueless about the arm other than liking the sound when I heard it. I think it's meant to be good on a Pink too.

jammy395
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Re: DIY Armboard

Unread post by jammy395 »

"WOOD IS GOOD"

Mahogony to hard - Balsa to soft...... :think:

Mahalsa...!!! :lol:

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