Many people inquire about creating vacuum platters for their Technics SP10s. Thanks to our friends at Phonolab in Australia, here are some simple instructions to achieve this, using tools you likely have at home.
Step 1: Modify the Centre Spindle for Air Flow
- Remove the Rubber Mat: Take off the rubber mat from the turntable.
- Mark the Spindle: Mark the side of the spindle where the air will flow, aligning it with your rubber mat.
- Remove the Spindle: Remove the spindle from the turntable bearing (there are plenty of guides online for this process).
- Drill the Spindle: Drill a hole down the centre of the spindle, with an exit at a right angle where you marked it. For precise drilling, sand or grind the end of the spindle to create a flat edge. To drill straight, a reasonably priced drill press can be very useful for this task.
Step 2: Create Channels in the Mat
- Channel Creation: Create channels in your mat to align with the hole in the spindle for air passage. You can do this by:
- Carving by hand with appropriate tools.
- Using a router for a rubber mat.
- Using a CO2 laser for neat channels on a acrylic/silicone mat.
Another method is to make channels in the underside of your mat with holes going through to the top to hold the disc, rather than the channels on the top side.
Step 3: Attach the Vacuum Tube
- Vacuum Tube Attachment: Create a vacuum tube coming from your chipjar with a right-angle attachment to connect to the spindle. Phonolab have 3d print files for adapters if needed.
Phonolab are still experimenting with the best DIY solutions for the vacuum platter, but these steps provide a solid starting point. Get experimenting!
Note: If you have access to a metal worker, you could replace your rubber mat with a metal piece which has the channels machined, this would likely give the best result due to inaccuracies in the surface level of rubber/silicone mats.
Huge thanks to Justin and Dan for this info and check our their new automatic cutting unit for the Vinyl Recorder with decoupled motor and automatic head lift!
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