Cutting Depth

Topics regarding professional record cutting.

Moderators: piaptk, tragwag, Steve E., Aussie0zborn

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Audiofiligram
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Location: Germany

Cutting Depth

Post: # 26600Unread post Audiofiligram
Thu Aug 01, 2013 10:52 am

Hi everybody,

i´m using the vinyl dubcutter with sc-99 cutting head and vinylium mechanics and sp 10 turntable for cutting
in pc , i would like to know how i can find out if i´m cutting @ right depth , i don´t want to cut to deep
i could break the diamond , i don´t know, any suggestions ?

cheers

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tragwag
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Re: Cutting Depth

Post: # 26601Unread post tragwag
Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:56 am

find a microscope if you can, and inspect grooves of records you know to track well and contain similar program material to what you're cutting.
Even if you can't find a microscope, I've had fair results with just using my eye, and a turntable with no weight on the arm, to make sure the depth is enough.
I have not used your system, or cut poly with a diamond, but I do know if you're cutting a groove that tracks on a light weighted TT, you're cutting deep enough. If you happen to get a microscope, you can inspect the grooves for any collisions. If grooves were colliding, you would also hear artifacts/not be able to track your cut either.

best of luck!
making lathe cuts on a Presto 6N, HIFI stereo cuts on vinylrecorder
at Audio Geography Studios, Providence, RI USA
http://www.audiogeography.com

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Dub Bull
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Re: Cutting Depth

Post: # 27615Unread post Dub Bull
Wed Nov 06, 2013 8:56 pm

Get yerself a microscope and behold what you are (not) leaving behind. Even if you're strictly impressing, it's a microgroove cutter, after all. Even coarse grooves of 10 mil width and 110 included angle needed microscopy. A monoscope with reticle of known spacings is adequate, and a tv camera projection is unnecessary unless you have a bad back. (;

Also, just so the curious will not be confused, when we say depth, we always mean width. (When we say plating, we always mean forming. When we say embossing we always mean impressing. When we say mastering, we really mean grandmothering...since the negative mold first struck from the lacquer is a father... and the lacquer - even the poly dub - she has grooves rather than elevations...)

Depth is somewhat academic since it is hard to measure directly, and it would take a very wide groove to pearl a jewel. It would have to be a 14 mil width to do this with a Transco (90 degrees included angle) jewel to an Apollo, for example - unfortunately, it's not impossible, however, since the vertex of the jewel (the height of the upside-down triangle) is approximately 19 mils.

The depth is immediately knowable from the width across the top of the cut. How? Because the depth of a microgroove stylus is always 1/2 the width. Cutters always defer to the biggest available number (See Disc Diameter ruler, which is a ruler which shows full inches for every 1/2-inch of radius).

Hosanna in the highest,
Father Jose'

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philbrown
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Re: Cutting Depth

Post: # 28189Unread post philbrown
Sun Dec 22, 2013 6:34 pm

[quote="Dub Bull"]Get yerself a microscope and behold what you are (not) leaving behind. Even if you're strictly impressing, it's a microgroove cutter, after all. Even coarse grooves of 10 mil width and 110 included angle needed microscopy. A monoscope with reticle of known spacings is adequate, and a tv camera projection is unnecessary unless you have a bad back. (;

Leitz used to make one.

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