Hi - going D.I.Y

[Dogtemple]

Hello

im from the UK, Brighton and have been reading loads on this forum and elsewhere about making a record.

after seeing this documentary (skip to 9.15 for the record cutting) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgAD0K_Jn6I&feature=related

i got to thinking about knocking out some of my own. im not going for audiophile quality here, home brew made in a shed type quality is what im after, lofi.

also doing it on a minimum budget and from bits and pieces in the garage and the like. buying a lathe isnt an option yet.

i have seen the cd cutting on the youtube and thats the direction im going in, since the results seem to be so good. this one for example - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1I3Gi3X3HU&feature=related


i have in mind the linear head mechanism and the cutting stylus. what im not sure is worth doing is to heat the needle, heat the record to be cut, do both or do neither?

what i thought would be to heat the needle with a temp adjustable soldering iron to a point below what would melt the plastic (experimentation required obviously) and/or use a powerful lightbulb over the record.



any input on that would be great. im going to try get the build right first time, do the research, measure twice, cut once etc.

so anyway just saying hi, ill probably ask a few more questions, post pics and read loads more/

thanks!

Andy

[opcode66]

Welcome to the board. Best of luck on your endeavors. Presto you are now a Troll.

[d]

Hey,

welcome!

There is a couple of us that are going DIY.
As for me - still haven't got good results but in time if it will be good enough I will put here some pics and sample cuts ....

good luck on your cutter

[Angus McCarthy]

Do you plan to emboss or actually cut? So far I've had most luck emobssing with my DIY setup.

I did cheat with mine, though. After the head I built proved to be worthless above 200hz I went and bought a NOS Astatic head.

[Dogtemple]

i guess it would be embossing more so. the speaker + nail + cd sort of thing only with a little more thought and development.

[d]

I can tell that a good cutter can be done looking at the pictures of a neumann sx or westrex heads... also souri's cutter which is more simple to build.

This needs a little of metal lathe, milling drillinf and welding
Really I am trying some stuff with a help of a friend who have the tools for any needed operation. If I will come any time with some sort of better results than now I will introduce it here.

So far I have done a hybrid of souris - neumann head that has a lot of shortages. All done by hand tools so not very precise and therefore i am not getting decent results. At the moment I get 7khz top.

[JayDC]

sounds interesting, your doing stereo correct?

[d]

yep, stereo 45/45 system.

Understood one thing that when building such thing there are a lot of things to understand. I am not that person who reads a lot and after some time tries to put it in work. I see, then think a little and doing. Then comes a lot of errors, then I am trying to fix it in a better way.

After doing some of experimentation with the cutter I understand things differently when I am reading about it.

Got experience and will try to make another one from scratch. There is a little problem - do not have enough time for it

[Dogtemple]

yeah i understand that, i learn from doing too but equally i have learnt a lot just through reading this forum and looking on youtube.

once ive figured it out ill get on to it and build!

end of the day im not looking for exceptional quality, just something which is usable.


im all ears for how these things work and ideas etc