Marathon for the development of a DIY cutter in 20 days (and the opening of the first record cutting service in Ukraine)

[diy_cutter]

Today we have assembled the third version of our stereo head. She's on twitter, VR-inspired gimbal, head model by grooveguy, but modified by us in length and speaker and gimbals mounting design. We also received polishing stones for cutting (a set of 8 stones of different abrasiveness up to 0/0.25 microns). The price is about 500 euros. Made in Ukraine! We also purchased sets of pastes to prepare stones for work. We will make the rest ourselves. I will leave photos and sound files, we also made a YouTube channel - there will be videos.

Let me remind you that all our incisors were damaged and this became a problem. We did not cut them, but embossed them (turning them 180 degrees). We also made our embossing tools from tungsten welding electrodes. They showed a good result, but before the arrival of a set of diamond abrasives, our stones were within 5 microns. In addition, welding electrodes tend to exfoliate. But the overall naturalness of the sound was very good.

On the new head (let's call it the third version), we first used an equalizer, but made for recordings from the second head, which is not entirely correct. However, we got a significant improvement in sound quality.

The equalization process, in my opinion, is very incompletely disclosed on our favorite forum. A little later I will shoot a video for beginners (like us) how to do it. Now many questions can be answered by ChatGPT)))! We used the FabFilter Pro-Q3 and also applied the FabFilter Pro-DS de-esser. Also, ideally, you want to reduce all low frequencies up to 500Hz to mono.

So, good luck everyone! Follow our progress!

[diy_cutter]

This is one of the first emboss test cut without EQ on stereohead V2 with VibroSpeakers full printed on 3D with Broken Ruby Stylus on polycarbonate.

https://soundcloud.com/diy_cutter/testcut24032023_ruby_emboss_po/s-u7bxN1xoOXr

[farmersplow]

The sounds are incredibly good for the very short production time. The sound has volume. With the appropriate EQ, a good sound can arise even in the currently still weak frequency ranges. The silent cut still needs some attention. Only the stereo effect I could not recognize, which may be due to the music selection, or the embossing.
Overall so far already a good success!
Continue!!!

[diy_cutter]

Overall so far already a good success!
Continue!!!

Thanks for your feedback - it's inspiring! Today's recording, on a head not fully assembled. We make it collapsible, on threads and clamps. The threads, of course, during the final assembly will be assembled on a red lock))

Test Emboss on StereoHead V3 with broken Sapphire Stylus with EQ (from V2), from records removed jumps, adjusted the level and height on the go. Polycarbonate made in Ukaraine Clear 2 mm. Without heating.

https://on.soundcloud.com/gKHVZTk1XHaig2sV8

[diy_cutter]

In the process of assembling the V3 head, one of the aluminum cones broke, and we stopped until Monday 04/03/2023 to fix everything. At this time, some of the equipment for cutting came to us. Two large cast iron plates, a quadrant and collets for attaching styluses. We also expect abrasive discs. And some photos of our styluses, which show damage quite clearly. Let me remind you that the Ruby is an old Soviet stylus (bought from an old man who worked at Melodiya, the only Soviet company that produced records), the sapphire stylus is an original Presto, bought new 10 years ago on eBay. Also in the photo there can be a stylus sharpened by us from a 0.5 mm tungsten electrode for embossing.

[diy_cutter]

We continue our experiments

We had to open one of the tweeters and restore it. We completely reassembled the head and tried to cut it with a sharpened ruby ​​on PETG. It was very noisy, we didn't do the heating. At the same time, embossing through the spread of the ruby ​​gave a minimum of noise, but also a minimum of stereo. We're still working on equalization. We also took a great interest in cutting and sharpening. We made our own tungsten carbide embossing stylus, based on a plotter knife (I bought them more than 10 years ago for the first experiments). We sharpened it as the respected EposLab does, but slightly changed the angles (90 * 22.5). The cutter itself was reduced in diameter to 0.7 mm and placed in a duralumin rig. The result was not impressive, perhaps they did not guess with the angles of the incisor position.

[diy_cutter]

Forgot. Tonight my colleague decided to dampen our head. Tomorrow we will remove the excess polyurethane and check!

He sent me a photo of what it looks like now! I hope it's dry until tomorrow.

[diy_cutter]

As you understand from the previous photo - the head covered with polyurethane - "did not play as it should", or rather, did not start recording better.

Sorry for the long break in messages. Those who have children will understand me. My wife got sick and I was constantly with our children. But our research continued (even without me).


So my wife is already better and I'm back in touch!

We made some conclusions and decided to change something. We printed several variants of heads, but they are not worth attention. About the rest in the evening, with photos. We are also waiting for some parts and tools. I must say right away that we decided to make our own diamond cutter. Too ambitious? Friends gave us a 17-carat artificial diamond. We cut it into blanks and make a stylus. We also made a tungsten carbide stylus, sharpening it we got a very low quality signal. At the same time, the stylus made of ordinary tungsten played pretty well.

We returned to our head of the second version and change some of the parts to metal ones.

[diy_cutter]

Today I participated a little in the process of working on our future lathe. So we made a torque tube from aluminum and a V-spring from spring steel from a stencil (we have a lot of it, we order a lot of electronic boards). In this version, we made the stylus mount at an angle for embossing. Later we will make a straight 90-degree cutting mount. As a stylus - a tungsten cutter. We are also working on an oil damper. We're way behind schedule, so we'll speed up right after the holidays.

[budharpey]

nice lathe work!

[diy_cutter]

Well, today - April 18, 2023, we finally achieved a significant result! Surface noise is still significant, but we'll deal with it later. Tomorrow we will start making the second version of the suspension. To do this, we will assemble a new design. We have two more linear drives.

Just yesterday I was frustrated by the unsatisfactory results of our experiments... And here's a good tip for you - CHECK all connections and settings! As it turned out, on the QSC GX3 amplifier, which we bought from our hands, there is a switch with two positions - a crossover (cutting) of the left channel above 100Hz, and the right one - vice versa and FULL RANGE. After the purchase, we did not look at the position of this switch and immediately brought the wires to our cutting head (more precisely, cutting heads) and got disgusting results, because. One channel didn't work for us. For almost a month (!!!) we could not understand the reasons, we began to make other options. So we found out yesterday.

usilitel-moshchnosti-qsc-gx3-original-95-4.jpg

Do you know on which head we got quite good results? On the same "flooded" sealant

photo_2023-04-19_01-03-47.jpg

photo_2023-04-19_01-03-52.jpg

Digitized on EMU 1212 on a tangential Sony PS-X555ES, head Ortofon Red.

photo_2023-04-19_01-07-42.jpg

Below I am attaching a link to the digitization file. Listen in full, as I gradually added a level until the paths began to intersect. Let me remind you that this is not cutting, this is embossing. The stylus is sapphire. Plastic - black Borrex polycarbonate. Soundcloud is not skipping a track due to copyright. So I post it here in MP3.

testcut18042023_sapph_emboss_polyblack_borrex_v3_YEAH!!!.mp3

in FLAC on my Google Drive
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BiRvy3p4sY4NMtkwk3nzvvfTbKDKqquq/view?usp=sharing

[tragwag]

those are incredible results for embossing, the clarity of the head sounds great!

[farmersplow]

Top result for embedding! Reduce a little bit the high frequencies with EQ and find a way to reduce the "silent noise" and you are very near to cutting! My respect for the work and the result!

[diy_cutter]

tragwag
farmersplow
Thanks guys! Your feedback is very important to us! Your experience and posts on the forum have given me a lot of useful things!

A few more PETG embossings with the same head but with our tungsten carbide re-sharpened stylus, heating was also applied a little (photo from the thermal imager is attached). I still have to experiment with the equalizer.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lDbZWksKuORg2TF-cf_Jx2hqM2aqfeZG/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lQp_RgxmpXmzR4ymX_LsL6girU9ayKy6/view?usp=drivesdk

[diy_cutter]

Hello everyone, we continue to work, but there is nothing to show yet. We are redesigning our cutter a bit. We also receive various equipment that we ordered earlier. So, as I said, we are experimenting with styluses. We were given an artificial diamond of almost 16 carats and we will make styluses out of it. Now we are setting up the equipment and a little later I will show the results.

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Due to all these delays, we again postponed the official opening of our project to 05/25/2023. This may not be the last transfer, but I feel that we are on the right track!

We also purchased a specialized microscope for precision control of ophthalmic knives from Alcon. It was created just in time to test diamond and sapphire knives for eye surgery. I hope he will become our assistant in cutting.

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One more thing... Of course, we would like to buy ready-made styluses (and not only), but it is difficult to order to our country because of the war.

[diy_cutter]

Sorry for the silence. For various reasons, I had to be temporarily absent. So, we have moved towards experiments with diamonds. We managed to get a few more uncut stones. We got the first results, but we haven't cut yet. I am attaching a few photos with unsharpened blanks and sharpened, but not yet polished.

[farmersplow]

The decision to make diamond gravers yourself is fantastic! Anyone else would already give up at this point. What you and your team create here is extraordinary and impressive. It leaves me speechless. And the result already looks very promising. From this project there are always new further developments.
Congratulations and keep it up!

Greetings from Austria
(I am with you)
Thomas

[diy_cutter]

Hi all 🫡. I would like to check in and inform you that we are returning to the active phase of work on our cutter. In the coming month, I will again be happy to share our results. The reason for our absence is banal - war. We had to change plans dramatically and only now have we found the opportunity to continue.

P.S.: I see that many trolls are showing significant progress in their experiments. Keep it up !

[farmersplow]

Hello Eugene, it's so nice that you can come back. I follow the situation in Ukraine every day and thought it would be difficult for you to continue. It's all the better to see you back at work. I am looking forward to seeing the next steps of your project.
All the best and
greetings from Austria
Thomas

[Alfred]

Hi all 🫡. I would like to check in and inform you that we are returning to the active phase of work on our cutter. In the coming month, I will again be happy to share our results. The reason for our absence is banal - war. We had to change plans dramatically and only now have we found the opportunity to continue.

P.S.: I see that many trolls are showing significant progress in their experiments. Keep it up !

Hi Eugene,
all unconditional support to the people of Ukraine in this undesirable war.
It's good to hear from you here again. Excited to know the evolution of your projects.
Cheers from Barcelona, Alfred