Hello from Pittsburgh, Helping kids understand vinyl...

[slbradio]

Hi! Thanks for welcoming me to the group. I'm a lifelong radio enthusiast and public radio broadcaster.

I run a small non-profit called SLB Radio Productions. We're housed in a public museum, and operate studios and workstations where teens can learn about and create radio programs, podcasts, and other recordings. I'd like to create demos that will show teens how records were/are made so that they can better understand the technology.

I've just started to explore and understand what the options are and am a bit overwhelmed. I'd appreciate any advice. Some factors:

-- Fidelity is not of critical importance (perhaps transistor AM-ish quality, 5,000 kHz?).
-- Will be operated once or twice a day, i.e., light duty cycles.
-- Will need to be simple enough that we can train our adult staff to use it. Kids would probably simply observe and "help".
-- Total budget is probably on the order of $300 to $500.

I understand a bit about electronic restoration (tubes, caps, etc.) but less about the mechanical parts (cutters).

I've seen a few recordio units on auction sites that our small non-profit could likely afford and get working. The Presto brand looks far more rugged, but my suspicion is that it's overkill for our use case.

Are their other brands or ideas I might want to be looking at? Thanks!

[apoklis]

Ok start with reading the newbie starter guide.
Recordio came with crystal cutter heads .The quality is very low. If you plan to use this machine everyday, and allowing kids to work with it ,the recodio want hold up. I would suggest something like a k8 presto >there pretty rugate, no thrill machines. They were presto easiest to use .They have a built in amp that's a push /pull 45 tubes. They done have lead in or out .The cutter head was a 5c that's good to 7000-8000. This is the same machine the recording for Smithsonian institute were made with in the 40s.
The problem is out of your budget. I saw a basement find quality one on ebay this week go for 700.If you fix it up and the tube are now 75 each recap it . The stylist 100 and blanks 3/4 each .Rebuilt cutter head 500/600 for 5c and anything else (motor ,ring belt,ect
Mike at recordlatheparts.com will sell you a complete rebuilt machine if you contact him.
Since your a nonprofit and housed in a public museum, isn't there an education grant you could apply for? With the idea of using the machine teaching kids at a museum. Anyway , Look at the k8 .

[piaptk]

Al is correct, there is absolutely no way to get started in this hobby for anywhere close to your budget. The recordios are pretty useless in my opinion and i personally wouldnt waste the energy on picking one up on the curb in a free pile. Quality is crazy low and restoration is far more expensive than it is worth.

But the k8 is a great fit for what you are looking for. An “as-is” which always means “not working” One went for $800 recently but would probably need either amp repair or an external amp, and probably an external belt drive motor because the rubber belt around the platter is usually toast and there is no good replacement for it. And the 5c cutting heads that come on a k8 usually need rebuilding because the armature rubber has turned to concrete over the last 80 years. You can expect to spend at least $2000-3000 once you get all the gear and some blanks and needle and get rolling.

[markrob]

Hi,

This is a lower end as compared to the K8, but maybe this:

https://www.turntabletrainingwax.com/gakken-toy-record-maker

Mark