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I want to donate a DIY tonearm to charity

71.55.249.233
Posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:20:36
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



Since I had parts leftover after experimenting with magnetically suspended tonearms I build one more string suspended unipivot (no magnets in the bearing) with the intension of donating it to charity. To be more specific I want all proceeds to go to Greenpeace!!!
The bearing is my own idea. To my best knowledge this design doesn’t infringe on any patent so tonearm may be resold. I enjoy using two tonearms like it and I have absolutely no intention to make any more!
If it was a brand name tonearm I would go straight to AudiogoN, but this is a toy for special boys, that’s why I am showing it on forums first.

The tonearm is free standing; it only needs legroom on a turntable stand. It can be adjusted to work with turntable 5 to 7” high. Higher or lower TT would require rising tonearm or TT. Brass coupling discs for spikes are included (if someone wants to protect surface of the stand).
The wand is suspended in the middle of tensioned string in the way that string has solid contact with integral part of the wand, which allows effective drain of sound waves out of the wand, but suspension point is very small and acts as unipivot bearing. The Vectran fiber string is tensioned by a compressed spring.
Effective length is 305mm; overhang is 13.4mm, offset is 17.8 degrees. Effective mass is about 14g with aluminum plate or 18.5g with brass headshell plate. Extra counterweight is included. The tonearm does not have VTA on the fly adjustability. There are two separate antiskate mechanisms (twisted string and magnets) supplying different antiskate force at different part of LP. Proper setup is essential and not for beginners.
The wire and clips are Cardas, RCA plugs are Eichmann. The wire is not shielded - it may not work close to some motors etc. The tonearm lift is from VPI.
There are some details not visible on pictures: aluminum mounting ring is filled with lead; counter weigh shaft is filled with tungsten powder; counterweights are decupled from shaft with delrin inserts; wooden wand is pressure treated with oils, the bottom part of stand is made from acrylic, the top is rosewood; aluminum and brass parts are intentionally left uncoated and with time will loose shine…

I have to figure out how to organize the donation.
Mean time, if somebody wants to listen to this tonearm in my system I live in central Florida.

Any questions or suggestions?
Greetings,
Marek Stojek

 

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photo, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:24:18
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



nt

 

RE: photo, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:29:50
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



nt

 

RE: photo, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:30:39
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



nt

 

RE: photo, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:31:42
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



nt

 

RE: photo, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:32:27
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



nt

 

RE: photo, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:33:12
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



nt

 

RE: photo, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:34:40
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



nt

 

RE: photo, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:35:50
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



nt

 

RE: photo, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:37:29
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011



nt

 

How to do multiple photos, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:38:46
Biff
Audiophile

Posts: 7533
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: January 27, 2002
 Upload the first photo, do "Preview Message," upload the next, rinse and repeat.

 

RE: I want to donate a DIY tonearm to charity, posted on February 22, 2011 at 17:54:04
cactuscowboy@bresnan.net
Audiophile

Posts: 7738
Location: Powell, Wyoming
Joined: July 23, 2007
 Wow, nice work! You obviously have a nice workshop along with design and fabrication skills. If I weren't about 2,500 miles from Florida, I'd come over and give it a listen. :-)

 

RE: I want to donate a DIY tonearm to charity, posted on February 22, 2011 at 18:00:03
Biff
Audiophile

Posts: 7533
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: January 27, 2002
 I was remiss in not mentioning the same thing. Awesome stuff.

 

RE: I want to donate a DIY tonearm to charity, posted on February 22, 2011 at 18:05:43
Scottson
Audiophile

Posts: 706
Location: New York
Joined: July 13, 2004
 Wow, Marek, DIY?! You have real talent!

 

RE: I want to donate a DIY tonearm to charity, posted on February 22, 2011 at 18:06:05
golana
Audiophile

Posts: 32
Location: akron
Joined: July 2, 2009
 Wish the charity was me. Truly beautiful work.

 

You mean like this?, posted on February 22, 2011 at 18:18:36
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 24045
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
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RE: I want to donate a DIY tonearm to charity, posted on February 22, 2011 at 18:36:34
Fred J
Audiophile

Posts: 21808
Location: Southern Wisconsin
Joined: April 24, 2002
 Marek- That's truly beautiful work, and I commend you on your choice of charities.

Kind Regards Ferd

 

Can you post details of length/eff.weight/etc?, posted on February 22, 2011 at 18:58:51
travisty
Audiophile

Posts: 1368
Location: Tokyo
Joined: April 2, 2003

As to donating proceeds to charity... feel free to email me privately through the Asylum email function.

 

RE: I want to donate a DIY tonearm to charity, posted on February 22, 2011 at 21:10:49
hesson11
Audiophile

Posts: 2324
Location: Florida
Joined: December 8, 2005
 Amazing work! Why not sell the arm yourself and donate the funds to Greenpeace? You'd be a much better salesman than a charity, which may not know a tonearm from a spindle bearing.

-Bob

 

Thank you all for the compliments, posted on February 23, 2011 at 05:00:55
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011
 What I really like to stress is that the bearing of the tonearm (my own invention) works (and sounds!) better than conventional unipivot. Please read my post which contains most of the info on parameters, design details etc
I have a degree in material engineering and I am an amateur machinist with my own fairly simple workshop and a lathe.
The tonearm will have to be sold before the money goes to Greenpeace which might also bring attention to their cause.
It would make sense for the buyer to come and listen to the tonearm to my place in Florida since no refund will be possible after donation is made.

I have two other mechanically similar DIY tonearms that I’m not selling but if you’d like to see the pictures they are on audioproject.

 

RE: Can you post details of length/eff.weight/etc?, posted on February 23, 2011 at 05:11:47
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011
 What did you have in mind? You can email me now - I changed my profile setting.
The details are in my post with the pictures.

 

RE: You mean like this?, posted on February 23, 2011 at 06:22:58
Biff
Audiophile

Posts: 7533
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: January 27, 2002
 Just like that. Nice stuff, eh?

 

RE: You mean like this?, posted on February 23, 2011 at 07:56:43
david 62


 
Wow! that is super nice.are you a engineer?It looks like you v the sskills and tools to make about anything.How does the set-up that you are not selling sound?
Dave

 

RE: You mean like this?, posted on February 23, 2011 at 12:55:17
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011
 Yes, I do have an engineering degree, but I don’t work in my field.
All three DIY tonearms are mechanically similar and sound alike. They are part of my own system, which is listed in my profile. To me the sound is fantastic. It is natural, very clean, detailed, precise, holographic, dynamic, and consistent throughout the whole LP.

I compared VPI JMW-9, OL Encounter, two 9” DIY tonearms with Schroeder type of bearing (and with magnetic antiskate correction), and three (11, 12 and 13”) DIY tonearms with my own type of bearing. After hearing my tonearms, VPI was a bit muddy; OL was too edgy, especially for my high resolution system. The sound of magnetically suspended tonearms was excellent but I decided to make my own design with a longer wand.
I have not heard tonearms made by Schroeder, but after my experiments I believe mine bearing sounds a bit more dynamic, that’s all.

Marek

 

RE: I want to donate a DIY tonearm to charity, posted on February 23, 2011 at 15:02:29
Capt. Z
Audiophile

Posts: 1278
Location: Mountains of NC
Joined: February 13, 2000
 Super great work.

Being in charge of a local charity of one of Americas largest and most trusted charities, I would suggest that you 'sell' the tonearm and than donate the funds to your charity of choice. They also will give you a tax deductible receipt.

 

I have a question about the tax deduction:, posted on February 24, 2011 at 12:34:06
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011
 Can the buyer claim a tax deduction since I can’t use it? My income is too low.

 

RE: I have a question about the tax deduction:, posted on February 24, 2011 at 12:59:22
Capt. Z
Audiophile

Posts: 1278
Location: Mountains of NC
Joined: February 13, 2000
 Legally only the donor can claim the tax deduction.

 

Thanks, nt, posted on February 25, 2011 at 04:18:23
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011
 nt

 

RE: I want to donate a DIY tonearm to charity, posted on October 13, 2011 at 05:31:48
M.Stojek
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Central FL
Joined: January 12, 2011
 Hi dudes,
I came back from a summer job and now have time to take care of this donation.
The ad is placed at the asylum classifieds. The price is $300 which is the costs of materials. The tonearm is not for beginners and proper setup is essential. That’s why it is offered to local members only, so they can try it before donating money to Greenpeace. I live near Ocala, Fl.

Marek

 

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