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This is probably the easiest way to make a Roller Block clone. If you haven't cloned one and want to, then keep reading.I made 4 sets of these in about half an hour. They are fantastic. Kind of a weird effect when you see your components dance when you move towards them. The key to making this easy is finding a suitable concave base(or is it convex, well you know a dimple).
No, don't use teaspoons. Rather use a drawer/cabinet knob. That's right go to Home Depot and checkout their Provincial knob. The clincher is you've probably seen this knob before(they're everywhere), just never thought of using it this way. They're cheap at 88 cents, so ahead and buy 12 of these puppies. Then go to the shelving/lumber section of Home Depot and select a 2 1/2 inch x 2ft x 1 inch piece of wood (about $2).
Last but not the least you need some marbles. Hobby Lobby has a wide selection of decorative marbles at $1.50 a pack.
Ok, for the assembly part. Take your wood and mark the center lengthwise. You should have a line extending end to end at the center. Next with a ruler, mark the center line with a dot at 1 inch from the left edge, then at 2 inches, mark the center line with a line. Repeat the process alternating between dots and lines for each 1 inch mark. Now use a 3/8 inch bit to drill holes were you marked the wood with dots. Then, you've probably guessed this one, cut the wood were you have lines. You should have ended up with 12 blocks(2 1/2 x 2 inches) with a 3/8 inch hole at the center. Hard part is done.
Lastly, insert the Provincial knob on each block of wood. Now, slide three blocks under a component where there is a nice flat underside of the component, then insert the marbles between the underside and the top of the Provincial knob. Now watch your component dance. Cool ain't it.
Ok, looking at the knob you've probably had other ideas on making this easier. Maybe, by cutting the extensions off and sanding it, Hmmmm. Or maybe use a clay base.....Well, if you do, all I ask is that you share it with us.
Thanks to whomever wrote the first post on RollerBlocks DIY.
NOTE: The pitch of the knob isn't much. Wonder if this affects the dampening effect. The ends of Soda cans are deeper...Hmmmm.
Paul,Your RB clones are a good starting point. I made sim. RBs from conduit caps and watch glasses and got excellent results. However, for those so inclined, go back and do a search in the asylum archives under RBs. We had a long thread some time ago on the advantages of damped RBs. I made a series of foam and silica damped RBs that in the end (IMO) beat the undamped RBs hands down. If you can't find the archive listings post me directly and I'll be more than happy to share my IRB ideas.
I too do my RBClones from "concave door knobs" , 2" X 4" hard wood and 3/8" metal ball bearings. I drilled a hole in the center of the woods for gluing the knobs extensions.I'm considering the use of squares metal tube cut in 1" X 2" X 4" pieces, cutting the concave knobs extentions and filling the tube with sand.
Any way you do it should have a kind of effect over the sound of the tweak.
Wouldn't the opposite work? Mount the knobs instead of the feets on - say - the CD (screwed from inside the chassis that is); and the put the marble "ball" between the knob and the rack (or whatever suface you use).
Would look nicer, but does it work as good?
/Pär
Yes, I was thinking of doing that. And, others have done similar by sandwiching the marble with two knobs.Or, you can just cut off the extension and be left with just the concave face. I did this today. Looks much better, much sleeker. Here's what you'll need to do.
Use a hacksaw to cut the extension. I used a vise grip to hold the extension, then C-clamped it to a table. The metal is very easy to cut.
Next I take some screen spline(rubber wire thingy), which can be found in HomeDepot in the screen section, cut it to a length that circles the underlip diameter of the face. Then, just superglue it on the underlip of the face. The screen spline stabilizes the face very well. Without it the face won't level properly, also tried a rubber washers but could'nt find one with a large enough diameter.
With such a sleeker profile it may not clear your components feet. Luckily my CDP, DVD, and PreAmp all cleared it with as little as 1/4" to spare. My Amps would not however, but it's a good thing because of the better airflow.
Anyway, good tweaking.
There is a small problem with the handles, and it is as you say they are shallow. The problem is if you push a component horizontally it will roll the marble/ball up the side easily and off the handle.I used the same handles from the Home D, but in the base blocks I used a 1.5 inch speed bore bit to drill a hole to allow the rim of the handle to be sunk down about a quarter of an inch. This will keep the ball from rolling off the handle if you accidently forget they are there and push say the power button on the CD player (not fun, I did it)
I'm not a civil engineer or mechanical engineer, but if I understand the principle of how they work, the lack of steepness to the handle will allow the component to move in the horizontal plane further and with less energy applied than if the walls were steeper. I don't think it will have any impact on the operation in normal use.
I too am using marbles, but have just purchased some steel ball bearings to compare with the marbles.
And if you haven't tried it, add some mass to your CD player. Not sure if it is the damping of the cover, the weight or both, but I have two 8 inch inch concrete bricks sitting on a piece of MDF the size of the top of the CD player, plus two computer mouse pads between the MDF and the CD player, and it makes another step in the right direction.
If you haven't tried this, it is more than worth it, they have had the most positive impact under my CD player in particular, compared to sorbothane feet, MDF with sorbothane, inner tubes and air, cones of three types, TNT's idea of carbon like blocks. And any other combination I could think of. (I keep trying to get my inexpensive CD player up to the level of my LP12) so it lasts until the next great format war fizzles, or is decided.
Its pretty surprising w3hat you can get out of cheap equioment, isn't that close to an Oscar Wilde quote about the power of simple lyrics and a cheap melody?
Really good interconnects will help as well.
Dump the 10% rule and get something better.
Hmmmm, I do have some 12 x 12 x 1.5 inch sq concrete blocks. Spares from another tweak and they're already painted black.But, I am concerned about all that weight. Plus my Technics CDP is quite old circa 1989. Funny, I have'nt had any cleanings done or nothing with no problems. Last night, I did the Xtal tweak with poster tack, and was surprised to see no dust accumulations. From what I can see the box was completely sealed, no vent holes whatsoever(is that weird or normal). The thing is a workhorse, reads CDRs, scratched CDs, whatever.
Maybe, I'll try the weight tweak when I have some money for a replacement CD. I am to engrossed in trying different tweaks that I cannot risk any downtime. Plus, I don't want to fathom the projectile capabilities of such a setup, you know an enthusiatic push of a button then WOOOSH a marble in the eye.
Thanks for the tip though, I'm sure my subconcious tweakers mind will resurface at a later time and before you know it, I'll be pouring concrete for a CDP.
Although, I am planning to build roomlenses with a concrete bases this weekend.
Hmmmm...maybe if I mount my transport on a concrete tub.......
..
I wouldn't be too surprised about the inside being clean. The players don't generate a lot of heat that needs disippation, and are much better off staying clean.The weight on top of the outside cabinet lid shouldn't cause you any problems at all. My player is circa 1987/8 also. It is a worthwhile addition.
Yeah, I folded last night and did try a 12" x 12" x 1 1/2" slab on top of my CDP. It does stabilize the unit considerably. With all that extra mass, pushing buttons is much easier.Plus, since I cut the knob extension(see UPDATE on same thread), my CDPs orig feet are hovering just 1/4", so a lose marble won't have a catastrophic effect.
Although, I was stupid enough to try the RBs on my tower speaker. Not good, can you say TIIIMBER!!. Now my left tower has battle scars, Boo hoo.
I am one of the people who you will have seen in the archives about this.
You are the only other person I know who has used handles for this.
Mine are made of what appears to be a similar compound to billiard balls.
Being in Australia it is a long trip to Home Depot to compare them!
I bought 185 of these as the last of some bankrupt stock.
Great results though. Hehehehe.
Those billiard handle thingys must be real smooth. The low quality handles in Home Depot are chrome plated but not precision.I'm using glass marbles. Has anyone compared marbles versus steel balls versus ceramic(visited a bearing site and they mentioned ceramic as the high end).
The handles are pretty smooth, and very effective.
Most are in a rather unappealing green colour, but there you go.
I did try putting them under everything but the cables were too stiff/heavy and kept pulling things over.
I have tried marbles against ball bearings and prefer the bbs.
However, does the size of the ball have a bearing!!!????
Sorry about the joke, but this is a serious question.
If anyone in Australia wants to try, you are welcome to some of these, I'll never use 185!!
Oh, using them in pairs, cup to cup is very good.
Try moving your Rollerblock clones under your components to different spots and hear even more change. Putting em (or any feet) closer to the center of the component accentuates higher freqs, and putting em near the component's perimeters accentuates bass.
Cool. Would have never thought of that. Thx.
nt
The Bass cleared up quite a bit. Center image has more definition verticaly. Although, I didn't have enough time to audition them properly since, I was trying to finish up two other DIYs, CAT5 Skr Cable using Kynar wires(silver plated), and dampening my Technics CDPs xtal. Tommorrow(I'm) I'll probably start on DIY roomlens. So many tweaks so little time, I just can't help myself.
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