Heh, m0k3, are you going into the business of refurbing/rebuilding vintage TTs? 'Cause that thing is a beauty...
Since you seem to know a lot about this stuff, I'll take this chance to ask a dumb question - I notice that doesn't have a dust cover, and lots of HQ TTS don't. Do you just cover those type of TTs with a cloth dust cover, or is the theory that some really HQ TTs don't "need" them? My place picks up a good bit of dust, so I feel like it's pretty necessary, but maybe I'm missing something.
Thanks!
No biz, but, I might consider appropriate offers of ridiculous levels.
I lay a clear plastic LP outer sleeve over the tonearm and one over the platter. I don't have any dust covers on any of mine. You'll see endless debate about them acting as sources of resonance, acting the part of vibrational antennae; so its fairly rare that you'll find them in the upper end category.
Here is another soapstoner - Its my rock table:
This is the 1955 hot-rod, Presto Recording Corp. Piouette T18. I've completely redesigned the driveline on this one; adding a modern DC motor and controller, adding a different idler drive wheel from a Lenco, and another soapstone plinth.
It had three idler wheels on it before in its original state, which IMO, is two too many. So I now control the speed with a potentiometer mounted to the left-rear side of the plinth. The controller dead-locks to speed with no need to adjust with testing of 6 months before I confirmed it to myself that it was dead-on stable. I can run it from one rpm (or a dead stop) to hundreds of RPM at the platter.
The tonearm is a free garage junk DIY build, called the RatsPaw, and its holder, the RatsTrap. I built it from left over scrap material from other projects. Its a unipivot design.
Here is a test of a tables strength,….
Each of these decks weigh around 185lbs:
The one on the rack below the table is my present daily driver, from 1959, a Bogen-Presto B60 (Lenco L60 rebadge). The soapstone decks are in my storage garage while I build out my music room.