[lumendog]

I finally completed my rebuild of an Empire 208 I got off the bay a few years ago. I wish I would have taken some before pics but here are a few after pics. It was in decent shape, but the base was discolored and the wood was in poor condition.
I sanded and stripped the wooden base and oiled it with watco along with some linseed oil.
The aluminum was sanded and painted with grey hammertone. I drilled a new hole to accept the Kuzma Reference arm in the back (thanks catastrophe), and filled the hole in front left by the old tonearm rest with bondo. I polished up the moter spindle and the bearing and she is off and running at perfect speed. Thanks to Bill Berndt for support getting this project off the ground and to catstrophe for having an arm that fit my deck. She sounds very good. I need to get a good step up for my supex rosewood 900 if anyone has any good ideas DIY or ready made.

[Wayner]

Very nice. Is the paint a powder-coat crinkle? I'd also try to isolate the motor cover a bit more as the newer 598s had a thumb-screw to keep them from vibrating from the motor vibrations (transmitting that vibration to the tonearm).

Wayner

[orthobiz]

I love those 208's and will one day have one. But I think I'd get one redone already, mount a cartridge and make believe I did a lot to it! That is great and the tonearm looks great on it.

Paul

[randytsuch]

Nice job.

I made a new base for my 208 and mounted a rega arm on it, but got lazy, and haven't spun any vinyl in a while now.

Randy

[nikhilji]

Wow.. Congrats on completing this build ! Looks awesome! Reminds me of the Paschetto Empire 208 with the SME 309.

And thats a serious tonearm there. I have a 208 as well that is begging to be refurb'ed. And Bill being local, I don't need any more excuses.

I was thinking of either the Kuzma or the funky RS Labs A1. I would have thought that the Kuzma would be a drop in fit. The Kuzma, being a Linn mount, how much of drilling did you have to ? Would you mind clicking pictures with the tonearm out ? I want to keep the original plinth without any additional drilling. The plinth I have is has the gold satin finish, so I want to keep it that way.

Once again, kudos ! 

[lumendog]

The paint was a rattle can job. Krylon hammer tone. It dries with a hammered finish. As for the modification of the metal top plate. You do have to use a drill press to modify it to accept the kuzma. One larger hole and 3 new small holes. It us actually pretty easy.

[rcag_ils]

Very nice for a DIY project, nice work, but I am not sure if it would gain any collectable value.

[Mikeinsacramento]

Simply awesome.  I'm sure you're proud.  I would be.

[doug s.]

i am sure you are in winyl heaven!   

nikhilji, i used an rs labs arm on a 208; it was a stunning sounding combination.  i would not have sold that arm, if it were not for the fact that it won't work w/a tonearm lifter which raises the stylus when it gets to the end of the record...  but, the rs labs arm is easy to mount - on the 208, i simply set it on a hockey puck! 

doug s.

[lumendog]

Very nice for a DIY project, nice work, but I am not sure if it would gain any collectable value.

You are probable correct about this, but it is of no matter to me. I will be keeping this table.
Also, I just love resurrecting old things and making them new again. This one was in rough shape cosmetically. A collector would not have come close to it.

For me this is part of the hobby, and the fun is in creating and DIY. That said, I am loving just kicking back and listening.

[Wayner]

Painting the plinth as you did was the only logical thing that could be done. I've restored a 298 a few years ago, and up close, you will recognize that the die-cast aluminum plinth has been machined and sanded, then clear-coated. Also the Empire name was under the clear-coat. The clear-coat had then yellowed from age and the only thing to do was either to leave it as is, or sand the damn thing down and paint it.

Somethings just are too difficult to restore to original condition.

Wayner

[Miney]

Painting the plinth as you did was the only logical thing that could be done. I've restored a 298 a few years ago, and up close, you will recognize that the die-cast aluminum plinth has been machined and sanded, then clear-coated. Also the Empire name was under the clear-coat. The clear-coat had then yellowed from age and the only thing to do was either to leave it as is, or sand the damn thing down and paint it.

Somethings just are too difficult to restore to original condition.

Wayner

check out this option...  anybody have any experence with this service?  I think it's the same guy/company selling those SAE 1000LTs everyone's loving?

[Berndt]

Welcome to the empire party!
Happy to see another relic returned to relevance.
Nice job.

[Berndt]

One of the shops I worked at we were doing some r&d on Allison v12 valve train. The client was saying how sad it was that the tractor pullers destroyed so many aircraft engines. Sometimes I wonder of the value of a classic is defined by its consumability.
Somebody would treasure an all original empire, but not me.
Too much hot rodder blood in my veins.

[J Fallows]

That is a turntable!!!

Everyone involved should be proud.

Real Nice.

[Wayner]

I try to keep my Empire 598 MKII as original as possible, tho the anti-skate has failed and I have installed a very working dead-man weight to compensate. Other then that It is like when I bought it (when I was 18 years old).

Wayner

[Mikeinsacramento]

Also, I just love resurrecting old things and making them new again.

Yep.  Reminds me of the feeling I used to get right before I undressed a cheerleader.

[catastrofe]

Very nice!!  I'm glad the arm worked out. . .it would be on my table now if I hadn't gone 12".