[rcag_ils]

Hi Folks, I do appreciate all your inputs and idea, Wayner, Bob2, galyons and billc.

Wayner is correct about my machining skill. I can handle light machining work, tap and drill holes, and some woodworking. I do mostly electronic circuit board work, equipment installation and calibration, definitely not the full blown machine shop environment type work

I contacted VPI and was told those parts I am looking for are unavailable, they are doing the new production now. I would have to contact the local metal shop, or the plastic shop (if I can find one) to do what I need to get done. However, since I can buy the acrylic sheet already cut to size online through professionalplastic.com, which is half the battle, so I feel it's worthwhile to pursue this.

[Wayner]

I have a couple of questions. First, how did the spring suspension idea ever come up. I thought that the springs were old fashioned and had been replaced by the sorbothane pads, like the ones on my VPI. In fact, I've had several folks compliment my VPI because it had the "newer" pads on it.

I certainly do not know the history from beginning to end on the Jr., but I think there is some confusion here. I thought I read on another thread that you were going to put in a much heavier platter as part of the upgrade, so how the springs are going to interact with a heavier platter is beyond me. I believe it will change the table's "Q" of resonance. Again, it was my understanding that the sorbothane was the new suspension method and the springs were the old. If not, my bad.

I believe, but do not know for sure, that my Jr. was made in 1997. The hole for the Audioquest PT-6 doesn't appear to have been drilled by a dealer (has that factory look to it). The history of the table is confusing because it's been around for awhile (tho discontinued now) and had many different options to it, including making the Jr. into a regular HW-19.

Wayner

[Wayner]

I posted right when you just posted.

Here is another idea for you. Can you ask VPI if they can send you a drawing of the now unavailable plinth, so you can hand that off to a machine shop with your hunk of plastic?

Wayner

[rcag_ils]

Here's the thing Wayner...

I bought my Jr. that came with the regular frosted platter, and an extra MKIII platter with no bearing (though the last owner said it was a MK4, but it doesn't look anything like the MK4 platter that I know of, not thick enough), so I though "one day, I'll make it a MKIII".

Well, that day has come, I got the extra bearing and the springs, but no plinth.

Now, I've heard what you've heard, " springs were old fashioned and had been replaced by the sorbothane pads", and it also "sounds better". So I am sitting here with the extra springs, and I just want to use them and see it for myself. You know, sometimes company changes things for the sake of change to fit the market, not necessarily change for the better.

The drawing may not be a bad idea, since VPI has no use for it anymore, I'll ask them.

[Wayner]

Thanks, now I understand.

I think the HW-19jr. is a remarkable turntable. With the right tweaks, it can hold it's own with the rest of them. In the end it's how it makes music. I bought mine on eBay from a guy out on the east coast that needed money. I laid out $800 at the time. I thought I was nuts, but the wife (oddly enough) wanted me to get it, so I did. Then the guy shipped it by mail.

In the end, the package arrived in perfect shape, and to this day, is one of the finest eBay purchases I have ever made. It worked flawlessly out of the box and works like that now. I do understand your passion for this deck.

'ner

[billc]

I have 3 VPI plinths here; one in my VPI MkIV, and two others that I acquired along the way. 

One is from the Jr. (I believe) and it appears to be 0.75 inches thick, with no steel layer underneath. The armboard is part of the plinth. (this is the only one that would be for sale, because I have another HW-19 Jr. base that I am setting up as a second table.)
 
I have another plinth that is 0.5 inches thick measured at the motor hole. That plinth has black steel underneath. It has an armboard made of the same material as the plinth, it seems, but it is a separate piece and is screwed to the steel bottom layer.  The steel appears to be about 1/16 to 1/8 in thick, maybe 3/32?  Because the steel is cut away from the motor hole, the plinth thickness there does NOT include the steel bottom layer. 

I have a third plinth that is mounted in my 'in service' VPI Mk IV, and is original equipment. That plinth is the same as the one above, except that the steel is silver, and the armboard is a Super Armboard that is screwed to the metal plinth subbase. The suspension blocks contact the bottom of the plinth metal base layer.  The metal base layer is not just a sheet of metal, it is bent 90 degrees downward at the edges (for a downward dimension of about 3/8 to 1/2 inch), ostensibly providing more support.

I hope this information is useful.  I agree with Wayner - it is definitely worth asking VPI if they have a spare around for sale.  I was at their shop last year and there seemed to be a lot of "legacy" parts around, but it will be catch as catch can at this point.

Bill C

[rcag_ils]

Thanks Bill C for the info.

I think the thickness of the plinth for the Jr. is 1", and the total thickness of the plinth for the MKIII (acrylic + steel) is about 3/4", and that's why the MKIII springs with a Jr plinth would not work. And the suspension blocks (non Spring) VPI sells now would not work on a Jr.

Three years ago, VPI offered a complete one piece MKIII plinth (no separate armboard), just to use up all their old stock. Last I contacted VPI, they said they were all gone.

Fabricating a one piece MKIII plinth doesn't seem to be too tough, but making a separate armboard for it maybe an issue.