DIY Turntable Platter

Make your own customized turntable platter to add style to your music.

Ten years after the first phonograph record was made by Thomas Edison in 1877, the first version of the turntable was invented by Emile Berliner. Turntable platters spin in two directions, making sounds that are transmitted through the turntable needle. To make your own turntable platter, a flat circular piece and a bearing is needed for seamless back and forth movement of the platter.

Things You'll Need

• 1.5-inch plywood circle with a diameter of 12 inches.
• Ruler
• Intake valve
• 4 - 1-inch flat-head screws
• Power drill
• WD-40 spray oil

Instructions

1. Purchase a 1.5-inch plywood circle with a diameter of 12 inches to become the platter.

2. Place the circular portion of an intake valve and place it in the center of the platter. Draw an outline of the intake valve in the center, using a pencil.

3. Remove the intake valve. Draw a vertical and horizontal line in the center of the circle, using a ruler and pencil. The markings help position the screws to clamp the intake valve to the platter.

4. Place the circular portion of the intake valve and place it in the center of the platter.

5. Screw four flat-head screws with a length of 1 inch into the premarked areas around the intake valve. Use a power drill. The screws should overlap the intake valve by at least 1/8 of an inch.

6. Spray the stem of the intake valve with WD-40 and insert it into the base. You now made your own turntable platter.

Tips & Warnings

• The circular platter must be professionally cut. Ask a carpenter or hardware store professional to use a CNC-machine.

References

• Sepia Jazz: History of the Turntable
• Althmann: The Altemann DIY Turntable

Resources

• Retro Thing; Build Your Own Turntable; James Grahame