Stylus Hour Counter

[jjgolden]

I'm sure some of you have already done this but maybe some of you will find this useful or just a fun project to make.

I put together a stylus hours counter out of a project box using this LCD trip counter from Jameco. (see link below)

It allows trip/total and trip reset. So you can see/log total hours cut or single stylus hours via a toggle switch. Gives you a more accurate idea of stylus life/usage.
I powered it with a 9V battery and triggered the start timer from the heat
terminals inside depth control box. (So lowering the head starts the timer, Lifting the head stops it)


http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?freeText=LCD+Trip&langId=-1&storeId=10001&productId=2095074&search_type=jamecoall&catalogId=10001&ddkey=http:StoreCatalogDrillDownView

http://s1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg571/jjgolden1/?action=view&current=Photo78.jpg

JJG

[opcode66]

You have an original cabinet cover panel. Jealous. My cabinet came with no covers.

[jjgolden]

Thanks, Yea I was happy about that. The programmer lid was rough with a circular rust mark from somebody setting acetone down in the same place for years...I actually did some autobody work on it and repainted the whole cabinet before install in the studio.

[opcode66]

Nice little build. I hate doing square cuts in those boxes...

For me, I thought of doing something like this. But, the life of a stylus really varies from one to the next. I change out when I feel it needs it or when I think the highs are not quite right. The stylus is really one of the cheapest parts of the whole equation.

What I've wanted to do is add a transistor or relay to insure that the vaccuum has to be on for the heating wire to pass current. If you put the head down to monitor some audio before cutting and forget to turn the heat down without the vaccuum you can bake a stylus. Or bake chip to a stylus.

You reversed your picture. Was disorienting. Now I know why.

[jjgolden]

Thanks, Yea I hate square cuts in those things too.
Good thing this was all round holes.
That LCD is a flush mount with a hollow cylinder threaded shaft.
Pretty cool/compact little device.

It's not intended as an indicator for when the stylus needs changed.

Have you damaged a stylus from having the heat on and head down without vacuum? Does it weaken the adhesive?

Photobooth on the imac reverses the image.

JJG

[dietrich10]

Great idea JJ. beats my making a pile of apollo spacers to keep track...

For a few minutes I thought this was a rare 'lefty' store VMS!

[jjgolden]

Thanks Dietrich,
Haha A lefty VMS! That would be a rare find.

[jtransition]

@JJ
That is a good idea something on my list of future projects do you mind if I pm you when I get stuck with mine or should we make a thread of it here?.

@ Opcode
Please indulge me here but why would you want to pass audio through the head before cutting? I'm curious
Regards
Jason

[opcode66]

I pass audio through the head before cutting becaus it is the only way to actually see how it pings on the meters (temp, amps, and my BSB's).

I then make adjustments accordingly in my mastering chain. For instance, if there are a lot of highs, and I want to work them down gradually to an acceptable level, I can watch my BSB's and the Amps going to the cutterhead and I can make my adjustments until they are correct. That saves me from cutting a lacquer that I know won't sound right... That is a waste of $13 for a dub or $34 for a master.

Finally, this is how I was taught to do it. And it makes sense. I listen to the tracks I'm going to cut. I pick out the areas I think are problematic. I watch my meters in those areas on playback through the cutterhead. I then make adjustments. Do a final check. And, then cut. What do you know, it always sounds great.

[jtransition]

Thanks

[mossboss]

Cannot see the point in counting stylus hours There is ample evidence that some hit the dust in a single cut some go for 20 odd hours and there is a post here from some guy in Germany that had a stylus with over 200 hours and still cuts sounded excellent according to him
My own experience has just about covered from a single cut to over 80 cuts and was still fine so about 30 - 40 hours as a guess between singes and albums
I have found the Neumann ruby or sapphire to be just unpredictable as the Adamant stylus
Nice gimmick in my view but as the many years of observation have shown as good as teats on a bull
Sorry just a considered view Don't see any practical value apart from gathering some better stats to confirm the above
Cheers

[jjgolden]

Hi Jason,

Sure thing, probably best to use my email. The LCD itself has all the functions built into it so it's pretty straight ahead.
jj [at] goldenmastering [dot] com

Mossy,

As you stated:
"My own experience has just about covered from a single cut to over 80 cuts and was still fine so about 30 - 40 hours as a guess between singles and albums."

You don't have to guess or do fuzzy math to get those numbers with a stylus hours counter. It's just used for totaling hours or cost per stylus hour, not a means of telling you when the stylus needs changed.

You can guess how much you spent on groceries/stylus this month, or you can use a calculator/hours counter.

i.e. $90 a pop @ 10hrs = $9.00 per stylus hour, @ 40hrs that's $2.25 per hour.


JJG

[mossboss]

Fair comment But at $xxx per cut it really becomes insignificant
Besides Apollo have always replaced dud ones they sell to pro's in any case
That's my experience, they do know that they are good for 20 hours as an average When they hit the dust on few cuts they come to the party
Cheers