Cutting stylus suppliers? Diamond usable with Master Lacquer?

[EpicenterBryan]

In light of the fire at Apollo/Transco I'm starting to worry out about where to buy a stylus. As we know, they produced and sold styli at near cost partly to support sales of discs.

I've never played with diamond / plastic - Only sapphire and master lacquer. I am only an experimenter and hobby guy. I've used Presto long shank, Fairchild short shank, Neumann 320. What worries me the most is the 329 for an Ortofon 661 stereo cutting head. I have exactly ONE stylus that Sam had made for me , and I have two heads. This styli is Naked shank, and Collet secured. I have not seen a diamond version offered anywhere. I've never even installed it or cut with one of those 661 heads yet. Imagine that.

Now what?

I have a supply of NOS Presto, Audiodiscs, Apollo, Transco, CBS and such discs ( I'm fine with using them for tests), so I'm covered for screwing around. But now I'm worried what to do when I'm ready to pony up for a fresh stylus (even with an OLD blank for testing).

Can a Diamond stylus be used for cutting an acetate? If so, why aren't all you guys using them?

Thoughts?

Bryan

[handcut]

MyShank has successfully made and proven a diamond stylus that works on lacquer, so maybe contact them? Only 320 shank though, I believe...

[Greg Reierson]

If anyone can get a call back from this guy please let me know. I've been trying for over a year.

[The Shank]

Hi

[Greg Reierson]

Hi!!! I'd love to try one of your cutting styli! Gimme a call.

Thanks!

[The Shank]

Send me an email, I’m in LA from tomorrow for about 12 days

[Soulbear]

MyShank has successfully made and proven a diamond stylus that works on lacquer, so maybe contact them? Only 320 shank though, I believe...

Hi Trolls,
I know this Thread has been quiet for some time BUT!!!


Is there a definitive answer to the original Posters Question??? IE "Diamond usable with Master Lacquer?" Am I wrong in assuming that since a Lacquer is comparatively speaking, as Soft as "Cow Shit" and a Diamond Stylus may be good for up to a few hundred hours of cutting the much harder Polycarbonate Blanks that it is OK to cut Lacquers with a Diamond???

Or did I miss something??

Strange as it might seem, I remember back in the day, that Rubber "Bearing Grease Seals" would, over a prolonged period, gouge grooves into the hard metal of Motor and Gearbox Shafts. That appears to be counter-intuitive, you would probably expect the softer Rubber of the Seal to Wear down first, so maybe my assumption about Lacquers and Diamonds is wrong??? I have quite a few NOS 12" and 7" Lacquers that I would really like to use so.........!!
It would be really good to know for sure, any Trolls got the answer???
Regards Soulbear

[tragwag]

just give it a try! I cut some grooves with diamond on some lacquers I had, sounded great with no additional setup

[Soulbear]

Is there a definitive answer to the original Posters Question??? IE "Diamond usable with Master Lacquer?"

It would be really good to know for sure, any Trolls got the answer???

just give it a try! I cut some grooves with diamond on some lacquers I had, sounded great with no additional setup

Thanks for the input Tyler, very much appreciated
Regards Soulbear

[discosdecorte]

Am I wrong in assuming that since a Lacquer is comparatively speaking, as Soft as "Cow Shit" and a Diamond Stylus may be good for up to a few hundred hours of cutting the much harder Polycarbonate Blanks that it is OK to cut Lacquers with a Diamond???

Or did I miss something??

Good question. I've cut some thin (700 micron) polypropilene sheets in the past with a diamond stylus and a fellow troll advised me to not do this as I could worn out the stylus, so... Maybe it is not only a softness/hardness thing (???)

In fact, I've recently received a large acetate sheet (700 micron again) from a friend of mine. I've cut a square, made a center hole and recorded a sample with my Hara and a diamond stylus from MyShank. It sounds very good, but I haven't tried again because I am not sure about the acetate/diamond compatibility. All ideas/advices/opinions are welcome

Best regards,
Fer

[Phinster]

a diamond stylus for lacquers...does it have burnishing facets? Is it heated? It would be nice to know...

[discosdecorte]

a diamond stylus for lacquers...does it have burnishing facets? Is it heated? It would be nice to know...

Hi!

I think you'll find this interesting: https://www.lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?p=52354#p52354

Best regards,
Fer

[Soulbear]

Soulbear wrote :-

Is there a definitive answer to the original Posters Question??? IE "Diamond usable with Master Lacquer?" Am I wrong in assuming that since a Lacquer is comparatively speaking, as Soft as "Cow Shit" and a Diamond Stylus may be good for up to a few hundred hours of cutting the much harder Polycarbonate Blanks that it is OK to cut Lacquers with a Diamond???

Or did I miss something??

Thanks for the Link Fer

Apparently so!! So "Static Charge" appears to be the main impediment when using a Diamond Stylus, not the Hardness of the Medium to be Cut. One step forwards, two steps back!! So now all I need to do if ever I am to cut these Lacquers, is to "Track Me Down" some Sapphires!! Ah well, onwards and upwards.

Regards Soulbear

[PacManPlus]

Hello All!

Sorry for the necro-post, but I've been working with a vinyl cutter I purchased from this awesome person: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO1ErXMND64&t=424s
Side note, he's been great, very helpful over the past year before I moved... I've now set this recorder up again in my new home and I don't want to keep bugging him, so I thought I would ask here.

I think I may need a diamond stylus, as nothing I do creates a decent-sounding cut/emboss (I'll take either if I can get it to sound good).

I have a ruby cutting stylus, but I think I need to go diamond.
Does anyone have a good resource for these that doesn't break the bank? I tried MyShank but my account expired, and when I tried to re-instate it I got a response of asking me what I wanted, and then two more times I tried to ask about my account got no replies. So, I need to find someone else who is willing to sell me a stylus.

I appreciate any help, and I thank you so much!
Bob

[spinnertownblanks]

We sell diamonds and adapter that work with the V8, they will be on sale when we re-open on Jan 2nd. Shipping from the UK

[PacManPlus]

Excellent, thank you!!!
Just as a side note, I'm in the U.S. (Florida to be exact). Does that make a difference?

EDIT: I see you sell to the U.S., very cool.

[spinnertownblanks]

Yes we send regularly to many customers in the US

[emorritt]

Just out of curiosity, do diamonds ground for cutting plastic have burnishing facets? They're sort of necessary for lacquer. I think diamonds resemble some of the tools used on metal lathes, more triangular without the burnishing facets. Anybody know about diamonds?

[spinnertownblanks]

Ours are polished and not tested for lacquer, only plastic. We outsource our polishing rather than doing it in house, we just assemble them and glue into holder and add heating wires. We realise this is not related to the thread topic, only replying to the previous post from a V8 and plastic user

[PacManPlus]

Thank you again - my account has been reinstated at MyShank as well! Choices!

Thanks guys - I may have questions once I am able to get going on this again, but I'll of course search first, and if I can't find it I'll start a new thread.