Homemade Electric Phonograph

dzavracky · Post by **dzavracky** » Sat Aug 30, 2025 4:08 pm

Well I finally completed this project today. I bought these parts from Skihawx back in June and have slowly been working on it since then. The box is made out of plywood that I veneered with this really figured walnut I have been saving for a special project. I had JUST enough to do the entire case! The whole idea behind this project was to have a setup that would contain all my jazz 78's and also have a phonograph to play them on. The bookcase was built before I designed the phonograph cabinet; and I also rewired the motor with new cloth covered wire. The output from the tone arm is just a mono RCA cable that runs over to my amp. Skihawx also had the original on/off mechanism and I was able to figure out how to properly get that together this morning. So it totally fits the bill because I didn't want to have any knobs or switches, just a wooden box with the platter and tone arm.

Definitely wanted to thank Carlton and Chuck Azzalina for all their help throughout this project.

Cheers!

David Zavracky

Post by **JerryVan** » Sat Aug 30, 2025 4:11 pm

Very nice!! What do you use for an amp?

Damfino59 · Post by **Damfino59** » Sat Aug 30, 2025 4:23 pm

That’s definitely one “classy” setup there.

Also the record storage case is top rate too.

Puts my Kallax clones from Target to shame. Even my real IKEA Kallax ones too!

dzavracky · Post by **dzavracky** » Sat Aug 30, 2025 9:31 pm

Jerry - I am just using the surround sound amp the rest of my sound system is using. I thought it would be nice to have a remote control for volume

Cheers,

David

dzavracky · Post by **dzavracky** » Sat Aug 30, 2025 9:32 pm

Damfino59 wrote: Sat Aug 30, 2025 4:23 pm That’s definitely one “classy” setup there.

Also the record storage case is top rate too.

Puts my Kallax clones from Target to shame. Even my real IKEA Kallax ones too!

Thanks!! I had fun building it but I am tired of projects. I need to take a break

Cheers,

David

Post by **tomb** » Sat Aug 30, 2025 11:45 pm

Very nice... Came out looking good.

TN Allen · Post by **TN Allen** » Wed Sep 03, 2025 9:31 am

Nicely done veneer and cabinet work. It looks like crotch-grain veneer. If it is, where did you find it? You mention an on-off switch, is it linked to the tone arm?

dzavracky · Post by **dzavracky** » Thu Sep 04, 2025 3:49 am

The walnut is actually from a tree that used to be standing on our property. I had a sizeable 4" thick piece of it I cut into all the pieces of veneer a long time ago. I put some pics of it below. I actually ended up bookmatching each of the pieces shown which is the venner that ended up on the box. I cut the walnut up so I could use some of the best parts to build a jewelry box for my girlfriend (at the time), but now we are not dating and I didn't get the box back.

And yes there is a little mechanism under the tonearm that clicks a light switch on and off. It was something I probably should've considered more closely before making the cabinet as it's not sitting in the "correct" position. But I was able to set it up in a position that works so I don't really mind that the tone arm has to sit on the platter on the left side of the spindle when it's not being used.

EDIT:

found some more pics. I also had this cool offcut I bookmatched and just hung up on the wall; and I am still saving this other bookmatched piece that looks like a face for something... idk what yet

Cheers,

David

TN Allen · Post by **TN Allen** » Thu Sep 04, 2025 10:18 am

Gorgeous veneer. How and how thick did you cut it?

howardpgh · Post by **howardpgh** » Fri Sep 05, 2025 10:19 am

Nice work. From the perspective of your picture the arm looks too short and has no overhang, Maybe the arm geometry for a straight arm is different than one with an angled head.