BSR UA8 turntable curl - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Boater Sam · 9th Jul 2018, 7:48 pm

What is everyone using as a turntable mat to replace a UA8 one that has curled up and died?
I know there are some on the auction sites for £30+ but that's crazy money to spend on an old HMV 2011 player.

I've fixed the radio and replaced the cartridge with a Chinese stereo compatible one, but the naked metal turntable is not good on your prize records!

Sam.

crackle · 9th Jul 2018, 8:13 pm

Sam
Dont put you prized records on a UA8.

No seriously, I have used felt in the past. But most soft items can catch on the stylus if it accidentally lands on the platter with no record present, and that always worries me that the stylus will get damaged.
Someone may have a spare platter on a scrap deck.

Mike

AndiiT · 9th Jul 2018, 8:40 pm

Hi, I/we found a circular rubber sink/drainer mat cut to size was ideal as a replacement for a UA8 mat and luckily was also coloured beige. We found ours in a branch of Yorkshire Trading for the grand sum of £1.
I'm sure stores similar to Yorkshire trading exist in other parts of the country.

If you're really stuck I think I purchased two, feel free to PM me if you are unable to find something locally.

Regards

Andrew

leslie5555 · 9th Jul 2018, 8:49 pm

I have used foam sheets purchased from hobby craft they are about 2mm thick, come in a variety of colours and are very easy to cut to size and also very cheap to buy.
the photo is of one I made for a Bush SRP 31D, held in place with double sided tape.

Edward Huggins · 9th Jul 2018, 9:58 pm

The UA8 platter mat can often be re-fomed in warm soapy water. A no-cost option is to use a 10" or 12" Pizza base.

Boater Sam · 10th Jul 2018, 7:39 am

A few good ideas there, but I think I'll pass on the pizza base.
The original was so bad that no amount of warming would have enabled it to reform, it had shrunk to half size and cracked, like an overcooked pizza base!

I'll find a sink mat I think. I did think of painting the turntable and fixing 6 round felt pads, Linn style.
A bit too fancy for a UA8?
Sam

Grubhead · 10th Jul 2018, 12:16 pm

There's these for less than £10
anti-static-slipmat-pair

John10b · 10th Jul 2018, 6:48 pm

just found the following on Dansette.com.
New mats available for UA8 and UA14 @ £29.95 each.
Cheers
John

Boater Sam · 10th Jul 2018, 7:22 pm

Ouch! I ordered some cheap felt mats from HK. Are prices of record player bits going over the top or is it just me out of touch?
That must be more than a whole Dansette cost new.

ajgriff · 10th Jul 2018, 11:38 pm

The polystyrene discs used as bases in pizza packaging really do make excellent turntable mats.

Alan

Boater Sam · 11th Jul 2018, 8:50 am

I misunderstood the earlier reference to pizza bases, I was thinking of pasta.
Not being a takeaway pizza eater I have not seen the packaging.
Did think it odd that records should run on pasta.
Sam.

Heatercathodeshort · 11th Jul 2018, 9:21 am

The 'Toppings' will probably choke the stylus..

Have a look around car accessory shops. They often sell basic thin black car mats that can be cut to size. They look good too. It is easier to cut the shape using a 78 RPM record as a marker and a very sharp 'Stanley' knife. TAKE CARE! John.

ajgriff · 11th Jul 2018, 10:04 am

It's the uncooked pizzas that are sold by supermarkets in film wrap that often have the polystyrene discs.

The matting mentioned by John is also sold cheaply as non-slip drawer linings in rolls and is usually black. It makes even better turntable mats although is trickier to cut to shape.

When experimenting with different turntable mats for higher quality equipment it is, of course, important to adjust the arm height to suit.

Alan

Ekcoman · 12th Jul 2018, 7:00 am

If still in one piece use a hair dryer to warm it up and will flatten out.

Boater Sam · 12th Jul 2018, 9:51 am

Way beyond recovery, its been stripped off. Some of it was very well stuck and gone hard, some was like blue tack and broke up. I suspect that it had been partly glued on at some time.

9th Jul 2018, 7:48 pm	#1
Boater Sam Banned Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines. Posts: 3,897	BSR UA8 turntable curl What is everyone using as a turntable mat to replace a UA8 one that has curled up and died? I know there are some on the auction sites for £30+ but that's crazy money to spend on an old HMV 2011 player. I've fixed the radio and replaced the cartridge with a Chinese stereo compatible one, but the naked metal turntable is not good on your prize records! Sam.

9th Jul 2018, 8:13 pm	#2
crackle Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Basildon, Essex, UK. Posts: 4,100	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl Sam Dont put you prized records on a UA8. No seriously, I have used felt in the past. But most soft items can catch on the stylus if it accidentally lands on the platter with no record present, and that always worries me that the stylus will get damaged. Someone may have a spare platter on a scrap deck. Mike Last edited by crackle; 9th Jul 2018 at 8:20 pm.

9th Jul 2018, 8:40 pm	#3
AndiiT Octode Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Saltburn-East, Cleveland, UK. Posts: 1,786	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl Hi, I/we found a circular rubber sink/drainer mat cut to size was ideal as a replacement for a UA8 mat and luckily was also coloured beige. We found ours in a branch of Yorkshire Trading for the grand sum of £1. I'm sure stores similar to Yorkshire trading exist in other parts of the country. If you're really stuck I think I purchased two, feel free to PM me if you are unable to find something locally. Regards Andrew

9th Jul 2018, 8:49 pm	#4
leslie5555 Heptode Join Date: May 2015 Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK. Posts: 692	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl I have used foam sheets purchased from hobby craft they are about 2mm thick, come in a variety of colours and are very easy to cut to size and also very cheap to buy. the photo is of one I made for a Bush SRP 31D, held in place with double sided tape. Attached Thumbnails

9th Jul 2018, 9:58 pm	#5
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,338	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl The UA8 platter mat can often be re-fomed in warm soapy water. A no-cost option is to use a 10" or 12" Pizza base. __________________ Edward.

10th Jul 2018, 7:39 am	#6
Boater Sam Banned Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines. Posts: 3,897	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl A few good ideas there, but I think I'll pass on the pizza base. The original was so bad that no amount of warming would have enabled it to reform, it had shrunk to half size and cracked, like an overcooked pizza base! I'll find a sink mat I think. I did think of painting the turntable and fixing 6 round felt pads, Linn style. A bit too fancy for a UA8? Sam Last edited by Boater Sam; 10th Jul 2018 at 7:40 am. Reason: added

10th Jul 2018, 12:16 pm	#7
Grubhead Heptode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 539	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl There's these for less than £10 anti-static-slipmat-pair

10th Jul 2018, 6:48 pm	#8
John10b Nonode Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Wales, UK. Posts: 2,887	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl just found the following on Dansette.com. New mats available for UA8 and UA14 @ £29.95 each. Cheers John

10th Jul 2018, 7:22 pm	#9
Boater Sam Banned Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines. Posts: 3,897	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl Ouch! I ordered some cheap felt mats from HK. Are prices of record player bits going over the top or is it just me out of touch? That must be more than a whole Dansette cost new.

10th Jul 2018, 11:38 pm	#10
ajgriff Nonode Join Date: May 2004 Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 2,587	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl The polystyrene discs used as bases in pizza packaging really do make excellent turntable mats. Alan

11th Jul 2018, 8:50 am	#11
Boater Sam Banned Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines. Posts: 3,897	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl I misunderstood the earlier reference to pizza bases, I was thinking of pasta. Not being a takeaway pizza eater I have not seen the packaging. Did think it odd that records should run on pasta. Sam.

11th Jul 2018, 9:21 am	#12
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl The 'Toppings' will probably choke the stylus.. Have a look around car accessory shops. They often sell basic thin black car mats that can be cut to size. They look good too. It is easier to cut the shape using a 78 RPM record as a marker and a very sharp 'Stanley' knife. TAKE CARE! John.

11th Jul 2018, 10:04 am	#13
ajgriff Nonode Join Date: May 2004 Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 2,587	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl It's the uncooked pizzas that are sold by supermarkets in film wrap that often have the polystyrene discs. The matting mentioned by John is also sold cheaply as non-slip drawer linings in rolls and is usually black. It makes even better turntable mats although is trickier to cut to shape. When experimenting with different turntable mats for higher quality equipment it is, of course, important to adjust the arm height to suit. Alan

12th Jul 2018, 7:00 am	#14
Ekcoman Heptode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southend, Essex, UK Posts: 663	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl If still in one piece use a hair dryer to warm it up and will flatten out. __________________ "I really am seriously downsizing "

12th Jul 2018, 9:51 am	#15
Boater Sam Banned Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines. Posts: 3,897	Re: BSR UA8 turntable curl Way beyond recovery, its been stripped off. Some of it was very well stuck and gone hard, some was like blue tack and broke up. I suspect that it had been partly glued on at some time.