Mint Tractor

Congrats there, Stringreen. What you describe in increased performance sounds very much like what I heard when I first used the MintLP protractor. The reason is very, very simple. Yip has not invented new math, or new curves, or anything else. He has just given us a more precise target.

I agree. Using this protractor correctly is time consuming and something of a pain in the arse. Yip will tell you that even with how much you have improved things you can still get it better if you keep working at it. He's a mad man! :-)

Sonofjim,

I see the same thing from the tape on my Galibier platter as well. Not hard to do with a graphite surface. As you said, there doesn't appear to be any adhesive but there still may be. I'm going to try a little Goo Gone just to see.

I confess. I can't get myself around the platter without nudging the platter or mirror. So tape will be employed during the Minting process on my table. Try spending at least 5 minutes getting the overhang set correctly on the protractor surface, then move on to the first null only to find that you've nudged things just enough to see space between the line and the stylus. AARRGGHHHH!!!

I've compromised and now tape the mirror to the side of the platter instead of the surface. No more marks, no more movement, no more slinging my eyepiece across the room in disgust. ;-)

Sonofjim,

Once I attempted to clean my platter surface with a little Simple Green and it left a little discoloration in the graphite. Based on that experience I chickened out on trying the Goo Gone. I have done some testing with Kleenex and I can't detect that there was no adhesive left behind by the tape.

Viper, as Yip would say, if you have only spent 15 minutes adjusting your alignment there is no way it is as good as it can be. Keep trying grasshopper. (OK, the grasshopper part was mine.)

No, not sarcasm. I'm just passing along what Yip told me when I said almost the same thing you did. But that doesn't mean you have to. If you're satisfied that you can't improve on what you have now, or just don't want to try, that is ok. It is entirely possible, though a real long shot, that your VPI tractor helped get your alignment that good. Even so, you will have a much better chance of getting the alignment very good again with the Mint tractor should something change. So don't be too disappointed with your new protractor.

Madfloyd, as you say it is difficult to get good angle to see. This is exactly why I have my 'table turned so that the arm is in the back. For my setup this allows me to get to both alignment points easier but the one closest to the spindle still gives me the most trouble seeing.

AND, don't forget, perfection is not possible. Even with the Mint. The best we can do is work to eliminate as much error as we can. It is most definitely an interative process. The more error we can adjust out the more we are rewarded.