In this part of the tutorial I show you the main components of the phonograph and how to build it.

I use foam board for this project but you can easily use cardboard. It will work just as well.

The heart of the phonograph is these two pulleys. The one on the left is the hand crank that you turn. And the one on the right is the one the record sits on.

Each pulley is made of four foamboard circles. The two inner circles are 4 inches in diameter and the outer circles are 5 inches in diameter. The wooden dowel acts as the axle and it is 1/4 inch in diameter.

Here is a look at the pulley installation. This way it rotates smoothly and easily.

And here is the stand. It it a good idea to make the stand as a separate object not attached to the rest of the record player. This is so you can move it around to support the size horn that you make.

The horn paper might prove to be a challenge for you. I have this roll of paper that is very large. It is about 28 inches wide. I use it as a backdrop for stop motion animations. Use the largest paper you have, shape it into a cone, add the pin and give it a try! If it isn't loud enough you can tape together four or more sheets of printer paper and give that a try. It should work better.

About where to put the needle on the record. Having a horn and separate stand allows you to move the needle around and place it anywhere on the record. I find that this location works well. It is just past the halfway point on the record. A record spins in a clockwise direction.

And that's it! Enjoy your record player. And if you make one be sure to send me a pic!! I will email you a certificate of contribution.

Earn a Certificate of Contribution!

If you make this project email me a picture! I will email you a certificate of completion from stormthecastle.com You can print it up and hang it on the wall.

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