Making Props - 1950's record player

I volunteered to help with the preparations for the school's production of Grease. I was asked if I could make a 1950's record player. I said yes although I'd never made anything like it before & wasn't sure where to start. I like a challenge and how hard can it be? 

I didn't have to buy anything to make it. I used off cuts of MDF & wood and anything else I could find in the garage.

I made a box to start with & cut a top to fit. I didn't bother with a base to keep the weight down.

I made a template out of paper & drew out the shape of the speaker on the front panel. 

 I stuck some calico to a scrap of MDF to make the speaker. 

 Drew a grid on it & stuck the MDF behind the hole that I'd cut in the front panel.

The knobs were made from 2 toothpaste tube lids. These were screwed to the front next to the speaker panel.

The turntable was made from the lid of a tin of chocolates.

Painted black & screwed to the top.

 It took me ages to decide how to make the arm. Like so many of my good ideas the answer came to me whilst I was stuck in commuter traffic on the way home from work. I used a wooden coat hanger. It had just the right amount if curve for the arm. 

I bolted it to the top using a stack of washers to get it to the right height.

Ready for it's stage debut. 
I won't win any woodwork prizes, but it looked just fine on stage.