Great fun and most are quite pretty.

I wonder how well they work?

Whoa, that guy rocks! Sure you might argue about the look, but most "big boy" VPI 'table use all acrylic too, just solid black. Very nice work though. I just made newer version of my Well-Tempered turntable (for a number of reasons) and I can tell you it's a lot of work. Fun and educational though.

As requested, I posted some of my Well-Tempered mods on the DIY section of the Stereophile Galleries page. Pictures include a platter mod, the new plinth I made, and the WTT arm I re-wired last year with Cardas tone-arm wire. Enjoy, and feel free to ask questions if you want.

Thanks Man! I have to admit, it's pretty satisfying to be able to say "I made that!" Check out my DIY Pro-Ac Response 2.5s on the Home Audio systems pages- I think maybe the third page down. I also built the stereo cabinet the system resides in. I have a background in furniture design and a degree in industrial design, which is how I got into all this...