Did some good work on my 18 watt this weekend. Make a starteling discovery. I read the wrong line on the build on order quantitiy...I ordered 2 10nf poly caps instead of 4...I though I needed 1..no that was the 100nf...so I ordered two to have a backup...but I shoulda ordered 6. Go figure.
No matter...I need a handle for the amp anyways for when I build the cab. Will order the caps and the handle today.
Did get the Output tranny wired to the chassis, the Power tranny wired to the chassis, the board done except for the one cap and all basic wireing done to the sockets. Tonight I will put in the standoffs, wire up the pots, set the board on top and begin wireing in the board. Also need to do the input wires to V1...which won't take long. It ought to take about an hour to do all that.
When I get all the above done I will put it down for the evening. Tuesday I will go back over everything with a layout and a highlighter...make sure all the wires are where they should be.
Then all we need to do is WAIT for the two polys to get here...wire them up and start checking voltages. Hopefully it will be ready for the 4th!
As far as cab designs...I want to finger join some pine. Never done that, so it should be an experience...at least a 16 foot pine board is only 18.00...I can mess up a could times and not go broke...need to get me some faceplate material. Don't know what to use yet....Am thinking...they have some copper strips for use with gutters on houses....I could do it out of that and then poly spray it to keep it from turning...have it engraved/stamped and backfill...just a thought...
any ideas? shoot me a line... kirkwhitaker at yahoo.com
k
Monday, June 30, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
18 watt Post 8
Back after a few days am I! Talk like Yoda I can!
Wire from ApexJr came in today (600v teflon wire- 5 different colors). Last night after karate I went and finally drilled and turreted the board for my 18 watt. Tonight I plan to populate the board and I have wire, so I might even mount the tranys, hook up the heater wires and mount the standoffs...who knows...it all depends on how froggy I feel at the time. Above all...we are making progress. It looks more and more like an amp every time I fool with it.
May get Steveo to help...He and Becky are coming over and we gonna get our grill on....hope to have some pics tomorrow of something amp looking.
more later....
kirk
Wire from ApexJr came in today (600v teflon wire- 5 different colors). Last night after karate I went and finally drilled and turreted the board for my 18 watt. Tonight I plan to populate the board and I have wire, so I might even mount the tranys, hook up the heater wires and mount the standoffs...who knows...it all depends on how froggy I feel at the time. Above all...we are making progress. It looks more and more like an amp every time I fool with it.
May get Steveo to help...He and Becky are coming over and we gonna get our grill on....hope to have some pics tomorrow of something amp looking.
more later....
kirk
Monday, June 23, 2008
Firefly Modifications
One mod I wanted to do to the FireFly (1.5 watt amp I built) was to put a bright switch on it. The board I used had a place for the mod so when I was ordering stuff for my 18 watt build I order a 120pf and 220pf mica cap. I went to radio shack and got a three way (on off on) and wired it up. Seems to have helped some with high end..we shall see...didn't have a lot of time to fool with it yesterday...but i will this week.
Having the swim meet this weekend didn't allow me to work on the 18 watt any..so I plan to start back on that tonight or tomorrow night. Am working on the board now...wire is on the way. Should be ready to see if it will make noise by next weekend.
We shall see.
Having the swim meet this weekend didn't allow me to work on the 18 watt any..so I plan to start back on that tonight or tomorrow night. Am working on the board now...wire is on the way. Should be ready to see if it will make noise by next weekend.
We shall see.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
18 watt post 7
Got the layout drawn tonight, hope it works, will drill and turret the board tomorrow.
Put the grommets on the chassis, along with the tube sockets. I beginning to LOOK like an amp. I even stuck a coupel tubes in it to see how it looked....pretty spiffy.
Hope to have board turreted tomorrow and begin populating it. Still no wire...need to get on that asap. But if I can get the other components on the board by Saturday i will feel like I have accomplished something this week. Next week I should be able to solder in the wires and go through Paul Ruby of Ruby amps startup guide.
Ruby's start up guide is a MUST. It walks you through measuring voltages and such as you add sections to the amp. It basically keeps you from frying the amp. Good stuff...google it.
Put the grommets on the chassis, along with the tube sockets. I beginning to LOOK like an amp. I even stuck a coupel tubes in it to see how it looked....pretty spiffy.
Hope to have board turreted tomorrow and begin populating it. Still no wire...need to get on that asap. But if I can get the other components on the board by Saturday i will feel like I have accomplished something this week. Next week I should be able to solder in the wires and go through Paul Ruby of Ruby amps startup guide.
Ruby's start up guide is a MUST. It walks you through measuring voltages and such as you add sections to the amp. It basically keeps you from frying the amp. Good stuff...google it.
Monday, June 16, 2008
18 watt Post 6
My kingdom for some tape!! I have a daughter (3) who loves tape. If she finds a roll...it's a goner.
And now my problem..I have all my parts sans wire, to build my 18 watter. I need to lay out the board so I can mark it and drill holes for the turrets. The plan was to tape components to the board as I work across it, mark it and remove them. But, thanks to my daughter I have no tape. Found what was left of the last of it in her room. The tape was wrapped around several barbie dolls and dora dolls...so tomorrow I shall purchase some more take and tomorrow evening lay it out. I did manage to put the IEC power module, pots, and neon power indicator light on the chassis, finger tight. Need some small bolts, nuts and washers to put the tube sockets onto the chassis...will pick those up tomorrow at lunch from Home Depot...I am sure they have Scotch tape too...if not, Wally World is next door. So much for getting a lot done, but I got a little done. Each step is one step closer. Board is the big hurdle, once I get it done it will only be a matter of an hour or so of work. Will order wire tomorrow, ApexJr doesn't have an online purchase system...have to call.
k
And now my problem..I have all my parts sans wire, to build my 18 watter. I need to lay out the board so I can mark it and drill holes for the turrets. The plan was to tape components to the board as I work across it, mark it and remove them. But, thanks to my daughter I have no tape. Found what was left of the last of it in her room. The tape was wrapped around several barbie dolls and dora dolls...so tomorrow I shall purchase some more take and tomorrow evening lay it out. I did manage to put the IEC power module, pots, and neon power indicator light on the chassis, finger tight. Need some small bolts, nuts and washers to put the tube sockets onto the chassis...will pick those up tomorrow at lunch from Home Depot...I am sure they have Scotch tape too...if not, Wally World is next door. So much for getting a lot done, but I got a little done. Each step is one step closer. Board is the big hurdle, once I get it done it will only be a matter of an hour or so of work. Will order wire tomorrow, ApexJr doesn't have an online purchase system...have to call.
k
Only in Bainbridge I guess.....
Man hits moving train....
http://bainbridgega.com/news/publish/061408train.shtml
http://bainbridgega.com/news/publish/061408train.shtml
Saturday, June 14, 2008
18 watt Post 5
Ordering wire today. Have pretty much everything else wrapped up as far as coming. May pick up another amp handle from somewhere. Have a cheap one...but we ain't to cab building yet. Deburred the chassis, got some screws for the standoffs and lock washers to go with them. Did forget to order hole covers for the 6v6 holes. Don't know if I will, I might just play the amp like it is for a while, and then order some 8 pin sockets and put in a differenct tail resistor and cathode bias resistor ( I think that is the two i change out)...and be able to use both el84s and 6v6s in the amp..not at the same time though).
6V6's have a mellower sound, about the same power, less chimey. If i think the amp is too bright...might be a good option. Have heard some 6v6 Lite IIb's on the web, some sound good, some don't. But that is the same with el84 versions too...you sometimes have to tweek them to get them to do what you want by changing values of resistors and caps...remember i am new at this, so i will probably screw it up once or twice.
Enough of that....have a great day.
k
6V6's have a mellower sound, about the same power, less chimey. If i think the amp is too bright...might be a good option. Have heard some 6v6 Lite IIb's on the web, some sound good, some don't. But that is the same with el84 versions too...you sometimes have to tweek them to get them to do what you want by changing values of resistors and caps...remember i am new at this, so i will probably screw it up once or twice.
Enough of that....have a great day.
k
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