My 100 Watt Kit Build Journal

[FourT6and2]

Too late

Board is in and everything's ready for the pot/control wiring, tube socket wiring and finally the board components. I have nothing soldered to the underside of the board. So, risking something coming loose is probably not going to happen. The board is also a good inch above the chassis. So I doubt I'll have a line of solder shorting to ground from a turret. The only thing I'm worried about are some of the leads already soldered around the turrets (like the choke, B+, rectifier, etc.) coming loose once I apply heat to solder a resistor or cap to a turret.

Any tips to avoid that?

[FourT6and2]

More progress today.

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 32lk9p.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 32lkcg.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/ ... 32lkdd.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 32lke7.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 32lkf6.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[demonufo]

Too late

Board is in and everything's ready for the pot/control wiring, tube socket wiring and finally the board components. I have nothing soldered to the underside of the board. So, risking something coming loose is probably not going to happen. The board is also a good inch above the chassis. So I doubt I'll have a line of solder shorting to ground from a turret. The only thing I'm worried about are some of the leads already soldered around the turrets (like the choke, B+, rectifier, etc.) coming loose once I apply heat to solder a resistor or cap to a turret.

Any tips to avoid that?

Really hot iron, work fast. If you've wrapped them tight around the turrets before soldering, they won't come loose. The only real risk is the insulation melting and creeping if the leads don't come straight away from the turrets. This is one of the reasons I like to keep the board out of the chassis whilst loading, so as I can keep the leads slack until the components are in without risking the insulation shifting, and then pulling them tight through the bottom afterwards.

[FourT6and2]

Too late

Board is in and everything's ready for the pot/control wiring, tube socket wiring and finally the board components. I have nothing soldered to the underside of the board. So, risking something coming loose is probably not going to happen. The board is also a good inch above the chassis. So I doubt I'll have a line of solder shorting to ground from a turret. The only thing I'm worried about are some of the leads already soldered around the turrets (like the choke, B+, rectifier, etc.) coming loose once I apply heat to solder a resistor or cap to a turret.

Any tips to avoid that?

Really hot iron, work fast. If you've wrapped them tight around the turrets before soldering, they won't come loose. The only real risk is the insulation melting and creeping if the leads don't come straight away from the turrets. This is one of the reasons I like to keep the board out of the chassis whilst loading, so as I can keep the leads slack until the components are in without risking the insulation shifting, and then pulling them tight through the bottom afterwards.

Yeah, I've learned this the hard way on some other components where I've pre-bent the leads at 90 degree angles and then soldered them. The jacket/insulation burns and pulls away from the wire. So, now I solder everything with the wire straight and bend it afterward. It's harder because I have to sort of predetermine how much length I'll need to factor in the bend.

Anyway, I've wrapped and soldered the turrets according to this video: http://www.solder.net/technical/turret.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; So hopefully that's good enough.

In the future I'll be sure to use Teflon wire. I think it can withstand higher temps. and holds its shape better?

[JimiJames]

Lookin' good, Brother !
Coming along very nicely.

[demonufo]

In the future I'll be sure to use Teflon wire. I think it can withstand higher temps. and holds its shape better?

The Teflon wire is better in that the insulation behaves itself, but I REALLY like the wire in the metro kits. In my opinion the pre-tinned wire that George sells holds it's shape better (as in, whatever shape you've bent it into) and I just have to adjust myself to suit. Not a problem once you get used to it. It's just a case of making yourself work for it, as you've discovered.
The metro wire certainly LOOKS a lot more authentic though, than the thin-insulated PTFE wire, which is probably the main reason for George using it.

[FourT6and2]

In the future I'll be sure to use Teflon wire. I think it can withstand higher temps. and holds its shape better?

The Teflon wire is better in that the insulation behaves itself, but I REALLY like the wire in the metro kits. In my opinion the pre-tinned wire that George sells holds it's shape better (as in, whatever shape you've bent it into) and I just have to adjust myself to suit. Not a problem once you get used to it. It's just a case of making yourself work for it, as you've discovered.
The metro wire certainly LOOKS a lot more authentic though, than the thin-insulated PTFE wire, which is probably the main reason for George using it.

I dunno. I would need all these different types of wire next to each other and in my hand to understand the real difference. I do enjoy the pre-tinned wire, though. I hate tinning wire.

Anyway, here's where I am so far:

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 32nece.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FourT6and2]

Lookin' good, Brother !
Coming along very nicely.

Thanks!

Also, I've been using your build pics as a reference for what good lead-dress is. You really helped me out! Also, how the hell did you do your heater/filament wiring? It's way too clean...

[FourT6and2]

Well, everything's pretty much done. I'm just waiting on two capacitors that are in the mail before the board is 100%. After that, I'll wire up the power cord, form the filter caps and test for all the voltages. Then I'll rock some faces off with mah toanz!

I figured out the special "trick" to getting those nice blobs of solder on the turrets. Just tap dat thang!

I also seem to have a lot of extra parts left. That worries me. 17 resistors, one electrolytic cap, and two other caps. I guess they're included so you can experiment with different values in the tone stack?

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 32srks.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 32srna.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/ ... 32srow.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FourT6and2]

The two missing caps came in today. Unfortunately they're damaged. One has a small dent in the end, the other has a dent in the same place but it's cracked open and the foil is exposed.

So, looks like I'll have to wait yet again.

Probably not the best idea to send electronic parts in an envelop...

[FourT6and2]

This thing is insanely, ridiculously, incredibly, ear-splittingly LOUD...

I still have a few kinks to work out, though. I need to change one of the caps to a different value, remove the bright cap, and install one of the missing .68uF caps that is still in the mail. But that cap is not required to operate the amp.

It's all biased up and ready to rock. But it's WAY too loud to play in my apartment, even on like... 2 or 3. So I'll have to wait until I can get into the practice space to crank it.

Oh, and the presence pot seems like it's bad. It makes an audible low-rumble when you move it. Other than that, it works fine.

Will report back when I have more time to play with it. Gotta break it in.

Thanks to Toner, Larry, Roe, demonufo and anyone else I forgot for helping me!

[demonufo]

Oh, and the presence pot seems like it's bad. It makes an audible low-rumble when you move it. Other than that, it works fine.

That's perfectly normal. The vintage style presence circuit has DC voltage across the potentiometer which will manifest itself as noise when operating the pot.

The later style presence circuit with the 22K pot and the 4.7K resistor does not do this, but it doesn't sound the same either.

[FourT6and2]

Oh, and the presence pot seems like it's bad. It makes an audible low-rumble when you move it. Other than that, it works fine.

That's perfectly normal. The vintage style presence circuit has DC voltage across the potentiometer which will manifest itself as noise when operating the pot.

The later style presence circuit with the 22K pot and the 4.7K resistor does not do this, but it doesn't sound the same either.

What's the sonic difference between the two? Seriously, thanks for all the awesome help with my build.

Final pictures

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 332h4l.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 332h6r.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/ ... 332h8u.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Roe]

my band is rehearsing with two 100watters and a 8x10" on bass in a small room.

[FourT6and2]

my band is rehearsing with two 100watters and a 8x10" on bass in a small room.