arco Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Yep, Rebuilding with utmost care such a nice piece of equipment, just to install the lot in a rust pitted chassis is - in my humble opinion - like eating a lovingly cooked meal in take away cartons. The taste might be there, but half of the pleasure is gone! Don't get me wrong, though: I am actually myself in a building spree (again...) and I just get crazy seeing the costs pile up! I reckon this is a very personal decision, but I think you will not regret a nicely made chassis for your project. Aristidis www.aca.gr/pop_coumpas.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 'V8 Volkswagons and Soldering in Formal' The Tweakings of the Dynakit 70. You guys KILL me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted March 1, 2002 Author Share Posted March 1, 2002 In actuality the now polished old chassis is perfectly acceptable, especially for a "prototype" design. When we go into production on this unit we can utilize the $200 new chrome or shiny copper chassis and pass the expense onto the retail customer by a factor of two eg. adding $400 onto what will need to be a $2000 unit. It is then that we will also be repainting the old transformers and all the rest. We could even have fini fabricate a nice bird's-eye-maple frame to go around the chassis (an extra $350) for that fine fini Finnish finish. The analogy to the over-powered VW was not meant to be one regarding the integrity of design but an attitude. Part of the "bragging" appeal of the amplifier upgrade will be the relatively low cost and the surprisingly good results, but yet will still have the general appearance of the old "humble" Dynakit, not something disguised to pass for what would look like I paid a bunch for cosmetic appeal. That Ferrari at the serious race track does not usually have quite the same appearance as the same "retail" model in the garage of your billionaire friend if you know what I mean. The focus of this prototype is the electronic engineering not its imitation of high-end salesfloor cosmetics. I actually want to see the honest elements of its origins displayed rather than hidden. It is why you strip old oak furniture of its paint that a previous generation applied because of a different aesthetic, one that is now seen as misinformed eg. what did we do before we had the Antiques Roadshow? {Sorry to tell you that your Dynakit would have been worth $$$$$ had you not used the chrome chassis so now it is only worth $$...darn}. Damage is one thing but the simple evidence of minor "stress marks" due to age is not IMHO undesirable and in fact can be considered desirable in this particular instance. Investing $200 in a new chassis for this dynakit remodel is precisely the crux here. If I did that, then the previous comments about how I could have better spent the money on an entirely new unit, and how I could have sold the old Dyna for $350 on eBay, and how old Clippped and Shorn must be insane to undertake this project, might then be true. If this old chassis is worth $100 to some restorer on eBay, why isn't it worth $100 for my "modified restoration"? The aesthetic philosophy here is entirely consistent with a lot of fine art that I respect. We are talking Tim Hawkinson here, not Jeff Koons. -Braqued and Schwittered This message has been edited by Clipped and Shorn on 03-01-2002 at 10:27 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 A Golden Learning Process at any cost, Nontheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Thanks guys for making one of the most entertaining and eclectically informative threads I have read on this Forum. Clipped & Shorn, your writing talent in particular is a great asset to his board. And to think that all this action is just a few miles north of the Golden Gate where my mother was born into a world of Edison wax cylinders and Morning Glory horns in 1907. Mdeneen, I am sure glad you came along a little later or this post would have been about fini hot waxing cylinders and Clipped & Shorn folding Morning Glory horns. I hope the three of you can get together for another exciting episode... maybe like fini picking up some stray amp at a garage sale and mdeneen turning it into a project for the solder vacuum wiz of Penngrove. HornEd PS: Mobile Homeless... you show a hidden talent for photography. If you like the Oly 2020z you will fall in love with the SLR (single lens reflex for through the lens viewing of your electronics shots) and a fantastic 4:1 zoom lens. Although I have moved on to the E-20's, the 4 megapixel E-10 can be had at less than half of its original cost... about $800. To mix a metaphor... it's like putting tubes on your 2020z! H.E. This message has been edited by HornEd on 03-01-2002 at 04:45 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Sould we tell 'em about the tubes we're making out of wine bottles (after we empty them, in our capacitor analogy demonstration...next week?)? This is fun. When shall we expect you, Ed? fini p.s. Ed, You think his posts are good...You should try his art classes! This message has been edited by fini on 03-01-2002 at 05:59 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 big fingers, sorry This message has been edited by fini on 03-01-2002 at 10:13 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Perhaps, Lost and Found, yet which at this stage remains to be seen... Indeed. The Tim Hawkinson comparison is another rather ironic one. Usually, Hawkinson takes random junk, refuse, and everyday, ordinary objects, and constructs something of either divine relevance or whimsical absurdity. You, on the other hand, took a working amp from a company no longer in existence, that has a loyal, if not cult-like following, and basically reduced it to rubble, keeping the hollow shell and the heart. In other words, just about the exact opposite of ye olde Mr. Hawkinson, who makes something new out of nothing much, you took something much and made it into a dustpan of refuse that you might just consider sending to Mr. Hawkinson. Alas, you created nothing from something! Hale to the bizarro-Hawkinson! Of course, now you will construct a totally new circuit from the remains. Perhaps I held a bit of sentiment for the poor Dynaco that was sitting in your system a few nights before. Perhaps I saw a solution that only involved a few more ducats, and would keep poor Dynaco intact, provide you with better base, and long live thy happy ever after motif. Personally, I had thought about making the ultimate HF-81 using the transformers of my second unit which worked fine... But I couldn't bring myself to gut the poor tyke. Since you have a fondness for Tim, perhaps you can keep the karma alive and send him mdeneen's dust pan... kh ps- Don't take this rant too seriously...I actually am looking forward to your Hawkinsonesque Triode Creation. Perhaps you should call it, "Ranting Triode with Glass Eyes and Roving Bias." pps- Hidden talent for photography. I had to laugh at this one. I used to have a dark room and have been through many SLR from the lowly K1000 Pentax to the Nikon F2. Alas, that was a while ago. The Digital is more for web work... To move up to the heavy duty digitals is beyond my means at the moment. They have come WAY down though. Those Olympus were insanely priced just two years ago.... This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 03-01-2002 at 06:21 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 As an invited guest to the operating room, my observation is that it's about way more than saving money or making the coolest hot-rodded amp: it's about learning something from a new friend, sharing laughs, cookin' up somethin' in the garage. Suddenly I'm light and breezy... fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc1091 Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Sidenote: Mobile - I didn't know a pic of a woofer could look so sultry. Yeeeow! Greens of plants etc are usually the downfall of Digital Cameras. The olympus captures it better than a Nikon Digital from what I've see. I think you're images have finally made the decision plain for me: Olympus. Back to Audio: Maaannn! You guys make me envious. Mods like this should be worth an independant thread on an independant website. BRAVO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 oops This message has been edited by fini on 03-01-2002 at 07:43 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 The Olympus IS better than the Nikon digital-wise. While they have a few faults, the really are excellent and even better in the macro setting. The 2000 on up is fully manual as well allowing you much greater control. As said, the 2040 is often seen at a tremendous discount online. Hey mdeneen, I hope you dont put another circuit board on that beast. You could probably go all point to point wiring and cover that space with some brass or aluminum plate. Get that HOLE PUNCH going! I need to head over to mdeneens for some fine wine. And yes, as it is Friday, another bottle has been opened....cheap as hell, unfortunately. Tonight it is the homely 98 Beringer Founder Estate Cabernet...Cheap and ok...after breathing for an hour! Lordy. kh This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 03-01-2002 at 09:12 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 I love the Beringer Merlot and buy it by the case from Costco. I'm new to the wine game but am enjoying the ride. I look forward to the story and pictures from this endeavor... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Fini, I would feel privileged to meet you guys somewhere in the wine country by motorhome or car. I'll even be sure to bring something interesting along from my wine cellar! I just picked up a BuyNow walnut Academy on Ebay for $400... I don't recall hearing one and they have been so hot... and this one matches my Cornwalls and the K-Horns and Belle I bought from the edster00. It seemed like a good idea on the spur of the moment. Speaking of the motorhome, I was taking it in for a routine tune-up and a mile and half from the shop it stopped running in the middle of a major intersection. Today was definitely a better day! Yeah, today I even learned that shipping the pair of Khorns and lone Belle from Atlanta to San Francisco will only be $251 for a three-day delivery! Love that BAX Global for business to business shipping of large items! HornEd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted March 1, 2002 Author Share Posted March 1, 2002 Kelly, You're correct about the looseness to the analogy with Hawkinson. He does work in several conceptual modes, however, and one piece I saw early on was like the skeleton of an old Christmas tree that he had taken apart and then put back together so all the branches faced in one direction.(hey, like a rectifier...) Anyway the point here is to mention how cool you knew his work. The analogy had something to do with the fact that his concepts were deep but his technique and craftsmanship was homespun and not polished like a Koon's gold plated figurine of Michael Jackson etc. HornEd, Do you have an interesting audio system in the motor home? It would be fun to have a North Bay wine country get together, yes indeed. mdeneen, oops, I forgot to also drop off a bottle of the the Mont Pellier Viognier that I am enjoying chilled as we speak. Next visit for sure. fini, You hit the chrome plated nail on the head with your vintage collectible hammer there talking about the comradery of a weekend garage project. Now that I think of it, this could be an episode of King Of The Hill. Yep..... For some unknown reason images of those 50s cast aluminum plates identifying which hot rod or custom car club one belonged to just popped into my memory. They were usually displayed in the back of the vehicle or up on the back "dash", or whatever you call that part of a car {where they often mount loudspeakers--just to stay on topic). -Strokered and McGurked This message has been edited by Clipped and Shorn on 03-02-2002 at 02:27 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Hows 'bout a treehouse in the backyard? I'll bring the cork screw... fini sidenote: I've double-posted so often in this thread, I doubt mdeneen will let me even touch his soldering iron...damn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Clipped & Shorn... it would be an honor, sirs, to join you any time an occasion arises. Email me at eddennis@msn.com so I can get it if I am on the road. Since I understand you are into art, I thought I would include this small photo of a piece done by a protégé of mine in Texas. He whimsically did one on an uninspired day... and it sold for a nice price. Not bad for an artist who thought it was a sh**y day. And he keeps getting requests to do more... he's done about three or four and each one, of course, is different. Efrain's an interesting case who one first prize in his division in his first try at a major art show. As a migrant family kid, he used to make toys for his siblings in the scrap metal pile behind the house. Now he gets as much as $3k a found metal sculpture. The motorhome I have on this side of the Rockies is an old 30 footer that I am using to experiment with motorhome designs. I have had several systems in and out of it... and am casting about for the right sound. An 8'x30' mobile space does not lend itself to Mr. Paul's 32' diagonal theory! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Maybe when I get a decent sound system in, we can use it to attend some artsy event in the wine country... it is equipped with a wine rack! My only concern is that in this group I will only be able to find "designated drinkers." Wined & Supined Thanks for thinking of me. HornEd This message has been edited by HornEd on 03-01-2002 at 10:33 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted March 1, 2002 Author Share Posted March 1, 2002 Kelly, Regarding the nostalgia for the old Dynakit, I am tyring to remember how I got into this project in the first place. Wasn't it your suggestion and encouragement to trust mdeneen to do a radical makeover of this amp as a viable alternative to the many other alternatives out there? Man I was all set to buy Moondogs or something. Maybe not really ready to spring for that much bread, but I was dreaming of something that would be a dramatic improvement over the existing Dynakit70. Anyway this is all fun and may even result in a big pay off. I mean in the resulting sound, not the payoff that fini has hinted at in his suggestion that mdeneen is actually running a con here to obtain Dynakit parts to sell on eBay, going from town to town conning Dynakit70 owners on the dream of the mystery circuit (which doesn't actually exist), only to get them to snip out all the old components which he puts in his famous dustpan and telling the 'marks' that he is going to throw them into the garbage, wink wink nudge nudge know what I mean. Actually "mobile" first gets you to believe there can be something better, then they make it seem like they are squabbling over the fine points of audio, in mock disagreements on the forum, but actually they are in cahoots, getting victims to offer up their Dynakits for radical tweaking. The two of them are actually behind all those old vintage Dynakit parts that are being sold on eBay. Hey fini, maybe you are on to something here. I am calling the people at 60 Minutes, these guys should be exposed. I wonder how many Dynakits have been parted out for big bucks on eBay by this slick pair. -pushed and pulled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Actually, I think mdeneen has some panache... at least he is a "dust panhandler" with charm instead of one of those South of Market (S.F.) kind. Wait 'till he shows you the new "AlmostaBose" circuitous fuzzy dice. -Played & Filleted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted March 1, 2002 Author Share Posted March 1, 2002 mdeneen, Actually I do possess two or three electricians hole punches in rather large diameters (definitely larger than socket size). First you drill a pilot hole then you put on the punch, the "male" on one side and the "female"on the other. They are bound together on the same bolt. By tightening down on a large nut you eventally pop out a clean cut hole. -popped and riveted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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