Jump to content

Scary Homebrew Amp Build


thebes

Recommended Posts

On 6/3/2019 at 3:38 PM, babadono said:

Is that a bottle of gin in the background? Just be freakin' careful:)

Actually it's a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Mosquito season is already here.

 

Gin though, now that's a thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, mark1101 said:

I keep coming back to this thread and looking at those pictures and HONESTLY wondering if this is one of Marty's practical jokes and if the pictures are even real.

 

It looks like you got drunk and started soldering junk parts one on top of the other and posted this to try and fool us.  I swear it does not even look real to me the more I look at it.

 

Can anyone confirm this may have worked at one time...............or is this a joke?  :)

Now why didn't I think of that!

 

Sadly it's no joke. He obviously had some skills but to build this thing but to say he practiced safe electronic protocols, even for that time, would be a mis-statement. 

 

I weighed the power supply today and it was actually 22lbs so the power transformer is probably about 18 or 19 lbs.  One of the cool things I discovered is that the multi-cap has pins coming out of it and it  actually plugs into a tube socket!  Never saw that before.  Very cool idea. Probably a military thing from back in the day.

 

As far as the varnish on old transformers, I have no idea whether the specifics of Jeff's statement are true or not, but certainly atrophy claims everything over time. Since most of my metal from the 50's, 60's and 70's is still intact, I hope those old windings go for decades more.  Certainly, the minor components of any audio gear, caps and resistors, seems to me more vulnerable to age than the various transformers and chokes I've run across. Indeed it's almost a given, that unless it's run afoul of an electrical surge or failure you can often keep the metal the big bricks, throw everything else away and rebuild, re-create or re-design from there. 

 

I will add this on a personal note. I know Jeff's views are controversial, both here and elsewhere, but  a bit more civility towards him from you my tubular friends is in order.  Why, if you can believe it, certain elements of this Forum, have on occasion taken exception to my own pronuciatos, as incredulous as that may seem.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Good start of a stereo amp.Nice heavy power transformer, choke, at least one of the 2 salvageable  chassis.Find another similar output or buy a pair of Edcor Push pull output transformers.You could go to the Tubelab website and buy a  Simple pushpull (SPP) circuit board.(4) 6BQ5/EL84 and (2) 12at7. You won't be disappointed.Wiring not that unusual of a mess.Most peoples point to point wiring is messy.Don't risk the transformers and yourself by electrifying those old capacitors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Forgot to mention you may get a crapload of B+ from the transformer that was probably rated for 115 volts. Maybe too high a DC voltage for the Tubelab simple pushpull 6BQ5 tubes,which I think require about 320volts.You can (carefully) disconnect the secondary wires and see how many volts it runs at.Probably will be impressively high, unloaded, may not even sag much with a good load on it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/4/2019 at 8:02 PM, thebes said:

  One of the cool things I discovered is that the multi-cap has pins coming out of it and it  actually plugs into a tube socket!  Never saw that before.  Very cool idea. Probably a military thing from back in the day.

 

Most broadcast gear used those plug-in caps, they were the #1 failure point and stations needed to be able to swap a new one in quickly.  Lots of that out there.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...