Trainwreck build - First amp

[JPGraphX]

Is it how it's supposed to be?

[geetarpicker]

The tight clearance of the potentiometer terminals and associated wiring makes me nervous. Make sure there is no way the pots can rotate slightly when working the knobs (if a pot nut ever gets slightly loose) as an end terminal could make contact and short out. You might even try bending the terminals over slightly to gain a little extra clearance, but that might be tricky to do now that they are all soldered up. I think the coupling caps keep any true high voltage off the pots, but it's best to be extra safe in regards to anything that could short to ground.

[JPGraphX]

The clearance with my chassis?

[geetarpicker]

Yes. Do you plan to use a wood faceplate? If so you won't want to tighten the pots down too far as you can crack the wood. That said perhaps your pots and grounding tabs are tight enough that the pots would never turn or flex enough for a terminal to ground out. Anyway, just give it a good look just to be safe.

[JPGraphX]

I'll try to bend them away from the chassis. And yes I plan to use a wood faceplate.

Thanks very much for your feedback !!

[JPGraphX]

I have a hard time figuring how to connect RJ Pacific transformers. Anyone can help?

JP

[JPGraphX]

6.3vac done and center tap. Wires from PT are too big it was a mess trying to solder them to tube socket..

[JazzGuitarGimp]

If the face plate is thick enough to allow it, you could counterbore a clearance for nuts on the back. That way the pots can be securely held in place with one set of nuts, then put the face plate on over the first set of nuts and secure the face plate with a second set of nuts.

[Tillydog]

... it was a mess trying to solder them to tube socket..

I'm sure you're on it, but just in case: IMO you need to clean up all those solder splashes and straggling wires, or these things *will* haunt you.

Best way I've found to deal with 'big' wires is to cut them really cleanly (needs a good quality, sharp cutter), strip the minimum amount of insulation off, twist the strands together as tightly and neatly as possible then try to thread them through the eye in the tag (before tinning) taking maximum care to get all the strands through. If you crush the end of the wires, they are almost impossible to get neat again. If they still won't fit, then it's better (IMHO) to enlarge the hole a little.

[JPGraphX]

Yes I was going to clean my mess, but thanks for that!

My holes were physically too small for those wire.. I had to split it (half in the hole, rest on side of pin).. Tried to enlarge hole, almost broke my pin.

JP

[JPGraphX]

What do you mean by straggling wire ? (sorry my english is not very good)

[Tillydog]

What do you mean by straggling wire ? (sorry my english is not very good)

Sorry: I mean the loose strands of wire that aren't soldered - near the biggest arrow on the right hand side.

Did you 'tin' (=put solder on) before you tried to fit the wire through the hole? That can makes things more difficult if the sizing is close.

[JPGraphX]

Hi everyone,

This summer I started a new job so I had no time to complete my build.

I'm now ready to get back to my amp. I feel a little bit annoyed by my power tube socket and transformer. The (brown, I think) wire is too big for my tube socket. I don't know what to do.. should I buy new tube socket ?

Here's an image made with paint (WOW! LOL) of what I did to solder my wire.
It doesn't look pretty, but could it be good?

[img:104:179]http://i59.tinypic.com/2941koy.png[/img]

Thanks!
Jp

[JPGraphX]

I use RJ pacific transformers. And the wires are VERY BIG.

[JoeCon]

JP

What I do is bring the big wires to a terminal strip and connect to smaller wires that fit the tube better. Heater wires with no center tap need 100 ohm resistors to ground so I use it there too. works nice...