Hybrid turret board / PCB?

[adew]

Just wondering if anyone here had built a hybrid turret board / PCB. If so, did it work well? Would you do it again?

I'm tempted to do one for a future build so that things like relays, radial filters, etc, can be more easily accommodated, while keeping the advantages of turrets for component swapping, tweaking, etc. Obviously, quite a bit of work involved to design one (but that's half the fun of this hobby, right?), but I'm curious about the experience of others who have been down this route.

Thanks!

[pdf64]

There’s a guy on TGP, Coolidge, that comes up with some great work in that vein, eg https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index ... t-32100773

[chief mushroom cloud]

Just wondering if anyone here had built a hybrid turret board / PCB. If so, did it work well? Would you do it again?

I'm tempted to do one for a future build so that things like relays, radial filters, etc, can be more easily accommodated, while keeping the advantages of turrets for component swapping, tweaking, etc. Obviously, quite a bit of work involved to design one (but that's half the fun of this hobby, right?), but I'm curious about the experience of others who have been down this route.

Yes & yes.
But only on prototypes or proof of concept builds....
If anything, it's nothing more than a breadboard if you're going to keep tweeking it. And if that is the case....I'm wondering at what point does it become a 'player' rather than a project. Been down that road....it only leads to sorrow and pain, massive amounts of extra parts that make you look like a hoarder, divorce, your children disowning you, bath salt binges....it's just sad.

[adew]

Yes & yes.
But only on prototypes or proof of concept builds....
If anything, it's nothing more than a breadboard if you're going to keep tweeking it. And if that is the case....I'm wondering at what point does it become a 'player' rather than a project. Been down that road....it only leads to sorrow and pain, massive amounts of extra parts that make you look like a hoarder, divorce, your children disowning you, bath salt binges....it's just sad.

True re player vs project, but it's an itch I want to scratch. I'll keep your dire warnings in mind.

[adew]

There’s a guy on TGP, Coolidge, that comes up with some great work in that vein, eg https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index ... t-32100773

Thanks. I think it was his work that was inspiring me.

[chaccmgr]

Hi,
I made a bass amp with this concept, inspired ba a Marshall reissue (forgot the model) and Aiken Amps. Exact same reasoning like yours. The result was perfect and I would do it again. I used turrets no eyelets (not much space inside if several wires meet inside)

I made the basic infrastructure PCB (PSU, B+ with local filter stages (caps are radial) in the preamp, Power Stage and local ground stars per stage). That's where little modification is expected and proved to be true and space saving. Gives the amp a very clean layout and look, reduces wiring. Apart from the PSU, dropping resistors and filter caps all components are turret mounted.
If you have the solder pads of radial components outside the diameter of the radial component (e.g. filter caps) you still can unsolder from the top side. You should use hot glue or electronics silicone (not the acidic home silicone) to fix them.

Ideally the board is thicker than normal to accomodate the turrets (otherwise they might split on the back when swagin). Some claim, the copper layer should be 2 oz thick. Mine is 1 oz and works fine. My Boards are standard thickness and I had the split problem with some turrets.

Always use double sided Boards and plated throuh holes. This reduces problems with loose tracks and soldering pads and makes the layout much easier. The pads around the turrets must be a bit wider than the turret diameter to be able to solder them in addition to swaging to ensure a good contact. Turrets get very hot when soldering components to them. When you swap components, the solder will melt all around the turret and might come lose from the pad when not swaged.

I did wire the heaters traditionally. You can't twist PCB-tracks...

[acatlow]

I made this based off Sluckey's Dual 50 Marshall not too long ago.

Try it out if you like

[acatlow]

Sorry guys, I forgot to add the changes I made to his original design...

Here is the DIYLC layout that a friend created, I originally made this for him with the changes added into this layout.

I am going to be modifying the GERBER file to have the component values added but for now, it is the typical look of a turret board with added radials if you so choose.
I've been quiet up until now but some people may have seen my ShrEddie reactive load PCB floating around, but I finally decided to make an account and post stuff to share.

I'm currently working on a Thrifty Wreck PCB but need to make a ground plane for it but need to check over my work to make sure I haven't made any mistakes.

Thanks guys

Alex Catlow
Sirius Amplification