Buss bar source locally??

[playonit]

Can a buss bar substitute be sourced locally that I could use across the back of my pots?? instead of ordering online and waiting? what for example would a Home Depot (or other local place) have that could be substituted? I used Radio Shack buss wire one time but it was thin and looked ugly.

Also, what technique would be used? I looked at the Hoffman site and seen their tutorial but the solder job looked horrendous... Not enough heat and watts I would guess?? what wattage iron would make the solder flow and adhere nice? ...... Thanks!!!

[mark norwine]

get some 14AWG NM (romex) and strip the insulation

[jaysg]

Also, what technique would be used? I looked at the Hoffman site and seen their tutorial but the solder job looked horrendous... Not enough heat and watts I would guess?? what wattage iron would make the solder flow and adhere nice? ...... Thanks!!!

I haven't looked at the Hoffman site, but a) I don't do it...I float the thing and b) the secret ingredient is flux. You need more than what comes in the solder. Do Not Inhale.

[ToneMerc]

A hardware locally carries .070 OD copper tubing that I like to use for buss bars.

TM

[playonit]

How about a piece of wire coat hanger. I just measured it and it's .085 in. ??

would it work?

[Gibsonman63]

I had some 12AWG Romex laying around when I did my build and it worked great. Just before I installed it, I roughed it up with some 400 grit sandpaper and the solder flowed really nicely.

I didn't know you could buy just the flux.

[Bob-I]

I don't know what you looked at on hoffman but I don't see soldering bus wires there.

In any case, my local post hardware carries copper rods of all thicknesses. I use 3/64". It solders as easily as eyelets and stays in place nicely.

What I typically do is bend the ends so that I can connect the bus wire directly to the pot or jack at the end, then use a piece of solid core 20AWG to connect the rest of the ground points to the bus.

Check the pic of my SLO Clone. You can see the bus wire attached to the jack at the right side of the pic, and the wires connecting the pots and switches.

Notice I also used the same wire for heaters. Soldano does this as well and it works great.

[ToneMerc]

dup

[playonit]

I don't know what you looked at on hoffman but I don't see soldering bus wires there.

In any case, my local post hardware carries copper rods of all thicknesses. I use 3/64". It solders as easily as eyelets and stays in place nicely.

What I typically do is bend the ends so that I can connect the bus wire directly to the pot or jack at the end, then use a piece of solid core 20AWG to connect the rest of the ground points to the bus.

Check the pic of my SLO Clone. You can see the bus wire attached to the jack at the right side of the pic, and the wires connecting the pots and switches.

Notice I also used the same wire for heaters. Soldano does this as well and it works great.

Here is the info from the Hoffman site... Maybe it's just me but the solder job looks suspect... but I'm new to this stuff ..so what do I know... Hah


http://www.el34world.com/boardmaker/BOARD5.htm

[Bob-I]

Here is the info from the Hoffman site... Maybe it's just me but the solder job looks suspect... but I'm new to this stuff ..so what do I know... Hah


http://www.el34world.com/boardmaker/BOARD5.htm

Soldering to those Alpha pots is difficult at best. Use the wire hanging above the pots method, you won't have the soldering difficulties and there's less potential for ground loops.

With soldering to the pot method (and many great builders have used it) there is a potential for a ground loop because the pot itself is grounded by being bolted to the chassis plus the bus wire is grounded. I prefer the suspended bus wire method. Tastes great, lasts a long time.

[Cliff Schecht]

I use Belden 16 AWG tinned copper bus bar (I think P/N 8013). I've used it in the past few builds without any issues and the fact that it is pretinned means it never has problems flowing solder and needs no prep work (minus the requisite unbending from the spool and bending to fit).

[M Fowler]

I go to the building center and it comes in copper or brass rolls for hanging things and no it isn't clear coated.

Mark

[Structo]

I didn't read all that Hoffman had about that but, I don't solder the buss wire across the back of the pots.

I use star washers between the pot and chassis but I float the buss wire above the pots and run jumpers from the pot lug up to the wire.

I can't remember where I read it but it said that using the back of pots was not a good thing and can cause ground loops.
I've seen guys do it that didn't know what they were doing and it looked like bird crap soldering on the pots because the solder did not flow out.

I would just as soon not heat up my pots to 600 degrees, melting the grease that is inside.

A neat trick is to use small diameter brass or copper tubing from a hobby store as the buss bar and put that above the pots.

Also, make sure you only take the buss wire to chassis ground at one end, preferrably the input end where it's nice and quiet.

I've used the ground wire out of 14ga romex house wire before, works great.

If you want official buss wire, Apex sells tinned copper 16ga . (I think its 16)

[Drumslinger]

You can go to Home Depot or Lowes. They have solid core wire that you can strip and use as buss wire. Coat hanger can be used as well. I've done it. Just remove that coating it has on it.

[David Root]

First time I have used one. Amp still in progress. 10 ga. copper. I think it looks good.