Rocket in progress (finished and up and running)

[strat_addict]

Got the preamp wiring done, its a bit sloppy right now but it should look nice once it gets organized. I thought I read somewhere that you shouldn't solder the tube socket wires and resistors until you have tubes in, whats the reason for that? And is it ok to use stranded wire? The white with black stripes wire is stranded.

[Structo]

What I like to do is stick some old crummy start up tubes in the sockets before I solder wires to the pins.
Sometimes solder can run down into the pin or put the pin in a weird position, then you go to put your tubes in and it's a fight to get the tube to push in.

So it's just a neat trick to remember to have some tubes in the sockets before you go to soldering to them.
Keeps everything lined up that way and you won't fill the pin holder with solder.

I once had a ceramic socket that I had soldered all the wires and stuff to and I went to insert a tube into it and it just wouldn't go.
I thought what the heck? I looked and looked and never could see what the problem was but I finally just used brute force and pushed it in but after that I learned to populate the sockets before soldering.

[fishy]

Nothing wrong with using stranded wire. Ken used solid core but it doesn't mean you have to.
Before you wire the preamp I recommend you visit the filament wiring. It will be much easier now rather than later.

The cap on the cathode power resistor. Not sure if it is soldered up but you need some room between the cap and resistor otherwise that cap will get un-necessarily warm.

[CapnCrunch]

What I like to do is stick some old crummy start up tubes in the sockets before I solder wires to the pins.
Sometimes solder can run down into the pin or put the pin in a weird position, then you go to put your tubes in and it's a fight to get the tube to push in.

That is a great tip. I wish someone had told me that one before my first build. I have a pre-amp socket on one amp that won't allow the tube all the way in. I've never got around to replacing it though.

[strat_addict]

Another nooby question thats been bugging me is about the wire. I am using the right type in the right spot? Does it really matter?

[PlinytheWelder]

18Ga on the heaters and 20 or 22Ga elsewhere works for me. The solid can make for better lead dress at times, but I don't think it sounds different.

IMO

[M Fowler]

http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... light=wire

[RJ Guitars]

18Ga on the heaters and 20 or 22Ga elsewhere works for me. The solid can make for better lead dress at times, but I don't think it sounds different.

IMO

I would tend to agree on the Rocket but I don't hold too tightly to that thought concerning an Express... but there are already thousands of posts on that topic.

Amp is lookin' good. I like the way you attached all the wires to the board to allow you to drop it in after the fact. I see a few things in the Ken Fischer builds that make me think he might have done something similar.

rj

[Big Jim]

I never thought to put old tubes in the socket to prevent solder from flowing down to far. (great idea btw) I have an amp cradle, so when I solder the wires to the tube sockets, I simply rotate the chassis into a vertical position so gravity is no longer my enemy. Has worked for me so far.
Jim

[strat_addict]

Amp is coming along, I've got all of my parts and I'm about three forths of the way done, if not more.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm24 ... ssis_7.jpg

Whats the purpose of the piece that takes the brown wire from the PT and takes it the V7? Is there another way to do this or do I absolutely need this part?

Thanks

[marcoloco961]

Amp is coming along, I've got all of my parts and I'm about three forths of the way done, if not more.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm24 ... ssis_7.jpg

Whats the purpose of the piece that takes the brown wire from the PT and takes it the V7? Is there another way to do this or do I absolutely need this part?

Thanks

You don't have to have that part. Looks like he used it to transition to a thinner gauge wire. The heater leads from the PT are a really thick gauge wire that is difficult to solder to the tube socket pins. You can just connect the brown wires to the first tube socket without the stand off. Using it just makes things a little more solid and keeps the wires from moving too much.

[strat_addict]

Couple more questions:

For some reason, I've got 2 extra yellow wires coming from my PT, any reason?

Does it matter which wire goes to what for the choke? I've got a black and a yellow but the layout shows 2 red.

[M Fowler]

The two yellow wires on the PT are the 300v taps. Your using the lower voltage taps I take it. Yellow/green 260v.

Mark

[Allynmey]

The Ceriatone layout has incorrect parts. The mains filters should be 80uF total ( I split them up with the standby to save GZ34's). The screens are 100 Ohm not 1.5K. This will affect the sound and feel of the amp.

[strat_addict]

The Ceriatone layout has incorrect parts. The mains filters should be 80uF total ( I split them up with the standby to save GZ34's). The screens are 100 Ohm not 1.5K. This will affect the sound and feel of the amp.

I'm not using that, I'm using the one from here.

EDIT: Everything is finished, I'm just waiting for the tubes. I do have one last question: does it matter which way the cap that connects to the heatsink goes?