New Handwired Darling

the thermionic watercooler

New Handwired Darling

Postby TomMcNally » Sat Mar 26, 2016 1:22 pm

I just finished this one up, playing it now. I can't find my favorite test disc, Madman Across the Water, so the Grateful Dead CD in the machine will do !
Usual Hammond 12x3x3 chassis, Hammond 269EX power transformer, 156R choke and Edcor XSE15-8-5K Outputs, 12SL7/1626's.
This is the first amp I've built in over a year, took awhile to find a few of my favorite tools! I haven't listened to music much, since I got a new kitten last April, and she climbs all over everything, and the 6BG6G amp with high voltage on the plate caps seemed a little risky. Also, like any girl, she's always on the phone.

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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby Geek » Sat Mar 26, 2016 11:12 pm

Awwwww. I miss my Bombay :'(
-= Gregg =-
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby pete42 » Tue Jul 19, 2016 11:01 am

Hi Tom.
Any chance getting a shot of underside with abit more lite.
I would like to see more under the tubes.
At your convenience.
Thanks

PS: is the chassis gnd? No problem getting thru the paint?
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby TomMcNally » Tue Jul 19, 2016 7:11 pm

Hi Pete and welcome to diytube.

The amp was boxed up and shipped out the day the pic was taken to its new home in Pittsburgh. The owner commented that it sounded better than his $ 19,000 list price something-or-other.
Take a look at some of the picture on http://tmamps.com there should be some good pics. Click to enlarge.
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby soundbrigade » Tue Jul 19, 2016 7:23 pm

Hey! Where are the transformers? Oh, there they are. Get it, your cat use to sharp its claws on transformers so better hide them.
Sorry, just joking. But cerealsly, do you find any advantages to mount the trnnies inside the chassis?
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby TomMcNally » Tue Jul 19, 2016 7:36 pm

Little Onyx prefers to jump on my leg while I'm going up the steps and draw some blood. More fun than scratching steel !

I hide the transformers underneath for a few reasons: 1) they are ugly 2) they have high voltage on the terminals 3) I like the tubes-only look

Obviously I don't hide the nice looking ones. Before Edcor came along, I used mostly Hammond transformers, and very few of them look good!

... tom
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby soundbrigade » Tue Jul 19, 2016 9:29 pm

OK, I forgive you ... *)
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby pete42 » Sat Jul 30, 2016 8:27 pm

Is there a preferred orientation of the 3 tubes that will facilitate
the PTP wireing and placement of parts.
Are multi conection terminal strips advised.
I want to have the neatest possible wireing underneath.
Thanks.
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby TomMcNally » Sat Jul 30, 2016 8:57 pm

I'd suggest looking at the pictures at http://tmamps.com A straight line or triangular tube setup is fine. I typically use an isolated ground bus wire, either a piece of copper "house wire" or anything you have handy. If you use my 12SL7 schematic, you don't have as many tie points. The Clementine/Darling (which is an improved version of my 12SL7 schematic) has more components and needs more tie points.

There's nothing complicated or special about the Darling, I used to wire up the hand wired amps in about an hour and a half.

have fun !

... tom
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby pete42 » Sat Jul 30, 2016 9:32 pm

Yes the 12SL7.
OK tubes in a line or triangle.
What about pin functions of each tube.
Do they play a part in tube orientation?
And the notch position.
I dont mean to be too piky here
but if some position works better maybe someone has used it.
I got lotsa good copper buss wire which I do plan to use.
So gnd does not connect to chassis? Only thru the gnd buss.
Sounds good to me.

Thanks Tom.
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby soundbrigade » Sat Jul 30, 2016 10:25 pm

[quote="TomMcNally]I typically use an isolated ground bus wire, either a piece of copper "house wire" or anything you have handy. If you use my 12SL7 schematic, you don't have as many tie points.[/quote]

A comment on copper wire. Someone suggested ena elled Cu-wire, as it is isnulated and bends in nice straight angle. However soldering is another thing, but using a small (soldering style) blow torch to heat tje ends of the wire and dippibg them in alcohol will deal with the insulation.

As there's force involved inserting and removing tubes, it may sometimes be better to have the amp handwired as it may happen you end up with breaks in the PCB. But you're not into tube rolling a printed board will deal with a lot of head ache
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby pete42 » Sun Jul 31, 2016 9:14 am

I just have bare 12ga and 14ga copper wire. gobs of it.
Great for buss bars.
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby TomMcNally » Sun Jul 31, 2016 5:31 pm

There's no magic to the tube orientation with a hand wired circuit. Not all that complicated. Take a look at my site, you can see the keyways on most of the pictures.

Magnus - I've found that a good temperature controlled soldering iron makes a lot of things easier. When the going gets rough, I get out the old Weller gun !
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Re: New Handwired Darling

Postby Geek » Sun Jul 31, 2016 6:37 pm

pete42 wrote:I want to have the neatest possible wireing underneath.


Neat wiring and shortest, least troublesome signal path don't always coincide.

I regularly work on commercial gear where some must have been assembled with the same silk gloves they include when you open the box to handle it and others a bloody rat's nest of wiring. Both work fine and the rat's nest vintage actually had less noise!

Cheers!
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