DIY love

[Nathan]

Ok, we're here because we built a Bottlehead kit

Wondering if folks have ventured into other realms of DIY

I'll start first-

Built too many ICs to count. At first I built Rega Couple Clones (klotz cable with Profi plugs). Built one pair using WBTs too

Built a balanced to single end cable, also using Klotz cable, Neutrik on the balanced side, vampire on the rca  side

Today I built an IC set- DH labs BL-1I with vampire RCA's (they list for $75 a pair but you can shave nearly 50% by going to Michael Percey- very good sight for DIY, as is parts Connexxion). The BL-1 at $6/ft is nice; I was able to pick up a misc lot of precut lengths of the Klotz at $2/ft which I think is a bargain. Add low cost but decent quality Rean RCAs, some heat shrink, use Cardas solder and if you want to get fancy, some Techflex, and you get a very nice IC for about $25 for a 1 m pair.

Also built from scratch a nice 4 input switch box. Parts alone went for about $130- I figured if I'm building it I'll use premium parts- selector switch, Female RCAs and Teflon covered OCC internal wiring.

 

[Doc B]

Wondering if folks have ventured into other realms of DIY

Hmm, lessee-
In my 20s and early 30s I was partners in building a portable bakery that enclosed a 20' kitchen trailer, three commercial ovens, two generators, a 250 gallon water tank, 100 gallon propane tank, a couple of mixers and a commercial gas fired coffee making station. Took a week to set up and a day to tear down.

I've built four guitars.

I built a custom heavy barreled .308 rifle based on a VZ-24 bolt action.

I built a video projector from scratch, and the screen.

I built a cold camera for a telescope in high school.

I turned a 1969 Alfa Romeo GTV into an autocrosser back in the 80s.

I have from the ground up restored film cameras, antique radios, vintage audio gear, early photography strobes and restored a few watches.

I took a hologram once.

I rebuilt a 40's vintage oil furnace last winter.

Built my first cafe racer when I was 23. Now I am building a custom Honda CBR.

Once I tied a moth to a safety pin with some thread and attached it to a scrap snarl of fishing line tied to a stick. Caught a 6" brookie with it.

Used to make my own gin.

Oh yeah and I have done a little bit of audio DIY too.

 

[mcandmar]

When i was a kid i discovered screw drivers unlocked the secrets of the universe, much to my fathers dismay.  Not a lot has changed in the last 30 odd years other than i now assemble stuff too.

 

[M42]

I build acoustic/electric cigar box guitars.

 

[Doc B]

When i was a kid i discovered screw drivers unlocked the secrets of the universe, much to my fathers dismay.  Not a lot has changed in the last 30 odd years other than i now assemble stuff too.

That's exactly the story my mom used to tell about me. I thought "No user serviceable parts inside" meant that there had to be something worth seeing in there.

I always hope that building some of our kits is sort of stepping off point for our customers. I love it when someone goes on to scratch build an amp or tackle designing a speaker or maybe even putting together a new listening room.

 

[Hank Murrow]

Well, I had Paul Birkeland build all my Custom BH gear, so I am embarrassed to disclose only a few Dynakits, Heath, and Voice of the Theater systems from grade school to College years; then I discovered clay at the U of Oregon @ 19. Since then I have built over 110 high temperature ceramic kilns, almost all of my own design. I have built much of the equipment I use to mine, process, and fire my own pottery. My final kiln design is here: http://www.murrow.biz/hank/kiln-and-tools.htm  and @ 75 I hope to continue making pots into my 90's.

Oh yeah, I built a Crosley-engined tube frame class H racing car and a Chevvy V8 tube-framed racing car, both during the fifties, which I sold and the buyers campaigned in California in the sixties. Actually driving them in competition was too hairy for me! Ditto for my Ducati Desmo 350 cc Diana, sold it to go to Gradual School.

Music over BH/Blumenstein gear keeps the mud flowing in my studio! Cheers, Hank in Eugene

 

[Grainger49]

I built a Heathkit AA-15, an Eico amplifier (can't remember the number), a Dynaco PAS-3X, ST-70, PAT-5 and other no-named kits.

I have seen manuals from two other current kit companies and none compare favorably with Bottlehead.  Just FYI.

 

[debk]

I always loved building things and taking things apart to see how they work
I bulit many Heathkits when I was a kid.
Now I mainly built audio componants and high power rockets, including home made composite propellant.


Deb

 

[debk]

I have seen manuals from two other current kit companies and none compare favorably with Bottlehead.  Just FYI.

I agree the Bottlehead manuals are second to none!

Deb

 

[corndog71]

I like to think I'm a creative person although maybe not as much as some people.  (Doc... really?   wow.)

I got my audio DIY bug started with car audio where I mounted speakers where there didn't used to be speakers.  A few years later I became hooked on tubes and slowly learned about them.  I built a single stage preamp that was noisy but a good start.  I picked up a used Dynaco ST70 that I rebuilt with Curcio mods. 

And then I discovered Bottlehead!

Aside from the several Bottlehead kits I've built and rebuilt I've also built:

A tube-shaped subwoofer.
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss207/corndog642/Subwoofer%20Build/IMG_2299.jpg

A Classdaudio 250wattx2 amp
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss207/corndog642/classdaudio%20amp/b711d1b1.jpg

I wanted to challenge myself with building a tube amp.  I liked the sound of EL84 amps so the Dynaco ST35 was an easy choice but I wanted to modernize it, use a new mod, and give it a unique layout.
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss207/corndog642/Dynaco%20ST35/d5d68d7c.jpg

...and then I rebuilt it to make it easier to work on and prettier.
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss207/corndog642/Dynaco%20ST35/IMG_7860_zpscea0dba1.jpg

I used a similar layout for Bob Latino's ST120 amp.
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss207/corndog642/VTA%20ST120/IMG_8731_zps8e69d232.jpg

Finally, I recently built a Bottlehead-inspired table lamp!
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss207/corndog642/Table%20Lamp/89C84C32-2B81-44EA-B127-5F98017BD1CF_zps3vymyjgn.jpg

I'm thinking about building an ST70 with mods as well.  I have a layout in mind and a couple of parts but it's slow-going.  In some ways I enjoy the planning and building more than listening to the final product.  Still, my amps sound pretty darn good!

 

[2wo]

For me, DIY is kind of a way of life...John