Modifying case and layout?

[bundee1]

new guy here with a question about modifying the case and board. id like to place the volume and input selector switches on the front and all of the rca jacks on the back of a 6 x 6 x 4 hammond case. all of the batteries and tubes would go on the top. id like a more traditional form because of shelf space. do you think I could cut the board to fit the top of the case and use the other pieces to trace holes on the front and back of the case. I have a dremel and a drill. would this design compromise the sound or function of the quickie?

Would I need a bigger case or other tools?

 

[bundee1]

I would even take the wooden case bottlehead sells if its easier to work with. I was just thinking about using the parts from the fiberglass board as stencils instead of leaving holes all over the top.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

You will have a very difficult time and possibly create a dangerous situation by cutting the acrylic with a dremel.  You certainly can use a Hammond box in the manner you describe, and you can still stencil the hole patterns onto the steel with a pencil through the acrylic, I just wouldn't cut the plate up.  Since there is no power transformer to worry about, you shouldn't have any compromise in sonics, but you will probably need more wire than the kit came with. 

In order to fabricate all the holes you will need:

1/8" drill bit
1/4" drill bit
3/8" drill bit
5/8" drill bit (probably a forstner is a good choice here)

Using the 1/8" bit as a pilot for the other holes is probably a good idea, and to make the holes for the RCA jacks line up well, consider a marking tool or at least a piece of graph paper temporarily affixed to the metal case to act as a drilling guide.

 

[bundee1]

would it be easier getting the wooden case from you and modding from there?

 

[Paul Birkeland]

No, if you have access to a drill press and the appropriate bits, this machining is pretty easy.  The wood base will probably be a little too deep for you to easily build the circuit portion and wire in the RCA jacks/volume pot.  The 2" deep Hammond box is a good option.

-Paul

 

[bundee1]

2 more questions:
what are the dimensions of the acrylic board?
Would adding dynamat (www.dynamat.com) to the metal chassis help with the tube microphonics?

 

[Paul Birkeland]

The chassis is 6" x 10".

If you want to help with microphonics in a metal Hammond box, I would recommend mass loading and isolation.  Consider adding the Dynamat where you can, but also get some very soft rubber feet to put on the bottom of the enclosure.  The only microphonics I am generally concerned about killing are those that migrate from the floor up to the tubes (speaker and footstep feedback).  You can control this well with mass and some rubber. 

 

[bundee1]

Alright Im not as brave as I thought I was. I think Im only going to mod the input and output jacks and put them on the back of the case. Im going to go with the Hammond. Ill keep everything else on top. As soon as I get my kit. Ill keep you guys posted on the progress.

 

[bundee1]

Getting closer to D-Day. Would this Radio Shack wire do the job or should I look for a different gauge and type from parts express?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049745

or

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=100-074

Thanks for the help.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

I wouldn't use either.  You will have a very hard time assembling the kit if you use stranded wire.  I know Radio Shack has some solid core hookup wire, you might try looking for that instead.

 

[bundee1]

2 more questions:
Is this wire better?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049743

and

Will the Quickie with the PJCCS fit in the Hammond 1" deep case mentioned in the sales copy (1444-15)?

 

[arveedub]

Cheaper hookup wire frequently has soft insulation that melts quickly. The insulation peels back & it's pretty messy.

My personal favorite for hookup wire is cat5 or cat6 computer cable. Nice copper solid core & the jackets are built to be flame resistant. Strip off the outer case & you have four twisted pairs (eight wires total). The stuff makes great interconnects to boot.

You can get cable pretty much anywhere (radio shack, home depot, lowes, etc).

 

[bundee1]

Why would it melt? From the soldering or current flow? Are the 4 strands form Cat5 insulated when theyre stripped?
Thanks for your patience.

 

[davet]

The plenum Cat5 wire is Teflon clad solid core wire. It is a far better grade of wire than the hookup wire sold by Radio Shack.

The "plenum Cat5" wire is Teflon clad while regular Cat5 is not. The feel of the Teflon insulation is slick or waxy when you drag the individual wires between your fingers. Another way is to heat the wire. non-Teflon clad wire wire will melt away from the flame/heat; while Teflon will not.

Cat5 is made up of 4 twisted pairs of unshielded 24-gauge wire. So if you buy a length of Cat5 cable take in to consideration that there are multiple lengths of wire in the bundle. A foot of plenum Cat5 at the big box home centers in the USA cost less than a half-dollar per foot.

Two wires (1-twisted pair) is equivalent to an 18-gauge wire. A twisted pair should be all that is required for your project.

Stripping Teflon clad wire can be problematic, because of the slickness of the insulation. I found practice with a sharp knife or razor blade works better than most wire strippers.

 

[bundee1]

Will single strands of the 24 gauge work as well?

 

[arveedub]

I think that some terms aren't being used correctly:

• Stranded wire is wire made up of lots of really thin wires twisted together with no insulation between them. The bundle acts as a single wire.
• Solid core is just that: a solid metal wire.
• Twisted pair means two separate wires that have been loosely twisted together as a sort of shielding. They are insulated independently & can be solid or stranded.

The network cable is composed of four twisted pairs of solid core wire. You cut off the outer case & untwist the pairs to get a single wire. You can also leave the pairs twisted for a signal & ground pair.

Like davet said, plenum rated cable is the good stuff. It's also fairly pricey as it's hard to get in short lengths. I lucked into a nearly full spool a few years ago, so that's what I use.

Don't sweat it, though. You aren't going to be using much wire for your project & any hookup wire is fine for what you are doing.

Have fun & let us know how it works out!

 

[davet]

Most definitely. A single strand of 24-gauge will do.

There is a sonic difference between Teflon clad (plenum Cat5) and the non-plenum Cat5. Teflon clad wires sound better than other insulation, but if you have access to regular Cat5 at no cost - go for it.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Yes, the solid core Radio Shack wire is an option, although I would try to stretch the teflon covered wire provided with the kit as far as you can.  When you heat up the Rat Shack wire and solder to it, the heat from the soldering iron will soften up the plastic.  If there is a 90 degree bend in the wire near the solder joint, the PVC jacket will often get soft enough that the bend in the wire will cause the plastic to melt and pop up and away from the bend.  A soldering station can help prevent this problem, as you have some control over the temp.


The CAT5 plenum suggestion is a good one.
-PB

 

[bundee1]

Can I buy a plenum cat 5e networking cable in a 9ft length and strip it to get enough wire for the project? For this project does shielded bs unshielded cat5 make any difference?   

 

[davet]

I'm not sure I follow you on the 9-foot length. If you are talking about using a patch cable, i.e. it has a plastic connector on each end - yes, you can use this. Most of the time these patch cables are made of non-Teflon clad stranded wire, which will work as well as solid core.

If you are in the USA go to Lowes, Home Depot, etc. and buy a few feet of plenum Cat5. This will cost a lot less than a patch cable and it will have the Teflon clad wire.