My Crack build thread
- Thread starter MxT
- Start date
Hammered silver Hammerite. First coat- also did the transformer cover and the 9 pin socket retainer as it sits on top of the plate. Left a fingermark on the top plate so i will propobly strip and redo. Down side is that the hammerite takes a few days before it properly hard but the paint quality is superior to most other paints I have tried
Bit of a storie but really a gunstock finish variant. Best way to get there- sand upto 600grit- stain with walnut coloured stain. 5 or so layers of boiled linseed oil (one a day -this wil bring out the grain in the wood) then finish up with some Birchwood tru oil-5 layers or so as per the botlle instuctions ( this will seal the wood and pores to give a smooth finish)- finish up with a layer of gunstock/antique/museum wax after letting it cure for about a week.
it is a bit of a mission- but that being said, it is a awesome product and worth that little bit of elbow grease. following a set routine with the base will help thou not insure that when the DAC makes its appearance you have 2 nicely matching components. Now I just need to do my wiring as neat as possible-neat and correct goes together like carrots and peas to quote Forest Gump (-,
Grainger49
New member
You should change your thread title to "My Crack Build Thread." Just because that is what it is. Good idea to give others pictures of your progress and any hints you come up with while going through your build.
Good idea thanks Grainger-Ok top tips on the base, top and bell. Take youre time AND do not use too much paint- if you layer it on- the moment you start mounting you will smear around screw holes etc. I have painted my bell and top a few differnt colours now to see what works and what doesnt - my second effort bellow- it looked nicer than the silver hammer finish but I am currently testing a hammered copper finish which looks very nice. Anoher tip- if you are going to start changing the supplied screw to pannhead/button screws - make sure they fit around the hardware before you start putting eveything together.
Grainger49
New member
It is hard to believe that you have the same alder wood base I have on some of mine. My finishes didn't bring out the grain at all.
Ok decided to go with the hammered copper finish- mount carefully and work on a soft cloth- by tiping the top plate and working on the base itself you might leave little marks on the the edge of the plate in the paint finish. Will post some pics latter. Now onto the circuit- the fun begins
About 90% finished with the circuit- all stock exept for the Mogami Cable instead of braiding the stock cable, and the headphone input- just waiting for my RCA jacks , and some work on the transformer circuit, the powerswitch was a dud so that should land next week. I have a speedball upgrade, caps and bypass cap for the powerside as well as some tubes for rolling- but those will come latter. Should have cleaned the underside of the top plate properly before I started-a well. When some one doesnt believe me that I built it myself they just need to look at the paint spots underneath (-,
Tips thus far. Clean top plate properly before starting to mount hardware. Otherwise the instructions are insanely good.
If you upgrade the headphone input- you will have very little space to get the resistors through the holes- use a nedle nose plier and some tweasers they will go through. Check every connection with your DMM. will save you frustration latter if you need to troubleshoot.
Tips thus far. Clean top plate properly before starting to mount hardware. Otherwise the instructions are insanely good.
If you upgrade the headphone input- you will have very little space to get the resistors through the holes- use a nedle nose plier and some tweasers they will go through. Check every connection with your DMM. will save you frustration latter if you need to troubleshoot.
Grainger49
New member
Wow! Nice and tight twisted wires. That will keep the noise low.
Grainger49
New member
Wow, it looks to me in the first picture that the power cord is thinner than the headphone wire, but not in the second one.
The ST tube in the second picture is visually more cool than the stock tube. Even if they sound the same that is a reason to keep it in. I upgraded my Paramours with a 76 driver. The stock 12AT7 looked funny next to the 2A3. The two ST shaped tubes look great together, the 76 is about 20% shorter than the 2A3.
A very nice build!
The ST tube in the second picture is visually more cool than the stock tube. Even if they sound the same that is a reason to keep it in. I upgraded my Paramours with a 76 driver. The stock 12AT7 looked funny next to the 2A3. The two ST shaped tubes look great together, the 76 is about 20% shorter than the 2A3.
A very nice build!
