One way to start build . . .
- Thread starter drewh1
- Start date
Grainger49
New member
Drew,
You are a sick puppy, my kind of guy! I'm pretty OCD myself, but engineers tend to be.
You are a sick puppy, my kind of guy! I'm pretty OCD myself, but engineers tend to be.
rlyach
New member
OK... I have to ask. What kind of engineer and then what kind of therapist? I liked the picture of the walnut table. I wish I could do that. The best I can do is sand something smooth and then put bubbly stain / urethane on it. While I was waiting for my kit to ship I built a power cord and researched DACs for streaming music to my new amp. I just ordered the toad guitar amp kit. I will take it to Nashville when I visit my son. The studio he works at uses many unique amps for recording and I think they need a toad! Good luck on keeping your resistors in the proper order.
rockdrummer
New member
Very cool, I wish I could hear that amp! And the toad.
The guitar player in my band plays through lots of amps, but his favorite has lately been a Gibson Goldtone. It is a reissue that he always sets to triode. Sounds barky and smooth at the same time.
On a side note, I am building the stereomour and can't start, mostly out of FEAR! hahahahaha. WHat did I get into???
Have fun guys!
Ben
The guitar player in my band plays through lots of amps, but his favorite has lately been a Gibson Goldtone. It is a reissue that he always sets to triode. Sounds barky and smooth at the same time.
On a side note, I am building the stereomour and can't start, mostly out of FEAR! hahahahaha. WHat did I get into???
Have fun guys!
Ben
Grainger49
New member
drewh1 said:
My first degree is in Psychology, my second in EE. There are probably not two subjects more diverse. So you too!
drewh1
New member
that's funny Grainger, I did the opposite.
Randy - No, EE, just a Software/Firmware engineer, then went into marketing/sales, made VP of Worldwide Sales for a high tech company and that is what did me in. Went and got my Master's in Counseling Psychology, now just teach and practice therapy. quiet life, no travel, but lot's of time to listen to music.
If my son comes home for the summer from college, I am going to build a Tode with him! that will be fun.
Randy - No, EE, just a Software/Firmware engineer, then went into marketing/sales, made VP of Worldwide Sales for a high tech company and that is what did me in. Went and got my Master's in Counseling Psychology, now just teach and practice therapy. quiet life, no travel, but lot's of time to listen to music.
If my son comes home for the summer from college, I am going to build a Tode with him! that will be fun.
Grainger49
New member
Brad,
So then where are the boards?
So then where are the boards?
A+ for DIY'ing your attenuator! (did you tack in some RCA jacks to test it?)
Hey Drew, I'd love to know where you got the walnut -- especially if it is somewhat "streaked". If I may, I would also recommend your buddy finish the box with the tried and true varnish oil finish. This is incredible stuff, will outlast you and your great grandchilderen, is super easy to touch up, and only gets harder and more durable with heat -- unlike most poly finishes. It's also a breeze to apply and work with. If you don't want thing to be that glossy, there is also the original wood finish, which is an oil/wax formula, and original danish oil, which is a more natural finish. All of these are food grade, contain no heavy metal driers, etc. Absolutely the best wood finishes I've ever used, and I've been through an awful lot of them.
It's great to hear your buddy is going to hand cut the dovetails and such -- I'll be rebuilding my workshop this summer and I will have a couple of power tools (drill press, disc sander, router table and possibly a bandsaw), the main focus will be on a top notch woodworker's workbench and hand tools and techniques. That's how I learned and I want to get back to it. I do it for fun and as a creative outlet and I'm not in production, so why not? Aside from that, my shop space is very limited in electrical outlets and available amperage and there's no way to change that.
Now you can think about getting the top plate brass plated -- that will look fantastic against the walnut
.
Love to see people making real works of art out of their audio kits.
-- Jim
It's great to hear your buddy is going to hand cut the dovetails and such -- I'll be rebuilding my workshop this summer and I will have a couple of power tools (drill press, disc sander, router table and possibly a bandsaw), the main focus will be on a top notch woodworker's workbench and hand tools and techniques. That's how I learned and I want to get back to it. I do it for fun and as a creative outlet and I'm not in production, so why not? Aside from that, my shop space is very limited in electrical outlets and available amperage and there's no way to change that.
Now you can think about getting the top plate brass plated -- that will look fantastic against the walnut
.Love to see people making real works of art out of their audio kits.
-- Jim
drewh1
New member
Hey Jim - no Buddy involved, I am doing it all myself! There is another poster here that has a friend do woodworking. As far as the wood goes, there is a nice hardwood store here in Berkeley. They don't always have the figured walnut, but sometimes they have smaller scraps with a bit of "live" edge to them. I posted a picture of a slab, live edge walnut table I built. It weighs about 150 lbs. I used Behlen's Rockhard on it, something like 8 or 9 coats. Will likely shellac this base. I love the way shellac comes out on the Cherry and it should look nice on the Black Walnut.
Nice to hear you are setting up your shop. So many fun things to build.
Nice to hear you are setting up your shop. So many fun things to build.
Drew,
Sorry, you're right -- got you confused with somebody else. Anyway, still sounds like a great piece -- wish I could see the table but I'm totally blind so the pics don't do me much good ;-).
When I build my all-out 2a3 paramounts I'm thinking I'll make them with a very solid base -- like maybe 1.5" thick boards, and either copper or brass top plate. The rest of my system is either natural bamboo or sapele -- the rack and 4 speaker and sub platforms are allsolid sapele but I'm thinking of the walnut for another unrelated project.
I'm also toying with the idea of a totally different design for the amps -- a blatent copy of the Fi 2a3 monoblocks I used to own but with a wood base and a bit larger and a bit more bling.
-- Jim
Sorry, you're right -- got you confused with somebody else. Anyway, still sounds like a great piece -- wish I could see the table but I'm totally blind so the pics don't do me much good ;-).
When I build my all-out 2a3 paramounts I'm thinking I'll make them with a very solid base -- like maybe 1.5" thick boards, and either copper or brass top plate. The rest of my system is either natural bamboo or sapele -- the rack and 4 speaker and sub platforms are allsolid sapele but I'm thinking of the walnut for another unrelated project.
I'm also toying with the idea of a totally different design for the amps -- a blatent copy of the Fi 2a3 monoblocks I used to own but with a wood base and a bit larger and a bit more bling.
-- Jim
drewh1
New member
No worries Jim - I wish you could see them too, and I am so impressed with all that you do without your sight. it is so cool you are into this audio stuff because I bet you really listen well and hear everything.
I was thinking of doing a solid slab base too, Then I figured out I don't have enough room on my small component shelf to fit something like that.
I was thinking of doing a solid slab base too, Then I figured out I don't have enough room on my small component shelf to fit something like that.
