Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

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JMPGuitars
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Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by JMPGuitars »

Hi,

I've designed the panels and chassis for projects here on 18watt.com, for members of this site. Before I submit them to the builder, I would like feedback and suggestions.

These sets are not intended for commercial use. They are to benefit members of this site. If anybody wants something like this done for commercial use, private message me and we can discuss it. I retain the copyright to all materials, all rights are reserved.

The IEC socket hole is 1.15" x 1.3" and will accommodate filtered and unfiltered fused sockets that fit those dimensions.

The first project front panel will be for the Tremolo TMB, others to follow. The rear panels will work for any of them, pick your flavor. After I get feedback on these, I will make the flipped versions for people who need them oriented the other way.

Here's the panel designs:
18W---Front-Panel---Tremolo-TMB.jpg
18W---Rear-Panel---Simple.jpg
18W---Rear-Panel---Footswitch.jpg
18W---Rear-Panel---FX-Loop.jpg
18W---Rear-Panel---FX-Loop---Footswitch.jpg

Here's what will be my universal chassis for the projects on this site:
JMPGuitars-6.5in-18W-Site-Custom-Noval-Chassis.jpg
Note that the rectifier tube is red because it's optional.

Let me know what you think, if you have suggestions, etc...

Thanks,
Josh
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by crgfrench »

Josh, thanks for doing all this work -- fantastic!

For the Chassis, I would suggest/request 7 noval holes to the right of the octal if you can fit them, instead of 5, so people could build 36 Watters in it or add extra gain stages or an EF86 in front. That would be more "universal" and you can always plug unused holes.

Again, really appreciate your efforts here!
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by Bieworm »

JMPGuitars wrote:
Sat 08/22/20 4:25 pm
Hi,

I've designed the panels and chassis for projects here on 18watt.com, for members of this site. Before I submit them to the builder, I would like feedback and suggestions.

These sets are not intended for commercial use. They are to benefit members of this site. If anybody wants something like this done for commercial use, private message me and we can discuss it. I retain the copyright to all materials, all rights are reserved.

The IEC socket hole is 1.15" x 1.3" and will accommodate filtered and unfiltered fused sockets that fit those dimensions.

The first project front panel will be for the Tremolo TMB, others to follow. The rear panels will work for any of them, pick your flavor. After I get feedback on these, I will make the flipped versions for people who need them oriented the other way.

Here's the panel designs:
18W---Front-Panel---Tremolo-TMB.jpg

18W---Rear-Panel---Simple.jpg

18W---Rear-Panel---Footswitch.jpg

18W---Rear-Panel---FX-Loop.jpg

18W---Rear-Panel---FX-Loop---Footswitch.jpg


Here's what will be my universal chassis for the projects on this site:
JMPGuitars-6.5in-18W-Site-Custom-Noval-Chassis.jpg

Note that the rectifier tube is red because it's optional.

Let me know what you think, if you have suggestions, etc...

Thanks,
Josh
hey Josh!! I would be very interested in a front + back with footswitch and fx loop. Let me know the charge if you can? But I want it for a combo with front control knobs. And mirror image (except for the lettering)
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by JMPGuitars »

Bieworm wrote:
Sun 08/23/20 10:14 am
hey Josh!! I would be very interested in a front + back with footswitch and fx loop. Let me know the charge if you can? But I want it for a combo with front control knobs. And mirror image (except for the lettering)
I'll let you know the charge when I know. I think shipping might be expensive across the planet though.

I will be making flipped versions of the panels after the normal set is official. It doesn't seem anybody has feedback on them yet.

Thanks,
Josh
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by crgfrench »

The panels look great. Not a huge deal and completely subjective: personally I would delete the word "project" from the 2 places it appears on the front panel. I get the logic of it but something about that invokes "kit" in my mind...
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by Bieworm »

JMPGuitars wrote:
Sun 08/23/20 12:19 pm
Bieworm wrote:
Sun 08/23/20 10:14 am
hey Josh!! I would be very interested in a front + back with footswitch and fx loop. Let me know the charge if you can? But I want it for a combo with front control knobs. And mirror image (except for the lettering)
I'll let you know the charge when I know. I think shipping might be expensive across the planet though.

I will be making flipped versions of the panels after the normal set is official. It doesn't seem anybody has feedback on them yet.

Thanks,
Josh
I guess that's gotta take some time to grow. But I'm pretty sure that tremolo TMB is gonna earn its place in the 18W cult. Everything starts small somewhere. You'll see what I mean when your builds are finished. I'm pretty picky on sound.. and this one hits the nail right on its head!!!
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by JMPGuitars »

crgfrench wrote:
Sun 08/23/20 12:36 pm
The panels look great. Not a huge deal and completely subjective: personally I would delete the word "project" from the 2 places it appears on the front panel. I get the logic of it but something about that invokes "kit" in my mind...
Thanks. That's there for a couple reasons. #1 because these are for 18watt.com member projects, not for commercial users. #2 because I don't want anybody confusing them with my own commercial amps. I had another disclaimer on the rear that I removed, but maybe shouldn't have. ;)
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by lavrgs »

I have a couple questions;
  • on the chassis which the transformer are the cut outs designed for
  • people like welded corners for shielding, what happens when you have a bunch of unused open holes?
  • considering the "project" label...Having "18 watt project(s)" twice (one with an s and one without) is too busy, including the word "members" sounds a bit exclusive; is having at least one post a requirement to buy?... As a customer I would want to give credit to the people involved - For me, the faceplate requirement is to give the amp a finished quality but I'd want simple...
  • I can't see an expanded version of the faceplates yet it shows 50 views...am I missing something?
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by JMPGuitars »

lavrgs wrote:
Fri 08/28/20 10:19 am
I have a couple questions;
  • on the chassis which the transformer are the cut outs designed for
  • people like welded corners for shielding, what happens when you have a bunch of unused open holes?
  • considering the "project" label...Having "18 watt project(s)" twice (one with an s and one without) is too busy, including the word "members" sounds a bit exclusive; is having at least one post a requirement to buy?... As a customer I would want to give credit to the people involved - For me, the faceplate requirement is to give the amp a finished quality but I'd want simple...
  • I can't see an expanded version of the faceplates yet it shows 50 views...am I missing something?
The transformer cutouts fit standard 18 and 36 watt transformers.

The corners are welded, and that's for both strength and shielding. If you're not using all the socket holes, different places sell covers for them, but in reality they're probably not needed.

The faceplates are simple. Not sure what you're worried about.

Yes, these faceplates and chassis sets are exclusively for members of this site. They will not be publicly available to order for non-members. If you wish to design your own, you're welcome to do that.

There is no expanded view, as I have no interest in my designs being stolen. It says that view thing because the image was loaded in the post when you viewed the post.

Thanks,
Josh
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by crgfrench »

Welds are for strength, not shielding.

You can plug unused holes with metal hole plugs and get shielding.
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by Bieworm »

I know I'm an electronics noob...but as a mechanical engineer I think I can say that metalwork is my expertise.
Welding the sideplates to the bottomplate has worse properties than a bent plate.
Because:
-The welding material differs from the platematerial
-area around the welding was extremely heated , resulting in a change of the chrystaline structure.

This concludes that the electrical continuity is always better on a bent sheet

The superior chassis is the one that's completely bended with only the corner tips welded at the very tip. Given the thickness is enough. Strength is also kind of overrated because there are relatively small weigths handig down. 2mm thick aluminium can handle things just fine.
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by JMPGuitars »

Bieworm wrote:
Sat 08/29/20 8:05 am
I know I'm an electronics noob...but as a mechanical engineer I think I can say that metalwork is my expertise.
Welding the sideplates to the bottomplate has worse properties than a bent plate.
Because:
-The welding material differs from the platematerial
-area around the welding was extremely heated , resulting in a change of the chrystaline structure.

This concludes that the electrical continuity is always better on a bent sheet

The superior chassis is the one that's completely bended with only the corner tips welded at the very tip. Given the thickness is enough. Strength is also kind of overrated because there are relatively small weigths handig down. 2mm thick aluminium can handle things just fine.
I don't think the welding with these chassis are necessary for support or shielding, but I also don't think it hurts. The quality is good, and the chassis are thick. This is my current WIP Tremolo TMB:
chassis-corner-min.jpg
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by geoff 1965 »

looks like a good weld Josh and will give the chassis strength. tig welding aluminium the filler and parent metal are pretty closely matched,the "crystaline" bieworm mentioned is more associated with steel,that's how they harden chisel's,heating then quenching the steel causes the steel to form crystals it's known as "martensite"
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by crgfrench »

Another thought: specify the two (or 4 if you agree with my prior suggestion about having 4 possible output tubes for 36 watters etc) output sockets be drilled 1.313" diameter for octal tubes, rather than 0.75" for noval. This way you have the 6V6 or EL34 option and if you want to use EL84s just use an inexpensive adapter like these https://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/Tube ... et-adapter .
I use these adapters to build 18 watters in 5E3 chassis (see pic) and they work great.
Screen Shot 2020-08-30 at 12.35.41 AM.png
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by crgfrench »

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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by crgfrench »

Here's my revision of the weber chassis front panel dimensions if you want 7 pots instead of 6
(I was designing for a 2 channel TMB + MV but this would also work nicely for the 18W trem/TMB if you used the 2 pots between the input jacks for speed & intensity).
Screen Shot 2020-08-30 at 1.04.43 AM.png
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by JMPGuitars »

crgfrench wrote:
Sun 08/30/20 12:11 am
Here's my revision of the weber chassis front panel dimensions if you want 7 pots instead of 6
I have no idea if I will do anything that close to the standard. Right now, I don't even know if I will offer more than this initial set. It really depends on the response once these sets are made.
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by JMPGuitars »

Well, I don't think this is going to happen until I find a new supplier. I heard from Carey today that he's gotten busier than he can handle, so he won't be doing the custom stuff anymore.

The only other company I know that I would use right now is expensive, and has setup fees, so that would require enough people interested to do a group buy. Otherwise, it's going to be a long while until I find a new supplier, and test their stuff out.

Thanks,
Josh
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by Bieworm »

I'm going to try making a DIY panel. Will report on that one soon...first let's find out about the result
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Re: Chassis and Panels for 18W Projects

Post by lavrgs »

JMPGuitars wrote:
Tue 09/15/20 7:15 pm
Well, I don't think this is going to happen until I find a new supplier. I heard from Carey today that he's gotten busier than he can handle, so he won't be doing the custom stuff anymore.

The only other company I know that I would use right now is expensive, and has setup fees, so that would require enough people interested to do a group buy. Otherwise, it's going to be a long while until I find a new supplier, and test their stuff out.

Thanks,
Josh
Is this both chassis and faceplate? I'm currently looking at Mojotone blanks for $45 as a pretty good deal. Since I have punches can machine them it's a no-brainer. I had a local supplier quote $175 for a 5E3 style and walked. What's a decent price for faceplates? I had one made for my 5E3 and it was pricey but maybe for higher volume it would go down. http://www.precisiondesignin.com/control-panels.php - I found her one one of the amp sites...She did and excellent job her listed prices are about $30/panel + setup. She does have some Marshall style panels in her gallery.
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