Low Output Help

[coolidgeamps]

Then apply some fresh solder to the tip, more than a modest amount when soldering a turret.

I agree with everything except that part. I only apply solder when the tip is touching the turret. The process is still only a few seconds, but none of the flux in the solder is wasted.

It doesn't necessarily hurt to do it your way, but there are two issues: 1. is that flux is wasted and burned off; and 2. is that it opens the possibility to drop the solder somewhere you don't want it to land.

In your case it's not as big of a deal with all the blue tape everywhere, but personally I think I would drop that solder blob on a $10 capacitor. lol

Thanks,
Josh

That initial tinning of an 800 degree cleaned tip can be explosive with flux and solder spattering in all directions. So I do that in a safe zone away from the turret. Also helps avoid eating a face full of smoke and fumes. But its whatever technique works for people. A good solid solder joint however achieved is good to go!

I also double solder turrets. On the first operation I let the solder suck down into the turret hole. Let it cool a bit then hit it again with a finishing crown of solder.

[JMPGuitars]

That initial tinning of an 800 degree cleaned tip can be explosive with flux and solder spattering in all directions. So I do that in a safe zone away from the turret. Also helps avoid eating a face full of smoke and fumes. But its whatever technique works for people. A good solid solder joint however achieved is good to go!

I also double solder turrets. On the first operation I let the solder suck down into the turret hole. Let it cool a bit then hit it again with a finishing crown of solder.

lol, that's because you haven't tried the no clean solder yet.

I never fill turret holes unless I'm using them, which is relatively rare. I generally try to keep all my turret connections external for the additional mechanical connection support.

[coolidgeamps]

That initial tinning of an 800 degree cleaned tip can be explosive with flux and solder spattering in all directions. So I do that in a safe zone away from the turret. Also helps avoid eating a face full of smoke and fumes. But its whatever technique works for people. A good solid solder joint however achieved is good to go!

I also double solder turrets. On the first operation I let the solder suck down into the turret hole. Let it cool a bit then hit it again with a finishing crown of solder.

lol, that's because you haven't tried the no clean solder yet.

I never fill turret holes unless I'm using them, which is relatively rare. I generally try to keep all my turret connections external for the additional mechanical connection support.

You have set the bar high for this no clean solder it better **** tiffany cuff links! lol Hey I'm always open to new methods and learning new tricks. If you don't fill the turret holes tone will escape. But seriously how do you wrap component leads around turret shanks without imparting pull tension on the component body?

[JMPGuitars]

You have set the bar high for this no clean solder it better **** tiffany cuff links! lol Hey I'm always open to new methods and learning new tricks. If you don't fill the turret holes tone will escape. But seriously how do you wrap component leads around turret shanks without imparting pull tension on the component body?

Lol! Get back here, tone!

Components can handle a little tension, but obviously you should still take care in the process.

These are my 3 most used tools:

josh-tools.jpg

I bend the leads ahead of time with the pliers on the left. Then I use the angle pliers to carefully complete the j-hook, then I snip the leads with the flush cutter.

Sometimes I use one of these measurement lead bending tools (I have 4 different sizes of these):

lead measure guide thing.jpg

More often than not though I just eyeball it, pre-bend one side, then place and bend the other side. Obviously that doesn't work as well for tighter spots, so they get premeasured.

Thanks,
Josh

[coolidgeamps]

@jmpguitars I have a pair of those rounded needle nose in my Digikey shopping cart I want to try them. Sometimes I want to twist a nice circle or J.

I use very long slim needle nose pliers a lot because my man sized bear paws are too large for working inside a chassis. The flat spring steel spring half broke during this last build so I'm buying a new higher quality pair with the coil spring.

Centering components of course easier for me since I have silk screened the exact size of the component body onto the board. Because I solder components into the turret holes clipping the leads to the right length is super easy. Position the component across the top of the turrets. Use the outer edge of the turret top as a cutting guide, kiss my cutters up next to it and clip. That gives me about .1 inch to bend into an L. Hook that end into the turret and repeat clipping the other end to the outside edge of the turret top easy peasy perfectly centered. Also lets me avoid putting a pull tension on the lead. The tiny flat tipped alligator clips I use to heat sink have a dual use in also keeping the component positioned (weighted down) during soldering.

It's funny the little techniques you come up with. I have long been irritated with soldering ground wires to the ground buss across the pots. A big solder glob mess. This build I soldered some eye loops that hang down from the buss wire to attach all those grounds. But how to solder that to the bus wire straight. Solution, took some buss wire, bent one end into a hook, twisted a #8 lock nut to the other end as a weight, hung my eye loop onto the buss wire with this gadget weighting it down straight and level!

[coolidgeamps]

One frequently used tool...1 inch piece of painters tape. When clipping excess leads off inside the chassis one thing that will put me into a mood is the clipped off piece shooting off. I'm then either searching for it for 10 minutes or trying to fish out out from under the heater wiring. Annoying! Now I hold this piece of painters tape when clipping like a catchers mitt. 99 times out of 100 the clipped off lead sticks right to the tape, brilliant! lol

[JMPGuitars]

@jmpguitars I have a pair of those rounded needle nose in my Digikey shopping cart I want to try them. Sometimes I want to twist a nice circle or J.

You'll love them. They're fantastic, and definitely can help keep things pretty for the OCD.

I use very long slim needle nose pliers a lot because my man sized bear paws are too large for working inside a chassis. The flat spring steel spring half broke during this last build so I'm buying a new higher quality pair with the coil spring.

I think mine are Tekton. I broke my last pair's spring, and they sent me a new pair.

Centering components of course easier for me since I have silk screened the exact size of the component body onto the board.

I really like your boards. I think I may do something similar so I can make an easier kit for my Tremolo TMB project. Either that or have somebody else make the turret boards. I'm too impatient to bulk populate turret boards with my 1/2 ton arbor. I'd have to sell the kits for way too much to excuse the amount of time I would take to do that. Mostly the impatience thing though.

It's funny the little techniques you come up with. I have long been irritated with soldering ground wires to the ground buss across the pots. A big solder glob mess. This build I soldered some eye loops that hang down from the buss wire to attach all those grounds. But how to solder that to the bus wire straight. Solution, took some buss wire, bent one end into a hook, twisted a #8 lock nut to the other end as a weight, hung my eye loop onto the buss wire with this gadget weighting it down straight and level!

Ground busses being on the pots is a potential ground loop issue (no pun intended), and we generally try to avoid them. That said, yours are the best looking ones I've seen.

One frequently used tool...1 inch piece of painters tape. When clipping excess leads off inside the chassis one thing that will put me into a mood is the clipped off piece shooting off. I'm then either searching for it for 10 minutes or trying to fish out out from under the heater wiring. Annoying! Now I hold this piece of painters tape when clipping like a catchers mitt. 99 times out of 100 the clipped off lead sticks right to the tape, brilliant! lol

Between your OCD and love for blue tape, I'm surprised I have this and you don't:

tape-this.jpg

Side note: I never lose a lead. I clip with one hand, and I hold the piece I'm cutting off with the angled pliers.

Thanks,
Josh

[coolidgeamps]

Ground busses being on the pots is a potential ground loop issue (no pun intended), and we generally try to avoid them.

Ditto, I don't solder to the back of pots. Not possible on the PEC stainless pots in any case. I do run a buss wire across the pot leads like this to a star ground.

Between your OCD and love for blue tape, I'm surprised I have this and you don't:

I may have to get one of those. No bench space for it but I'm thinking about adding an L to my workspace for stuff like that.

[JMPGuitars]

Ground busses being on the pots is a potential ground loop issue (no pun intended), and we generally try to avoid them.

Ditto, I don't solder to the back of pots. Not possible on the PEC stainless pots in any case. I do run a buss wire across the pot leads like this to a star ground.

Nice! I remember I liked it, I forgot it wasn't on the casing. Very nice work (as usual).

Lol, don't let Craig see you spell bus that way.

Which star ground is it connected to? I assume the preamp has it's own?

[crgfrench]

That is one good-looking power supply board!

[coolidgeamps]

Nice! I remember I liked it, I forgot it wasn't on the casing. Very nice work (as usual). Lol, don't let Craig see you spell bus that way.

Which star ground is it connected to? I assume the preamp has it's own?

When a ground bus looks that good its called a buss. The ground schemes for this ODS amp vary from schematic to schematic but most have a star ground for the preamp at the preamp end of the chassis.

[coolidgeamps]

Side note: I never lose a lead. I clip with one hand, and I hold the piece I'm cutting off with the angled pliers.

You SO just jinxed yourself, report back after.

[JMPGuitars]

Side note: I never lose a lead. I clip with one hand, and I hold the piece I'm cutting off with the angled pliers.

You SO just jinxed yourself, report back after.

lol, probably. That's what gravity is for; I'll just turn the chassis over and shake it out like a pick in an acoustic.

[coolidgeamps]

lol, probably. That's what gravity is for; I'll just turn the chassis over and shake it out like a pick in an acoustic.

You have not reached true amp builder status until you have done the chassis shake out. Or grabbed the red glowing hot end of your thermal wire stripper 2-3 times during a build adjusting the depth stop. (face palm)

[coolidgeamps]

That is one good-looking power supply board!

Thanks, I already want to redesign it. Add some solder pads for the V1-V3 B+ interconnect wires vs turrets. Re-think the footprint. This style amp makes it difficult to position the OT and power supply board so that the bolt hold patterns don't overlap. I already had the boards made and ran into issues when I did the chassis. I had to rotate the power supply board 90 degrees to clear the OT which put the interconnect wire points 90 degrees off of where I wanted them.

So typical of a 1st time build, I have a growing list of changes for amp #2.

[JMPGuitars]

lol, probably. That's what gravity is for; I'll just turn the chassis over and shake it out like a pick in an acoustic.

You have not reached true amp builder status until you have done the chassis shake out. Or grabbed the red glowing hot end of your thermal wire stripper 2-3 times during a build adjusting the depth stop. (face palm)

lol, yeah, I'm ordering that PTS-30 today. I'm gonna try and avoid burning myself on it, thanks.

[coolidgeamps]

lol, yeah, I'm ordering that PTS-30 today. I'm gonna try and avoid burning myself on it, thanks.

You will love it. Great also on stripping the tiny gauge guitar pickup wire like SD uses.

[crgfrench]

What kind of film caps are those French white ones -- Solen?

[Billy_Goat]

Looks like this is a Weber kit which is the same kit have. My build is also exhibiting low output. I've gotten a lot of amazing help provided in the forum, but so far unable to resolve.

Did the low output issue ever get resolved here? I've read through the thread, but I don't see a resolve. Did I miss that?

Cheers!

[coolidgeamps]

What kind of film caps are those French white ones -- Solen?

Solen, a not well known film and Tin foil cap within their product line.