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Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Wed 02/03/21 12:27 pm
by TriodeLuvr
A lot of the filament wiring I see in guitar amps here and elsewhere is twisted very uniformly. Are builders using variable speed drills with a loop or something similar for this? It doesn't seem that it would be possible to twist so evenly over the entire length of the wires if it was being done by hand.
Jack
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Wed 02/03/21 1:54 pm
by JMPGuitars
TriodeLuvr wrote: ↑Wed 02/03/21 12:27 pm
A lot of the filament wiring I see in guitar amps here and elsewhere is twisted very uniformly. Are builders using variable speed drills with a loop or something similar for this? It doesn't seem that it would be possible to twist so evenly over the entire length of the wires if it was being done by hand.
Jack
I insert one end into the drill and tighten it, and clamp the other end to my bench:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8gg9P6nvge/
Thanks,
Josh
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Wed 02/03/21 3:10 pm
by Ethan
I do exactly what Josh does most of the time but I have, on occasion, just clamped the wires in my bench vise and twisted them by hand, keeping even tension on them. It's more work so I only bother with it if it's a short run.
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Wed 02/03/21 5:48 pm
by TriodeLuvr
OK, I'm gonna twist a few feet with a drill. I was thinking it would need a jig of some sort to hold the wires, but I guess you just clamp them directly into the chuck. Simple is always good!
Jack
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Wed 02/03/21 6:20 pm
by zaphod_phil
TriodeLuvr wrote: ↑Wed 02/03/21 12:27 pm
A lot of the filament wiring I see in guitar amps here and elsewhere is twisted very uniformly. Are builders using variable speed drills with a loop or something similar for this? It doesn't seem that it would be possible to twist so evenly over the entire length of the wires if it was being done by hand.
Jack
I always use a drill at low speed to twist the heater wires. I've come across some really anal hi-fi guys in the past who insisted on twisting the wires by hand
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Wed 02/03/21 7:26 pm
by ViperDoc
If you don't have a vice handy, you can also use a hemostat. Slow speed is best and don't over-do the tightness so as not to break the wire leads internally.
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Wed 02/03/21 9:00 pm
by TriodeLuvr
zaphod_phil wrote: ↑Wed 02/03/21 6:20 pm
I always use a drill at low speed to twist the heater wires. I've come across some really anal hi-fi guys in the past who insisted on twisting the wires by hand
You've been misinformed. Anal hi-fi guys modify 5V switchers to output 6.3V and run DC filaments. Now who do we know that would do such a thing?? LOL
Jack
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Thu 02/04/21 4:08 am
by Daviedawg
Call me anal if you like, but not hifi guy. It does not take long in your wee bench vice and you can get just the right vintage looking shallower angle twist that is hard to get with a drill. Do enough at one go to do the whole job. You can laugh with Uncle Doug at the same time.
Dd
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Fri 02/05/21 12:01 am
by crgfrench
I'm with Josh, same technique. One end in the chuck of my Milwaukee M18 cordless drill, the other end in the Brinks & Cotton vise. Twist slowly allowing the drill to be pulled toward the vise. Stop when it's to your liking.
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Thu 08/26/21 3:08 pm
by Doxie man
While twisting the filament lines are common practice it is actually not necessary to yield a quiet operating amplifier. As long as they are in parallel to each other and away from signal carrying wires, it will make no audible difference wether they are trusted or not. I haven’t twisted my heaters in over a decade and every circuit I build is stone quiet…..and yes, they are AC powered. Another example of this can be found in the Soldano amplifiers before he switched over to DC heaters.
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Thu 08/26/21 3:21 pm
by JMPGuitars
Doxie man wrote: ↑Thu 08/26/21 3:08 pm
While twisting the filament lines are common practice it is actually not necessary to yield a quiet operating amplifier. As long as they are in parallel to each other and away from signal carrying wires, it will make no audible difference wether they are trusted or not. I haven’t twisted my heaters in over a decade and every circuit I build is stone quiet…..and yes, they are AC powered. Another example of this can be found in the Soldano amplifiers before he switched over to DC heaters.
You're right in theory. You could use a 2 wire insulated electrical cord if the wire is the right gauge. The point of twisting the wires and keeping it neat, is to avoid vibration, unwanted noise, etc... How you go about that is up to you obviously, but everybody builds with their own techniques.
I see from your other thread that you use zip ties. I use twists, heat shrink, and yes, sometimes zip ties also. But never just one of those things.
For me, I like zip ties the least. To each their own!
Thanks,
Josh
Re: Twisting Filament Wires
Posted: Fri 08/27/21 5:26 pm
by Doxie man
JMPGuitars wrote: ↑Thu 08/26/21 3:21 pm
Doxie man wrote: ↑Thu 08/26/21 3:08 pm
While twisting the filament lines are common practice it is actually not necessary to yield a quiet operating amplifier. As long as they are in parallel to each other and away from signal carrying wires, it will make no audible difference wether they are trusted or not. I haven’t twisted my heaters in over a decade and every circuit I build is stone quiet…..and yes, they are AC powered. Another example of this can be found in the Soldano amplifiers before he switched over to DC heaters.
You're right in theory. You could use a 2 wire insulated electrical cord if the wire is the right gauge. The point of twisting the wires and keeping it neat, is to avoid vibration, unwanted noise, etc... How you go about that is up to you obviously, but everybody builds with their own techniques.
I see from your other thread that you use zip ties. I use twists, heat shrink, and yes, sometimes zip ties also. But never just one of those things.
For me, I like zip ties the least. To each their own!
Thanks,
Josh
Yep
…..there’s always more ways than one to skin that cat. I prefer the zip ties as I can make the runs twice as fast and get the same results while still keeping a neat appearance.
…..there’s always more ways than one to skin that cat. I prefer the zip ties as I can make the runs twice as fast and get the same results while still keeping a neat appearance.