Stuff

[fig]

Just for giggles I plugged it into the 18v port on the iSpot. Wow, sustain for days...there is one jumper amiss in the pic...from the FUZZ pot (left) to the cathode of the 22uF.

 

[Laundryroom David]

I was all set to program replacement LFO chips for the Mama Flanger boards I've sent out. Please, if you haven't lately...shoot me a DM so I don't miss you.
Anyway, after some negative feedback from a guru for not labelling the chips, I started today by changing out the label roll on my Dymo. Did I mention I hate printers? If not, I will at some point so be watching for it. I hate printers. There, it's out of the way now. These are 1x1 peel labels and I can squeeze a lot of chip labels on one square...it's a small font. Having to pee, I pressed print and when I came back there was no label sticking out at me like a little tongue. Hmmm...I open the lid..labels are in the feed...hmmm...I press the FEED button....labels going in...no labels coming out...HMMMM! I unplug the printer and begin crying.
After a lengthy break, I start removing screws, spring, plastic fenders, more springs, three ribbon cables and a Molex...aha! the roller. As you can imagine, it's wrapped tighter than Bella Lugosi. Of course the challenge is always re-assembly, but I finally got it together and working. Time for another break. THEN I'll try again.

Take a break, enjoy a sandwich, throw the printer in the sea-I mean, do some yoga, then throw the prin-no. Ahem. As I was say-IN THE SEA. Right then. Ok.

 

[fig]

Just a heads-up; After serious thought (which can prove difficult for me) I won't be sending anymore boards after I straighten out my goof with the pcbs I've already sent out.

My apologies to Robert for taking a liberty I feel I should not have.

 

[fig]

I found myself with quite a few JAN6418 mini-tubes so I've been breadboarding with them. I bought a 1590A Ford Blue enclosure from LMS, and it looks like a little "valve" cover, so I built a valve-boost to put inside.
It's a very simple boost. I have a version with a BMP tone control and volume, and another with twin toobs (much louder), but this is a just a boost. Stick it after a fuzz, shove it before a phase..it just makes it a little louder by a few dB.
These tube filaments are kinda sensitive so you want to limit the voltage to 1.5v. This can be done a few ways, but I used an LM317 and adjustment resistors of 390Ω & 68Ω to get 1.47vdc to the filament.

I think I'll add the volume back using a tiny knob for the "oil fill cap"....sweet!

 

[swyse]

That sounds like a cool build! I’m excited to see how it turns out. Do those little tubes get warm at all?

 

[fig]

That sounds like a cool build! I’m excited to see how it turns out. Do those little tubes get warm at all?

Nah, not at 9v..but they will glow if you crank up the juice to the plate (say 24v).

 

[Feral Feline]

I found myself with quite a few JAN6418 mini-tubes so I've been breadboarding with them. I bought a 1590A Ford Blue enclosure from LMS, and it looks like a little "valve" cover, so I built a valve-boost to put inside.
It's a very simple boost. I have a version with a BMP tone control and volume, and another with twin toobs (much louder), but this is a just a boost. Stick it after a fuzz, shove it before a phase..it just makes it a little louder by a few dB.
These tube filaments are kinda sensitive so you want to limit the voltage to 1.5v. This can be done a few ways, but I used an LM317 and adjustment resistors of 390Ω & 68Ω to get 1.47vdc to the filament.

I think I'll add the volume back using a tiny knob for the "oil fill cap"....sweet!

LOVE the valve covers idea...

Collecting Classic American V-8 Engine Valve Covers

Collecting classic American V-8 engine valve covers becomes art on the walls of “Boss” Bob’s Garage.

www.motortrend.com

Machine an enclosure to have "ribs" like a classic early Mickey Thompson cover for Pontiac (& the Hemi looks a great candidate for 1590B3):

...or one of my all time faves a '56 Continental with vertical ribs (love how just the ribs are polished):

So many great-looking valve-covers to choose from, from all marques! Why limit yourself to V8s? Could go with a 1032L for an inline-six valve cover or a 1590BX2 for one of the great Straight-8s!


Cool Offy cover for a Slant-6\

How'bout this Holden 6:

Fireball STR8:

Brian Thomas' McCulloch-blown STR8-flathead Packard (hear it and ride along here on youtube):

Maybe some paint and polish:

I'm going to have to do a few pedals in this vein, but gotta figure out how to go about it first.


Thanks for the inspiration, Fig!

 

[Passinwind]

I've bought quite a few old radios, projectors, tape machines, etc, to try salvaging the tube amps, or at least some iron & glass. I tried to stay fairly mainstream conversion-wise, but couldn't resist the military aircraft audio tube amp-in-a-can. More on those later...This is a Model 384 15-watt 2-AX7, 3-6V6, made by Bell and Howell. I inspected the guts pretty closely, cleaned it up a bit, and slowly cranked the voltage using a variac. Here it is after idling 30 min. Next will be an audio test, but it's looking good!
I have a tweed champ-style combo cab that I think I can use or I'll build / have built a custom head cab (assuming all goes as planned).

Glow you little darlings!

Love that stuff. Here's one I found in a used tool shop in Seattle, it worked fine as-is beyond needing some love for its old school screw on coax mic connector. 2 x 6L6 and a couple of 6SC7 preamp tubes. A guitar player friend gigged with it professionally for several years and then I eventually traded something or other to get it back. Gave it away to a young DIYer several years ago.