Boothill 5F1 , New Builder

Hi all , been reading a lot over here lately and I think I caught the amp build bug , I got a Boothill 5F1 kit and also got trannys , tubes and speaker from Dave. Been reading all the 5F1 builds I can find here , also been reading this .

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2571.jpg?t=1342378862

Worked on a cab for the amp this weekend

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2573.jpg?t=1342378924

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0002.jpg?t=1342378967

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0001.jpg?t=1342378999

Still need to make the baffle board and get the grill cloth on it and also need to make the back boards , don't know if I'll do tolex or tweed or just finish the bare wood yet . I still need to read more and study up more , never built an amp before , maybe I'll get a start on the board this week . Any advice or help/tips along the way will be greatly appreciated , I'll need it :smile:

Hi Herb,

It looks like you've been around here a lot longer than me. I am still in the midst of my first 5F1 build and have followed the same route you are on. I am sure that this will be a slam dunk for you, especially after reading your thread on your last tele build.

I have been torn between strictly following the plans with the parts provided and doing some mods. This is because I've no idea of what to expect with this amp and wanted to experiment a little. The only things I decided to add were two mini-switches. One to lift the 22K resistor at the negative feed back. the other is to switch between the 8 Ohm and 4 Ohm speaker leads of a 40-18031 transformer.

Looks pretty good so far,

Mark

Hi Herb,

It looks like you've been around here a lot longer than me. I am still in the midst of my first 5F1 build and have followed the same route you are on. I am sure that this will be a slam dunk for you, especially after reading your thread on your last tele build.

I have been torn between strictly following the plans with the parts provided and doing some mods. This is because I've no idea of what to expect with this amp and wanted to experiment a little. The only things I decided to add were two mini-switches. One to lift the 22K resistor at the negative feed back. the other is to switch between the 8 Ohm and 4 Ohm speaker leads of a 40-18031 transformer.

Looks pretty good so far,

Mark

Thanks Mark , I am thinking to just stick with a standard/stock build for this one , since it's the first , I am still absorbing what does who in these amps , the cab was fun to build , havn't done dovetails in years so I was happy they turned out ok , if I do cover it with tolex or tweed that's going to be another adventure , never did that before , but like everything else I think it'll be a fun build . :smile: Oh , BTW , your cab looks great .

Your guitar builds are great threads!
Just ask and post pics, you'll get there.
Good luck!
P.S. if you're taking votes from the Peanut Gallery, I say tweed :)

Your guitar builds are great threads!
Just ask and post pics, you'll get there.
Good luck!
P.S. if you're taking votes from the Peanut Gallery, I say tweed :)

Thanks Andy , glad you like the threads , they are a lot of fun.
Yep , plenty of pics , they'll go with plenty of questions I'm sure :) , and yes , I always like votes from the peanut gallery , helps me make up my mind , maybe :D

Good luck, Herb! If it turns out anything like the Snakehead, it's going to be one heck of an amp!

Jon

Looks good, keep those pictures coming! I haven't worked up the time/money/ambition to build an amp yet, but I did get a pre-build Boot Hill Tweed Champ last year. It's unbelievably fun.

Pay close attention to hackworth1's grounding scheme. This was one of the reasons I bought his amp over several others. Mine is whisper quiet at all volume levels. I credit his careful use of a ground bus and other ground-related things I don't really understand.

Good luck!!

Good luck, Herb! If it turns out anything like the Snakehead, it's going to be one heck of an amp!

Jon

Thanks Jon , yea , it'll be nice to play the snake plugged into this when its done :)

Looks good, keep those pictures coming! I haven't worked up the time/money/ambition to build an amp yet, but I did get a pre-build Boot Hill Tweed Champ last year. It's unbelievably fun.

Pay close attention to hackworth1's grounding scheme. This was one of the reasons I bought his amp over several others. Mine is whisper quiet at all volume levels. I credit his careful use of a ground bus and other ground-related things I don't really understand.

Good luck!!

Thanks anuchaki , yes , being as I know close to nothing with amp building I am going to pay very close attention , and hopefully learn something :)

Herb, you are going to take off like a rocket! You're a very skillful dude.

Herb, you are going to take off like a rocket! You're a very skillful dude.

Hey thanks Dave , and thanks for the warp speed shipping , I'm pretty excited about the build , heck , even the little cab was very enjoyable to build :)

Herb, you are going to take off like a rocket! You're a very skillful dude.

Dave, that's an awesome looking kit you sell! Excellent!

Hey thanks Dave , and thanks for the warp speed shipping , I'm pretty excited about the build , heck , even the little cab was very enjoyable to build :)

Nice work on the cabinet Herb! I'm following this one.

Nice work on the cabinet Herb! I'm following this one.

Thanks Craig , no progress , but hopefully it'll be a bit cooler this weekend and I'll have some energy
, I'll get the back boards and baffle made and get the cab sealed. Gotta get some tweed , after some thought guess I'll go that way , anybody have any recommendations for tweed , I know Mojotone , any others ?

This is the cotton tweed I get from AES, online it's tubesandmore.com. Sprayed it with a couple coats of nitro.

This is the cotton tweed I get from AES, online it's tubesandmore.com. Sprayed it with a couple coats of nitro.

Hey thanks SF , nice job covering that cab , just ordered some of that tweed from AES , hope I can get it installed as nice as you did .

Got the board loaded and soldered today , I have pics but got called into work , I'll post when I get back home , hopefully I got it right , we'll see .

Good luck, I hope I can try building one sometime soon

Good luck.

Good luck, I hope I can try building one sometime soon

Thanks thorton , yea , I wanted to build one for a while but had to many projects , now I am getting somewhat caught up :smile:


Good luck.

Thanks telex :smile:

Just got back home from work , 15 1/2 hours straight , I am bushed , no work on the amp today , gotta catch up on some sleep , but here's pics of the front and back of the board , if anything looks suspect please let me know . Thanks folks :smile:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2574.jpg?t=1342968265

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2575.jpg?t=1342968347

Looks good, Herb. Everything is in the right place. Orientation of e-caps is correct. Bus looks good.

Just check your solder joints. Make sure you can't pull them out by tugging on them. The back of the board looks a little light on solder in the holes. That indication alone doesn't mean the joint is not good. You be the judge.

The back of the board is a nuisance to access - once you have everything buttoned down. New builders sometimes leave some cold joints back there which will break loose as you know.

You can see and feel a great joint when it happens. Ideally, you want nicely domed joints which are the product of hot flowing solder and a clean smooth tip. They won't all be perfect, but as long as they're good joints...

You'll have a good time.

Ideally, you want nicely domed joints which are the product of hot flowing solder and a clean smooth tip. They won't all be perfect, but as long as they're good joints...

You'll have a good time.


Yep, you'll know it's good when they cool if they look shiny rather than dull.

Just a real small point - on the power tube side of cathode bias amps, I like to put at least a little bit of space between the bias resistor and the bypass cap and/or other local e-caps, if there's room to do so. Not an absolute necessary thing, I just like to do it. That resistor will get hot.

Looks good Herb!

Yep, you'll know it's good when they cool if they look shiny rather than dull.

Just a real small point - on the power tube side of cathode bias amps, I like to put at least a little bit of space between the bias resistor and the bypass cap and/or other local e-caps, if there's room to do so. Not an absolute necessary thing, I just like to do it. That resistor will get hot.

Looks good Herb!

Good Point. Herb has left plenty of room and slack on the leads so that he can pull them away from each other.

Looks good, Herb. Everything is in the right place. Orientation of e-caps is correct. Bus looks good.

Just check your solder joints. Make sure you can't pull them out by tugging on them. The back of the board looks a little light on solder in the holes. That indication alone doesn't mean the joint is not good. You be the judge.

The back of the board is a nuisance to access - once you have everything buttoned down. New builders sometimes leave some cold joints back there which will break loose as you know.

You can see and feel a great joint when it happens. Ideally, you want nicely domed joints which are the product of hot flowing solder and a clean smooth tip. They won't all be perfect, but as long as they're good joints...

You'll have a good time.

Thanks for taking the time to look this over Dave , and you were right on about the back of the board , I gave all the wires a good pull and one poped out , I re-soldered it and doubled checked all my solder joints front and back , I did re-flow a few joints that looked suspect to me . Thanks again Dave , will be asking more questions at the next stage I'm sure :)

Yep, you'll know it's good when they cool if they look shiny rather than dull.

Just a real small point - on the power tube side of cathode bias amps, I like to put at least a little bit of space between the bias resistor and the bypass cap and/or other local e-caps, if there's room to do so. Not an absolute necessary thing, I just like to do it. That resistor will get hot.
Looks good Herb!

Hey Craig , thanks . I did bend/move that resistor a touch away , I was thinking about that when I loaded the board but it slipped my mind until you picked up on it.
On the soldering , yea , I have noticed that when the joints cool down , also have noticed how the solder flows on a good joint , BTW , that WES51 is great :)

Got a little more done this evening , till my eyes got tired , board is mounted in chasis , jacks and switch are installed and connections soldered to board , tranny's are mounted . Dave was right , that brass plate makes a good template :smile:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/5f1-1.jpg?t=1343171982

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/5f1-5.jpg?t=1343171969

Looks good.

Herb, you do not need that green ground wire on the input jacks. I used to isolate the inboard input jack and I have found that it is not necessary to do that.

You have 3/8 inch star washers behind each input jack. Each jack makes ground to the chassis by its body. Technically, the green jumper is making a ground loop - so it is doing more harm than good by being connected. Snip it out of there and away you go.

That's a 1 watt Allen Bradley 1.5K ohm resistor on the far right. Nice long leads on that sucker. Those 68K input grid resistors are also 1 watters. Exclusive offerings to TDPRI members upon request while supplies last.

Looks good.

Herb, you do not need that green ground wire on the input jacks. I used to isolate the inboard input jack and I have found that it is not necessary to do that.

You have 3/8 inch star washers behind each input jack. Each jack makes ground to the chassis by its body. Technically, the green jumper is making a ground loop - so it is doing more harm than good by being connected. Snip it out of there and away you go.

That's a 1 watt Allen Bradley 1.5K ohm resistor on the far right. Nice long leads on that sucker. Those 68K input grid resistors are also 1 watters. Exclusive offerings to TDPRI members upon request while supplies last.

Thanks Dave , that makes sense with the ground loop. I'll snip that ground wire outta there the next work session .

That looks good, Herb! Nice shiny solder joints. Glad you like that Weller station. Not to be picky, but I usually make the leads from the input to the grid resistors as short as possible when not using shielded wire. Again, not a big deal, just cut those shorter if you have a tendency to pick up radio stations. Same with red wire going to the volume pot, it looks like you could shorten the path a bit. Sweet!

That looks good, Herb! Nice shiny solder joints. Glad you like that Weller station. Not to be picky, but I usually make the leads from the input to the grid resistors as short as possible when not using shielded wire. Again, not a big deal, just cut those shorter if you have a tendency to pick up radio stations. Same with red wire going to the volume pot, it looks like you could shorten the path a bit. Sweet!

Thanks Craig , yea , the Weller is sweet . I did leave those leads a touch long , first timers uncertainty , I'll shorten them up , and thanks for keeping an eye on this :)

Got the back boards made up and the cleats in the cab , sealed with polycrylic , just waiting on my tweed to come.

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG25742.jpg?t=1343419057

Question for Dave or anybody else that knows on the PT , I am using the Weber layout sheet , the colors are different on the PT I have than whats shown on the Weber layout , the PT I got from Dave P-TF22772
Has 2 black wires , I am thinking one black to blue on a/c cord , the other black to fuse , also the red with yellow stripe goes to ground ? I am also thinking the two reds , two yellows and 2 greens go to the locations shown on the Weber layout , the OT I got from Dave has the same color wires as the Weber layout so I think they are OK to go where shown , just not positive on the PT .

The black wires are the primary, so you're correct on those, one to the fuse, one spliced to the blue (neutral) wire.

Yes, yellow/red is center tap of the two red wires, the high voltage winding, goes to ground. You can confirm this for yourself by setting your meter to K ohms and measuring between the two red wires. Say that measurement is 300 ohms. Now measure between red/yellow and one of the reds and it should be approx. half, 150 ohms.

I usually solder the HT center tap to a ring terminal and fasten that down on one of the power transformer bolts as my main ground point, so the first two filter caps (-) and the power tube cathode/resistor (-) are also grounded there.

You are correct on the rest, same as the Weber layout: Two greens, 6.3v filament winding. Two yellows, 5v rectifier filament winding.

Cab's looking good!!!

The black wires are the primary, so you're correct on those, one to the fuse, one spliced to the blue (neutral) wire.

Yes, yellow/red is center tap of the two red wires, the high voltage winding, goes to ground. You can confirm this for yourself by setting your meter to K ohms and measuring between the two red wires. Say that measurement is 300 ohms. Now measure between red/yellow and one of the reds and it should be approx. half, 150 ohms.

I usually solder the HT center tap to a ring terminal and fasten that down on one of the power transformer bolts as my main ground point, so the first two filter caps (-) and the power tube cathode/resistor (-) are also grounded there.

You are correct on the rest, same as the Weber layout: Two greens, 6.3v filament winding. Two yellows, 5v rectifier filament winding.

Cab's looking good!!!

Craig , thanks for the help , its nice to be sure of yourself with this . My tweed just showed up with UPS , and I just got done gluing the standoff strips for the grill cloth on the baffle , should be able to get a lot done tomorrow . :smile:

All done soldering and wiring , not as neat as most of you fellas but I am pretty confident in all the solder joints , don't know if I'll try it before or after I get the cab covered with tweed but here's a few pics , hopefully there's no boo boos :smile:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2576.jpg?t=1343494876

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2577.jpg?t=1343494873

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2588.jpg?t=1343494870

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2589.jpg?t=1343494866

Well , I might as well see if this works , so using the BYOC startup procedure , I installed the chasis in the cab , turned on the power switch , no tubes installed , nothing plugged into any of the jacks , plugged the power cord in while watching the pilot light , whada you know , the light came on , no sparks or explosions ,no smell , so far so good , unplugged the power cord , installed the 5y3 rectifier tube , light came on , tube started glowing after a minute , no smell , no sparks , unplugged the power cord , installed the preamp tube , plugged power back in , preamp tube started glowing after a minute , no sparks , no booms , unplugged power cord , installed speaker in baffle and plugged into speaker jack , installed power tube , made sure volume is at the lowest level , plugged power cord in , power tube starts to glow , all tubes glowing , no sparks or bad stuff happening , slowly turn up volume , it is making noise :grin: , turned power switch off , plugged in guitar , turned back on , turned up volume , got a bit of a squeal , and some static break up , but it does work , now just gotta figure why I got the squeal and get that sorted , I still need to install the tweed on the cab also , just wanted to see if it worked or not , guess I'll go discharge the caps and take it back apart so I can get to covering , I'm pretty happy that it is making noise :smile:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2592.jpg?t=1343503753

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2593.jpg?t=1343503775

Thats great it almost worked perfect first try! Hope you find out the noise issue.

Swap your OT leads to kill the squeal, I'm having trouble imagining the other static noise you're talking about but it could be a dodgy preamp tube.

The squeal is like a runaway train of positive feedback and swapping the primary leads on the OT should create the negative feedback that you need. Negative feedback -bad for children, but works pretty well in this design. ;)

Thats great it almost worked perfect first try! Hope you find out the noise issue.

Thanks thorton , gonna try switching the OT leads , keeping my fingers crossed .

Swap your OT leads to kill the squeal, I'm having trouble imagining the other static noise you're talking about but it could be a dodgy preamp tube.

The squeal is like a runaway train of positive feedback and swapping the primary leads on the OT should create the negative feedback that you need. Negative feedback -bad for children, but works pretty well in this design. ;)

Thanks Jimmy , so switch the red and blue lead from the OT , I'll give it a try :)

My 5F1 squealed too. On advice from Dave I reversed the leads to the output jack and it cured it. I think he said I could reverse the leads to the output jack OR the leads from the OT? Don't quote me on that... For me the output jack was easiest.

FWIW I get a static-y sound at anything over about 6 or 7 on the dial. I'm having too much fun with it to take it apart and try to fix that though! I figure when I pull it apart to Tolex the cabinet I'll address the noise.

My 5F1 squealed too. On advice from Dave I reversed the leads to the output jack and it cured it. I think he said I could reverse the leads to the output jack OR the leads from the OT? Don't quote me on that... For me the output jack was easiest.

FWIW I get a static-y sound at anything over about 6 or 7 on the dial. I'm having too much fun with it to take it apart and try to fix that though! I figure when I pull it apart to Tolex the cabinet I'll address the noise.

Thanks Desmo , it would be easier to reverse the leads to the output jack , maybe that's what Jimmy meant when he suggested switching leads , right now I have black to ground and green to T on the output jack , I am going to pull the chasis tomorrow and start getting the tweed on , so I'll get it switched while its out.

Also put some shielding wire from the switch to pin 7, grounded at the switch end only, will prob clear up some of the static.

If I may, I respectfully disagree. If it was negative feedback/OT squeal (like on a push-pull amp with negative feedback and the leads off-phase), it would make a CONSTANT and NASTY scream with no guitar plugged in which would scare every cat and make every dog bark within a square mile of your house!

Go back to running it with no guitar plugged in. On first startup, you might again get a scratchy bit or some little fluffy background white noise stuff, but what you don't want to hear is any loud crackly bacon fry noises. (Like my adjectives? These are all technical terms.) If you get any of those sounds or a big squeal and they don't go away after 30 seconds or anything else seems amiss, turn it off - no good.

If things sound "good", "normal", leave it turned on long enough to get things warmed up, like 5 mins at least, or more, and the little background white noise stuff will either subside, or not, but either way, you've got it idling fine. (Not a lot of power supply filtering in these, so the little background noises can come and go without any real expected pattern.)

Then after a few minutes try plugging your fiddle in - squeal? I now respectfully agree, may be a preamp tube OR some issue with preamp lead dress. Try another 12AX7. Still squealing? If so, we need to take another look at your preamp wiring.

Craig is correct. It could be something other than feedback.

Desmo has recalled correctly. Switch one set of OT wires - either primary or secondary.

Swap the OT wires first and see if that works. This is easy to do and it is easy to reverse again later if need be.

If this does not solve the problem, seek other solutions.

Hey Guys , I should have been a little more descriptive yesterday with what was going on with the amp , the static noise it made was on initial start up when the tubes first warmed up , and the squeal was pretty much there from warm up without anything plugged in , although it was not real loud until volume got turned up , anyway with all the help here seems like it is a feedback issue , so before pulling the chassis this morning I switched the black and green OT leads on the output jack like suggested , put the tubes back in , hooked up the speaker again and fired it up , WOO HOO ! , no squealing , no static , just normal white noise (and not a lot , pretty quiet), plugged in the Caribbean snakehead and ----- oh yea :grin: . Can't thank you guys enough , Craig , Dave , Telenut , Desmo , Jimmy , thanks for the squeal help , well , gotta strip her down and start getting to the tweed.

Hey Guys , I should have been a little more descriptive yesterday with what was going on with the amp , the static noise it made was on initial start up when the tubes first warmed up , and the squeal was pretty much there from warm up without anything plugged in , although it was not real loud until volume got turned up , anyway with all the help here seems like it is a feedback issue , so before pulling the chassis this morning I switched the black and green OT leads on the output jack like suggested , put the tubes back in , hooked up the speaker again and fired it up , WOO HOO ! , no squealing , no static , just normal white noise (and not a lot , pretty quiet), plugged in the Caribbean snakehead and ----- oh yea :grin: . Can't thank you guys enough , Craig , Dave , Telenut , Desmo , Jimmy , thanks for the squeal help , well , gotta strip her down and start getting to the tweed.

Herb,

I have been lurking on your 5F1 thread, and find you got it making the correct noises... Congrats!!

Very much looking forward to the tweed process, esp after looking at your snakehead build. (Man, that guitar is gorgeous!)

How 'bout a vid of the snakehead through the Champ? :wink:

charisjapan

Herb,

I have been lurking on your 5F1 thread, and find you got it making the correct noises... Congrats!!

Very much looking forward to the tweed process, esp after looking at your snakehead build. (Man, that guitar is gorgeous!)

How 'bout a vid of the snakehead through the Champ? :wink:

charisjapan

Hey thanks charisjapan , my snakehead is my favorite guitar , man , that thing can sing , I was thinking the little 5F1 tweed would go pretty good with the snake .
Tweed is going on soon , the amp build itself was quite an education , maybe I am halfway through pre-school :lol: , loads of fun too . Video when all is done :smile:

One side down , 3 to go , I used the neoprene based water borne adhesive from Antique Electronics , brushed on one side of cab , brushed on back side of tweed , let it flash off for approx 30 minutes and put the tweed on , used the pinch method on the corners , worked good , used a small wall paper seam roller and a plastic putty knife , I had pre-cut the tweed and marked the cabinet so installation was pretty easy , so far .

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2597.jpg?t=1343577618

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2594.jpg?t=1343577530

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2595.jpg?t=1343577564

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2596.jpg?t=1343577594

Herb, you did a great job. I knew you would. Getting your sea legs on a 5F1 kit is the best thing any new amp builder can and should do.

The fact that they are really nice amps in their own right is a major bonus.

Now you're prepared to take on an equally successful 5E3 project. Any time you're ready. It has been a pleasure working with you.

That snakehead is beautiful, BTW. Well done. You are a craftsman and artiste.

Looking great!

Glad to be of help. The squeal could have been other things, but the transformer swap is the easiest way to find out. ;)

Yay! Congrats.

Wow, I hope when I get around to covering my cabinet it looks that good!

What is the "pinch" method for corners BTW? They are the main reason I've been putting off covering mine I think...

Herb, you did a great job. I knew you would. Getting your sea legs on a 5F1 kit is the best thing any new amp builder can and should do.

The fact that they are really nice amps in their own right is a major bonus.

Now you're prepared to take on an equally successful 5E3 project. Any time you're ready. It has been a pleasure working with you.

That snakehead is beautiful, BTW. Well done. You are a craftsman and artiste.

Dave , the pleasure has been all mine , and what a great kit you put together , and the after purchase help is quite an added bonus.
Yes a 5E3 is on the horizon , I will be sure to get it from you :smile:.
Glad you like the Snakehead , that was and is my favorite guitar .

Looking great!

Glad to be of help. The squeal could have been other things, but the transformer swap is the easiest way to find out. ;)

Thanks Jimmy , yea , it was an easy fix but before you gave the advice I really didn't know where to start. :wink:

Yay! Congrats.

Thanks Andy :grin:

Wow, I hope when I get around to covering my cabinet it looks that good!

What is the "pinch" method for corners BTW? They are the main reason I've been putting off covering mine I think...

Thanks Desmo , the pinch method is when you are putting the tweed on , it's all glued up and you have it all lined up when you start pressing it around the corners pinch it on the center of the corner and it will stick together on the excess , pinch it tightly as close as you can get to the wood cab at the corner , then take a good sharp pair of shears or a razor knife and cut the pinched up part close as you can to the corner/wood , then press , and roll your corner and you've got a pretty nice seam with no wood showing . It is a lot easier than it sounds , I should have taken pics of that but I didn't :oops: , this was the first time I ever did it and if I can do it anybody can , I was as nervous doing the corners as when I did the start up procedure on the amp yesterday , after the first one I was surprised it wasn't a problem . :smile:

Well , 3 down , just the top left to go , so far so good ,

Glue flashing off , you can see where I had masking tape on the tweed so I didn't get any glue outside of the overlap

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2598.jpg?t=1343586206

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2599.jpg?t=1343586135

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http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2601.jpg?t=1343586266

OK , amp cab is covered , all I gotta get done now is the back boards and the baffle , I am pretty happy with it , Gonna test shellac and lacquer on a few scraps and see what looks better to me sprayed on the tweed .:smile:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2604.jpg?t=1343592724

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2602.jpg?t=1343592653

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2603.jpg?t=1343592681

And a little while later , back boards done :smile:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2605.jpg?t=1343598687

Last update for today , got the grill cloth in the baffle , I'll get her all put together this week :grin:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2606.jpg?t=1343603264

Again, Herb, excellent thread. How much $$ do you have invested to make the jewel? I have been chomping at the bit to do such a task, and actually have experience (long ago) building Fender style cabinets. We used black Tolex then, though, because that was the rage in 1968. I am not surprised you did an excellent build. I would probably want to build a 5e3, as that's what every one seem to gravitate towards; but the f5f1 would be a great place to start to learn the skills.

BTW: I actually got to do some woodworking today - I helped to build a tech platform for the Community Playhouse where my daughter just finished a 3 week run of "Secret Garden". Great bunch of people and very appreciative, and much appreciated. The whole cast with 2 exceptions were children under the age of 15 years old. A lot of talent, and Nicole and Keith were there last Saturday afternoon with their daughter to watch. OOOOH. So NASHVILLE. No one even asked for autographs or photos, but everyone was texting their friends.

That's some of the cleanest tweed-work I've ever seen!

Again, Herb, excellent thread. How much $$ do you have invested to make the jewel? I have been chomping at the bit to do such a task, and actually have experience (long ago) building Fender style cabinets. We used black Tolex then, though, because that was the rage in 1968. I am not surprised you did an excellent build. I would probably want to build a 5e3, as that's what every one seem to gravitate towards; but the f5f1 would be a great place to start to learn the skills.

BTW: I actually got to do some woodworking today - I helped to build a tech platform for the Community Playhouse where my daughter just finished a 3 week run of "Secret Garden". Great bunch of people and very appreciative, and much appreciated. The whole cast with 2 exceptions were children under the age of 15 years old. A lot of talent, and Nicole and Keith were there last Saturday afternoon with their daughter to watch. OOOOH. So NASHVILLE. No one even ajsked for autographs or photos, but everyone was texting their friends.

Hi Mark , thanks . Well , I think I got about $300. in it , probably could have shaved $40 or more off if I shopped around a little more , that's the amp kit , trannys , speaker , cabinet wood , baffle and backboard wood , tweed , glue , hardware (handle and feet/glides) , buying a cab would have added close to another $100 so IMO it is worth making one if you can. Besides , its quite a bit of fun .
That's great you are getting back to wood work , and for a good cause too.
Yea Mark , you should give it a shot , you've got cab building experience , you can solder , talk to Dave at Boothill , he won't steer you wrong .

That's some of the cleanest tweed-work I've ever seen!

Thanks Jimmy , I really enjoyed myself today . :)

Also: BTW: Great looking tweed amp case. Was that spray on 3M #77 glue, or brush on contact cement? We used to use the Weldwood Contact Cement (in a basement shop/practice room) and the fumes got us quite stoned back then. Are the instructions from Dave at Boothill Amps pretty concise and direct? I've always wanted to build an amp and only repaired a few things like blown resistors or tube sockets in the old Fender Vibroverb back in the days when it was nearly new ('66). I grew up near a Heathkit store and they provided me with a guide to soldering, and always wanted to build one of their Twin Reverb clones.

Also: BTW: Great looking tweed amp case. Was that spray on 3M #77 glue, or brush on contact cement? We used to use the Weldwood Contact Cement (in a basement shop/practice room) and the fumes got us quite stoned back then. Are the instructions from Dave at Boothill Amps pretty concise and direct? I've always wanted to build an amp and only repaired a few things like blown resistors or tube sockets in the old Fender Vibroverb back in the days when it was nearly new ('66). I grew up near a Heathkit store and they provided me with a guide to soldering, and always wanted to build one of their Twin Reverb clones.

Thanks Mark . The glue I used is a neoprene based contact adhesive , got it from Antique Electrical Supply , no odor , no fumes , worked very good IMO.
Dave will email you a layout sheet which was my main guide , it was not difficult to understand , I did also download the BYOC step by step instructions just as an idea of how to proceed , Dave also has some helpful videos up at the Boothill site , also I have to mention a book , THE GUITAR AMP HANDBOOK , by Dave Hunter , good book , gives you a pretty good amount of info on tube amps , written so its easy to understand. Dave at Boothill also will follow your build thread and advise /answer questions along the way .

That looks great Herb! Beautiful corners.

Hey, I've always used Super77, which requires a mask and protective clothing. I'm going to get some of that neoprene stuff, thanks for the tip!

That looks great Herb! Beautiful corners.

Hey, I've always used Super77, which requires a mask and protective clothing. I'm going to get some of that neoprene stuff, thanks for the tip!

Thanks Craig , yea , I was quite nervous with the corners but they really were not hard to do . The neoprene based glue worked great , the quart was $18. but there is enough to do maybe 3 more cabs . Maybe after work I'll get a coat or 2 of lacquer sprayed on , just gonna use rattlecan MinWax . Probably will have it all wrapped up this coming weekend :)

Got 2 light coats of clear lacquer on the tweed , now I'll let it sit a few days before putting it all back together , and that'll give me some time to start thinking about the next build , hmmmmm :lol:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2610.jpg?t=1343687098

Herb, did you use a router or hand saw to create the finger joints? Did you use 3/4" pine shelving stock? That amp looks really sweet.

Herb, did you use a router or hand saw to create the finger joints? Did you use 3/4" pine shelving stock? That amp looks really sweet.

Thanks Mark , I used a router and a dove tail jig to make the dove tails , pine is 3/4" select from Lowes .

All back together , all the hardware is on , just waiting on a name plate based on my headstock decal . Overall this was a great experience , and a lot of fun , and I have a cool little amp to boot . I would definitely build another , in fact the 5E3 kit is on the way :lol:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2611.jpg?t=1343857104

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2612.jpg?t=1343857124

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2613.jpg?t=1343857142

That turned out fantastic, but seeing the quality of your other work, we all knew it would.
Love the pinch method, works every time.
I did a few cabs with the water-based contact cement. It worked ok but was more expensive and took too long. I'm back to spray 90 again.
You'll love the 5e3.

Beautiful work Herb! I knew you'd be on to the next build already - it's just in the cards :razz:

Yeah, you will like the 5E3. Some people say it is "farty", but with a tele not so much - and a Weber 12F150A goes nice with that circuit IMO.

That turned out fantastic, but seeing the quality of your other work, we all knew it would.
Love the pinch method, works every time.
I did a few cabs with the water-based contact cement. It worked ok but was more expensive and took too long. I'm back to spray 90 again.
You'll love the 5e3.

Thanks SF , I am very happy with it , both the looks and the sound . The glue , yea , I did have to let it flash off but for just starting out it was pretty easy to work with.

Beautiful work Herb! I knew you'd be on to the next build already - it's just in the cards :razz:

Yeah, you will like the 5E3. Some people say it is "farty", but with a tele not so much - and a Weber 12F150A goes nice with that circuit IMO.


Thanks Craig ,and thanks for the help and advice , yea , in the cards , well , it keeps me out of trouble , and its very interesting and enjoyable , so I'll gather parts and maybe get the cab built for the 5E3 and get to it when I get time. I have a Weber Signature 12 alinco I was going to put in my Blues jr that I might use , not sure yet we'll see , either way its not going in the jr now , that'll probably go up for sale shortly :lol:

Got the name plate for this today , just got my headstock decal copied in black on 1" x 3" aluminum with a black border , the final touch :smile:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2622.jpg?t=1344462459

Sweet!

Looks great well done

You do great work, Herb! That's a beauty!

Man, I need to get in gear . . . my cut-down Twin Reverb project is really dragging. You got your amp done very nicely and pretty darn quick!

Jon

Sweet!

Thanks Mark , it was a fun build , and it sounds pretty good too :smile:

Looks great well done

Thanks Telenut62 :grin:


You do great work, Herb! That's a beauty!

Thanks Jon :smile:


Man, I need to get in gear . . . my cut-down Twin Reverb project is really dragging. You got your amp done very nicely and pretty darn quick!
Jon

Then you can start on that Snakehead :razz:

* * *


Then you can start on that Snakehead :razz:

I better get back to jogging so I live long enough to get the Snakehead started. :grin: With my luck and current project pace, Rockler will be out of business by the time I'm ready to buy the body wood.

I'm looking forward to watching your new amp build!

I have another 5F1 to build for a buddy , I started the cab a while back when I started my 5E3 cab , finally getting the cab wrapped up ,this one is getting red elephant tolex and grill cloth with a gold diamond pattern , here are some pics , oh and the kit is on the way from Dave at Boothill :smile:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F3%20Build/IMAG2614.jpg?t=1345330327

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F3%20Build/IMAG2616.jpg?t=1345330327

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F3%20Build/IMAG2617.jpg?t=1345330327

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2621.jpg?t=1346628566

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2632.jpg?t=1346628458

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2634.jpg?t=1346708222

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/IMAG2640.jpg?t=1346708685

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0001-1.jpg?t=1346790568

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0003.jpg?t=1346790509

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0006.jpg?t=1346790475


Here's a close up of the elephant tolex


http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0007.jpg?t=1346790412

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0008.jpg?t=1346790390

I am not totally thrilled with my corners on this tolex job , they aren't bad but I think with more experience I can do better , I got some corner covers coming , I'll see what it looks like with them , I really like this grill cloth , IMO it goes good with the red . I've got Classic Tone tranny's for this from Triode and a Jensen 8" MOD 8 ohm .

It is a Great Color Combination, indeed. Where did you find that retro grill cloth?

It is a Great Color Combination, indeed. Where did you find that retro grill cloth?

Thanks Dave , the grill cloth a good friend sent to me , I do not know where its from , it is pretty cool looking .

Adirondak! Just totally IMO, but I'm sure the corners are fine. Here's a vote for no corner covers. Too much extra bling on a really stunning and simple look. I put some corners on my ac15 in a deluxe combo and quickly took them off, I'd rather the little holes than what the corner covers did to the look.
For some reason I can never load your pics on my phone so can only see a blurry thumbnail, but still!!!

Adirondack! Just totally IMO, but I'm sure the corners are fine. Here's a vote for no corner covers. Too much extra bling on a really stunning and simple look. I put some corners on my ac15 in a deluxe combo and quickly took them off, I'd rather the little holes than what the corner covers did to the look.
For some reason I can never load your pics on my phone so can only see a blurry thumbnail, but still!!!

Hey Andy , thanks , you may be right about the corner covers , when they get here I'll just set them on and see without screwing them on , I am just winging it on this one.
I don't know what's up with the pics but I have the same issue with my smart phone , thumbnails fine , click on thumbnail , nadda .

I am not totally thrilled with my corners on this tolex job , they aren't bad but I think with more experience I can do better , I got some corner covers coming , I'll see what it looks like with them , I really like this grill cloth , IMO it goes good with the red .

Another opinion, but maybe black covers?

Chrome would probably take that gorgeous red tolex and make it look cheesy. Man, that grillcloth IS nice!!

Another opinion, but maybe black covers?

Chrome would probably take that gorgeous red tolex and make it look cheesy. Man, that grillcloth IS nice!!


Thanks charisjapan , yea , I really like the grill cloth , it looks even better in person :)
On the covers I do have black and nickel coming , like you I thought chrome/nickel might be too much , we'll see .

Well , the black and nickel corners came today , here's some pics of it with the black corners just set on and a handle set on top , I didn't take any pics of the nickel corners on it cause they looked horrible , I don't think it looks bad with the black , any thoughts?

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0004.jpg?t=1347055439

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0002-1.jpg?t=1347055481


http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0003-1.jpg?t=1347055609

Well , the black and nickel corners came today , here's some pics of it with the black corners just set on and a handle set on top , I didn't take any pics of the nickel corners on it cause they looked horrible , I don't think it looks bad with the black , any thoughts?

Herb, That looks great!! IMHO, it looks chic and classy, and expensive! I'm pretty sure the word for the nickel covers would be MIC.:wink:

Now all you need is your badge in gold (or brass) with black lettering to pick up on the grillcloth cues. You gotta advertise the handiwork!! :grin:

Good on ya, man!!

Beautiful work!



I'd leave the corners off all together.

Looks fine :wink:

That looks pretty cool, but if I get to cast my vote, it's to leave the corners off and get a brown leather handle instead of the black dogbone. You could always save those parts for another build. Unless of course this is the last amp you plan on making :razz:

Herb, That looks great!! IMHO, it looks chic and classy, and expensive! I'm pretty sure the word for the nickel covers would be MIC.:wink:
Now all you need is your badge in gold (or brass) with black lettering to pick up on the grillcloth cues. You gotta advertise the handiwork!! :grin:

Good on ya, man!!

Thanks charis , yea , the black looks way better than the nickel for sure , I like it , I have a few of the plain aluminum badges left with black lettering , I'll have to see how it looks .:smile:

Beautiful work!

I'd leave the corners off all together.

Thanks 56Teleman , well , if I wasn't so judgmental of my own work I most likely would , but I am not totally happy with my corner work with the tolex .

Looks fine :wink:

Thanks telenut62 :smile:

That looks pretty cool, but if I get to cast my vote, it's to leave the corners off and get a brown leather handle instead of the black dogbone. You could always save those parts for another build. Unless of course this is the last amp you plan on making :razz:

Thanks Craig , still up in the air on the corners , but I do like the black with the red , I do have a brown leather handle but it just doesn't fit/look right with the black corners IMO . Either way I am going to have a left over handle , guess that means I'll have to do another amp somewhere down the road :razz:

I didn't see any real closeups of any corners that needed 'hiding' with metal corners. :cool:

Now if they made some gold corners that went with the grille cloth, I'd say...........maybe.....

http://www.webemusic.com/products/Crate-Ect-Brass-Amplifier-Corners-4-Pack-16732.html

Of course the handle would need to have brass parts, too. AY-Yi-Yi!

Nice work, Herb!

Mark

I didn't see any real closeups of any corners that needed 'hiding' with metal corners. :cool:

Now if they made some gold corners that went with the grille cloth, I'd say...........maybe.....

http://www.webemusic.com/products/Crate-Ect-Brass-Amplifier-Corners-4-Pack-16732.html

Of course the handle would need to have brass parts, too. AY-Yi-Yi!

Nice work, Herb!

Mark

Hey thanks Mark , yea , it could end up being 6 of one half dozen of the other :lol: , sometimes its harder to choose when there's a lot of choices with this stuff , same as guitar builds , but I suppose that's half the fun , while I do really like the gold on the grill cloth , that's as far as my liking for gold/brass hardware goes , as always when I am not set on something yet I'll mull over what everybody thinks , sleep on it a day or two , get comfortable with a plan , and then just do it . All of the suggestions and comments are a big help , kind of like group thinking out loud :smile: Oh yea , I'll get some close ups of the not so good corners up later :oops:

Slap those black puppies on there and call it a winner.

That looks pretty cool, but if I get to cast my vote, it's to leave the corners off and get a brown leather handle instead of the black dogbone. You could always save those parts for another build. Unless of course this is the last amp you plan on making :razz:

+1

Sorry Adirondak :) The peanut gallery has spoken!!
If it will help, let's start a "My Corners Aren't Perfect" support group. We can meet on Friday evenings @ 5 o'clock somewhere...

+1

Sorry Adirondak :) The peanut gallery has spoken!!
If it will help, let's start a "My Corners Aren't Perfect" support group. We can meet on Friday evenings @ 5 o'clock somewhere...

Ha ! Hi , my name is Herb , I am a corner case :D

That looks pretty cool, but if I get to cast my vote, it's to leave the corners off and get a brown leather handle instead of the black dogbone. You could always save those parts for another build. Unless of course this is the last amp you plan on making :razz:

I agree with CraigB -- I'd leave off the corners and use a brown handle. The corners take with from the great work you did IMO.

Ok fellas , here's a pic with no black hardware and the brown leather handle on top

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0002-2.jpg?t=1347118235

Here's some pics of the bad corners:oops:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0003-2.jpg?t=1347118097

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0004-1.jpg?t=1347118121

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0005.jpg?t=1347118190

I agree with CraigB -- I'd leave off the corners and use a brown handle. The corners take with from the great work you did IMO.

Thanks for the kind words Jcn3 , still undecided on the corners , but I'll get there :lol:

Ok fellas , here's a pic with no black hardware and the brown leather handle on top


Here's some pics of the bad corners:oops:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0003-2.jpg?t=1347118097

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0004-1.jpg?t=1347118121


Dude, knock it off, will ya? http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/gjk318/911463.gif



it looks fine

Uh gee, Herb,

I don't know how you can live with yourself. Just kidding, of course.

While maybe they aren't perfect corners, they are certainly not as bad as you were making them out to be.

I think it is just a matter of preference.

Maybe Hackworth is right. Slap them black puppies on and move on. You will probably feel happier with them covered up, and that's all that really matters.

Signed,

The Session Facilitator from MCAP

PS: Besides when you add up the price of all the parts to get a black and gold Marshall handle from AES, well you don't even want to go there!

Uh gee, Herb,

I don't know how you can live with yourself. Just kidding, of course.

While maybe they aren't perfect corners, they are certainly not as bad as you were making them out to be.

I think it is just a matter of preference.

Maybe Hackworth is right. Slap them black puppies on and move on. You will probably feel happier with them covered up, and that's all that really matters.

Signed,

The Session Facilitator from MCAP

Lol!!
Yeah, now I'm feeling bad. If you like the black corners, honestly it looks kind of cool and tough, and is still super primo.

Dude, knock it off, will ya? http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/gjk318/911463.gif



it looks fine

Uh gee, Herb,

I don't know how you can live with yourself. Just kidding, of course.

While maybe they aren't perfect corners, they are certainly not as bad as you were making them out to be.

I think it is just a matter of preference.

Maybe Hackworth is right. Slap them black puppies on and move on. You will probably feel happier with them covered up, and that's all that really matters.

Signed,

The Session Facilitator from MCAP

PS: Besides when you add up the price of all the parts to get a black and gold Marshall handle from AES, well you don't even want to go there!

Lol!!
Yeah, now I'm feeling bad. If you like the black corners, honestly it looks kind of cool and tough, and is still super primo.

Yikes , :lol: , no , they are't bad but you guys know how it is , I am usually my worst critic , and since this is going to a buddy as a gift , I wanted it , well you know .
Gotta say I really did get a good laugh at least , 56Teleman , Mark and Andy ,thanks guys :smile:

I've been putting off covering my amp cabinet because I am not looking forward to doing the corners. If I can get them to look like that I'll be happy!

I've been putting off covering my amp cabinet because I am not looking forward to doing the corners. If I can get them to look like that I'll be happy!

Thanks Desmo , tweed corners for me were easier to do , but I'm sure its like anything else , practice makes perfect :)

Those corners look pretty good to me. Look at the straight edge where your tolex pieces overlap - you can see the backing and glue residue. It looks to me to be the same thing you're seeing in your corners. Once that residue is cleaned away, it should be MUCH less noticeable. Not sure about that neoprene contact adhesive that you're using, but Super 77 cleans up with a cloth or paper towel dampened with naphtha or lighter fluid. On this style of tolex job, it's perfectly normal to see the backing, which will get dirty over time and also will become less noticeable.

I do like the black corners and handle with the red, but to me the brown/gold grill cloth then looks out of place. Maybe make another baffle and use some grill cloth that has black in it?

Just my couple penny's worth. Sorry, I rambled on there :mrgreen:

Those corners look pretty good to me. Look at the straight edge where your tolex pieces overlap - you can see the backing and glue residue. It looks to me to be the same thing you're seeing in your corners. Once that residue is cleaned away, it should be MUCH less noticeable. Not sure about that neoprene contact adhesive that you're using, but Super 77 cleans up with a cloth or paper towel dampened with naphtha or lighter fluid. On this style of tolex job, it's perfectly normal to see the backing, which will get dirty over time and also will become less noticeable.

I do like the black corners and handle with the red, but to me the brown/gold grill cloth then looks out of place. Maybe make another baffle and use some grill cloth that has black in it?

Just my couple penny's worth. Sorry, I rambled on there :mrgreen:

Hey Craig , thanks , Yea the glue residue still needs to be cleaned up better , gotta get that done . Like I said early on about this , the corners aren't bad , just not as good as I think they could be . Simple decisions , ha :lol: I'll get her cleaned up today and get her done , the kit should be here tomorrow , it'll be nice to have a cab all ready to go :smile:

KIT!? What kit? Whatcha talkin' 'bout, Willis?

Hey Mark , the 5F1 kit from Dave , this is the second 5F1 I am getting from him , the first went in my tweed cab , that ones mine , this one is going to be a gift for a buddy .

Many Thanks, Herb. What nice work you do with your cabinetry! (and Boot Hill Amp kits).

More 5F1 kits are available in various ensembles. Please see details in the Vendor Forum for special discounted prices for TDPRI members.

KIT!? What kit? Whatcha talkin' 'bout, Willis?

Check out his website! IMO, the best options, documentation, and Dave's technical support here on the forum as a resource make the kits he offers the best value out there :cool:

Many Thanks, Herb. What nice work you do with your cabinetry! (and Boot Hill Amp kits).


Thanks Dave , I appreciate that :smile:

Check out his website! IMO, the best options, documentation, and Dave's technical support here on the forum as a resource make the kits he offers the best value out there :cool:

Big +1 to that.

Got the board populated and soldered up for the red cab

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0001-2.jpg?t=1347752640

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0002-3.jpg?t=1347752661

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0003-3.jpg?t=1347752687

All the joints are good even though some don't look it , gave all the leads a good pull , nothing came loose , tomorrow , I'll get the switch and input jacks done with the template and get the trannys mounted and get the board in the chassis

If you have a solder joint that is sunken and concave...

Hit it with more really hot solder until you get a convex pancake.

A convex pancake is the goal.

A good convex pancake will draw a bit of solder up around the wire lead or component lead.

If you have a solder joint that is sunken and concave...

Hit it with more really hot solder until you get a convex pancake.

A convex pancake is the goal.

A good convex pancake will draw a bit of solder up around the wire lead or component lead.

Yep. Chip that excess flux off and reflow anything that isn't a shiner. Looks good Herb!

If you have a solder joint that is sunken and concave...

Hit it with more really hot solder until you get a convex pancake.

A convex pancake is the goal.

A good convex pancake will draw a bit of solder up around the wire lead or component lead.

Thanks Dave , yea , I'll reflow some of the joints today , eyes were getting tired last night.


Yep. Chip that excess flux off and reflow anything that isn't a shiner. Looks good Herb!


Thanks Craig , yea , I'll get back to it today , got a late start on it yesterday , spent most of the day trying to get the desktop running and after 3 - 4 hours went to Best Buy and picked up a new one , not a good way to spend a Saturday.

Nice job overall. Colors look good together. Good lead bending, too.

Nice job overall. Colors look good together. Good lead bending, too.

Thanks Dave , its getting there :smile:

OK , I reflowed some of the solder joints this morning , got my brass template from the first kit and got the input jacks and on/off switch wired up to the board , taped the back of the board with electric tape and installed the trannys and the board in the chassis

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0001-3.jpg?t=1347830063


http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0004-2.jpg?t=1347830057

Then I got the rest of it wired up , drill a hole for the ground strip on the left side of the chassis like I did on the first one , its a little easier to solder and access there , not much room inside this little chassis , I also took Telenut62's advice on this one and picked up some of that shielded wire he suggested , run from the center pin on the switch to pin 7 0n the 12ax7 , I also used the metal type pilot light .

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0005-1.jpg?t=1347830054

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0006-1.jpg?t=1347830051

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0007-1.jpg?t=1347830048

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0008-1.jpg?t=1347830267

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0009.jpg?t=1347830246

I'll get her fired up later on this week , getting a little bleary eyed , gotta pick up a clamp for the probes on my multimeter anyway :smile:

Wow, heater wiring is pretty funky :shock:

Wow, heater wiring is pretty funky :shock:

Nice work Herb, very clean wiring! I would lay the heater wires from the 6v6 to the 12AX7 down along the lip of the chassis on your next build. It is fine how you have it since the input wire is shielded, but generally you want to keep grid wires away from AC sources. You can run the heater wires near the output tranny secondary wire/output jack. Single-ended amps have that background hum no matter how great your lead dress is. Yours is lookin' good right there.

Wow, heater wiring is pretty funky :shock:

Nice work Herb, very clean wiring! I would lay the heater wires from the 6v6 to the 12AX7 down along the lip of the chassis on your next build. It is fine how you have it since the input wire is shielded, but generally you want to keep grid wires away from AC sources. You can run the heater wires near the output tranny secondary wire/output jack. Single-ended amps have that background hum no matter how great your lead dress is. Yours is lookin' good right there.

Ha , yea , the heater wiring , well , just wanted to keep it cleaner and neater than my first one , seemed like the way to go with it , its away from everything between 6V6 and 12ax7 .
After the first 5F1 and the Deluxe it seemed easier to keep the leads short and neat , looks a lot neater than the first one , hope it works and sounds as good :)

Yea , its been a while but I finally got the time to finish this up , fired it up this morning , all is good , sounds great , less hum than my first build , really very quiet ,maybe because I used a shielded wire between the switch and 12ax7 or overall did better with the wiring ?? I did go with the black corner and handle , the folks that are getting this advised that they liked the pics better with the black corners and handle , they still don't know it was built for them , hopefully they'll be surprised. Anyway here's some pics , another great kit from Dave at Boothill :grin:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0006-2.jpg?t=1354471416

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0008-2.jpg?t=1354471434

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0003-5.jpg?t=1354471397

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/adirondak50/5F1%20build/DSC_0001-4.jpg?t=1354471359

Nice lookin' amp, Herb!

Gorgeous!

That name badge kills! (Erm, that's a good thing)

Nice lookin' amp, Herb!

Thanks Mark :-)

Gorgeous!

That name badge kills! (Erm, that's a good thing)

Thanks Andy :-)

Very nice!

Very nice!

Hey thanks Craig , no good spraying weather so finishing up this amp was my only option , that or watching A&E with the wife :-O

Gorgerous.
Would love to heer your snakehead those amps ;)

Gorgerous.
Would love to heer your snakehead those amps ;)

Thanks Warem , still need a decent video cam , but when I get one I'll get something up. The Snakehead roars through these Champ clones :-)

I'll bet it was a real thrill for your kids to find that under the Christmas tree!

I'll bet it was a real thrill for your kids to find that under the Christmas tree!

Hi Craig , yea , they were surprised , the son in law was like " you're kidding , right ? " , my daughter was just going "wow". They were quite happy :-)

Beautiful amp!

Beautiful amp!

Thanks Fatknuckle :-)