Can you send me some pixs of your chassis with the dimensions? Maybe we can
do some business, if they're for sale.
Cordially,
west

"Patrick Turner" wrote in message
...


Phil Allison wrote:

"west"
Thanks to all the RATs for previous advice on custom chassis size.
I'd
like
to ask if given heavy enough gauge ... which is better for
constructing an
amp ... steel or aluminum? Do they each have their own merits?
Thanks.
Cordially,

** Nickel or chrome plated copper would be better than either.

Its interesting you should say this.

I recall a pair of EAR509 models with chromed chassis.
What mess they both looked after 15 years.
Peeling chrome, wrinkles, spots.....
One of them had caught on fire inside and burned out its power tranny.
( I found the fuse value was 6 amps instead of 3 amps ),
and the heat made that chassis all the worse.
Dynaco ST70 also looks shabby after time, McIntosh.....

Unless you get a real good chrome job done, its pita.

I have a pile of chassis ready for new amps.
these were all made by a professional metal worker with
some huge automatic stamping machines.
There are perforated steel coves, bottom plates, transfomer brackets,
everything looks like its was made where Quad gets their stuff done.
Its all 2mm thick steel, and the range of powder coating available from
the same
place is impressive
I also have a pile of steel pots for all the transformers, and these are
beautifully welded and
ground at the corners like all the chassis and cages.

Its not just the material that matters, its work that is put into making
it look

made well, strong, and smooth to touch, so that its impossible to cut a
finger
anywhere.


Steel is a fine material for tube amp chassis because it don't bend when
an amp
is dropped.
There is no bother with magnetics.
I never use the chassis for the 0V rail; this is always a separate path
and it is connected to the chassis at one point only with a 5 watt 15 ohm
R
The chassis is connected to the earth directly.
Hum never is a problem.

I have done 300 watt amps by sawing a 75mm x 40 mm rectangular
steel tube in half length wise to make a channel size in 3 mm steel I
couldn't
find.
I arc welded and ground it round at the corners.
Then I made the chassis top in 2 mm AL, and had it anodised.
Lots of careful drilling, counter sinking, sanding was done, and one has
to keep
a very keen eye out
for avoiding scratches in the metal one uses.

I have also used brass channel, with steel tray and box for the PS, and
an AL top for the tubes.

I might consider chrome, but the prep work has to be ever so good.
It can be a rugged finish which lasts well compared to paint.
Tube amps are heavy, and the slightest bump against something takes the
paint
off.
But powder coat is not bad. The work the locals here do looks like the
best
stove enamel finish you could ever find.
But that silver look of chrome looks cheap and nasty to me although other
dudes
think its very nice.

I just spray paint some gear, and that's good enough for a one off where
somebody wants a black item.

Patrick Turner.





.............. Phil