[Amps] Experimenting

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 04:09:08 -0800
From: Catherine James <catherine.james at att.net>
To: Leigh Turner <invertech at frontierisp.net.au>, 'AMPS'
<amps at contesting.com>
Cc: "leigh.turner at ieee.org" <leigh.turner at ieee.org>
Subject: Re: [Amps] Experimenting

There are plenty of ham experimenters left today, but they are typically focusing on SDR, QRP, digital software, etc. That's where most of the interest and skills lie.

When experimenting requires machining and sheet metal skills instead of design, soldering, and programming skills, yes, in 2016 that's a niche interest.

73,
Cathy
N5WVR 

## 85-90 % of the work involved in HB  tube amps is metal work. I have 2 x complete sets of green lee punches + the mating 11 ton
hydraulic ram.  Then toss in 2 x modified drill presses...so you can slide in a 19-24 inch wide al panel.   Then the 12 inch disc grinder +
shop vac on the grinder, 3 x work benches,  dozens and dozens of bin boxes, and 12 foot long x 7 ft tall x  18 inch deep industrial 
shelving..all full of new + used amp parts, it all adds up.   Then the other stuff  like roper whitney   7 ton bench mount unit with the
25 inch long arm, to punch small  holes in al etc. Then the hand held roper whitney punch.   I can punch 20 holes faster than drilling just one.
Then the usual myriad of hand tools used for metal work applications  + small air compressor, battery operated screw drivers.   Even with all of that 
I still get the various al panels sheared, or cut at the local metal shop.   Then its all connected together with angle al.  Bins and bins of SS hardware,
from 2-56, 4-40 and on up to 1/4-20 and 1/4-28.   Then a fair amount of the usual  test gear, 2 x lcr meters, dvms, scopes, dummy loads, watt meters etc. 
Then stuff it all into a rack. 

##  Buying parts is easier now than pre internet days.   Do you save any time.... no.  Do you save any money....probably not.  Will it even work
when completed..maybe, or mixed results.   Use too small of a box, and its too much of a tight squeeze..and bad news if larger components have to 
be retrofitted into place.   I have had a few projects where I had to start again from scratch.   Flip side is you soon learn that its just as easy to build a 
big amp as a small one. 

##  its a good learning experience though.   A labour of love....or a love of labour. 

Jim  VE7RF