A Wondrous Adventure: SLO Clone Build (Now with Clips)
- Thread starter FourT6and2
- Start date
FourT6and2
Well-known member
jsp":1xp8tvaw said:
I got super frustrated today with those little loops of bus wire for the coax cable connections. Took me forever to get the lengths correct. And then figure out how to hold them in place while I soldered. Because they just flop around and swing down. I used a combination of tape and some stacks of pennies to support them. Pain in the ass. I still have one to do for the input, which I'm having a hard time figuring out.
What I should have done was run that long bus wire to the middle/switch lug of the input jack and then down below the jack and looped. That way it's all one wire that supports itself. But it's too late now.
FourT6and2":23z91g9s said:
Really nice clean work you are doing. I also read your Metro Plexi build thread and your work on that one was equally meticulous.
May I suggest alligator clips as an alternative strategy for anchoring wires to free both hands for soldering. They can be purchased in multiple sizes and are relatively inexpensive so one can afford to have several.
Looking forward to your progress on the SLO clone.
FourT6and2
Well-known member
mxk116":4xy2turi said:FourT6and2":4xy2turi said:
Really nice clean work you are doing. I also read your Metro Plexi build thread and your work on that one was equally meticulous.
May I suggest alligator clips as an alternative strategy for anchoring wires to free both hands for soldering. They can be purchased in multiple sizes and are relatively inexpensive so one can afford to have several.
Looking forward to your progress on the SLO clone.
Good idea! I'll pick some up tomorrow. The only potential issue with alligator clips is they can sometimes get soldered to the component they are holding. Especially with a powerful iron like the one I'm using. But they will still come in handy.
Kapo_Polenton
Well-known member
Such nice clean work and the bends are so tight in the resistors! My work looks more like Billy Blades got inside my amp.....
FourT6and2
Well-known member
Kapo_Polenton":3eawoe6q said:
Thanks!
I use a "Christmas Tree" lead bender. It helps get nice bends. It's the red plastic thing at the top in this pic. You just put the resistor in the slot and bend the leads. Comes out perfect every time.
A
Anonymous
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You can buy benders from places like Watts Tube Audio that will always make your resistor bends look tight and perfect...Kapo_Polenton":35lkcdpq said:
Steve
FourT6and2
Well-known member
More progress today. Just the two shielded coax cables going from the gain pots to V1 and V2. They took a while to do because of how perfect you have to strip them, get the lengths correct, and splice in a resistor on V2. But having the coax stripper really helps. I had to adjust the blade depth a few times to get it right. Out of the box it was cutting through the shield. Here's what it looks like all stripped and tinned. Nice and perfect! 
You know it's tinned well when you can still see the braid. Too much solder and each wire in the braid would be covered.
I had a heart attack when I went to check continuity on the coax. I was getting a short between the shield and the conductor. And I was like FUCK! I'm gonna have to redo this all again! But then I realized the gain pots were on zero, thus shunting to ground. I was super relieved.
You know it's tinned well when you can still see the braid. Too much solder and each wire in the braid would be covered.
I had a heart attack when I went to check continuity on the coax. I was getting a short between the shield and the conductor. And I was like FUCK! I'm gonna have to redo this all again! But then I realized the gain pots were on zero, thus shunting to ground. I was super relieved.
FourT6and2
Well-known member
bbaug14":1dlxbkot said:
I never thought about it until I started doing photography and building amps. But my last name comes from a German saying about having attention to detail and working with tiny fasteners for tailoring/garment work. I guess I'm living up to my namesake!
FourT6and2
Well-known member
Just test-fitting some wire for the preamp. Trying to decide which color to go with. Any thoughts?
FourT6and2
Well-known member
bbaug14":1exg8pds said:
I kinda like having everything one color. Looks cleaner. No reason to color code everything. Usually it's so you can trace a wire more easily. But the layout of the SLO is pretty clean so wires don't get lost in a rat's nest. That's how Soldano does it too.
Metalone72
Active member
Very Nice work! I'll be watching this thread and referencing it when I do my build. I've been collecting the parts and will start as soon as I scratch up enough coin to get the transformers. I built a 50W version back in 2003 and eventually sold it a few years later. Man I regret it, but I'm gonna one-up the 50W and make a 100W!!
I like the looks of the SLO with one color wire, personally. Of course it would have to be purple, 'cause as we all know, purple wire has more Mojo!
I like the looks of the SLO with one color wire, personally. Of course it would have to be purple, 'cause as we all know, purple wire has more Mojo!
FourT6and2
Well-known member
Metalone72":z7oyios3 said:
Purple just plain sounds better. Always.
IndyWS6
Well-known member
Nice job on the coaxial cables. The one on the left needed to be about 3mm longer so that the length of the segment before it turns down to the tube socket exactly matched the one on the right. 
Just messin' with you
I'm so OCD, that's exactly the detail I would put into a build. And why it would take me 6 months to complete it
Just messin' with you
I'm so OCD, that's exactly the detail I would put into a build. And why it would take me 6 months to complete it
FourT6and2
Well-known member
IndyWS6":2xlyftrt said:Nice job on the coaxial cables. The one on the left needed to be about 3mm longer so that the length of the segment before it turns down to the tube socket exactly matched the one on the right.
No joke, that actually crossed my mind when I was wiring it up...
But the coax cable is pretty tricky. So I said fuck it.
IndyWS6
Well-known member
Based on what I've seen so far, I thought that you might have noticed it. We must be kindred (albeit OCD) spiritsFourT6and2":2zjcqiis said:IndyWS6":2zjcqiis said:Nice job on the coaxial cables. The one on the left needed to be about 3mm longer so that the length of the segment before it turns down to the tube socket exactly matched the one on the right.
No joke, that actually crossed my mind when I was wiring it up...
FourT6and2
Well-known member
IndyWS6":qz1brxfa said:Based on what I've seen so far, I thought that you might have noticed it. We must be kindred (albeit OCD) spiritsFourT6and2":qz1brxfa said:IndyWS6":qz1brxfa said:Nice job on the coaxial cables. The one on the left needed to be about 3mm longer so that the length of the segment before it turns down to the tube socket exactly matched the one on the right.
No joke, that actually crossed my mind when I was wiring it up...
haha! Well I can justify it by the happy accident that when I go to wire up the preamp-to-sockets with that purple wire, V2 needs more clearance. So having that coax cable higher up gives me that clearance. Whereas on V1, you don't need as much space. So my OCD says it's ok!