pix of Custom built guitar amps/cabs

[sajy_ho]

My practice amp based on some of Runoffgroove.com circuits:

[midwayfair]

"Sakura" -- my "woodchipper" modified champ in a cabinet built by my dad (made out of solid cherry!).





Demo:

Here's a blog post:
http://jonpattonmusic.com/2014/06/28/meet-sakura-me-and-my-dad-built-an-amp/

There's a thread floating around the forum for the schematic and info on the circuit.

[tca]

"Sakura" -- my "woodchipper" modified champ in a cabinet built by my dad (made out of solid cherry!).

I like the metal corners that you used. What are they? Furniture protections?

[Jdansti]

Sounds and looks great,  Jon!

[Liquitone]

Great amp you build there Jon! I like how it's simple, yet versatile. Sounds and looks great too. the Jon P. painting style combined with the wood and corners go well together, makes me want to play it in the shade of an cherry-tree
I've build a cupboard once out of cherry-wood and loved the subtle greens and pinks in the wood, and the smell is hard to forget, sort of watery and fresh.

[midwayfair]

I like the metal corners that you used. What are they? Furniture protections?

I wish I knew ... we need four more of them for the bottom!

[BLACK AUDIO]

midwayfair: impressive retro amp! nice work 

[davent]

A bit different but 'D' appears close.



http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?p=40490&cat=3,41419,45359

dave

[seedlings]

Square corners are my favorite!  This build for a friend^

CHAD

[midwayfair]

A bit different but 'D' appears close.



http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?p=40490&cat=3,41419,45359

dave

Thanks, Dave!

[bluebunny]

Square corners are my favorite!  This build for a friend^

Looks great.  Lucky friend!

my "woodchipper" modified champ in a cabinet built by my dad

Very nice, Jon.  I wish my Dad did a bit of woodworking.

[Victor custom]

My "customest" tube amp with strobe and UV leds

[Jdansti]

Awesome!   

[smurfedelic smurfberry]

nice disco amp head!

i'm trying to build a cab using mdf without having much of a clue about anything, or reading up about things beforehand
the mdf split up in a few places where i put screws, but when i glue it together and use clamps during that process i hope it'll get better



I'm planning to prime it and sand it a bit, and then paint it some darkish color, haven't decided what yet.
no money/skills/patientce for tolex.  grill cloth is some crap i got cheap from aliexpress. it works.

if i'm going to run in to problems, advice is much appreciated.

[Jdansti]

Don't feel bad. I had oak warp and split a month after I built a cab. Make sure you have adequately sized pilot holes for the screws.

Barrel nuts like this might work.

[G. Hoffman]

nice disco amp head!

i'm trying to build a cab using mdf without having much of a clue about anything, or reading up about things beforehand
the mdf split up in a few places where i put screws, but when i glue it together and use clamps during that process i hope it'll get better

I'm planning to prime it and sand it a bit, and then paint it some darkish color, haven't decided what yet.
no money/skills/patientce for tolex.  grill cloth is some crap i got cheap from aliexpress. it works.

if i'm going to run in to problems, advice is much appreciated.

The problem is that the core of a sheet of MDF is extremely soft, and very weak.  The trick to screws in MDF is to drill pilot holes which are fairly oversize, and to flood the area around the hole with cyanoacrylate (super glue, frequently known as CA).  As much CA as you can get it to absorb - though you don't want it to start filling the hole.  For instance, in soft wood a #8 wood screw should have a 5/64" pilot hole, and 7/64" in hard wood.  The nominal diameter of the shaft is .164", which is a bit more than 5/32"  I would drill a pilot hole with either an 1/8" or 9/64" brad point bit, and then dump a bunch of thin CA into the hole and around the perimeter.  Let that soak in for 10-20 seconds, then hit it with a shot or two of accelerator.  Go slowly when you are driving your screws.  You can try using some cauls and clamps to support the hole when you are driving the screws, but it probably won't help. 

After it has cracked, you can try disassembling the piece; then gluing and clamping with either wood glue or CA (make sure you use cauls to spread the force of the clamps, and wax paper to keep the cauls from sticking to anything); and then enlarging the pilot holes and hardening the MDF with CA (if you don't, it will just split again), but there is no guarantee it will work, as the core of MDF doesn't really take glue all that well (it is so porous it just kind of soaks up the glue without really bonding). 

Honestly, though, with out some kind of support (either cross dowels or threaded inserts), MDF is an awful material to try and use with screws.  All the strength of MDF in in the outer skins, and they are so hard that if you try to drive a screw into them with out a very large pilot hole, they just shatter. 


Gabriel

[smurfedelic smurfberry]

Thanks for the cyanoacrylate tip!  got some at home and definitely going to use it.  yeah, my pilot holes were way too small. oh well, live and learn.

[gtudoran]

Our latest baby:



Best regards,
Gabriel Tudoran

[Greenmachine]

Walnut cabinet is gooorgeeeeous!!

[G. Hoffman]

Building the turret board for the AC30 I'm making, I decided to play around a bit with some wire work inspired by (but certainly not comprable to!) the lock wire work they do to make sure the bolts on a jet engine don't fall out and foul the works!  It would be a lot easier if I could find my lock wire twisting pliers I got off amazon for like $10, but I can't seem to find them anywhere!!




Gabriel