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2008 bodgings?

H

hacker

Delicious and nutritious
Following on from zener's 2007 thread, I thought I'd ask the question: what do you plan to build, botch or butcher this coming year?

My plans include:

  • Build a pair of Ergo IXs
  • Make a power amp based on either class D or, perhaps, some of those cheap Naim/NCC clones on ebay
  • Squeezebox butchery: off-board diy DAC, extensive power supply reworking, re-housing to accomodate and other goodies
  • Starfish updates like NERT, current source changes & remote control
  • AD815 stuff (I will get around to this, I promise!!)

Carl
 
Garrard 401 superplinth, about time. Maybe a fancy PSU for my phono stage.

Might do some further tweakery of my Quad 405, may twin it up again.:)
 
As mentioned , Starfish (by Jiim) and I'm going to attempt to build an off board PSU for my TE Groove , with the help of Les...... It'll probably be a +V 0V -V version of a TPX .
 
Lucky I put my list (Ergos, power amp, squeezebox) into order of construction type (build, botch, butcher) :D

It'll take me a few months to start the build (just moved to USA, no job, no employment authorisation yet), but in the meantime I'm going to do all the research I can, practice woodworking (routing and things) and try to find good local sources of hardwood. I'll make templates for wood cutting, etc.

I may well have to get a local joiner to do the mitres for me because my circular saw is _really_ cheap and nasty and can only do 45ish degree cuts which change along the length of the wood and never match properly. Nothing like your Makita! I guess routering a 45 degree angle might work and I'll be looking to get a decent router that can sit on rails and will be able to cut circles without breaking the bank.

The Ergos will certainly be the most painstaking project I've ever done - I'm looking forward to it enormously.
 
...besides which, the convention here is to deprecatingly refer to finely-crafted things 'bodges' in honour of the B'ard of Swindon. Ahem.
 
hacker said:
I may well have to get a local joiner to do the mitres for me because my circular saw is _really_ cheap and nasty and can only do 45ish degree cuts which change along the length of the wood and never match properly.
Click to expand...
Carl, a 45-degree router bit would do a fine job but it takes some effort to cut the panels exactly the same. For a small box (190 x 305 x 255mm), a marginally skewed cut would make jointing a real PITA. So your idea of getting a joiner to cut is a good one, and they can probably make the biscuit slots for you accurately and conveniently too. Just make sure the hardwood you eventually choose is a dimensionally stable variety and fully kiln-dried before it is machined to thickness.

James
 
2008 will start with:

Finishing off my Starfish, Tracos and all. Stripping out my 32.5. I'm really looking forward to a serious listen.

Putting a pair of Naim MC boards in a box, splitting the supply and a couple of more mods to my already heavily modded MC boards.

I would like to build a pair of Egro Xs, just for the ride. I'm itching to make more sawdust.
 
Good points, thanks James. I'll bear that in mind and figure it into the final costs.

I know you've used sapele and abw, but what other woods would be suitable? It's good to keep my options open and I'd like Mrs Hacker to be able to choose a wood that's to her taste - these speakers will be living with us both for many years to come.

Thanks,
Carl
 
chiily said:
I'm itching to make more sawdust.
Click to expand...
Garf, didn't I warn you that DIY loudspeakers are addictive? :D

hacker said:
I know you've used sapele and abw, but what other woods would be suitable? It's good to keep my options open and I'd like Mrs Hacker to be able to choose a wood that's to her taste - these speakers will be living with us both for many years to come.
Click to expand...
Carl, American Cherry should be plentiful and cheap where you are. It's a fine -grained timber that is easy to work and produces a beautiful finish. For lighter shades, you could try Beech or Maple. Both are hard and fine timbers. There are other more exotic varieties such as Bubinga that are now endangered, which I don't recommend. You should be able to visit a local timber merchant and view finished samples. Most varieties of hardwoods (except Balsa) should be fine for such a small box.

James
 
American Cherry .....droooooooollllllll
Its hard getting your head round the fact Balsa is a hardwood
 
My 2008 to do list

a PSU für my HeadLine with 4 ALWSRs

a better PSU for the LP12 motor and local in the LP12 reservoir caps, 2 ALWSRs with gyrators for the Prefix
modify the Prefix á la DIY London

and most importand: the StarFish

Ronald
 
Am Cherry is my *favourite* wood for speakers, plinths, etc, I think it's great:). You can keep your teak (a bit lifeless indoors IMO) and walnut (too dark and looks tarty if excessively burred)
 
continue the 'used to be a P5' bodging. diy bodged unipivot arm and a new plinth assembley, probably multilayer compoisite and balsa.
 
Finish my 2nd Lowther horn. Start and finish new speaker project based on Visaton B200. Maybe start an amp project involving 6L6 tubes.
 
Finally put a case around my NAC PSU - after comparing VBE'ed SR rails with TeddyReg and Traco styles...

Move phono cards from NAC into dedicated case and PSU - maybe incorporate into Mc Kinnie pre-pre I picked up recently.

Replace sub-chassis on my Sota Sapphire turntable (made of MDF, a bit warped after 20 odd years!).

Fit PFM Flea clock into CDi, plus a few cap and diode changes.

Maybe (just maybe) get new valves for my home made push-pull and compare to the ML #29.

Richard
 
More TT refurbishment - improve arm mount, tidy up motor PSU.

Finish pre-amp re-wire off properly.

Get CD player for modding, mod it.

Make something new from scratch to the point it can be listened to, rather than just refurbishments!
 
Make a new quadbus interconnect from a Mogami 2933 and 15-pin serial connectors...maybe change the bootstrap caps in the 909 to smth better...
Maybe even get some better regulators to the 99 pre and 99 CDP, if anyone has good hints...
 
1. Convert my redundant twin hicap clone into a 2nd A260z
2. Work out how to build an active crossover. Then build it.
3. Re-case the Starfish with multiple input selection
4. Squeezebox re-case, sort power supply and see if a DIY DAC will fit in too.
 
I'm building an upper bunk to sit over an existing bed. My 4-yo son will move up to there, and my 18-mo will move from his crib to the lower bed (soon). The majority of it will be 2x4's connected with those embedded nut thingies (can't recall the proper name right now).

Mike Hanson
 
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