Building a Rocket - Layout Check for group build

[rfgordon]

Twas writ: Thanks, I'm scaling the whole amp. I like very well, I do it on all my cathode bias amp projects since its so simple.

Can you give some more details about how you do this?

[RJ Guitars]

The old Hammond chassis are not available any more...

They were BUD chassis.
I had an original that I built the D'Lite prototype on...oops, blasphemy I know...oh well they are pretty flimsy.

So, it looks like there's no mounting hardware on the chassis, is that correct?

Hi Brownnote - good to see you on the Trainwreck side of the fence... we can always learn something when you pop in.

I had almost forgotten about Bud Boxes - I'm sure you know that stuff. I bought a used one at the local electronics salvage place - 2 x 8 x 17 - the real Trainwreck spec. It had a bunch of holes in it so I put 1/16" plate on the top and it's ready for me to build a Liverpool.

For the chassis I had built for the Rocket group build - correctamundo, no chassis mount holes or hardware. Not that those are a bad thing, I just didn't have a spec for them when I placed chassis order. For future iterations I'll punch the holes for the mounts and maybe even put in threaded inserts. Does anyone have the standard specs for a Trainwreck cabinet mount? I didn't see them on the Rocket chassis drawings in the Trainwreck files.

For that matter, do we have a vendor or two that has a standard cabinet for a Trainwreck... we've got a bunch of builds going on but I don't think we've identified any cabinet options yet. I can always get the local cabinet shop going on this, but if somebody already has something, we'd like to hear about it.

rj

[fishy]

Seem the PEC pots are being elusive for some
DigiKey has them. Throw in potentiometer as akey word and use the filters for PEC and 2W...
Othe sources are Metroamp, Frys electronics for some linear values ( if you live near one). AES sells them under Allesandro. Not sure what values they have but they are $$$.


Digikey is the way to go.

[gregarious]

I am the second Rocket up. I got mine wired up and running yesterday. It sounds good so far, but am still burning it in and haven't put really good tubes in it yet. Its very quiet, I used star grounding like RJ suggests, however my preamp grounds go to the buss I soldered to the back of the pots ( first and last time I'll do that, pots don't take solder well even after being sanded and scraped, UGLY!!!). This buss runs just to the input jack and goes back to ground through the chassis. I normally run a wire from the input jack back to the star ground but didn't this time just to see if it would be noisy, its not. I'm trying to get some pictures up soon. I'm sorry, I'm not to computer savvy but i'm working on it.
Terry

Nice build Terry!

Am interested to know how that JJ recto is faring with the 80uF cap?

Is it too early for you to offer any impressions between the tone of the Rocket versus the Express?

[Structo]

I've been following this thread with great interest.
RJ, you are to be commended for pulling all of this together.
I know that others helped out too but you seem to be the glue that kept it together.
Very good!
[IMG:225:33]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/ ... arty43.gif[/img]

I was wondering about the chassis mounting as well.

Does one typically do a bolt through the chassis on something like this?

[Structo]

Dang debug thingie....

[guitarsnguns04]

Tedds has the PEC pots..thats where I get mine

[RJ Guitars]

I've been following this thread with great interest.
RJ, you are to be commended for pulling all of this together.
I know that others helped out too but you seem to be the glue that kept it together.
Very good!
[IMG:225:33]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/ ... arty43.gif[/img]

I was wondering about the chassis mounting as well.

Does one typically do a bolt through the chassis on something like this?

Tom, you are a kind soul... there are many who have helped with this and I am especially pleased to see the amps coming together. There are some great forum members who have made awesome contributions behind the scenes and it is a true a forum wide effort. Lonely Raven is unequaled in building the goodwill and momentum in addition to a stack of killer faceplates for the amps.... lots of good folks and more good work going on. Several vendors cut us a deal for the parts and a few anonymous donations showed up too.

Ultimately I hope we can reveal the hidden mysteries of the Rocket and share it all with the forum. We will have several interpretations of the Rocket and Ron Worley is working on a very pure replica from the best known info we can gather. We should be able to produce complete documentation and a few new and interesting tidbits about the Trainwreck story... it's been a great pleasure to work with these guys.

I'm getting kinda excited because all the paid builds have shipped and I think I'll start mine this weekend

rj

[txbluesboy]

I use a 2 watt 1 meg linear pot on my voltage regulator, its part number from mouser is 526-501-0019 you might start looking from there. If you type in that number on their web site and it comes back with nothing, call them, I had to once because for some reason it wouldn't come up. If anyone else is interested in the VVR power supply for the rocket, send me a PM with a fax # or an address, and I'll send it to you. Sorry I haven't figured out how to scan a document yet. I'm just now figuring out how tubes work! Terry

[txbluesboy]

Gregarious, The JJ rectifier so far is working out fine with the 80 uf filter cap. I don't think there will be a problem since I turn the amp on with the voltage level at minimum, then after the tubes warm up, I crank up the voltage. Terry

[txbluesboy]

Sorry, I have a short attention span too. The Rocket is a lot cleaner sounding than the Express but not nearly as loud. Most of the time I have the scaling on max. It seems to lean more to the bass side than the treble side, I normally have the treble control on about 7 and the bass on 2. It sounds good but I still am looking for the best tube setup.

[angelodp]

why are we using PEC pots?

[Ron Worley]

Seem the PEC pots are being elusive for some
DigiKey has them. Throw in potentiometer as akey word and use the filters for PEC and 2W...
Othe sources are Metroamp, Frys electronics for some linear values ( if you live near one). AES sells them under Allesandro. Not sure what values they have but they are $$$.


Digikey is the way to go.

I must disagree... www.TEDSS.com is the low cost leader....

Edit: Sorry and now I see that G'nG has beat me to it.... Ange- they are the quietest and smoothest pot going... although some would say Clarostat is it's equal... it's a debate (like we're not going to have enough of that between now and November....lol). I have not seen them at AES, I must check that out...

Ron

Ron

[RJ Guitars]

Todays package was an especially fun one - the tubes from tube sgt...

If they hadn't told me they were EL84's I'm not sure I would have figured it out.

Also a good lesson in scanner technology - actual tubes don't scan all that well...

rj

[Lonely Raven]

Yeah, a scanner is calibrated to scan what's on the flatbed. The tubes are actually out of the plane of focus so only the glass in immediate contact with the flatbed would be in focus.

Photography is my other hobby.