Shit just got real!

So, the chassis finally turned up, and, well, it just added a sense of reality to this build. I think before this I hadn't really completely considered what I was doing, but now, well, shit just got real!

The chassis in it's glory!

So there it is, one chassis. So now I guess it's time to start building. I have to do some prep to the chassis first, which involves taking off some of the paint on the inside, round most of the pot holes, switches et all to create a ground, and also places to ground from the plug, and to have a central ground for stuff running of the PCBs and all that. Basically ensuring it'll be electrically safe to touch.

Then it'll be drilling holes for the PCBs to mount on (via standoffs), the holes for the transformers (so they can be mounted on the chassis), holes for the transformer wires (which will then have a grommet put in them to stop the wires chafing), putting in things like tube sockets, the pilot light, switches and jacks and thus having the chassis ready to start wiring stuff once the PCBs are done.

So, as it's been a quiet week for updates, what have I been up to?

Mainly revisiting an old foe, ordering components. Now, I did place an order with RS Components, but in rushing (again) ended up with parts which, well, just didn't look right. Whilst they were specced for the correct voltage and power rating, they weren't over specced, and so paranoia got the best of me and I did another quick order with mouser to get the exact ones I wanted. It just means that I'll have spares, and extra bits, and resistors that whilst I am paranoid about using them here will be more than good enough for a different build later down the line as I'm told they are quite common components.

I've also split the pile of components up into 3 boxes. One is Power PCB parts, one is a box of parts for the preamp board, and finally one box for all the stuff that will end up going on the chassis like pots, bias test pointsd, jacks, switches, tube sockets, well, you get the idea.

I also did a quick test run seeing how the capacitors would mount on the power PCB, again invoking some paranoia about the outer casings touching the tracks. I'll reduce this sense of (most likely unfounded) fear by either electrical tape, or having them rest on the cable tie holding the caps on the reverse side of the board in place.

And the emergency mouser order turned up yesterday I am now complete for allt he electrical parts bar the transformers which I should get some point next week hopefully.

Also, I've been discovering all the stupid bits that have been forgotten. Things like solder tags, tag strips, heat shrink wrapping, cable ties, anchors for cable ties... I've either got most of those via emergency ebay orders, or am waiting on them. Found a good place called Amp Maker (Which I've added to the links section on where to find parts) which caries loads of the really small bits and pieces and other random stuff. A good place to panic buy it seems, but I'd still recommend getting stuff from as few places as possible.

Finally I've been emailing a few places about getting a headshell made, but couldn't get further with some as didn't have the chassis, so as a result didn't have the measurements for how big it should be. I'll be getting on this again tomorrow.

So what lies ahead? Chassis prep and most likely will solder the preamp and power boards over the weekend and try to get a load of stuff that doesn't involve wiring on the chassis done, as I won't really be able to do that untill I get the transformers and have them in, as I don't want to put parts in, and then attack it with a drill followed by "oopsie" + "insert lots of swearing here"

It's going to be cool :)

Also, all the dials on the chassis go to 11, so spinal tap that it'll be one of those things that will make me a crack a smile every time i see it :)

 Next time, probably a post that isn't about forgetting stuff, or arranging things into plastic bags, time to start some actual building!