Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?

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JMosch

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Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« on: 25 Oct 2016, 11:19 pm »
Recently I started using the Phillips 5R4GYS rectifier, and its freakin' awesome. Can't believe how much a rectifier can impact the sound.

Anyway, it's too tall for the LS-100 so I'm using it with the cover off. This brinks up the question of whether I should cut a hole in the cover. Not sure this would even work that well because of the vent slots.

The unit is in a dedicated room, so I don't have to worry about pets or kids etc.

Any opinions?

rbbert

Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #1 on: 26 Oct 2016, 12:11 am »
There is pretty high voltage stuff exposed with the cover off...

srb

Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #2 on: 26 Oct 2016, 12:22 am »
A few people have done that but it can be a bit tricky.

Clamp the cover to a piece of wood, then using a fine tooth metal hole saw very carefully drill in with the center pilot bit until the outer teeth of the hole saw gently scratches the surface.

If you go very slow and carefully you can cut a beautiful hole but if you are too aggressive and impatient the teeth can get caught in the vent slots and chew it up.

Steve

Big Red Machine

Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #3 on: 26 Oct 2016, 12:30 am »
Find a local machine shop and have it milled out. Wrap the cover and protect the edges, etc, but allow them to clamp it up. It would not be more than $50 to have it done and it would be concentric and deburred properly.

ACHiPo

Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #4 on: 26 Oct 2016, 12:30 am »
Or if you know an electrician or someone at a sheet metal fabricator, a Greenlee punch works wonders.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfroSVqvAlI

Bob2

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Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #5 on: 26 Oct 2016, 12:46 am »
Or if you know an electrician or someone at a sheet metal fabricator, a Greenlee punch works wonders.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfroSVqvAlI

+1

thunderbrick

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Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #6 on: 26 Oct 2016, 02:21 am »
Or order one pre-drilled from ModWright.....

JMosch

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Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #7 on: 26 Oct 2016, 10:35 pm »
Or if you know an electrician or someone at a sheet metal fabricator, a Greenlee punch works wonders.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfroSVqvAlI

I have lots of experience with Greenlee punches and I don't see it working well with slotted aluminum. They work a lot better with materials that are resistant to bending like steel.

I thought of the machine shop option and I'm sure they can do a nice job. A plasma cutter might be the way to go. On a milling machine the slots complicate things because you have to clamp something to it with a hole just slightly larger than the end-mill to keep the tines from bending.

I was just a little reticent with regards to actually putting a hole in something that will affect resale.
I guess I could buy another cover, but that would be the most expensive option for sure.

WireNut

Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #8 on: 27 Oct 2016, 03:56 am »
Find a local machine shop and have it milled out. Wrap the cover and protect the edges, etc, but allow them to clamp it up. It would not be more than $50 to have it done and it would be concentric and deburred properly.

This is exactly what I was going to say. I'm a machinist.

rbbert

Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #9 on: 27 Oct 2016, 12:49 pm »
Find a local machine shop and have it milled out. Wrap the cover and protect the edges, etc, but allow them to clamp it up. It would not be more than $50 to have it done and it would be concentric and deburred properly.
I think that's about what Modwright charges?

timind

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Re: Should I cut a hole in the top of my LS-100?
« Reply #10 on: 27 Oct 2016, 01:12 pm »
I'd use the amp with the cover off. My amp is sans cover as it sits in a rack in a dedicated room where risk is negligible.