[Seano]

I've just come off an Easter weekend of case construction.......again.

Truth be told, I love case design. But I despise case construction.  Mainly because what I get rarely fits the original vision. Mostly due to an overactive imagination, under-developed finishing skills and insufficient paitience.

Anyhow, version 2.1 of my GK1 case is done.  All this means is that it took me the best part of two days to put a lid on the thing. The actual box hasn't changed much at all (except the volume control now protrudes through the front).

The lid is a piece of perforated galvanised steel sheet that I found at the house tip (I live on a 36,000 hectare sheep station which has had only two owner in the last century so the tip is quite a collection of interesting stuff).  This perforated steel looks exactly like what you see in the door of your microwave oven. I've actually got enough to do about four lids which is good since it may take that long to get it right!!  

I'd produce photos but I'm not that pleased with the result.  Besides it'll look quite good in the photo - it isn't till you get up close you start seeing the dramas. Panel gaps, joinery gaps, little things mostly but I knopw they are there.

There will almost certainly be a Version 3 case (V1 was a rack case, V2 is a timber box on a Swift chassis). V3 will still use the Swift chassis but the box will be wider and taller so as roughly mimic the AKSA chassis (I have a Hugh Special) and to get those tubes under cover. I've decided that naked tubes are not particularily aesthetic nor all that practical.

But that is for next year..........I think I'll just listen to it for now. Much more relaxing.

So.........if anyone wants my advice. For a basic GK-1 chassis, start with a folded piece of 1mm steel which forms the base and rear panel. Get the holes for the RCA's and power professionally cut when you get the plate folded. Use 19mm MDF or particle board for the front and sides. For the top use a piece of three ply venner board. Join it all up with glue and screws or staples. If anyone would like a plan then I'm happy to draw one up and send it out. PM me if you want one.  Perhaps I can send it to Hugh and he can whack it up on his site. Remember that this will be a real basic box - no difficult construction techniques, no tricks, just a basic box.  How aesthetic it looks is entirely up to you - just consider it a primer rather than the final product.

This will give you a cheap, functional box. As Soitstarts says...a good mock up.  All the bits are cheap and easily gettable and if you stuff it up no great drama to fix. If you like the result, great. If you want to do better then you have the experience on which to build another version. Interested?

[Carlman]

I've been pondering building a GK1/55N+ integrated.  I can't agree with you more when you said

Truth be told, I love case design. But I despise case construction. Mainly because what I get rarely fits the original vision. Mostly due to an overactive imagination, under-developed finishing skills and insufficient paitience.

 
That just had me rolling with what I deal with myself.

I've decided to put off any new projects for a while because of the lack of time, devotion, patience, money, etc... that it takes to get it right.  Especially when I can buy something already made for half the price, no time involved and just sit and listen.  But, the hobby is about more than that to me so I battle with the itch to do more.

Best of luck on version 3.  

-Carl

[jules]

Yes Sean, there is something about case making that has appeal, especially when, like me, there's no way to even begin to work out elegant and insightful mods to Aksa circuit/component designs.

I know I've pushed this idea before but for anyone interested in case designs, CAD drawing programs [such as the freeware DeltaCad] are a great way to create an absurdly accurate floor etc. with holes/slots that would never be possible in any other way. I did five [identical] copies of the floor I used on my 55N+ using heavy stainless steel and the final cost was about $65 each. For something original and very professional in finish I reckon it's a bargain. As far as using CAD goes, it's frustrating at first but it is possible to teach yourself fairly quickly and without quite going crazy before getting some sort of rewards in the outcomes.

I'm about to go through the same exercise with a GK-1. What I like about this approach is that it's possible to go back and re-do layouts after you look at them for a while and figure out all the difficulties that you hadn't seen before hand. It also makes it possible to do cutouts for oddly shaped things like the power input socket and binding posts with non-circular holes.

Of course the woodwork in this sort of design is another issue entirely but the design flexibility of CAD can make the wood part of a box easier to do.

Jules

[AKSA]

Let me relate an amusing story.    

More years back than I care to remember, I was at a Residential College in Adelaide, South Australia, studying Chemical Engineering.  A friend at the College, Peter Wright, was studying third year EE, and very interested in audio.  He was one cool dude and rode a CB350 Honda which he'd rebuilt himself.  One evening in his room he played his latest amp to me - a Class A design inspired by Linsley Hood.  This was back in the phono days, of course, and his preamp was a straightforward, discrete circuit - but the sound was marvellous.  I don't even remember the speakers!

I carefully inspected the amplifier.  It was point to point wiring, in a shoebox.  There were a couple of smallish tagstrips, but the rest was just interconnected components.  A bloody shoebox for God's sake!!  The four output devices (3055s, no less) used two extruded heatsinks, ran very hot, and the fully discrete circuit was a 3D ratsnest of some grinning, electronic parody.    

This taught me three lessons.  One, proper functionality is possible despite an appalling layout, and this is a principle I exploit for prototyping.  Two, no circuit is fully acceptable, particularly from a safety standpoint, until the metal work is completed and it's a sealed box.  And finally, that Engineers hate doing metalwork.  It is just too basic, too rudimentary, to be taken seriously.......   Besides, it's hard work!      

But the market teaches us all otherwise.  In life we soon learn that every book is inevitably judged by its cover;  and right or wrong, this is the standard.  We (me too!!) ignore it at our peril.  

I have seen amps made by Propstuff, Rythym Willie, and Jules, and indeed many of the Oz AKSAs.  Almost every one of them is a work of art, particularly the three just mentioned.  I'm really flattered by this;  builders realize the amp is very good indeed and like to clothe it in appropriate attire.  I would like to see Seano's amp one day - I have come to like his persona and I'm sure his amp would be most appealing......

Cheers,

Hugh

[jules]

nice one Hugh and I'm inspired. Next project ... a GK-1 in a doc Martin's box with shoelace interconnects. N+ version to feature heavy textured grip anti-vibration rubber soul.

Jules

[pauly]

My first DIY project...... A 1970  Honda CB350
Rebuilt in 1983.....Wiped out twice......bought a car

[pauly]

Figured it out

[Seano]

Haa...........I'm working on the appealling bit.

In all truth what I have is fine once the fog of memory has shrouded the past and isolated me from the grim memory of construction.

But I still know it's there.

In truth, I have way too many DIY projects going at one time so something has to give a little...

* recovery of 2 acres of drought ravaged show garden
* restoration of an old Range Rover
* restoration of a dozen dining chairs....and a door
* construction of two occasional tables
* construction of kayak racks for the ute
* re-assembly of Honda CT110 postie racing bike

plus all the ususal paraphenalia of daily life. If nothing else at least I have some very finely reproduced music to listen to whilst engaged in DIY.