You can cure powder coatings with UV light -- a bit tricky but much less energy consumptive than thermally curing. Of course, generating enough UV energy isn't easy unless you have some left-over mercury vapor rectifiers -- and you can fry your eyeballs in a microsecond if you're not careful!
SY said:
A thermally cured part has to cool for quite a bit of time before it can be handled...
www.dvuv.com
http://www.dvuv.com/Gallery.aspx
AR2 said:
No X-biggie has shown up at the clone scene so far, which seems to indicate that the ones who have the X600/X1000 file show some prudence.
At least that should have some meaning, no ?
Personally, i'd rather see loads of GB designs of the Threshold SA/12e.
(and buckets of groupy buy TO3 Motorolas, $0.30 CFY 17-3 optocouplers and Siliconix dual JFETs for $1.60 )
A bridged SA/12e would deliver the same 1KW as the X1000, might even be cheaper/easier to assemble with 75V big cans.
And with a full service manual on the house, by the Mastah himself !
" ... There are some fascinating and lurid possibilities for powder coat colors, especially if you check out the folks who cater to the custom automotive crowd. ..."
Although I have not personally done this: the custom auto folks put logos and trademarks on their finish by simply using narrow masking tape (or tape that can stand the oven to ++400 F.) ... I have seen that Mustang horse logo on engine valve covers = looks real sharp. (Apparently) 1) tape on logo outline, 2) powder coat, 3) bake, 4) remove tape ...
Although I have not personally done this: the custom auto folks put logos and trademarks on their finish by simply using narrow masking tape (or tape that can stand the oven to ++400 F.) ... I have seen that Mustang horse logo on engine valve covers = looks real sharp. (Apparently) 1) tape on logo outline, 2) powder coat, 3) bake, 4) remove tape ...
Re: Re: Re: Heat Sink Prices
You know what, I do not remember. I am in the studio right now and my amps are at home to tell you exactly what is the length. And regarding the cutting charge I do not remember exactly. Yet I do know that I had to cut some heatsinks on my own to make them fit my design and width of the case I was making. I believe that they did cut on the size for me because what they had was too long, and that I sized on my own the first batch of heatsinks I purchased from Cowang. But I am really not sure. It was more than two years ago.
grimberg said:
You know what, I do not remember. I am in the studio right now and my amps are at home to tell you exactly what is the length. And regarding the cutting charge I do not remember exactly. Yet I do know that I had to cut some heatsinks on my own to make them fit my design and width of the case I was making. I believe that they did cut on the size for me because what they had was too long, and that I sized on my own the first batch of heatsinks I purchased from Cowang. But I am really not sure. It was more than two years ago.
bear said:Vladimir,
I hope my dry humor was not lost on you... your amps are gorgeous looking! Great work.
Still think the warm weather helps...
_-_-bear
No at all, I looove Monty Python
I just tried to give answers first to direct questions. Warm weather is nice, but really I always do more in winter than in summer. During the winter months I do spend evenings in my basement where in the summer I am mostly out on the porch with my wife. I build in the winter and listen during the summer. 
I am fortunate that I could link this to what I do for living. If it is just for hobby it would be much harder if not impossible. Believe me, if I was trying to move in that milling machine to my home I wouldn't be here now writing to you.
All the best.
Re: Re: Re: Heat Sink Prices
Mi sinks are 7" wide 3" deep and 8" tall. So there was some cutting involved, but kill me I cannot remember what. Most likely I needed to fit the sinks to the aluminum I had available for the sides and case. Like I said I do remember cutting some on my own, but I am sure they did cut for me as well. Just ask them, I am sure it is not too much. That size doesn't fit on my metal bend saw, so I used table saw with blade for non ferrous materials to cut it. I always feel uncomfortable using the table saw to cut thick aluminum, and I would advise anyone if there is a chance they cut for you - use it.
grimberg said:
Mi sinks are 7" wide 3" deep and 8" tall. So there was some cutting involved, but kill me I cannot remember what. Most likely I needed to fit the sinks to the aluminum I had available for the sides and case. Like I said I do remember cutting some on my own, but I am sure they did cut for me as well. Just ask them, I am sure it is not too much. That size doesn't fit on my metal bend saw, so I used table saw with blade for non ferrous materials to cut it. I always feel uncomfortable using the table saw to cut thick aluminum, and I would advise anyone if there is a chance they cut for you - use it.
Vladimir,
I agree, high RPM cutting on the table saw is only good for sheets. I would rather pay them to cut the heatsinks.
I called Darrah but was told the person in charge of excess inventory is on vacation this week. I then saw tommak's post and sent them an email. I hope they answer it.
The diagram in the link on their web page shows that the heatsinks already have holes drilled in them. Did you receive yours that way? Were you able to use the holes?
I agree, high RPM cutting on the table saw is only good for sheets. I would rather pay them to cut the heatsinks.
I called Darrah but was told the person in charge of excess inventory is on vacation this week. I then saw tommak's post and sent them an email. I hope they answer it.
The diagram in the link on their web page shows that the heatsinks already have holes drilled in them. Did you receive yours that way? Were you able to use the holes?
Vlad - just for grins, could you post a pic of your powder coating setup? I'd like to compare it with some of the things offered on Ebay. I think the oven would be the most difficult part for me. Is the caveat not to use the kitchen oven for setting the finish due to drip or stink or both?
grimberg said:
Yes, they had two holes of the bigger size, so it was perfect since I wanted to attach sinks to the case aluminum side. That way all the sinks share equally the dissipation. It is funny to say but these sinks do not have much of the mounting surface, even though they are as big. Look at this picture carefully and you will see two bolts protruding per sink. Two are hidden bellow the PC board.The side with output fets sits on the sinks - three per side. This way of mounting over the larger piece of aluminum not just evens out the dissipation, but holds the sinks together as well. I worked very hard to polish Al on all sides in order provide the best possible fit. I went all the way up to 2400 grit (this is not typo not 240 but 2400)
wrenchone said:
I do not have any picture from the powder coating set up, but I posted the links of the units. What I suggested to you guys I have and use. I started with Sears gun, and later I upgraded to the gun from Caswell that I posted the link. What you see there that is my set up. The oven is just used kitchen oven, and I purchased the biggest I found. I think I paid something like $ 70.00
In addition to that I also have IR heating lamps that I use for the bigger pieces that are not fitting into the oven. We use those for any other set painting project that needs faster drying time when we are in the rush to do the shoot.
http://www.caswellplating.com/powder/caswell_lamp.html
Please let me know if you still need to see the picture. If you do I will than make some shots but what is on the web that is what I have.
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wrenchone said:
Both. Powder coating smells something like melted plastic, because that what it is - some kind of melted plastic. There is no dripping, nothing drips in powder coating, but when you hang your objects on the rack to spray on, the easiest is to use the very same rack without moving of the object and to place it to the oven. Now during powder spraying powder goes on to the rack as well and when you put it into the oven, rack gets powder coated as well, as well as wherever you had powder - typically between the rack and rack oven holders. So that part is for me messy. In the real life people use big ovens like for car painting and baking the paint - same thing. There you just hang the part spray and leave it there to cook.
Theoretically, you could be very careful and spray the part than move the part by the hooks and than hang it carefully on the rack inside the oven. Keep in mind that while you are spraying your owen already should be preheated and ready to go. You should hang your part without touching anything under 350 - 400 degrees F. If you are lucky not to get burned or not to ruin your powder that is very sensitive before is melted...
Still than you will have the stink that I am sure, or let me put it differently I am positive, that your better half will have a problem with. There is also rule that it is not good to mix food preparation and metal working together.
Vlad - the Caswell setup looks similar to some of the others I have seen on Ebay for about $100. The quality may be less for the cheaper unit, maybe the Caswell setup is higher markup - don't know. Some people are selling the Sears gun for about $50.
I'm pretty much limited to what I can jam into my basement as far as ovens go. Some of the larger lab ovens may work for me. A used apartment-sized electric oven may also work, since I have 220V available in the basement. I won't spend any money on coater gun or oven until I look around some more.
I'm pretty much limited to what I can jam into my basement as far as ovens go. Some of the larger lab ovens may work for me. A used apartment-sized electric oven may also work, since I have 220V available in the basement. I won't spend any money on coater gun or oven until I look around some more.
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