extend tube sockets, or tube "plugs"?

[kevinkr]

Originally posted by tubelab.com
It is possible to mount the tube sockets above the PC board an inch or two. The first time I did this I just used some solid 14 gauge copper wire soldered to each socket pin to make extensions. Use these wire extensions for all pins except the grids. I used 100 ohm resistors for the grid extensions. These were in addition to the grid stoppers on the PC board.

I got some thin brass tubing at a local hobby shop which will just slip over the pins on the tube sockets with a little persuasion and fit through the holes in the PC board. I plan to use this for my next "double decker" amp design.

I LIKE this idea a lot - good tip George!

[kevinkr]

Originally posted by KaDe


Better stay away from this chinese stuff, it is not very well build.
My intension with these was to try tubes with unusual pin-outs.
When I plugged in the first tube the glas near the pins broke.

Bummer, apparently rare tube as well. I've had this happen with some Tungsram and EI tubes in the past with a variety of different western made sockets which were all of good to exceptionally good quality. These tubes just had very thin glass, and possibly a very slight pin misalignment which upon insertion caused the tube base to crack - tried that thing with any other tubes?

[KaDe]

Encouraged by your interest Kevin,
I plugged a chinese 12AU7 into this thing today. This fits in more easy, with less pressure and did survive the insertion.
I always had the impression about the chinese tubes to go into the socket more easy
and checking the pin-diameter it proved to be rather thin with .o385"".
These stingy chinese guys save raw material wherever they can.

The cracked ECC813 was a pre production labatory sample (otherwise similar to 6463) and did measure .o415"" at the pins.

[KaDe]

.....forgot to show you my favourite 9 pin adapter

[kevinkr]

Interesting adaptor... I haved noticed a lot of the Russian tubes also have skinnier pins as well, but oddly enough there are some current production 7868 (IIRC) that have larger pins and ruin the sockets for use with NOS types. Kind of inconsistent..

[tubelab.com]

I got some thin brass tubing at a local hobby shop which will just slip over the pins on the tube sockets with a little persuasion and fit through the holes in the PC board. I plan to use this for my next "double decker" amp design.

I have been perfecting this technique to allow mounting a TubelabSE PC board about an inch and a half below the deck but place the tube sockets on the chassis deck.

I now have copper (or brass) tubing in two diameters for each socket. I use a short piece of the larger diameter as the "splice" between the socket pin and a longer piece of the smaller diameter tubing which is nearly the same diameter of the socket pin and passes easilly through the PCB.

For 9 pin sockets the small tubing is 1/16 inch (.062) and the larger tubing is 3/32 inch (.093).

For 8 pin sockets I am using .093 and .125 inch tubing.

I just soldered some 3/16 inch tubing into the PCB and soldered the 300B sockets directly to the tubing. I will post pictures of this procedure on my web site, and here if anyone is interested the next time I make some.

[AlternativeI]

Originally Posted by tubelab.com

I have been perfecting this technique to allow mounting a TubelabSE PC board about an inch and a half below the deck but place the tube sockets on the chassis deck.

I now have copper (or brass) tubing in two diameters for each socket. I use a short piece of the larger diameter as the "splice" between the socket pin and a longer piece of the smaller diameter tubing which is nearly the same diameter of the socket pin and passes easilly through the PCB.

For 9 pin sockets the small tubing is 1/16 inch (.062) and the larger tubing is 3/32 inch (.093).

For 8 pin sockets I am using .093 and .125 inch tubing.

I just soldered some 3/16 inch tubing into the PCB and soldered the 300B sockets directly to the tubing. I will post pictures of this procedure on my web site, and here if anyone is interested the next time I make some.

Does anyone have pics of this technique?

[chrish]

I swapped the architect for a classical musician. Life has been much better since!

[wicked1]

yep. Not quite as advanced as what TubeLab is talking about..