See here (1/4 down the page) for more info:
Ken Rockwell's Photography Updates
and factory pictures here:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/Images/audio/2012/tube-factory.pdf
Mark
Ken Rockwell's Photography Updates
and factory pictures here:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/Images/audio/2012/tube-factory.pdf
Mark
Of all the places I would have expected to see a tube factory for sale, Ken Rockwell's site was not it!!
I really like that someone bought it all, Hopefully it will actually find a new home. Looks to be a bit more automated than the video I saw recently of the Eastern European tube factory!
Tony.
I really like that someone bought it all, Hopefully it will actually find a new home. Looks to be a bit more automated than the video I saw recently of the Eastern European tube factory!
Tony.
I had the good fortune to spend the day with Aspen Pitman and his lovely daughter Autumn (who works for a friend of mine) a couple of years ago. He mentioned he bought the GE equipment and shipped it to China. I wonder if that'ss where it's at.
I love manufacturing. Manufacturing tubes would be the ultimate treat. But realistically, the cost of the equipment would be cheap end of the deal. If you already have a manufacturing business and the facilities for the equipment you can probably get into the tube business fairly inexpensively (> $200,000). If you're starting from scratch you better have a bit more stuffed in your mattress. My estimate to get through the first two years $500,000.
Don't let my logic rain on your parade. Dream on boys. I'm going to.
I love manufacturing. Manufacturing tubes would be the ultimate treat. But realistically, the cost of the equipment would be cheap end of the deal. If you already have a manufacturing business and the facilities for the equipment you can probably get into the tube business fairly inexpensively (> $200,000). If you're starting from scratch you better have a bit more stuffed in your mattress. My estimate to get through the first two years $500,000.
Don't let my logic rain on your parade. Dream on boys. I'm going to.
I find this worrying..(another name on the way out maybe)
I have a few copies of the tube amp book by Aspen Pitman..(I like the pics)..LOL
There was a GT shop local to me a few years back (closed) and I did spend some time in there listening to different tubes and amp combinations..
So GT have sold their equipment..(rebrand via selection)..
Regards
M. Gregg
I have a few copies of the tube amp book by Aspen Pitman..(I like the pics)..LOL
There was a GT shop local to me a few years back (closed) and I did spend some time in there listening to different tubes and amp combinations..
So GT have sold their equipment..(rebrand via selection)..
Regards
M. Gregg
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Let´s start the fundraising for Troncones new tube factory.
If we all chip in with a certain amount in return he will send us x pcs of free tubes during the next x years.
With enough enthusiast it is possible to bring tube manufacturing back to where it started.
If we all chip in with a certain amount in return he will send us x pcs of free tubes during the next x years.
With enough enthusiast it is possible to bring tube manufacturing back to where it started.
Since my amps use a total of 16 EL34/6ca7s I could just about support the factory single-handed! Regards
Now you have me dreaming. I'll post my paypal account in a couple of days for all that want to contribute.
Groove Tube has been gone for a while. Aspen sold out to Fender several years ago. The tubes that are comming from Fender are easy to spot. The geniuses at Fender decided that paper stickers would be more economical than silk screening.
Groove Tube has been gone for a while. Aspen sold out to Fender several years ago. The tubes that are comming from Fender are easy to spot. The geniuses at Fender decided that paper stickers would be more economical than silk screening.
The 3'rd mortgage to hire lawyers to protect business from people whose hobby is to sue remaining manufacturers.
Can be hard to copy an old fabrication process they involved a fair share of nasty chemicals.
Just manufacturing the heater involves acids and fumes to be taken care of.
Some of the additives and coatings to prolong tubelife will give the safety inspector a heartattack.
And don´t even think of making a coldcatod tube.
Just manufacturing the heater involves acids and fumes to be taken care of.
Some of the additives and coatings to prolong tubelife will give the safety inspector a heartattack.
And don´t even think of making a coldcatod tube.
@Loren42 Yes that also puzzled me a bit!! Considering what Ken's site is about (though I've never been a big fan) The quality of the images of the tube stuff was rather apalling. I assumed it was not him that took them!!
Tony.
Tony.
"Dreadful photography! "
"The quality of the images of the tube stuff was rather apalling."
Ever notice how many pictures of items on Ebay are out of focus or missing a view of the back side or some key feature? Probably a reason for that.
The equipment looks like it was for GE compactron manufacturing by the tubes laying around on it and the T12 glass included. Last chance to get some sweep tubes back in production! I am surprised at the size of the grid winding machines, they look like VERY big lathes. I thought a grid winder would be some delicate little desktop unit. One would be nowadays, using stepper motors, a PC for control, binocular video microscope viewers, NC milled forms....
This equipment really should head for a museum somewhere before it ends up in a scrapyard. The maintenance issues with this equipment alone will consign it to scrap I think. Ancient electrical controls, old tube RF generators, old vacuum equipment and gauges, no spare parts and probably missing machine parts and grid/plate winding/stamping forms. For the initial bid price, I think one could round up modern equivalent versions of most of the units on Ebay, but one would need to study the operation of the old equipment thoroughly to get the functionality down. And digitize the mechanical designs of the tube element forms so a PC numerical mill could duplicate them.
A big simplification could be made nowadays in the cathode construction. If that British firm making the 12AX7 equivalent had read a couple of recent research papers on room temperature thermionic emitters, they might still be in business, instead of on Ebay. Just requires titanium electroplating equipment. No more nasty chemicals.
"The quality of the images of the tube stuff was rather apalling."
Ever notice how many pictures of items on Ebay are out of focus or missing a view of the back side or some key feature? Probably a reason for that.
The equipment looks like it was for GE compactron manufacturing by the tubes laying around on it and the T12 glass included. Last chance to get some sweep tubes back in production! I am surprised at the size of the grid winding machines, they look like VERY big lathes. I thought a grid winder would be some delicate little desktop unit. One would be nowadays, using stepper motors, a PC for control, binocular video microscope viewers, NC milled forms....
This equipment really should head for a museum somewhere before it ends up in a scrapyard. The maintenance issues with this equipment alone will consign it to scrap I think. Ancient electrical controls, old tube RF generators, old vacuum equipment and gauges, no spare parts and probably missing machine parts and grid/plate winding/stamping forms. For the initial bid price, I think one could round up modern equivalent versions of most of the units on Ebay, but one would need to study the operation of the old equipment thoroughly to get the functionality down. And digitize the mechanical designs of the tube element forms so a PC numerical mill could duplicate them.
A big simplification could be made nowadays in the cathode construction. If that British firm making the 12AX7 equivalent had read a couple of recent research papers on room temperature thermionic emitters, they might still be in business, instead of on Ebay. Just requires titanium electroplating equipment. No more nasty chemicals.
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Ken Rockwell is supposed to be a professional photographer. Although his posts are controversial, the image quality of these photographs are very poor (novice amateur).
As already pointed out, Ken probably was not the photographer, but it is a little like putting grade school artwork in the Louvre museum.
Yes, agreed, point clear.
I was just saying that many poor photographs of things on sale are done on purpose. They don't want you to see the cracked connectors, or cracking cable insulation, the worn edges, rusty surfaces, missing parts, burned PC boards, broken pins, low serial #, strange operating voltage, glued together parts, cracked meters, dented case ....
I was just saying that many poor photographs of things on sale are done on purpose. They don't want you to see the cracked connectors, or cracking cable insulation, the worn edges, rusty surfaces, missing parts, burned PC boards, broken pins, low serial #, strange operating voltage, glued together parts, cracked meters, dented case ....
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