Aleph 4 PCB Bulk Purchase

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#143
Heat sinks

Hi Guys,

I'm still looking into this.

Would you rather have two large heat sinks or four smaller ones like Wayne. Is everyone planning to mount on the sides?
Perhaps, we should design an enclosure too?

I just ordered my transformers from Victoria Magnetics. John is extremely helpful. My cost was 108.00ea for:

1KVA, 120VAC input, 2x35VAC output
Electrostatic and magnetic shielding. 12" leads

Dale

What is everyone's thoughts on the new Pen Zen?
 
#144
DIY heatsink/chassis

Hi guys,

I purchased $300.00 dollars worth of aluminum at the scrap yard, which will yield 6 Aleph 2 chassis..........

I'm triamping and need 6 power amplifiers.

The Aleph 2 chassis I construct will be much like the drawing on my web site. The main difference will be that the ribs are 5.25" x 5.25" (13.3cm x 13.3cm) instead of 2"x6" (5cm x 15.24cm). Instead of 1/4" spacing, as shown in the drawing, the ribs will be spaced 1/2" apart to allow efficient convection. This is only because they're so deep.

This is not to brag, but to inform. Anyone can save a truck load of cash IF they're willing to invest a bit of labor into constructing their own chassis/heatsinks.

John Inlow😉

http://home.earthlink.net/~lotusblossom/index.html
 
#145
John,

6 channels of Aleph 2 is going to draw nearly 2kW at idle. You'd better go make nice to with the power company so they will bring a new feeder into your house. Your going to need it to make the canon shots in the 1812 because then the draw doubles to 4kW.

Good Luck,
Rodd Yamashita
 
#147
The board that I designed are 4" x 6".

They are the same size as the Wayne Sankey design (adaptation of Mark Finnis's design). I should get the boards from the manufacturing place a week from next tuesday, then I will ship them out to those who are on my list and I get money orders from. It is still not too late to get in on the order. I have a three sets left.

--
Brian
 
#148
John,
Could you post your link again. It won't open on my computer ........ I would really like to see the heatsinks that you've got.

Dale,
For each channel of Aleph 2, I don't mind 2 bigger heatsink instead of 4 smaller ones as long as the heat sink fins are pointing up vertically and NOT horizontally. And it goes without saying ..... the surface areas for the bigger heatsinks should be in proportional to the 4 samller ones. I'll rather not built the amp if the fins are laying horizontally because it'll just spoil the look of it .... just my opinion!!
I want to ask you later about the enclosure too .... since you bring it up.
 
#149
Building Enclosure ...... tools etc ....

Dale ....... or anyone,

I'm just about getting ready to find out some information on building the enclosure. I'm planning to go to Home Depot or somewhere else (suggestions?) to check out what they can do for me. I have done a search on this site regarding to enclosure building but so far no luck. I have not emailed Wayne yet as to how he did his enclosure. So I'm just going to post the questions here since I can see that 35 (?) people are building this Aleph 2?

Here are some of the questions ... in no particular order:
1. What drill tools are needed to drill those holes in the metal? I read somewhere that there is a drill machine that one can buy from Sears for about $130 but I can't remember the exact model number.
2. I know there are regular screws and then there are machine screws. How do you make those machine screw thread? Is there a special drill bit to make those thread?
3. For the screws that are used to hold the transistors to the heatsinks, do they need a nut (bolt?) on the other side of the heatsink to hold the screw tight? I'm thinking that because of the heat expansion and contraction, won't the screws come loose after a while and cause the transistor to loose the heat transfer efficiency?
4. Where can one buys those metal plate for the top, bottom front and back? I'm assuming we're building it with all heatsinks on the two sides. Also, what kind of metal? Where to buy it? How to cut it? Or where would be the place to have it cut? I presumed that this has to be cut nicely and the screw hole drilled perfectly in order to have a perfect fit when one is ready to assemble the case together?
5. Is there web sites that teaches you how to built enclosure with heat sinks on the sides? Please post link.
6. How do you cut square holes on the metal sheet? For example to fit the square shape on/off switch? Is there special punch machine that one can buy and yet not too expensive? Brand and model number please.
7. And what is this thing about anodlized (sp?) metal sheet? Where and how can it be done? Is it expensive to have it done?
8. How does one punch small retangular shape holes on the top and bottom plate if one wants to ..... to ensure some air flow from within the case?
9. What is a typical overall width of the amp that would look good (fins width inclusive)? I think it would be wise to stay away from using 19" width for a change.
10. Instaed of using the "L" brackets to hold the enclosure plates together, I'm thinking of using those square retangular metal block at the four corners of the enclosure. Drill holes on the metal blocks and then fasten the plates screws to this metal block for a sturdy fit. Take a look, internally, at Pass Labs commercial pre-amp enclosure. I'm wondering if this is a difficult thing to do ...... difficult in the sense that ...... would the screw holes on the plate line up perfectly with the holes on the metal block.
 
#152
scott,

I got your e-mail, and added you to the list. I will mail you a set once I get the boards and your money order.

I am getting close to running out of claimed sets, and might have to call them on monday and add more boards to the order. I am glad that this order is becoming successful, and I can't wait to get some boards and build an Aleph 2.

Thank you everyone who has supported this order so far.

--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
 
#153
fcel, answering your earlier questions:

1,2,3: drill holes and machine screws

I went down to Home Depot today, and I picked up a #8 and #10 tap and drill packages and a tap wrench. The packages were around $4 each and the tap wrench was around $5. In order to make the screw holes for the machine screws in the heatsink, first drill a hole using the provided drill bit with these, then use the Tap wrench with the tap and use the tap to make the threading. I am going back tommorrow to get the #6 tap and drill package. It is pretty simple to do. Here is a picture of the items that I bought:

Drill Tap

As for screws, I like to use #2,4,6,8,10 machine screws for things.

4: metal plates

If you want to go the way that wayne sankey went for the case, you can get sheets of aluminum from:

McMaster-Carr

I am going to get them from a local metal shop, and have them cut to the size that I need. As for the L brackets to hold the heatsinks to the bottom, I bought an 8 ft section of 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" x 8ft long angle piece that is 1/8" thick aluminum from Home Depot for $10.67 (see receipt from pic of drill tap). I am using this to hold the bottom of the case to the heatsinks. For the bottom, I am thinking about the best way to do this. 1/8" thick aluminum is perfect for this. I might buy the sheets from mcmaster.com, or I might get them cut for me. I called one place asking about anodizing, and they did not give me a direct quote, but said it would be expensive. I am planning on just getting the bottom plates now for each channel, then once I get the amplifiers up and running, I will get the side and top pieces.

5. website? I am not sure, look at Wayne Sankey's pictures and use common sense on how you want it to be done. Plan it out before you start. I am just going to use angled pieces of metal and sheets for the bottom, top and sides. It really is not too complicated. For screwing into the angle brackets, you either get the slide over screw things, or the tap in screw holes.

6. For cutting the holes in sheet metal, I like to use a large drill bit and normal straight cut jig saw with a metal cutting blade. I bought all of these from home depot for under $40.

7. read above about anodizing. I might get it done later, but my first priority is getting a finished amplifier, then worrying about getting it looking good later. I am also a college student, not worrying about satisfying the wife and more concerned with keeping enough money to pay my school bill.

8. For the ventilation holes, I was planning on just using a drill press and drilling out a series of holes along the sides to get allow for ventilation. I was going to run it without first, and drill them if it runs too hot. I would just drill round holes.

9. dimensions: my amplifier will be 14"W (9" without heatsinks) x 18"L x 8"H

10. I like the angled brackets because they take up less space inside the amplifier. The square brackets tend to take up too much space on the bottom floor. If you get 1/8" thick angle brackets, you should not need the extra stability of the square. For lining up the heatsink to the brackets, I was just planning on threading screw holes into the heatsink and making slotted holes in the angled brackets and secure them with washers and machine screws. This will allow for some adjustment in placement.

That looks like it is it. The number of people getting my boards is currently 26, with a few people getting multple sets.

EDIT: as for the front, I really like the thick front plate, but they are quite expensive, so I might just use cheap sheet metal for the top and sides for now and get nice anodized aluminum later when I have extra cash laying around.

--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
 
#154
Brian,

Thanks for the detail response!

I really like the drip tap pictures that you have attached or else I still won't know what it looks like! So you don't think the $130 drill press machine is necessary? You did mentioned making slotted holes in the angled bracket so as to allow for some adjustment later if necessary. That's a very good idea!

I'm going to Home Depot first thing tomorrow morning.
 
#155
A drill press is very helpful for drilling straight holes into the heatsink. I am going to use the drill press at school to drill the holes in the heatsink. It is possible, yet difficult to drill the holes without a drill press, but not recommended. It is best to tap a dimple where you want the hole first, so that you drill bit stays in place where you want to drill the hole, since the drill bit will wander until it starts to go into the metal.

If you have the money and place to keep it, I would buy the drill press, as it is quite a useful tool.

--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
 
#160
John,

About a year ago, I have bookmarked the "DIY heatsinks" link that you posted a couple post back. This is the first time I read the whole content through and now I see that all the heatsinks fins are assembled together piece by piece and you ARE the author! Very nice! Before reading the article (but I have looked at that drawing many times!), I thought the heatsink sketch as shown in the article is a big chunk of metal block that one normally buys for heatsinks and that the article was talking about building the "case" part of it. I was mistaken.

As usual ...... a couple of questions:
1. Can one buy precut (a) 0.25" thick spacer rib and (b) 0.06" thick heatsink rib? If not, that's a lot of cutting!
2. Does one has to apply grease between the spacer rib and the heatsink rib for maximum heat transfer?
3. Can one buy threaded rod that are 20" long or even longer at Home Depot? How do you make threads at the ends?
4. What shoud be the minimum sheet metal thickness for the bottom and top plate for the case to be sturdy? Assume amplifier weights about 50 lbs per monoblock.
4. Did you said you have already built the 3 pairs of Aleph 2 amps? Could you post actual pictures of the Aleph 2 amps? Or could you post pictures of your Zen amp? I'm really interested to see how it turns out.

As you can see from my previous posts, I'm just trying to gather as much information as possible to try to built my Aleph 2 case.
 
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