Hi there - I'm sourcing the material for the top plate of the chassis for my Tubelab SSE build. On the wiring diagram page, it says to make sure that "all metal objects (transformers, supplemental cap, choke, volume control, etc) should have a good paint free contact with the chassis". If I use something like anodised aluminum, does this mean I have to scrape away the anodised layer so that the parts make solid contact? Or is the anodised aluminum still conductive enough to ground the parts?
I use star washers under the nuts to make good contact with the aluminum. You can check for continuity with your VOM to be sure you have a good connection.
The anodizing layer is non-conductive. Which really sucks because it's so nice looking. If you notice on those little chinese led flashlights that the battery compartment cap/switch has cleaned threads that aren't colored. Bare for switch circuit operation.
If I use something like anodised aluminum, does this mean I have to scrape away the anodised layer so that the parts make solid contact?
Yes, this is necessary for safety.