Yes another simple question..
Has anyone ever used slate as a circuit board for audio?
(ie as hard wired circuit mounting..no tag strip)
The reason I ask is because many years ago the old DC equipment I worked on had slate back panels..might be a pig to work with..😀
I was thinking how do you drill 1mm holes in stone..Then I found this..(I have no connection)
http://www.papernstitchblog.com/2011/07/18/make-this-drilled-natural-stone-jewelry-tutorial/
Now there are just the 20mm holes to think about..😀
Regards
M. Gregg
Has anyone ever used slate as a circuit board for audio?
(ie as hard wired circuit mounting..no tag strip)
The reason I ask is because many years ago the old DC equipment I worked on had slate back panels..might be a pig to work with..😀
I was thinking how do you drill 1mm holes in stone..Then I found this..(I have no connection)
http://www.papernstitchblog.com/2011/07/18/make-this-drilled-natural-stone-jewelry-tutorial/
Now there are just the 20mm holes to think about..😀
Regards
M. Gregg
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Just for interest here is a link that shows an example of the old "stuff".
Rebuilding Relay Boards - NYS Canals
The thought is something like 3 or 4mm slate (I found some slate coasters that got me thinking)
Obviously it would not be bolted..😀..and be very small.
Regards
M. Gregg
Rebuilding Relay Boards - NYS Canals
The thought is something like 3 or 4mm slate (I found some slate coasters that got me thinking)
Obviously it would not be bolted..😀..and be very small.
Regards
M. Gregg
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The slate in the panels I worked on were so old I think they were put in when the company started..they were never painted..😀 running some very high voltages.
Regards
M. Gregg
As slate is 'cold to the touch' it must be a good conductor of heat - which would be a useful property in a circuit board.
Oswalds Mill Audio uses slate in their top panels of their valve amps.
Oswalds Mill Audio - PD1 | OMA Amplifiers
Oswalds Mill Audio - PD1 | OMA Amplifiers
Welsh Slate has been used since the earliest days of electrickery as an insulator.
There were some quarries that specialised in making "slabs" because the slate was too solid to split into thin roofing tiles. In these quarries the speciality was "Enammeled Slate" which ranged from plain black to very highly decorated wares.
Slate was one of the best and most used insulators for power distribution boards up till "modern " materials like Bakerlight or Tufnol came into use.
Around the 1990s a small company called "Slate Audio" made some superb bases for Garand and other classic turntables. They also manufactured a speaker which was built from slate slabs glued together. It looked very like a Tannoy 607 but in Slate.
I believe that they did not sell enough to maintain the buisness and the last few parts appeared on E-bay some years back.
As for cutting it. The "Old Men" would have done it with skill and hand tools. It is now possible to get anything cut by computer water jet machines. (At a price!)
There were some quarries that specialised in making "slabs" because the slate was too solid to split into thin roofing tiles. In these quarries the speciality was "Enammeled Slate" which ranged from plain black to very highly decorated wares.
Slate was one of the best and most used insulators for power distribution boards up till "modern " materials like Bakerlight or Tufnol came into use.
Around the 1990s a small company called "Slate Audio" made some superb bases for Garand and other classic turntables. They also manufactured a speaker which was built from slate slabs glued together. It looked very like a Tannoy 607 but in Slate.
I believe that they did not sell enough to maintain the buisness and the last few parts appeared on E-bay some years back.
As for cutting it. The "Old Men" would have done it with skill and hand tools. It is now possible to get anything cut by computer water jet machines. (At a price!)
The company was actually "Slatedeck"
My Slatedeck Garrard Solution - World-Designs-Forum
Slatedeck - The Slayer of Myths Review By Clive Meakins
My Slatedeck Garrard Solution - World-Designs-Forum
Slatedeck - The Slayer of Myths Review By Clive Meakins
Have never considered it for circuit boards, but both of my TD-124s are in slate plinths and my 401 will be going in slate as well.
Thinking about a slate top plate for an amp or pre-amp perhaps..
Thinking about a slate top plate for an amp or pre-amp perhaps..
I have wet drilled slate using a masonry drill, and counter top fabricators either water jet it or cut it with a wet cut cnc machine.. 2cm thick slate is pretty hard to drill and it is surprisingly fragile imle.
Some more cuts done..
That was the hard bit ..😀
Lots to do..I put the slate in a plastic food box (spaced off the bottom with wood blocks) and just covered it with water.
I don't think you can do it without water so the drill bit is just in the water about 1mm. (no wet hands)
I used a Dremel with diamond bits off E-bay complete set for £10.00.
The holes were with a standard 20mm hole saw and slow speed.
I have to mount the fixings and drill holes for the components.
Regards
M. Gregg
That was the hard bit ..😀
Lots to do..I put the slate in a plastic food box (spaced off the bottom with wood blocks) and just covered it with water.
I don't think you can do it without water so the drill bit is just in the water about 1mm. (no wet hands)
I used a Dremel with diamond bits off E-bay complete set for £10.00.
The holes were with a standard 20mm hole saw and slow speed.
I have to mount the fixings and drill holes for the components.
Regards
M. Gregg
Attachments
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Cool. How thick is your plate?
Is this the 'standard' you're referring to?
Is this the 'standard' you're referring to?
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The small drills were from here: (they are cheaper now..LOL)
Sorry Amazon not E-bay.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diamond-Point-Bit-Rotary-Tool-30pc/dp/B00565YWAS
Start with the small pointed one and increase size changing the drill.
The hole saw was like this..
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hole+saw+b%26q&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ywzpU43ILPHG7Aaww4HwBQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1455&bih=665#facrc=_&imgdii=mq_qRg13VkIq3M%3A%3BTPCXZviP-hrYAM%3Bmq_qRg13VkIq3M%3A&imgrc=mq_qRg13VkIq3M%253A%3BkPGYc75n8h9F-M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fs7g1.scene7.com%252Fis%252Fimage%252FBandQ%252F0000005294213_001c_v001_zp%253F%2524250x250_generic%2524%253D%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.diy.com%252Fnav%252Ffix%252Fpower-tool-accessories%252Fdrill-bits%252Fholesaws___hole_cutters%3B250%3B250
However you can't get the standard centre drill through so I cut the initial small centre hole with the dremel so I just used the hole saw teeth (cut half way from both sides).
The hole cutter you show might be better it is diamond tipped..🙂
The slate is about 4mm thick.
Regards
M. Gregg
Sorry Amazon not E-bay.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diamond-Point-Bit-Rotary-Tool-30pc/dp/B00565YWAS
Start with the small pointed one and increase size changing the drill.
The hole saw was like this..
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hole+saw+b%26q&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ywzpU43ILPHG7Aaww4HwBQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1455&bih=665#facrc=_&imgdii=mq_qRg13VkIq3M%3A%3BTPCXZviP-hrYAM%3Bmq_qRg13VkIq3M%3A&imgrc=mq_qRg13VkIq3M%253A%3BkPGYc75n8h9F-M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fs7g1.scene7.com%252Fis%252Fimage%252FBandQ%252F0000005294213_001c_v001_zp%253F%2524250x250_generic%2524%253D%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.diy.com%252Fnav%252Ffix%252Fpower-tool-accessories%252Fdrill-bits%252Fholesaws___hole_cutters%3B250%3B250
However you can't get the standard centre drill through so I cut the initial small centre hole with the dremel so I just used the hole saw teeth (cut half way from both sides).
The hole cutter you show might be better it is diamond tipped..🙂
The slate is about 4mm thick.
Regards
M. Gregg
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I intend to use the slate as the PCB and pass the components through it etc..🙂
Quite a lot more to do..
Regards
M. Gregg
Yes, sorry I noticed this was in tubes/valves section aft clicking send.
Probably a very good material for tube circuits.
I would probably use it for a plinth for a turntable... But that part was totally OT... So, sorry interrupting.
Regards
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