• WARNING: Tube/Valve amplifiers use potentially LETHAL HIGH VOLTAGES.
    Building, troubleshooting and testing of these amplifiers should only be
    performed by someone who is thoroughly familiar with
    the safety precautions around high voltages.

3/8in thick acrylic - would this make a good chassis?

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have you seen tubelab's site? he likes acrylic :D for protection too!

seriously, i would just be worried about the heat generated by 4 tubes if they're enclosed with ventilation of course. but i guess not... my friend tore apart his audio note top cover and changed it to acrylic... let me look for it...

here-

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
 
arnoldc said:
have you seen tubelab's site? he likes acrylic :D for protection too!

seriously, i would just be worried about the heat generated by 4 tubes if they're enclosed with ventilation of course. but i guess not... my friend tore apart his audio note top cover and changed it to acrylic... let me look for it...

here-




how about long term effects? would they become brittle?
 
Sorry for the lack of postings, I have been working 12 hour days trying to get ready for a project prototype demonstration on May 30. We have to justify our jobs. Things should return to normal after that, provided our project gets approved.

The Lexan amplifier that is pictured on my web site is still sitting on my desk, and gets used at least three times a week. I have seen no indication that the plastic is degrading. It is almost 2 years old. The room is lit with flourescent lighting and there is no yellowing of the plastic. I experiment on this amp regularly and the plastic does get scratched.

Do not use Plexiglass. It will sag over time from the weight of the transformers and the heat from the tubes. I used Lexan that I got on Ebay. There are a few other trade names for this Polycarbonate plastic. Hyzod comes to mind, but there is another that I can't remember. Do an Ebay search for polycarbonate or Lexan.
 
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