Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: EL34 on August 24, 2014, 04:52:47 pm

Title: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: EL34 on August 24, 2014, 04:52:47 pm
How do you like the first black Hoffman Turret board?

I now stock black on this page
http://hoffmanamps.com/MyStore/catalog/parts12.htm (http://hoffmanamps.com/MyStore/catalog/parts12.htm)

It is non conductive G10 for those that are afraid of it  :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: labb on August 24, 2014, 05:26:42 pm
Been some issues with black boards  being conductive. Might want to check.
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: HotBluePlates on August 24, 2014, 05:33:39 pm
It takes decades of humidity for black fiberboards to become conductive. It should take many more decades for a black glass/epoxy board to become conductive (if it ever happens).
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: tubenit on August 24, 2014, 05:35:10 pm
My understanding is Doug has already checked out the "conductivity issue" on the black board and there is reportedly no concern with these boards. 

I think the black boards look really great!  Populated they'd look even better.  The black contrast with caps, resistors, etc... should look pretty cool!

With respect, Tubenit
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: Mike_J on August 24, 2014, 05:37:30 pm
I like the look and will be ordering some soon.

As a side note, years ago I bought the metal tool with the holes in it from your store that I use all the time to space my layouts.  I routinely use 1/8" eyelets in addition to the turrets and haven't had any trouble with the spacing.  I think I read recently that you only recommend that spacing for the turrets.  Am I correct in that?  Glad I bought one before you quit selling them.  Very good tool to have for amp building.

Thanks
Mike
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: DummyLoad on August 24, 2014, 05:38:59 pm

apparently some of the G10/FR4 is treated to be anti-static and therefore semi-conductive, however, not all black G10/FR4 is anti-static treated.


--pete
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: kagliostro on August 24, 2014, 05:50:32 pm
Cool Board   :thumbsup:


K
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: EL34 on August 24, 2014, 06:00:45 pm
I like the look and will be ordering some soon.

As a side note, years ago I bought the metal tool with the holes in it from your store that I use all the time to space my layouts.  I routinely use 1/8" eyelets in addition to the turrets and haven't had any trouble with the spacing.  I think I read recently that you only recommend that spacing for the turrets.  Am I correct in that?  Glad I bought one before you quit selling them.  Very good tool to have for amp building.

Thanks
Mike

I think you are talking about the 1/4 inch thick aluminum drilling template.

Nothing has changed, I still use that same spacing on my CNC machine
As long as the eyelet rims are not too close to each other, it should work just fine for eyelet spacing
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: EL34 on August 24, 2014, 06:03:35 pm
apparently some of the G10/FR4 is treated to be anti-static and therefore semi-conductive, however, not all black G10/FR4 is anti-static treated.
--pete

This board is not conductive
Fender type fiber board is way more conductive than this G10

When I get time, I'll take a scrap of the black board and hook it up to 400+ VDC and see if I can get a reading to another lug next door

I get zero reading with the test leads 2mm apart using a meter checking for resistance
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: SILVERGUN on August 24, 2014, 08:09:52 pm
I'm the guy that started the conductive black board scare of 2013.
When I first started doing amps I bought 6 of these boards (pictured) from AES because I liked the "universal" punched board idea, and I liked the look of the black board.
Luckily, I found the conductive board on my first build and sent the other 5 boards back. It pissed me off as much as anything I have ever experienced because of the amount of time that I had spent trying to achieve a super clean board look, with nicely bent components and all of that rigmarole.
When I completed the amp I found that I had DC on one of my pots,,,and after a short diagnosis (and coupling cap replacement), I disconnected everything form the suspect turret and I almost broke my hand on my workbench when I measured 100VDC from a turret to ground with the turret touching nothing but the board. I am 1000% sure of what I experienced and even brought over one of our repair techs to confirm I hadn't lost all of my marbles.

I kept a piece of the board material to compare it to black G-10, and it is not the same material. The stuff from AES just feels cheaper, and does not have the high quality appearance of true Garolite.

Since that time I have bought a sheet of G-11, and I've been using black G-10 from one of Doug's competitors.  :embarrassed:

I am thrilled to see Doug now carrying the black G-10, and will be ordering my next piece from him in the very near future.
 :wav:

This is the crap board that I had to warn my fellow forum members against using:
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: EL34 on August 24, 2014, 08:20:46 pm
Excellent report

I think the black board I did today looks great

It goes with both my black fully carbon bikes
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: labb on August 24, 2014, 08:24:27 pm
The boards that I was thinking about did come from CE. I am sure Doug's are fine. Take a look at this video--This was a CE board.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-c3nTyobds&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-c3nTyobds&feature=youtu.be)
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: EL34 on August 24, 2014, 08:27:47 pm
Good video


I am not sure why CE is selling these boards?


Do they still sell them?

Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: labb on August 24, 2014, 08:36:44 pm
The guy that posted that said he contacted them and returned the boards he had. They replaced them and took the black ones that they had out of stock.
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: HotBluePlates on August 24, 2014, 09:11:21 pm
I am not sure why CE is selling these boards?

Do they still sell them?

Yes, they do. They claim it is glass/epoxy, so no idea if it is still the same stuff SG had a problem with. Regardless, seems not all boards are made equal.  :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: DummyLoad on August 24, 2014, 10:47:41 pm
Good video


I am not sure why CE is selling these boards?


Do they still sell them?


perhaps someone mistakenly spec'd the anti-static treated material.
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: EL34 on August 30, 2014, 04:32:09 am
Hoffman 5F6A Black Bassman


I don't know if I can ever go back to plain old Natural after seeing the black with lugs installed



Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: tubenit on August 30, 2014, 06:09:33 am
That looks really sharp!

With respect, Tubenit
Title: Re: Hoffman Turret Board with Black G10
Post by: EL34 on August 30, 2014, 06:22:35 am
Thanks Jeff