Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: Joel on March 22, 2017, 09:19:04 pm

Title: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: Joel on March 22, 2017, 09:19:04 pm

Just thought I'd share some pics of my recently finished Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone.

I wound both transformers.  And everything turned out very nicely.  Beautiful clean tone.

Edit:  +1 point if you can find the wiring error I made.  I took the pic before first power up...

Title: Re: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: SILVERGUN on March 23, 2017, 08:24:03 am

Hey man, that looks great!....love the wood look  :thumbsup:
REALLY COOL that you wound your own transformers!
While looking for your mistake, I noticed this potential foul:
Makes me more than a little nervous to have those high voltage wires coming through an uninsulated hole in the chassis....not a deal breaker but worth noting.
 

Title: Re: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: mwelch55 on March 23, 2017, 01:44:39 pm

Speaker not hooked up?

Nice looking build.

Title: Re: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: timbertoes on March 23, 2017, 02:33:59 pm

Very nice :)

Title: Re: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: SILVERGUN on March 23, 2017, 02:52:34 pm

.....not to mention the power switch wiring
Is that wired how it looks?
Hope you didn't plug it in to find out that was wrong. :huh:

Title: Re: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: Joel on March 23, 2017, 04:20:18 pm

Congrats Mr Silvergun!

When I double checked the wiring before first power up, the power switch was obviously wrong.  I cannot for the life of me remember what I was thinking when I first soldered it.  A thorough wiring check should be conducted before powering up for the first time!!!  Luckily, even if I had tried to power up it would have been OK.  The active would have been switched in whilst the neutral would have been switched out.  So, I had it wired OFF-OFF so to speak.

The cab is pine.  A couple coats of "golden teak" stain, followed by a couple coats of a tung oil + wax finish.  Buffed up to a nice glowing satin finish.

Title: Re: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: Willabe on March 23, 2017, 08:42:46 pm

Quote from: SILVERGUN on March 23, 2017, 08:24:03 am

Makes me more than a little nervous to have those high voltage wires coming through an uninsulated hole in the chassis....not a deal breaker but worth noting.

It is a deal breaker.  :w2:

You really should put rubber grommets in those holes.

Title: Re: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: Joel on March 24, 2017, 01:54:37 am

I haven't used grommets for most of my amps.  The hole is deburred and smooth, which removes the cutting action any vibration may induce.

Title: Re: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: HotBluePlates on March 24, 2017, 11:59:34 am

Quote from: Joel on March 24, 2017, 01:54:37 am

I haven't used grommets for most of my amps.  The hole is deburred and smooth...

Add the grommets.  You may never need them, and it might take decades for the chassis to abrade the wire insulation.  But the original Fender amps (and pretty much every other brand) put grommets on holes like that to keep from inviting Murphy to the party.

I've never had a car accident, but I put on my seatbelt.  I also know someone who is not in the habit of wearing a seatbelt, even though they did have a car accident that sent them through the windshield...

Title: Re: Tweed Princeton 5F2A clone
Post by: Joel on July 22, 2017, 04:42:27 am

This should make you happy Mr. HotBluePlates.  I added some hole grommets today as you suggested.  What a pain in the rear!  I won't be retrofitting like this again any time soon.