Aluminum Chassis

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Francis on tubes
Junior tube assistant
Posts: 32
(1/21/04 11:45 am)
 Aluminum Chassis
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 I am going to do an aluminum chassis (Fender head style) and am wondering if anyone can recommend the best thickness to use... I can easily get 1/16" 5052 aluminum but with the weight of the trannies, I am thinking it may sag too much. Any thoughts?
 
6G6
Junior tube assistant
Posts: 55
(1/21/04 1:18 pm)
 Re: Aluminum Chassis
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 .090
Fender uses galvanized steel thicker than 1/16th.
If you build one to use with trannies bigger than what Fender used on the Dual Showman/Twin Reverb, you might want to consider going even thicker with aluminum.
5052 is a good choice.
 
HStraub
Senior tube assistant
Posts: 194
(1/21/04 7:19 pm)
 chassis
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 I use .090 6061 aluminum for my chassis. The 6061 will let you get a tighter bend, but 5052 should work fine. I agree that .090 (or close) is the thickness you want, any thinner and you will get sagging transformers.

Harry
 
6G6
Junior tube assistant
Posts: 55
(1/21/04 11:07 pm)
 Re: chassis
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 6061, espeicially the T6 version, is wonderful stuff.
Stong, dense, capable of being polished to a high glosss
BUT, it's brittle and NOT a good choice for a tight bend as may break at the bend.
It could certainly make a pretty face plate, though.
 
HStraub
Senior tube assistant
Posts: 195
(1/21/04 11:30 pm)
 chassis
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 Interesting......I use it for mine and have never had an issue. My father(a material specialist) is the one who spec'd it for me, my drawing spec's a 3/16th radius bend.
I annodize mine now, so I have never tried to polish it. Thanks for the tip...
 
Leevi
Junior tube assistant
Posts: 72
(1/22/04 1:45 am)
 Re: chassis
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 I'm using 1.5 mm (~1/16 ") aluminum. I have never had problems with the trannies because they are normally placed at the ends of the chassis where the chassis is bent and anchored to the box which together strengthen the construction.
/Leevi
 
Jonas Gemini
Hey get your own solder
Posts: 284
(1/22/04 8:44 am)
 Re: chassis
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 I have been very happy with the ones I get from Mike at KomboKing. Mine are .080 aluminum with 3/16" ends and flanges. Very strong with no tranny sag.

komboking wedsite

Jonas
 
EL34  
I got your parts right here.
Posts: 2230
(1/22/04 9:40 am)

  Re: chassis
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 .090
Any thicker and the pots/jacks, etc may not have enough thread length.

If you want to make the tranny area stonger, just have some .090 or .125 thick aluminum rectangles cut and add them under the trannies to make that area much thicker.

This is what I did on many of my amps.


 
Francis on tubes
Junior tube assistant
Posts: 33
(1/22/04 2:56 pm)
 Re: chassis
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 Thanks all - Good info all around.
 
PHATamps
I only work on tube amps
Posts: 415
(1/22/04 11:19 pm)
 Re: chassis
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 In the aircraft industry we usually use 2024-T3 to fab parts with simple bends, 2024-O for stuff with compound curves (it's real soft, like lead--after the part is fabbed it's heat treated to T3 or better), and 6061-T6 or 7075-T6 for hard, flat panels. I've never been able to bend 6061-T6 to 90 degrees without it cracking, but hey, I'm an avionics guy!

5052 is real easy to work with for general stuff like amp chassis--nice tight bends, and takes alodine well, too.
 
tomtweed
Junior tube assistant
Posts: 11
(1/23/04 9:49 am)
 Re: chassis
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 Got to put in my .02...

For the best anodize, 5005 h34 aq. This is very available and is most likely what you will find as "scrap"(good for our projects)around fab shops that do anodizing. It bends to a 90 very well.

The most common all around, best price, workability, very available, will be 3003. I have used both for years...good stuff!

If you should want to anodize, It is very simple to do at home with just a good battery charger, sulfuric acid, and hot water seal. for any color in the rainbow, Ritt dye in the process is the exotic sauce you can use.

Lots of info on the net. Google on to...home anodizing...hobby anodizing...have fun and be carefull.

B cool
TT
 
RMS
Senior tube assistant
Posts: 195
(1/27/04 10:08 pm)
 Re: chassis
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 Isn't the internet amazing! The knowledge that is shared!

anodizing...as a hobby at home!

Thanks TT
 
Moosehead2
Junior tube assistant
Posts: 32
(1/29/04 12:28 pm)
 Re: Aluminum Chassis
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 What exactly are the pros and cons of steel vs aluminum?
 
idiotequed  
Hey get your own solder
Posts: 217
(1/30/04 1:40 am)
 re:
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 steel doesn't conduct electricity (grounding the chassis) or heat (tube amps have inherant heat issues) as well as aluminum. steel is also heavier than aluminum.
 
Leevi
Junior tube assistant
Posts: 81
(1/30/04 2:32 am)
 Re: re:
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 and aluminum is much easier to machine (drill).
/Leevi
 
dough
Junior tube assistant
Posts: 2
(2/26/04 4:31 pm)
 Re: Aluminum Chassis
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 Here is a pic of an amp I am building. This is a chassis I had Komboking bend for me. It is in two parts, power and preamp in the vox style. This is going to be an AC15.

AC15 project

Doug

Edited by: dough at: 2/26/04 4:48 pm
 
 
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