9 Pin Tube Base

[Trailboss]

I am looking to build a high quality 9 pin tube base to make up some bias probes, tried the China bases sold as socket savers but the quality is poor and they are not going to take constant use.

I found two decent bases but need to find pins, what is the correct diameter???

I came across these CNC'd product and was wondering what I could use for pins, those gold pins on the China teflon sockets look nice, wonder if that is available.

http://jimmyauw.com/2012/05/26/custom-pcb-for-yamamoto-9-pin-teflon-tube-socket-part-2/

and these


http://www.partsconnexion.com/CONNEX-74342.html





Vin Collins

[HotBluePlates]

I am looking to build a high quality 9 pin tube base to make up some bias probes, tried the China bases sold as socket savers but the quality is poor ...

I'm not too quick on the uptake... You need 9-pin plugs and sockets in order to make a bias probe for 9-pin output tubes, like EL84's?

Where did you get the Chinese socket savers? I don't know if the 9-pin socket savers at AES are any better quality.

... they are not going to take constant use. ...

Arguably, nothing will take constant (plugging) use, including tubes themselves. But point taken if you feel the Chinese stuff is flimsy.

I found two decent bases but need to find pins, what is the correct diameter???

I think it will be very unlikely that you'll find appropriate pins as sturdy as those in a 9-pin tube. That said I found 2 diagrams (A & B) at Frank's which shows a measurement of ~1.02mm for the pins, which converts to ~18ga. Of course, you can find tubes with some pins that are thicker than others.

Also, given the usual approach is a tube base and socket, then combined to make a bias probe, have you looked at the 9pin plugs offered from various vendors on ebay? One of these 3 (A, B, C) seem like they'd make a better packaged fit to a 9-pin socket than the p.c. board you linked.

[HotBluePlates]

...  Apparently, the yamamoto sockets can be disassembled.  If you want the socket pins, it appears that they are available, some disassembly required.  ...

You realize those 9-pin Yamamoto sockets are ~$47 each, plus shipping from Europe or Japan. That seems a poor choice for Buy 'n Cannibalize.