Consider this Filter Cap build/repair

[p2pAmps]

Guys,

Consider this the next time you do a cap job.  Give your leads some room to flex (because they will).  I also use RTV silicone under each cap to hold em down. 
This technique will not slow you down much at all IMHO and will keep you from a re-visit from your customer (Hopefully)

Would love to hear from anyone who thinks this is a bad idea and can show me a better way.  My personal Goal is to be the best I can be...

Cheers,
Scaggs

[shooter]

make sure you hold the wire lead in a way you don't flex the cap/lead joint, otherwise there shouldn't be a problem, a solution 

[p2pAmps]

make sure you hold the wire lead in a way you don't flex the cap/lead joint, otherwise there shouldn't be a problem, a solution 

Thanks Shooter.  Yeah, I always use pliers to hold that lead when I bend but a good reminder.  Mojo caps will snap off in a second too!  I'm use F&T myself

[sluckey]

Rich Koerner puts pig tails on his caps for the same reason...

[shooter]

Mojo caps

Yup, used lots of sailor words when it happened 

[p2pAmps]

Rich Koerner puts pig tails on his caps for the same reason...

I like it!

[jjasilli]

Good tip! 

[ginger]

Odd... in 30 years  , I've never snapped a lead off any cap , unless they are reused and reshaped over and over .

[sluckey]

I've broken plenty. Usually the negative lead. Always right where the lead attaches to the aluminum body. Sometimes it's my fault, other times just poor manufacturing.

[EL34]

Cool tip
Weird though that after repairing a zillion Fender amps, never saw a lead broken on a cap board
Lots of other stupid shit though :)


I always went straight out from the cap body, then a finger radius curve and then straight down to the eyelet
I guess that method still has some wiggle room because the leads are curved


Not in a straight line from cap to eyelet, which would have zero wiggle room if you did that

[p2pAmps]

Cool tip
Weird though that after repairing a zillion Fender amps, never saw a lead broken on a cap board
Lots of other stupid shit though :)


I always went straight out from the cap body, then a finger radius curve and then straight down to the eyelet
I guess that method still has some wiggle room because the leads are curved


Not in a straight line from cap to eyelet, which would have zero wiggle room if you did that

Have repaired 3 this year already...  maybe Nashville boys are tougher on their gear lol

[p2pAmps]

Rich Koerner puts pig tails on his caps for the same reason...

OK Steve, I tried this method this morning and I like it...

[sluckey]

Oink, oink!   

[p2pAmps]

Oink, oink!   

HA!  BTW, I had my damn gallbladder out yesterday and got in all kinds of trouble from my wife for working on amps this morning.  Can't get away with anything around here LOL

[jjasilli]

I've always done what Doug says, but will try a new trick.

[p2pAmps]

I've always done what Doug says, but will try a new trick.

DK = Doug Knows

[shooter]

Oink, oink!

I liked the original 180, up n over look, just seems more "aesthetic" 

[sluckey]

But this is just so cute!

[EL34]

That's the makings of a swine harp

Just need 3 rubber bands stretched over the pig butts

Then find 3 guys to pluck the rubber bands with their teeth

[jojokeo]

So bending downward into turrets or eyelets has always been fine for me? But figuring that I've gone straight into tag strips also, and to this point have yet to have an issue here also, what is it that happens? Do the caps want to pull inward and stress the joint? Or push outwardly? (either way causing possible stress???)

[jojokeo]

That's the makings of a swine harp

Just need 3 rubber bands stretched over the pig butts

Then find 3 guys to pluck the rubber bands with their teeth

A little off topic butt...

I'm pretty much in the City but saw something interestingly funny - especially for my area. A young surfer dude riding down a pathway through a remote area barefoot on his skateboard, no shirt, and playing a BANJO!??? What the heck?!?!?! 

[sluckey]

That's the makings of a swine harp

Just need 3 rubber bands stretched over the pig butts

Then find 3 guys to pluck the rubber bands with their teeth

We have the one band version down here in LA. Call it the swinette. Sounds like wee, wee, wee!

[p2pAmps]

So bending downward into turrets or eyelets has always been fine for me?

Me too butt....

I have had 3 repairs come in this year already with broken cap leads.  I guess these Nashville cats bang this stuff around a lot in buses and such.  I'm just trying something new to avoid free repairs 

Pork Butt for dinner tonight!

[jojokeo]

Agreed, always nice to know little extras like this.

[shooter]

Oink, oink!

in the City

playing a BANJO!???

   

Aside;
I was taking my teen Sundayskoolers on MI's "best" lower P river, the full length of the Pine, so I put them through a pretty intensive training, swamping a canoe in 20' water, rescue, 1st aid.....

those that passed, I had a "In Church" sleep-over before we head out in the Morning, I made them watch deliverance   

[66Strat]

Some 35 or so years ago Ned Beatty was in town (Louisville) for Derby. He was being interviewed by one of the local TV station morning talk show hosts when two local disc jockeys (Ron Clay and Terry Mieners) came on camera and did the squeal like a pig line. Ned was not happy. This was live TV and it was both very distasteful and extremely funny. Ned's face looked much like the character he portrayed in the squeal like a pig scene.

[PRR]

> I had my damn gallbladder out yesterday and got in all kinds of trouble from my wife for working on amps this morning.

They're just stab-wounds.

[p2pAmps]

> I had my damn gallbladder out yesterday and got in all kinds of trouble from my wife for working on amps this morning.

They're just stab-wounds.

Nice story!  For me I don't eat red meat anyway and havent for over 30 years so that won't affect me. 

Wait a minute, what does this have to do with cap leads!  haha!

[Ed_Chambley]

I believe when the amps were new, the doghouse had enough rubber inside to hold against the caps.  Most times this is not replace to meet the new smaller caps.  I remember on old fenders the doghouse inside was the shape of the caps and there was a right way to put it back on and wrong way.  The rubber had formed to the caps.


If I use the fender board, I use new weatherstrip held by Gorilla Snot and make sure it is thick enough to mash onto the caps.  Probably not the best way, but makes sense to me and did to Fender at one time.  Broken leads would be from movement.  From the old Mallory to even Sprague Atoms is a size reduction and even more with the F&T.


Bend a wire lead enough and it will break.  I too am rough on my gigging amps.  Never broke a lead on a filter cap, but have borken a few Gibson Headstocks.

[jojokeo]

Nice story!  For me I don't eat red meat anyway and havent for over 30 years so that won't affect me. 

Wait a minute, what does this have to do with cap leads!  haha!

And you have two of those green eggs too!?? Chicken, fish, pork, and sausages are still okay I guess? But seems a shame no good fillets go on those? BTW Mike - your avatar sort of looks like a BBQ to me all of a sudden? 

[jojokeo]

I believe when the amps were new, the doghouse had enough rubber inside to hold against the caps.  Most times this is not replace to meet the new smaller caps.  I remember on old fenders the doghouse inside was the shape of the caps and there was a right way to put it back on and wrong way.  The rubber had formed to the caps.

I guess it's only Fender that gets all the cool nicknames like "doghouse" and "ashtray" covers, string "trees", reverb "pan", tilt back "legs", "piggyback" amps, etc?

[p2pAmps]

I believe when the amps were new, the doghouse had enough rubber inside to hold against the caps.  Most times this is not replace to meet the new smaller caps.  I remember on old fenders the doghouse inside was the shape of the caps and there was a right way to put it back on and wrong way.  The rubber had formed to the caps.

I guess it's only Fender that gets all the cool nicknames like "doghouse" and "ashtray" covers, string "trees", reverb "pan", tilt back "legs", "piggyback" amps, etc?

I just call em "Paycheck"

[alerich]

Aesthetically, I prefer your original method to the pigtail. I know the power supply filters are hidden under the doghouse on a Fender style amp but your method just looks neater and more professional.

Would the same principle apply to capacitors on the main board?

[p2pAmps]

Would the same principle apply to capacitors on the main board?

I think that is a judgement call per tech.  I don't think I will go that far as I don't see issues in that area.  Not that many of filter capes either but enough to make me take notice

[EL34]

Have repaired 3 this year already...  maybe Nashville boys are tougher on their gear lol

Maybe I just don't remember that far back
It was the 90's the last time I did any repairs 

It probably happened, but was just not something that sticks in my brain as happening that often

What does stick in my brain was the horrible conductive Fender fiberboard amps and how much grief they were able to impart on my shop

[p2pAmps]

Have repaired 3 this year already...  maybe Nashville boys are tougher on their gear lol

What does stick in my brain was the horrible conductive Fender fiberboard amps and how much grief they were able to impart on my shop

Indeed Doug on the boards!  Thats why I HIGHLY encourage customers to use Hoffman boards.  All I personally use

[shooter]

I guess it's only Fender

naw, every system I ever worked on had them.  the "suitcase" was one of the cool one's along with "tank diving".  the suitcase sat 3' down in a tank of HV oil, floating (electrically) at 140kv-dc.  to retrieve it for repair-replace you went tank diving, arm up to the pit, fishing around blindly til you found the handle.   

[Ed_Chambley]

True about the boards. Finally got around to restoring the internal components in my 62 bassman but I could not bring myself to use overboard. I kept the old one and replaced a few parts. Finding astrons at decent prices that are good is getting expensive.


I am curious Mike. Were these amps similar amps, like 3 deluxe reverb. Did the cap leads all break on one side, various places?


It seems as it would have to be from moving around, have you always silicone these. What I mean is did the leads break but no sign of the cap moving.

[Ed_Chambley]

I guess it's only Fender that gets all the cool nicknames like "doghouse" and "ashtray" covers, string "trees", reverb "pan", tilt back "legs", "piggyback" amps, etc?

necessity is the mother. Need string holder downers, a stamped steel cover for the caps, tilt back legs and piggyback I give you these. The Tele ashtray cover was a main staple on my amp when I used to smoke. What else would you call it?


I have heard pan used a lot describing chassis, I am sure in California it is not heard much, but here anything that is flat and you can fry trout in is a pan.


They do seem to have the most.

[p2pAmps]

True about the boards. Finally got around to restoring the internal components in my 62 bassman but I could not bring myself to use overboard. I kept the old one and replaced a few parts. Finding astrons at decent prices that are good is getting expensive.


I am curious Mike. Were these amps similar amps, like 3 deluxe reverb. Did the cap leads all break on one side, various places?


It seems as it would have to be from moving around, have you always silicone these. What I mean is did the leads break but no sign of the cap moving.

Hey Ed,

The leads don't normally break on my own builds but repairs that come in I find this from time to time.  I have always solicited my filter caps down.  A few times I tried drilling some holes and using zip ties which worked ok as well.  The rad played banging this stuff in and out of a Prevost bay day after might explain the abuse but Im not sure.  The leads I find are usually busted at the solder joint and not the cap (except mojo caps which are cheapos)

[ginger]

Once again... this is a really odd topic... I have never experienced what you're talking about ... in 70 year old amps even . not once. Maybe what you are seeing is a poor cap replacement ?  Guys trying to force many cap / resistor leads down into the same  dumb, tiny  Fender eyelet.. ? Then they break ?

[p2pAmps]

Once again... this is a really odd topic... I have never experienced what you're talking about ... in 70 year old amps even .

Must be these Nashville road guys beating this stuff up in the bays of buses...

[ginger]

Once again... this is a really odd topic... I have never experienced what you're talking about ... in 70 year old amps even .

Must be these Nashville road guys beating this stuff up in the bays of buses...

            No... I can't see that happening

[ginger]

If the amp was jolted that severely.. you would see it in other places in the circuit... I have seen so many horrible cap jobs , that are held together by a  tiny wisp of solder... but the Fender eyelet bullshit is a major hurdle

[p2pAmps]

Once again... this is a really odd topic... I have never experienced what you're talking about ... in 70 year old amps even .

Must be these Nashville road guys beating this stuff up in the bays of buses...

            No... I can't see that happening

Ok, I won't argue...  All I can say is what comes across my bench from time to time. 

[ginger]

ok.. just saying... I've not seen it... maybe I will tomorrow

[p2pAmps]

ok.. just saying... I've not seen it... maybe I will tomorrow

I hear ya Ginger and Im not saying I see it all the time because I certainly don't.  But with that being said I have had 3 show up since Jan.  That seems weird to me as well but it got me thinking.  One thing they all had in common was the leads were pulled tight and soldered and not attached in any other way.  I use silicone and give the leads slack, even more so now.  I don't want my name on a broken FC lead :)

Cheers

[ginger]

original caps... or cap job..at some point in the past ?

[p2pAmps]

original caps... or cap job..at some point in the past ?

Mostly cap job with one exception.  The leads I found were broke at the solder joint too except some Mojo Caps where they broke at the cap itself

[ginger]

You know the expression , " Jerry's been here" ?