Gab wrote:
Your chassis is just awesome. I have a favor to ask : I would love to see what you have used to build it and how ! If you have anything about the build itself, I would love to see it ! Thanks in advance and keep up the good work !
I didn't photograph the machining, I didn't think anyone would be interested
Remember copper and brass are toxic so wear a mask and wash your hands!
The design started by buying a sheet of copper on line. I guillotined it at work and bent the two ends of the centre piece.
The end plates were drilled by hand after marking out. the Two ends were clamped in place using toolmakers clamps so I could use a blow torch and the same solder as used on copper pipe. The toolmakers clamps are all steel so it doesn't matter if they get hot.
The aluminium angle was from a hardware store and cut to the same length as the outside of the bend from end to end of the centre piece. I made two front plates with the copper plates clamped together so I could then use one of them to make the support for the potentiometers and the holes would line up for the brass drive rods.
Brass square section rod is used for the aluminium coupling these were held in a vice and drilled straight through the brass and aluminium with a tapping drill size from a Zeus manual and soldered to the front and rear plates. These held with toolmakers clamps after indelible marking in place then putting flux on the brass and clamped in place then soldered. I was going to braze but after an initial test the blue colour on the copper could not be cleaned off. However, with soldering the discoloration was removable with Solvol Autosol. I tested the soldered joint (not soft solder) with a test piece and could bend and twist the copper plate holding the brass section with mole grips the copper failed with a split without the joint breaking so I decided the joint was good enough. The hole sizes for the socket etc was marked out, chain drilled, and hand filed. PITA
The brass was bought on line as close as I could get to size then jig sawed to size and filed, I wanted to guillotine it but after an initial cut I wasn't happy with the finish. The countersinking is all hand drilled and then countersunk with a countersink bit and an electric screw-driver(more control low speed).
After some time working with the copper, I found it a PITA to drill. It can sometimes clog up the drill bit and then cause the drill to wander half way through the cut. This gives a run off which can be un acceptable, the holes are all pilot drilled first. It is possible to use a centre drill to give the drill a more rigid cut for the holes.
The initial fit for all parts were clamped in place and hand filed. It needed about 1.5-2mm removing after the first solder between the brass plate and aluminium angle. The top and bottom plates were marked out with indelible pen and a square.
Tarnishing was a problem, I tried using spray lacquer but it still discoloured after trying a few products and stripping it off with acetone I tried Everbrite which is how it is at the moment.
So sorry I can't show photos. I do have others but not machining.
Regards
M. Gregg