tube socket materials?

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Question:

There is quite a range of pricing and materials for tube sockets out there. In a home brew, should I be concerned about whether it’s ceramic, phenolic, etc.? Specifically, I’m thinking about a Champ-like amp, but with ss rectifier and a 6AQ5 (7-pin) and a 12AX7. I assume it is wise to get a socket with a shield for the 12AX7. (I’ve got a Telefunken 6AQ5 burning a hole in my pocket ;~}) Sure would appreciate your thoughts. BTW, I’ve got a NOS Stancor A-3852 comming, complete with original spec sheet. This is one of those universal output transformers. My thinking is that it gives me some options. It wan’t much money, so I can always eBay it if I don’t like what I got. Along with the other iron I got off that curbside find TV, I think I’m getting there. Just taking my good old time about it. Once I get some tube sockets, I can probably start to build. I was liking tubesandmore.com for a source — plenty of stuff to pick from and decent pictures. Thanks. Phil

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -There is quite a range of pricing and materials for tube sockets out there. In a home brew, should I be concerned about whether it’s ceramic, phenolic, etc.? Specifically, I’m thinking about a Champ-like amp, but with ss rectifier and a 6AQ5 (7-pin) and a 12AX7. I assume it is wise to get a socket with a shield for the 12AX7. (I’ve got a Telefunken 6AQ5 burning a hole in my pocket ;~}) Sure would appreciate your thoughts. BTW, I’ve got a NOS Stancor A-3852 comming, complete with original spec sheet. This is one of those universal output transformers. My thinking is that it gives me some options. It wan’t much money, so I can always eBay it if I don’t like what I got. Along with the other iron I got off that curbside find TV, I think I’m getting there. Just taking my good old time about it. Once I get some tube sockets, I can probably start to build. I was liking tubesandmore.com for a source — plenty of stuff to pick from and decent pictures. Thanks. Phil

I mostly use some NOS sockets from Europe, they are just made of phenolic plastic or something, but the important thing to me is the tightness of the contacts. These are tight as hell! Unfortunately they will soon be used up, and I am going to try some ceramic and some plastic that I just bought. One thing to check is the mounting hole size, some of the ceramics I bought require a bigger hole and that’s a bummer. I prefer the 3/4 hole size, the 7/8 don’t leave enough metal for the mounting screws… plus if you are replacing a socket it means re-punching the chassis… (I don’t have a 7/8 punch)

Response:

Bob, Thanks. I’ll probably go on the cheap side, with the 7-pin at under $1 and the shielded 9-pin for about $3. I’ll have to buy a bunch of other stuff (resistors, caps, pots) just to spread out the shipping charges. I haven’t found a local source in Baltimore. Anyone out there have a suggestion for a local source? Didn’t think so. Hole size….hmm… I haven’t thought this one through. I’m adapting a copper TV chassis for this job. I haven’t figured out how to make the holes for the sockets. Figuring that I’m working with copper, much softer than steel or aluminum, I could see if I can just borrow a big mutha drill of some kind. I can even bring my piece to the drill. I’ll only need it for 10 minutes. If I can’t find one, I could resort to drilling a bunch of small holes just inside the target size and finish it with a file. I realize this won’t be professional, but what the heck. With patience and care, I could probably manage two holes. Phil

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There is quite a range of pricing and materials for tube sockets out there. In a home brew, should I be concerned about whether it’s ceramic, phenolic, etc.? Specifically, I’m thinking about a Champ-like amp, but with ss rectifier and a 6AQ5 (7-pin) and a 12AX7. I assume it is wise to get a socket with a shield for the 12AX7. (I’ve got a Telefunken 6AQ5 burning a hole in my pocket ;~}) Sure would appreciate your thoughts. BTW, I’ve got a NOS Stancor A-3852 comming, complete with original spec sheet. This is one of those universal output transformers. My thinking is that it gives me some options. It wan’t much money, so I can always eBay it if I don’t like what I got. Along with the other iron I got off that curbside find TV, I think I’m getting there. Just taking my good old time about it. Once I get some tube sockets, I can probably start to build. I was liking tubesandmore.com for a source — plenty of stuff to pick from and decent pictures. Thanks. Phil I mostly use some NOS sockets from Europe, they are just made of phenolic plastic or something, but the important thing to me is the tightness of the contacts. These are tight as hell! Unfortunately they will soon be used up, and I am going to try some ceramic and some plastic that I just bought. One thing to check is the mounting hole size, some of the ceramics I bought require a bigger hole and that’s a bummer. I prefer the 3/4 hole size, the 7/8 don’t leave enough metal for the mounting screws… plus if you are replacing a socket it means re-punching the chassis… (I don’t have a 7/8 punch) Bob, Thanks. I’ll probably go on the cheap side, with the 7-pin at under $1 and the shielded 9-pin for about $3. I’ll have to buy a bunch of other stuff (resistors, caps, pots) just to spread out the shipping charges. I haven’t found a local source in Baltimore. Anyone out there have a suggestion for a local source? Didn’t think so. Hole size….hmm… I haven’t thought this one through. I’m adapting a copper TV chassis for this job. I haven’t figured out how to make the holes for the sockets. Figuring that I’m working with copper, much softer than steel or aluminum, I could see if I can just borrow a big mutha drill of some kind. I can even bring my piece to the drill. I’ll only need it for 10 minutes. If I can’t find one, I could resort to drilling a bunch of small holes just inside the target size and finish it with a file. I realize this won’t be professional, but what the heck. With patience and care, I could probably manage two holes. Phil

Go to the big Reno center in your town and just buy a single hole saw with arbor; I like the Milwaukee stuff, it’s not expensive… except for the 4" ones!!

Response:

Hi Phil. For aluminum, I’ve used a drill designed for drilling holes in wooden doors. Wear glasses and grit your teeth. Spin the drill in reverse to score the line a bit first and go slow near the end. Copper is softer than aluminum. Sure will look pretty with glowing tubes. Idea. I put a sheet of clear acrylic over the faceplate on one amp, that protects the stick-on lettering. It extends down like a window so you can see the tubes from the front. Be nice to display that copper chassis somehow. I like tubesandmore. They send me postcards. Living in that northern territory, Canada, I pay federal tax, provincial tax, currency exchange, AND a $5.00 customs charge on an order from the US, unopened. Butt… if it’s 10 caps in an envelope from AE, yippee, no tax, no nothing. Go figure. Porky

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Porky & Bob, Thanks for the good advice. Home Depot is not too far from here. Phil

Response:

Neither does anyone else, apparently. I checked with an electrical supply house, and they go from 3/4 to 1" according to all their info. If anyone knows of one, let me know. I hate hole saws for this kind of work. Jeff

Response:

"Jeff Engelmann" wrote (I don’t have a 7/8 punch) Neither does anyone else, apparently. I checked with an electrical supply house, and they go from 3/4 to 1" according to all their info. If anyone knows of one, let me know. I hate hole saws for this kind of work. Jeff

Hiya, There you go: http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=7701 Hope this helps Trev

Response:

A 1/2" conduit punch *is* 7/8" -Dave

Response:

(I don’t have a 7/8 punch) Neither does anyone else, apparently. I checked with an electrical supply house, and they go from 3/4 to 1" according to all their info. If anyone knows of one, let me know. I hate hole saws for this kind of work. Jeff

A 1/2" conduit punch measures 7/8" -Dave

Response:

Hey thanks for the info!

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I was going to buy one till I saw the price – over $75 here…. maybe someday!

Response:

For 9-pin tube socket holes, go to Sears, or any hardware store and buy a "uni-bit". Its a stepped drill bit, they can go as high 1 1/4". However, the ones you’ll find at Sears and hardware stores usually don’t go over 7/8". I was going to buy one till I saw the price – over $75 here…. maybe someday!

What do those conduit punches cost that Dave Curtis was mentioning? Pete — How can you doubt thousands of years of superstition? –Grim

Response:

I haven’t been following this thread but I saw these mentioned on the Hoffman forum: http://www.oselectronics.com/ose_p64.htm Peter

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<<BOB: I was going to buy one till I saw the price – over $75 here…. maybe someday! Bob, they’re a huge time saver, worth every penny. You won’t find me wrenching on a hand punch. Doug

Response:

The smaller (1/2" conduit) setup *might* be cheaper than the 7/8" step-drill (unibit), but it’s been a while since I bought either. I’ve had the 7/8 bit a very long time. I’ve had the knockout forever. It makes a much cleaner hole. If you do get one, get the Greenlee Slugbuster. The 1 1/8" (3/4 conduit) unibit cost me almost $50 about 5 years ago. electrical supply house. You should be able to buy just the 1/2" die, cutter and drawbolt. Even if it’s a bit more costly than a unibit, IMO it’s worth it. -Dave

Response:

Well, at Doug’s suggestion, I checked it out. They cost in the low $30’s depending on where and exactly what. I’m trying to do this on the cheap. I’ll hatch an alternative solution. Even two hole saws are going to run me $15 or so. I’ll have to find someone with tools. Phil

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I saw some for that price, but I looked around, and got a decent one for about $30.

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Bob, they’re a huge time saver, worth every penny. You won’t find me wrenching on a hand punch. Doug

Sometimes in a tight spot I’ll have to break out the hand punch, but usually it’s the 707 hydrualic set. The 7/8" step-drill for the drawbolt hole for the bigger holes (up to 4"). The Slugbuster cutter is a lot easier to wrench, too. -Dave

Response:

I haven’t been following this thread but I saw these mentioned on the Hoffman forum: http://www.oselectronics.com/ose_p64.htm Peter

Hmmm. No 7/8" or 1 1/8". No bearing on the drawbolt will make for some hard wrenching as will the cutters. Slugbusters are great (Greenlee), but more costly. -Dave

Response:

<<BOB: I was going to buy one till I saw the price – over $75 here…. maybe someday! Bob, they’re a huge time saver, worth every penny. You won’t find me wrenching on a hand punch. Doug

I have a small unibit at work but it seems that every hole I make is too big! The step sizes are too much I guess… I guess I’ll look around more for a decent one with fine steps… I have a drill set that is very fine… but it takes work to get a round hole!

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