[Elecraft] EC2 Clone (Was The 1500 watt amp)

[N2TK, Tony]

Nice work. Definitely looks better than some of the prototype boxes I have
had to make over the years. 
73,
N2TK, Tony

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Wes
Stewart
Sent: Monday, August 01, 2016 6:26 PM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] EC2 Clone (Was The 1500 watt amp)

Nice work!

I too have built my own enclosures with similar techniques.  A couple of my
projects can be seen here: http://sadxa.org/n7ws.html#amp

Although at the time I had access to a prototype workshop, I have done
similar work at home with comparable results.  If possible, I avoid bends.
In all of this stuff I used 0.062" 6061-T6 material so it wasn't going to
bend anyway.  
The harder alloy drills like a dream. For all of the corner joinery I used
3/8" 
square stock, 8/32 threads and stainless steel screws

In the protoshop, I had access to a shear but all of the sheared edges were
still smoothed by hand.  I had a granite surface plate and used a vernier
height gauge for layout so similar parts were interchangeable.  In the home
shop I lay out as carefully as possible and match drill on a drill press.
Most people can't tell the difference.  With a lot of elbow grease a hacksaw
works, although after a lot of furniture building and finish sanding, I
needed rotator cuff surgery so I don't do that anymore.  With extreme care
and I do mean extreme, a carbide toothed blade on a table saw will cut
aluminum if it's thick enough and the blade has fine enough teeth.
Otherwise I use a bandsaw, which is always safer, if less precise.

In the protoshop I had access to chemical dip baths for passivating the
aluminum, silver plating the RF parts and a panograph engraver for panel
lettering.  Silver looks nice, but is highly overrated as an RF conductor.*
In the home shop, before the un-elected bureaucrats in DC decided we were
too stupid to handle lye (judging by the electorate they may be right), I
would etch aluminum in a lye bath, rinse and neutralize with vinegar and a
final water rinse.  This would yield a nice satin finish.  The best I have
found since is oven cleaner.

Another finish, if you like the look, can be had by using a random-orbit
sander Play with the grit until you find something you like.  Sanding it wet
with a little cutting oil can be fun, albeit messy, too.

Tube amplifier still have their virtues and, along with antennas, can be
great roll-your-own projects that can work better than what you can buy.

Wes  N7Ws

* http://k6mhe.com/n7ws/Plating.pdf


On 8/1/2016 9:36 AM, EricJ wrote:
> If you can build whatever you want, you can easily build the 
> enclosure. Here is an EC2 clone I built last week in about 6 hours. I 
> made the side panels with a hacksaw, file and drill press. The front 
> panel I cut and formed with an inexpensive 8" shear/brake. This one is 
> branded Grizzly, but Harbor Freight has them as well. I didn't use the 
> Elecraft 2D fasteners because I only had 2 on hand and didn't want to 
> make a bunch of little fussy pieces. I used 4 long sections of 1/4" 
> square aluminum stock and drilled them with the same hole pattern as 
> the 2D fasteners. The front panel will get painted after I drill and punch
it for the current project.
>
> https://flic.kr/p/KBivtc
>
> The smaller K1 enclosure is nearly the same design (slightly different 
> top
> cover) so it scales down easily. It would scale up for a large amp 
> just as easily. The cost of the EC2-clone was about $4 in materials
(0.080" and 0.050"
> sheet and 1/4" bar stock). All can be built with a hacksaw, file and a 
> hand drill. A bandsaw and a drill press make it more precise. A 
> shear/brake makes it even easier.
>
> Eric KE6US

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