[JMS] info please <<Modulator Meter>>
Don Buska
D.Buska at Advantest.com
Thu Aug 11 13:39:45 EDT 2005
Don't recall making a template. Basically measure, sketch it on paper, measure again, make corrections to paper, cut, drill. The basic basement workshop type of thing, hi.
I do recall on mine:
1. Needed to make a brass cover for the modulator chassis. This cover is actually the piece that wraps around the chassis as received from JME. It is a four sided box. Again, I don't think I made a template but simply marked it directly onto a piece of brass sheet material I had. I marked the bend lines and then cut it out on my band saw. Took that over to a local HVAC place and they bent it into the box for me.
2. Measured where the holes should go for the differing controls and jacks on the modulator chassis. Also the holes for the tabs on the modulator chassis that hold the two piece together. Marked the brass cover for all holes. Again measured everything again! Drilled out all. The meter is smack tab in the middle of the chassis so it's a no brainer (Big Hole Saw).
3. Screwed it together to confirm it mated well and that the controls and jacks lined up. Then disassembled them and spray painted the new brass cover piece to match the modulator chassis.
4. The chassis cover we just made can now be used as the drill pattern for the front panel. The front panel rack is marked and drilled to center the chassis assembly behind it. To hold the chassis cover just made to the rack front I drilled four small (I forget either #4 or #6 screws) holes through the rack front and chassis. I used counter sunk screws (I think now that I used #4 screws as #6's wouldn't work for the thickness of the front rack panel - not enough thickness to counter sink properly). Now you won't have to go through all this if you don't mind having the screw heads visible on the finished product. However, since I didn't see these mounting screws on the original Millen front panel I opted to hide them.
5. After a mounting check of the front rack panel to the modulator unit and a verification that all holes align properly again disassemble it all.
6. Paint the rack front panel (front and back) with black wrinkle paint. Unless you already have the right size rack in black wrinkle.
7. Next I went to the local hobby/craft store and bought a couple pieces of thin aluminum sheet. To duplicate the Millen front metal label plates it is required to do it using two pieces. Cut the sheet to the same height as those on the Millen 90801 transmitter. Each sheet will only go to the middle of the rack front! On mine I didn't round the corners of the label plates like the other Millen products. I think I was having a hard time getting Corel Draw to make the corners look just like the Millen's and finally determined it looked best to just leave them square, i.e. I gave up! Once the two aluminum pieces are cut center them on the front panel so that the two pieces butt together nicely in the middle of the rack panel. Use tape to hold them down.
8. From the back side of the rack front scribe the holes through to the aluminum plates.
9. Remove the aluminum plates and drill out the hole. Be careful drilling these aluminum sheet. Being so thin you will need to start holes small and work up one drill size at a time. If you increase the drill size to fast it could easily bind when drilling and bend the sheet! The meter will be an interesting cut out. Since each aluminum plate will only have half the meter hole. I forget how I did it. Most likely I used the band saw to cut each roughly and then filed it out.
10. Prepare the clear transparent front sheets (I have bit map images of both halves of the front label plates I can send to you via email - just ask). I used a laser printer. They were actually reverse printed so the actual printout is on the side of the transparency that is in contact with the aluminum plate. The front panel then is glossy looking and the labeling won't scratch off.
11. Cut the transparencies down so that they are the same size as the aluminum sheets. You will also need to cut out all the holes. I used a spray on clear glue to hold them down to the aluminum sheets.
*** A note here. I've also used clear sticker material to do the same thing. This stuff is available from office supply joints. The only problem using this stuff is the printout will need to be printed (not reversed) on the side of the sticker which will be away from the aluminum sheets. Thus it will be prone to scratches and will also be a dull black finish. Still it doesn't look all that bad. If you look at the big picture of my Millen rack setup in my station setup pdf file the LV power supply unit right below my modulator uses the clear sticker method. You can see that it is a dull flat black. I also sprayed an overcoat of clear protective lacquer - just make sure it doesn't contain acetone!
12. Now before the aluminum label sheets get applied to the front rack panel we must secure the chassis cover first. This is because I used the countersunk screws and lock washers nuts. Do a nice tight job securing the cover if you choose this method. Once the aluminum label plates are applied it will be a real pain later if the screws loosen up!
13. With the chassis cover secured to the rack panel the aluminum label plates can be applied to the rack panel front. I used the same clear spray on glue (got this from an Arts and Crap Store too) to attach the plates down. Make sure that all the holes line up between the chassis cover, rack and aluminum plates. This alignment is something you should be doing along the way after things get drilled.
14. If my memory is correct none of the front panel controls or connectors are actually secured to the front panel. They are all attached to the modulator chassis. The only things that will hold the chassis cover we constructed to the front panel will be those four hidden screws and the meter mounting screws. That's why I added the hidden screws. I was afraid the meter screws could break if they were all that held the modulator to the front panel!
15. The meter needs to slide in from the front panel. It is secured with the standard four nuts. Note the nuts actually will be inside the chassis cover. Notice the meter nearly covers the completed aluminum label plates seam!
16. With the modulator chassis is close proximity to the chassis cover, connect the meter leads in the modulator to the meter.
17. Slide the modulator chassis into the chassis cover and install all #6 mounting screws. The modulator chassis is already tapped for #6 screws. Thus our constructed chassis cover only has clearance holes.
18. Install the two knobs. Original Millen mandatory, hi hi. Don't use those early National look-alikes - James would roll over in his grave.....
** Side Note - Only a true Millen fan can tell the difference between the National and Millen bar knobs from the front side - yes they are very different - it will be on the next test....
19. Your done and ready to Modulate the World....... Ok you'll need to run some wires and power.
The one nice thing about my modulator is that unlike all factory units I fixed a layout flaw in the front labeling. The clearance hole for the mic jack on all Millen made units, except the tall panel modulator, ended up bigger than the original art work for the front panels. Thus the word "MICROPHONE" is covered somewhat by the hole trim ring. I moved that label up a bit and my ring is part of the artwork and not an actual metal piece.
Well, I didn't expect to do this much writing when I started the reply, but once I started I got carried away.
Good luck Ronnie. Although this may not look original at close inspection it does pass as original to the casual observer.
73,
Don N9OO
P.S. Did you want my old meter?
-----Original Message-----
From: james_millen_society-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:james_millen_society-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of ronnie.hull
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 8:56 AM
To: The James Millen Society Members Email Reflector
Subject: RE: [JMS] info please <<Modulator Meter>>
Don
as usual thanks so much for your help. One more questions. When you put a front panel on your modulator, did you have a template for drilling holes and etc?
Thanks
Ronnie
---------- Original Message -----------
From: "Don Buska" <D.Buska at Advantest.com>
To: "The James Millen Society Members Email Reflector"
<james_millen_society at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 09:03:28 -0700
Subject: RE: [JMS] info please <<Modulator Meter>>
> Hi Ronnie,
>
> I bought the one that Bob WØYVA had for sale on his website and
> advertised here on the reflector. Same use on my end as I too had one
> of the JME partial built 90831's. Maybe Ralph still has some meters
> instock. If not when I replace mine I will have the current
> non-Millen meter that I used. It looks very close to the original and
> mine has a slightly higher (250mA vs 200mA) current range. You can
> see the picture of mine in the pdf file in my Millen Station Setup
> article on the JMS site. Click on the link to Bob's migration site as
> the pdf file will download much faster! I would be happy to give you
> the old meter to get you started. Plus, it will give me the incentive
> to pull the modulator apart and change to the Millen meter.
>
> 73
>
> Don N9OO
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: james_millen_society-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:james_millen_society-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
ronnie.hull
> Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 8:59 AM
> To: james_millen_society at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [JMS] info please
>
> Last year sometime I became the proud father of a Millen 40W modulator
> for the 90800/01. I bought it from Millen brand spanking new, with
> one hitch. It came with no meter or front panel.
>
> I think I remember reading somewhere that one of the list members had
> bought one of these, and had built up the front panel and meter.
> I need info on this. Would love to have mine ready to fly, if and when
> I ever get a power su pply for it and the 90801 built up.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Ronnie - W5SUM
>
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