Transformer Flux Bands

[bob orbell]

Chris, I assume you are talking about your 6550, I had one and yes, the mains transformer did get hot, don't panic, it is now over 20 years old and with a good friend, it still gets hot and sounds very good, it is all original except for the rectifier mod. and still on the original tubes, oh, the main fuse is now 2 amps. My WA88 does run cooler I think this is because of the larger main transformer, the aluminium covers were made because A, there was some material at my last employ and B, it seemed like a good idea at the time, but it does look good. Bob

[Chris]

Bob, twenty years with the same tubes? if these were tyres there would be no tread, lol. I have a loft full of tubes that I pulled after 2 years use but that's down to me worrying too much, I have bought tube tester so now I can check their health, long term I hope to save some money.
Have to keep the 6550 now as I just bought a box of 24, so am good for a hundred years.
Will have to check out your Tx's covers.

Chris

[Richard]

Originally Posted by bob orbell

Chrome transformer covers, they do look nice and serve a purpose, away back when I read in Morgan Jones book about shiny things next to valves and me being me decided to make the covers from solid chunks of aluminium, I also did this to my KEL84 pictured on here somewhere, they are machined to a similar shape as the originals but about 25mm higher with fine fins machined in them they were anodized satin black, they do look very good on the WA88, they still get warm but not quite as warm as the chrome tops and I hear no difference in sound, but it gave me something to do for about 12 hours. Bob

Hi Bob it would be good if you can find a link or post a pic of the TX covers

[bob orbell]

Hi Richard, I will try to get round to it, there are pictures of my KEL 84 with aluminium home made covers on here, cant find it though. Bob

[bob orbell]

http://www.world-designs.co.uk/forum...8&d=1439396391 This is the same but no fins and natural aluminium. Bob

[Chris]

Bob that's a great job on the TX's covers, am not sure how I would attempt to do that from a solid piece of Aluminium and leave it with such a fine finish. This just goes to show that diy can excel where mass production would whimper with such demands on it.

Will have to talk the misses into getting CNC machine, could easily do her new kitchen with one of them, then knock out some speakers..

https://ooznest.co.uk/product/workbe...wE#size-colour

Chris.

[bob orbell]

They were all done on my milling machine Chris. Bob

[Richard]

Thats great Bob I bet the black finned ones look like the car rocker covers we used to buy in the 70's

[bob orbell]

I will get the power amp out and give it a dust down sometime then take some pictures, the fins, are only on the power transformer and run from side to side, so looking from the front the fins are not visible, if I had access to a CNC mill, the covers could be turned out in about 3/4 hour. Bob