Welcome to the Machine Head (5e3 version)

[Joe6v6]

Heres a little someting ive been working on in my spare time for the last 3 months or so. I have a lot of metal working tools at my house & a friend of mine bought a bridgeport that I can use, so I wanted to incorperate some Machine work into a chassis. Everything is 6061 t6 aluminum except the main part of the Chassis which is 3003. I went back & forth on what color to anodize it & Im glad I setteled on black & red, even though I may end up making new knobs & anodizing them red. The ones that are on there now are brass with an aluminum ring at the base, I cut the brass o.d. .003 bigger than the i.d. of an aluminum ring (interfierence fit) pressed the ring on & then cut both at the same time on a lathe. . I only used 2 inputs so I wouldnt clutter up the front of the amp, the little switch puts a 1 meg resistor in or out of the normal channel input, Sounds great & looks cool in my living room. I have a lot more pics as I was building it. Let me know what you think, I already know im nuts so you can leave that part out. . . JOE
http://img350.imageshack.us/img350/335/picture061wg1.th.jpg (http://img350.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture061wg1.jpg)http://img350.imageshack.us/img350/756/picture063tv4.th.jpg (http://img350.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture063tv4.jpg)http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/4488/picture065ou2.th.jpg (http://img121.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture065ou2.jpg)http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/1174/picture066vk5.th.jpg (http://img367.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture066vk5.jpg)http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/3532/picture067gw3.th.jpg (http://img121.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture067gw3.jpg)http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/6038/picture028wh9.th.jpg (http://img367.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture028wh9.jpg)

[Andy]

that is a great looking amp. what does it sound like? did you build a fender or marshall clone, or is it something original?

[markbul]

Damn... I'd sell my ex-wife to the pygmies for access to a Bridgeport. Nice work.

:D

[Chris / CMW amps]

Way cool, I really like "not common looks" regarding amps.

[Andy]

you know, I just noticed that it said "5e3 version" at the top... so ignore my question about what circuit you used....

[petemoore]

Tha's a real Badeass Lookin' / Showpiece Amplifier you got yourself goin' there !
I like to see "The mind has pressed the hand into providing outstanding service"..in an object!
Looks like 1000+ thoughtful strokes.

[Steve Conner]

Nice chassis! I made the "Toaster" in a chassis machined from 1/8" aluminium back in 1999/2000:

http://scopeboy.com/toastpix.html

It was all done with hand tools except the front panel, that I made on a small mill that a friend had in his garage. I was a milling newbie and I think the leadscrews on his mill were a bit worn out, so my vent holes ended up a bit "J-Legged" :(

This amp is still working fine and has been gigged quite a lot. It's a totally new design rather than a clone. I think I like it most as a bass amp using the clean channel, so one of these days I ought to make a 400 watt version called the 400 Pound Griller :D

[Ray Ivers]

Steve,

That's the first time I'd seen chassis pictures of it - nice!

There's nothing quite like a machined chassis, IMO. :)

Ray