Banana Jack Amp Kit - No-solder Amplifier Kit on Kickstarter

[The Dude]

We're planning on one of three possible outcomes for our Kickstarter project:

1. It doesn't get funded, and we move on to something else.

2. It gets funded at the specified amount and my wife, my son, the neighbor kid and I spend the next six months putting together the 100 amps that we owe the backers in our garage workshop. Then we move on to something else.

3. It gets way over-funded (like a million dollars, as Kickstarter projects sometimes do) and we farm the whole thing out to somebody who already has a factory, engineers, etc. Then we move on to something else.

Note that all three plans end with "move on to something else". I'm an R&D guy, not a production or management type. Not going to spend my waning years doing things I don't enjoy.

You forgot option 4:

Someone gets killed or maimed with your product and you end up in jail and bankrupt.

[Gerry Rzeppa]

...whether he'll use the funds to do the project, or dissipate them frivolously as happened with another kickstarter project on pedals which was mentioned but shall remain nameless here.

Just to be clear -- I was in no way associated with the pedal project in question. Don't even know who was.

[J M Fahey]

Not going to spend my waning years doing things I don't enjoy.

Glad you put things black on white.

Since the mention of "nerd guys" I had this sensation tickling in my mind, now I see I wasn't wrong.

Anyway that's not the point.
Nor I care at all about the sound clip, that's just personal taste.

And sound does not depend on the implementation, amp can be built on toilet paper cardboard rolls, that will affect reliability but sound comes from the project itself.
A Champ is a Champ no matter where it's mounted.

My personal gripe is with building Tube High Voltage modules in easy to open acrylic boxes and having hot exposed wiring on banana jacks.

The proper way to do that is to mount circuit blocks inside usable metal cabinets, use male connectors on the module so IF you can touch them with your fingers it means they are unplugged and unpowered, and powered (main chassis) active ones are female.

Yes, you still can put a nail inside a hole or even drop a plugged amp inside your bathtub, but rather than jailing you, the Judge will write the Moronika Academy of Sciences and nominate you for a Darwin Award.

inside usable metal cabinets, use male connectors on the module..., and powered (main chassis) active ones are female.

Hey Juan !!! .... do you mean something like this?







Although there is a BIG problem with this kind of safe reliable versatile construction type ...... somebody might get very enthusiastic about it:

[J M Fahey]

Not doubleposting but I think this is bad enough to deserve its own comment:

to study the insides of the modules in light of what he's read; that's why they open up (like the book, without tools)

which is:

[Gerry Rzeppa]

The proper way to do that is to mount circuit blocks inside usable metal cabinets, use male connectors on the module so IF you can touch them with your fingers it means they are unplugged and unpowered, and powered (main chassis) active ones are female.

We seriously considered a configuration such as you suggest in the early days of this project; standard rack-mount modules, in fact, were my original thought and preference. They are, unfortunately, seriously cost-prohibitive in small quantities. Given sufficient funding for true mass-production, however, I'm sure something like you suggest would emerge. Especially since, at that level of funding, I'd be farming the whole idea out to some name-brand organization that already has the factory and the engineers (and the lawyers looking over their shoulders) to make it happen. So head on over to Kickstarter and ante up! Tell your friends! Let's not just talk about keeping kids safe; let's do something about it!

[potatofarmer]

So head on over to Kickstarter and ante up! Tell your friends! Let's not just talk about keeping kids safe; let's do something about it!

You've missed your calling; you should be in politics. "The federal government has too much authority! Elect me to office and I'll singlehandedly change everything!"

let's do something about it!

Yeah, but you have to sign up for Kickstarter to report this project as unsafe.

[R.G.]

Yeah, but you have to sign up for Kickstarter to report this project as unsafe.

I keep waffling about whether to do that or not. I'm guessing it won't make funding, but if it looks like it might, maybe I'll get motivated to think of this as more than an ugly joke.

[Mark Hammer]

Little Bits is exactly what came to mind.

[gui_tarzan]

Gerry, are you going to address the issue of exposed high voltage when someone pulls a cable out or opens a module? You have yet to do so from what I've read. If you don't, I can only come to the conclusion that you are not concerned about anyone's safety or serious about doing this project.

[Gerry Rzeppa]

Gerry, are you going to address the issue of exposed high voltage when someone pulls a cable out or opens a module? You have yet to do so from what I've read. If you don't, I can only come to the conclusion that you are not concerned about anyone's safety or serious about doing this project.

1. The following warning (or something very much like it) will appear on every page of the instructions, in an eye-catching color and font: "DANGER! HIGH VOLTAGE! ALWAYS REMOVE THE POWER CORD BEFORE WORKING ON THE AMP. DO NOT INSERT, REMOVE, OR OTHERWISE FIDDLE WITH THE BANANA CABLES WHEN THE POWER CORD IS PLUGGED IN. DO NOT OPEN THE MODULES WHEN THE POWER CORD IS PLUGGED IN. AND DO NOT PLUG IN THE AMP UNLESS ALL MODULES ARE CLOSED AND BOTH ENDS OF ALL CABLES ARE SECURELY INSERTED IN THE SPECIFIED JACKS."

2. If funding exceeds our specified minimum and/or we find a vendor who is able to supply "sheathed" banana jacks and plugs at a reasonable price, we will incorporate those into the design.

3. If funding far exceeds our specified minimum, as I outlined in a previous post, we'll be handing the whole project over to a "name-brand organization that already has the factory and the engineers (and the lawyers looking over their shoulders)" to make even more safety and liability-reduction modifications.

And so, it all comes down to money. One does what one can with what one has. Minimum funding, reasonable safety precautions. Moderate funding, more safety precautions. Maximum funding, extreme safety and liability-reduction precautions. The good news is you can help! Contribute! I'm pretty sure anything close to a million dollars will put us into category 3!

[Gerry Rzeppa]

I keep waffling about whether to [report this project as unsafe to Kickstarter] or not. I'm guessing it won't make funding, but if it looks like it might, maybe I'll get motivated to think of this as more than an ugly joke.

Ah, but more funding means more safety. As I just explained to another member here:

1. The following warning (or something very much like it) will appear on every page of the instructions, in an eye-catching color and font: "DANGER! HIGH VOLTAGE! ALWAYS REMOVE THE POWER CORD BEFORE WORKING ON THE AMP. DO NOT INSERT, REMOVE, OR OTHERWISE FIDDLE WITH THE BANANA CABLES WHEN THE POWER CORD IS PLUGGED IN. DO NOT OPEN THE MODULES WHEN THE POWER CORD IS PLUGGED IN. AND DO NOT PLUG IN THE AMP UNLESS ALL MODULES ARE CLOSED AND BOTH ENDS OF ALL CABLES ARE SECURELY INSERTED IN THE SPECIFIED JACKS."

2. If funding exceeds our specified minimum and/or we find a vendor who is able to supply "sheathed" banana jacks and plugs at a reasonable price, we will incorporate those into the design.

3. If funding far exceeds our specified minimum, as I outlined in a previous post, we'll be handing the whole project over to a "name-brand organization that already has the factory and the engineers (and the lawyers looking over their shoulders)" to make even more safety and liability-reduction modifications.

See? it all comes down to money. One does what one can with what one has. Minimum funding, reasonable safety precautions. Moderate funding, more safety precautions. Maximum funding, extreme safety and liability-reduction precautions. The good news is you can help! Contribute! I'm pretty sure anything close to a million dollars will put us into category 3!

[big_teee]

If it is a kit with instructions?
How is that different from any other Amp kit?
I can buy any number of amp kits, and If I don't know how to build them, they can be dangerous.
How is this any different with this kit, with proper instructions.
Anyone can buy a champ amp kit and build it? Regardless of their qualifications?
This forum makes it sound like no amp kit should be available, because of the potential of danger?
With proper labeling, and proper instruction, I see nothing wrong with it!
T
**The Champ Amp Kit is usually considered the starter kit for new builders.
This sounds safer than the Champ!

[Gerry Rzeppa]

If it is a kit with instructions?
How is that different from any other Amp kit?
I can buy any number of amp kits, and If I don't know how to build them, they can be dangerous.
How is this any different with this kit, with proper instructions.
Anyone can buy a champ amp kit and build it? Regardless of their qualifications?
This forum makes it sound like no amp kit should be available, because of the potential of danger?
With proper labeling, and proper instruction, I see nothing wrong with it!
T
**The Champ Amp Kit is usually considered the starter kit for new builders.
This sounds safer than the Champ!

Well said.

[g1]

The good news is you can help! Contribute! I'm pretty sure anything close to a million dollars will put us into category 3!

Gerry, I'm sure it will help if you get a headset mic like Vince, the sham-wow!! guy, or better yet, get him on board and I'm in!

[g1]

Terry, you don't have exposed jacks to the B+ with a Champ kit, I think this is where the concern is coming from.
It's dangerous enough for people who know what they are doing to be probing around in an amp that is normally closed up. This would have novices dealing with exposed high voltage terminals.