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DIY noob

post #1 of 8
12/8/09 at 2:32pm
Thread Starter 
Hey, if I wish to start building does it cost a lot to get going or should I just find someone to make stuff for me?
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post #2 of 8
12/8/09 at 2:48pm
If you keep your eyes open for a good low cost temp controlled soldering iron, some needle nose, side cutters, and a cheap Digital Volt Meter, you can probably get kitted up for under $60. I would also suggest a Solder puller (desoldering device) for the inevitable mistakes/repairs that do come up. That would cover you to do the basic circuit building.

Casing is another story, but as long as you have a decent handheld drill, you can do most of the smaller holes for connectors, volume controls, etc.

Once you get into doing larger holes, IEC connector outlets etc, you start needing things like stepped bits($50), Dremel type tools(for squaring off holes, etc), which gets pricier.

I snagged a nearly new tabletop drill press for my case work for $60 a while back, its been very worthwhile for me(working on my 4th amp).
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post #3 of 8
12/9/09 at 1:52am
the first-time investment (good tools, basic supplies such as solder, wires, cable ties etc) can make it seem expensive, but if you do invest in good tools, you won't have to change them for a long long time. hence, lower cost in the long run

also, whether to make it expensive or not depends on what you're building. if you're building a $20 CMoy but then you itch to add boutique parts to it, you might even be able to surpass the price of a branded amp.

be careful with the DIY bug. don't let it bite you
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post #4 of 8
12/9/09 at 2:22am
Basic tools will run you around $100, good tools can easily climb to several hundred. I started off with a $20 Weller SP23L, a $30 hand-held drill with some drill bits and a $10 DMM. I won't brag about what I use now, but it's probably past the thousand price tag by now for everything.

Start your journey with a basic budget and take it from there. If you really get into it, you might want the slight improvement from more precise tools. Personally, I used the $20 SP23L, $10 DMM and $30 drill for about 2 years before I decided to invest in a soldering station.
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post #5 of 8
12/9/09 at 2:40am
Paying someone to do the work will cost a lot more than buying the tools.

It will also deprive you of the learning and fun of working on an amp. I look at each one like it is a complicated jigsaw puzzle. Figuring out how all the pieces go together is a challenge and you get a wonderful reward when you're done.

So give it a try. Start with the basics and add tools as you need them.
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post #6 of 8
12/9/09 at 3:33am
I bought cheapo digital multimeter it was crap, spend a little bit more than rock bottom - it’s well worth it.
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post #7 of 8
12/9/09 at 5:26am
The soldering iron is probably the most important part, IMO. You can get away with a cheap-ish DMM for almost all amp builds as long as you're not resistor matching. 90% of the time you're just checking conductivity (good connections), that you have the right voltage (48.1V is just as good as 48 in most cases so precision isn't terribly important) or that you picked up the right resistor.
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post #8 of 8
12/11/09 at 10:57pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks

Thank you all for the detailed and quick responses.
I think I'm just interested in building cables right now...however I have so many hobbies already
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