I took the time to finish the chassis wiring on the spud so that I could focus on the top plate. Now comes the tough part.
First off, here is the chassis with all the dedicated chassis wiring completed.
The wiring is not complicated. It’s just the input wiring between the input RCA jacks and the volume control and the left/right/ground wires to be attached to the top plate. The power switch has been wired into the IEC power connector and the fuse holder. This leaves just two wires to attach to the top plate to supply the power transformer. And the indicator lamp socket has been wired in with a 25Ω/3W resistor to cut the intensity of the #44 indicator lamp roughly in half. This is just a personal preference thing. The wires are routed back to the power transformer where they will be wired into the filament circuit.
With this effort completed I can turn my full attention to getting a decent finish on the top plate. I’ve already had one setback due to my attempt using old paint. Today I’ll clean up the top plate again and make a second attempt with fresh product.
I have no idea why I typically have such issues with spray paint. That is other than the fact that the overall quality of the spray paint formulations have been decreasing for years. The last time I went through this I swore that my next top plate was coming from Front Panel Express. But here I am spray painting again. Evidently, I will never learn.
As always, questions and comments are welcome.
HVLP spray guns are cheap and pretty decent. However, spraying one little panel and the having to tear apart and clean it… I’d rattle can it too. I’ve had pretty good luck with cans. If one has decent technique with consistent distance and movement the results are good. Start moving before pressing the nozzle and don’t stop until it is released. If you get some runs or orange peel, do a quick sanding and try it again.
My experience with “rattle cans” has been OK at best. The finish you get is referred to by auto body guys as a “three foot paint job” – meaning it looks good from a distance of 3 feet, but not great up close. I hope you can get the finish you want. I wish you skill, knowlwdge, and luck.
Thanks. We’ll have to see how it goes.