Ian White GM3SEK wrote:
Andrew VK3BFA wrote:


Why not
use aluminium sheet - easy to work as PCB, - I get mine form a local
scrap merchant, they have pieces big enuff to build any chassis I want,
and its a lot stronger AND cheaper than pcb.

That's basically true, but it just takes longer, and I don't suppose
Paul will have all the metalworking tools we OFs have collected over the
years. The main point is to make sure you get *soft* aluminium, and also
try to get it cut to size. Or try to find some old radio gear that was
built with a chassis and cabinet, and rebuild inside that... another
honourable tradition.


I would humbly disagree with this - aluminium is fairly easy to work. A
metal cutting blade in your jigsaw, a set of drill bits, hole cutting
saws are now very cheap (you dont need super HSS ones for soft
aluminium, a rat tail file .. pretty basic tools...the stuff you need
to work PCB into shape!

bending is a problem, I must admit - one day, will make a sheet metal
bender - in the meantime, bits of angle iron clamped in a vise give
reasonable results......

More fundamentally - why use PL519's - arent they TV sweep tubes, like
6JS6's - a poor choice in this day and age, unless you have a box of
them cheap (plus the sockets...) Proper transmitting tubes are
available at a reasonable price - even the humble old ones like 811A's
would be a better choice!

de VK3BFA Andrew.