Bottlehead Forum

Bottlehead Kits => Stereomour II => Topic started by: AstromanoftheFuture on April 23, 2021, 08:59:31 AM

Title: better late than never? my build...
Post by: AstromanoftheFuture on April 23, 2021, 08:59:31 AM: I ordered my Stereomour II kit in the summer of 2019. But it wasnâ€™t really until summer 2020 that I started working on it, very slowly! I finished up in early November 2020, and meant to post here... but didnâ€™t... UNTIL NOW!

I probably spent more time fussing with the base and the top plate than anything else. I reinforced the corners of the alder base with festool domino tenons. I originally finished it with a precatalyzed lacquer, but I wasn't happy. I tweaked the color a bit with a lacquer toner, and was still unsatisfied. So I stripped all the lacquer off. I then coated it with a silver acrylic based enamel. Iâ€™ve lived with that so far, but Iâ€™m thinking of stripping that off too, and veneering, or perhaps a new solid wood base.

I purchased some keystone (#708) right angle brackets via digi-key to secure the top plate to the wood base.

I used VHT wrinkle coat paints on the top plate, main trafo, and chokes. I know wrinkle coat is a pain to keep clean (believe me I know), but I love the look on old projectors and radios.

This was my first build. I had looked for quite a while at different 2a3 (and 300b) schematics, but I was more than a little overwhelmed. A kit seemed right for me for a first time build. I have purchased but not yet done the shunt regulator and DC upgrade kits. I wanted to live with/break in the amp for awhile before making changes. I'm looking at eventually changing the caps too, I know a lot of people on here have gone with Clarity MR.
Title: Re: better late than never? my build...
Post by: johnsonad on April 23, 2021, 10:04:49 AM: Nice looking build!
Title: Re: better late than never? my build...
Post by: Deke609 on April 23, 2021, 10:27:24 AM: Wow! Looks great. Congrats!

cheers, Derek
Title: Re: better late than never? my build...
Post by: Thermioniclife on April 23, 2021, 10:51:04 AM: That wrinkle paint looks cool. I checked out a couple of vids on how to use, did you bake or use a heat gun to cure?
Title: Re: better late than never? my build...
Post by: Doc B. on April 23, 2021, 11:11:09 AM: Very nice!
Title: Re: better late than never? my build...
Post by: AstromanoftheFuture on April 23, 2021, 11:24:58 AM: Quote from: Thermioniclife on April 23, 2021, 10:51:04 AM
That wrinkle paint looks cool. I checked out a couple of vids on how to use, did you bake or use a heat gun to cure?

I figured that the summertime Phoenix, Arizona sun was enough to bake it.
Title: Re: better late than never? my build...
Post by: Karl5150 on April 28, 2021, 05:39:12 AM: That finish is great, I think it was worth the wait.
Karl
Title: Re: better late than never? my build...
Post by: Markkr on April 28, 2021, 01:44:38 PM: WOW! That looks amazing. Makes me want to refinish mine