Topic: AKG Active Project part 4

[willndmb]

Not trying to compete as I'm not doing a ck91 mod, but my ck6x coupling will probably be $99 including the (mono) PFA.  I am not doing the metalwork though, I will hire that out, which will run in the $10-$15 range per unit, depending on volume.  I also hire out powdercoating, which costs me about $0.50/unit.

Keep in mind that this is from last April but it does give an idea of the expected cost.

so you are talking less then 250 ballpark
i would put that money up front for a working device plus more then likely buy a tb/lb to go with it
no sense in having 2 set of mics to run and only one pre/recorder to 

[leehookem]

If it's in the $250 ballpark, I have a check ready to send Jon right now.

[darktrain]

Hell I would pay up front for the cables if they would be compatable with my two tinyboxes

[page]

...and no i am not saying anyone should share profits, just that when you invest in something you typically get something in the end above someone who jumps in after the fact

Correct... what you're getting is an AKG active setup without having to be on Jon's timeline. I don't think this is going to that profitable of an endeavor for him and I'm sure it's time consuming, so he has all his other projected prioritized above AKG actives for good reason.

I agree to some extent. I've asked for odd stuff from vendors before and been willing to either front parts, cash, time or any combination. Yes, it costs me more then it does anyone else later, but 1) I get said object I'm after and often times 2) I get it first. Beta testing stuff after you've paid for it isn't particularly fun, but thats the trade off. If you want it bad enough, you pay to play.

Has anyone actually asked Jon what sort of cash and time it would take to bump it up in the priority structure?

which is exactly my point - thats backwords in a typical business set up
why would i pay more for something that might not work and be the test rat, then after it is all said and done others get a working product for less
normally you would pay less because there is no guarantee it will work, in exchange for your time/money investment

I agree from the customer standpoint, but I think it makes sense from the business standpoint. If it's going to take me 2X the effort to learn what's needed, get everything ready, and do a lot of up front R/D type stuff, then I have a much bigger hurtle/incentive to overcome then just sending out another order. When I pay that premium, I try and even out the reward to match that effort output. Yes, it's not optimum from my standpoint as a consumer, but there have been a couple of items that I don't think said object would have materialized any time soon (if at all) had I not paid a premium. just food for thought.

Really, I'd like for you folks to get this because A) this has only been the slowest project I've ever seen on TS and I'd like to see it succeed after all this time. and B) It's a cousin of the Gefell setup which is what I'm after. Getting half-way there bodes well for what I'm interested in.

I still think someone should contact Jon and see what it would take to get the priority structure moved around, he may say payment up front, he may say a price increase overall, he may say nothing (that he decides his own priority structure), but at least you would know then.

[Hypnocracy]

page....Jon has been contacted and we wait for a reply on status...I can only hope it is just a backlog of work and not a Technical issue...

Looking back for information on cost I've not yet found it...but did find this in the Product storm thread

...I didn't have quite that much interest, maybe more like 20 units of AKG...

 

then IGTEleven asked about the Capsule FET boards for Gefells...

Yes, those will be available shortly, I am wiring up a batch of high-volt PFAs with 4-pin Binder connectors, these will also be available to the Gefell folks.  It's all much easier if I don't have to do the metalwork.

Jon blesses us to make a Colette...

Anybody that wants to mill a coupling, go nuts . . . it has to fit a Binder plug at one end and an 11/16" PCB at the other, held in place by a retaining ring.  After I finish cutting the eight blanks I have, I'll ship the tap to anybody that wants it.

Question the retaining ring is it between the FET board and Binder or Capsule and FET board?

But what is the thickness of the pcb, with the grounding tabs? Those dimensions are critical to design the stack height and tolerances.

1.6mm, but it's actually not critical due to the use of the leaf spring.  Off the top of my head, I tap to 9mm, the capsule threads are 4mm, the PCB is 1.6mm which leaves 3.4mm for the leaf spring.  Then the Binder needs 12mm or so, plus 2mm for panel, for 23mm total.  I think in the prototypes I left a few extra mm between the connector and PCB.

The diameter of the hole in the back of the capsule....I seem to recall a 711 Binder is being used? Male? This chassis mount in the Capsule?



http://www.binder-usa.com/psearch_detail.php?pid=5236

[Chuck]

page....Jon has been contacted and we wait for a reply on status...I can only hope it is just a backlog of work and not a Technical issue...

So, I've contacted Jon...

Jon has told me he’s still working on some prototypes. He has to machine the capsule side collets by hand and that is going to take some time. If those prototypes work and he can affirm that the electronics  work properly the next step will be to make more of the collets that mate with the capsules. He told me he will need someone else to do the metalwork.
 
So, I think our next move should be to find someone that can do the metalwork. If the hand machined collets he is making work, we should be able to use those as prototypes for fabrication by a machinist. If the electronics work, we can order the electronic assemblies from him to insert into the collets.
 
Does anyone know a good relatively inexpensive machinist that can do the metal work for us?

[jbell]

Couldn't collettes be machined like Chris K  AKG DVC box in this thread.  I thought I saw a post from him that he had his redone since he owned this box.  Maybe contact his machinist.

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=136697.0

[newplanet7]

Jon doesn't have anyone he could ise for metal work? I know he said he didn't want
to do the metalwork but he must have a connection.
Chuck, did you ask him?

[Hypnocracy]

Chuck
Thank you for contacting Jon...good to hear it is just business an not a technical issue.

I'm in the process of trying to nail down a drawing with a Online Cad program (read Learn how to draw)....above figures from the Product Storm is the basis for my drawing but I have some questions. Wanted to be sure about the binder model and where this retaining ring is placed I assume it needs a slot machined out to hold?

Willndmb will approach his uncle...I'm going down the online route...If I can get this drawing nailed down I plan on contacting some local shops or ask around for a backyard Machinist with a Greenlee Lathe in his/her basement...

Twenty Colettes will be made come hell or high water...too close to not follow through now...


Hope to gawd there is a problem with the cost module...

[newplanet7]

Ask jon if he has anyone first.

[Chuck]

Ask jon if he has anyone first.

Jon doesn't have anyone to do the machining. It's up to us to do it.

His words, "I would need somebody else to take on the production metalwork, but I still need to finish a few rough prototypes to make sure the electronics are where I want them to be."

He said once his prototypes are made and tested we'd have to find someone to do the production metalwork.

[newplanet7]

Thanks Chuck!

[ts]

I have a 16" SouthBend lathe at work. It's probably from the 50's but it gets the job done. First challenge I see is our full time machinist has retired, however we do have a younger apprentice who is willing to give this a shot. Since this machine is pretty much an antique and is used on a daily basis for production work we could only do small amounts of these collettes. His suggestion is to do the first run out of aluminum to get it right and then move to brass stock, if necessary.

He has a few questions. Do they have to be brass? Are the threads for the cap end metric? What goes on the other end? Does anything special need to be done to the interior? Anyone have any drawings?

Like I said we can only do so many. He would have to do these on his time. I don't know how much he would charge for his time. I would probably have to buy the stock and metric die set if needed.

[Hypnocracy]

TS...that is an awesome offer...

If I'm correct that there is a 711Chassis Binder plug...There is a 9.2mm Hole on the back end and a 11/16 hole that is threaded on the Capsule end...I know there is a retaining clip holding the FET board...not sure if there is need to mill something special for it...

 I'll volunteer to create a drawing and run it past Jon for a preliminary approval...Jon also has purchased a Tap that matches the AKG Capsule threads and has offered to pass that along after he was done with creation of a Aluminum Prototype Run.

[Chuck]

TS...that is an awesome offer...

If I'm correct that there is a 711Chassis Binder plug...There is a 9.2mm Hole on the back end and a 11/16 hole that is threaded on the Capsule end...I know there is a retaining clip holding the FET board...not sure if there is need to mill something special for it...

 I'll volunteer to create a drawing and run it past Jon for a preliminary approval...Jon also has purchased a Tap that matches the AKG Capsule threads and has offered to pass that along after he was done with creation of a Aluminum Prototype Run.