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BYOC TMB18 Kit Instructions

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Build Your Own Clone
TMB18
Kit Instructions
(Revision 1.0)
WARNING!!! HIGH VOLTAGE!!!!
Tube amplifiers contain high voltage that can cause injury and even death. Please use extreme caution and common sense when
building this kit. Do not attempt to do anything to your amp while it is plugged in other than take voltage readings as necessary or
actually playing an instrument through it as it was intended.
Don't just turn the power off!!! Always unplug the power cord from the socket before working on your amp!!! The mains supply can
still electrocute you AND the power filter capacitors can still retain a charge powerful enough to kill you. Always unplug the power
cord from the socket before working on your amp.
1

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Summary of Contents for BYOC TMB18

  • Page 1 Build Your Own Clone TMB18 Kit Instructions (Revision 1.0) WARNING!!! HIGH VOLTAGE!!!! Tube amplifiers contain high voltage that can cause injury and even death. Please use extreme caution and common sense when building this kit. Do not attempt to do anything to your amp while it is plugged in other than take voltage readings as necessary or actually playing an instrument through it as it was intended.
  • Page 2 DISCLAIMER Build at your own risk!!! BYOC, Inc. is not liable or responsible for any damages, injuries, or deaths that may incur from or while building this kit. It is your own responsibility to follow proper safety precautions. Never attempt to build, modify, repair, or perform any sort of maintenance on your amplifier while the power cord is plugged into an AC power source.
  • Page 3 That being said, we will do our best to help you as much as we can. Our philosophy at BYOC is that we will help you only as much as you are willing to help yourself. We have a wonderful and friendly DIY discussion forum with an entire section devoted to the technical support and modifications of BYOC kits.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    TMB18 KIT INSTRUCTION INDEX Parts Checklist…………………………………………………page 5 - 7 Assembling The Chassis and Wiring Chassis Components…page 8 - 45 Potentiometer Wiring………………………………..………..page 44 – 54 Input Jack Wiring……………………………………………..page 55 - 59 Terminal Strip Wiring…………………..…………………….page 60 - 69 Populating the Circuit Board……………..…………………..page 70 - 80 Wiring (Tube Side)…………………………………………….page 81 - 102...

  • Page 5: Parts Checklist

    Parts Checklist for TMB18 Kit Resistors: 1/2watt Metal film: 4 – 820 Ohm (Gray/Red/Black/Black/Brown) 2 – 8.2K (Gray/Red/Black/Brown/Brown) 1 – 22K (Red/Red/Black/Red/Brown) 1 – 33K (Orange/Orange/Black/Red/Brown) 2 – 56K (Green/Blue/Black/Red/Brown) 2 – 68K (Blue/Gray/Black/Red/Brown) 6 – 100K (Brown/Black/Black/Orange/Brown) 5 – 470K (Yellow/Purple/Black/Orange/Brown) 2 –...
  • Page 6 2 – 1uF/63V Electrolytic 1 – 16uF/450V Electrolytic 1 – 22uF/450V Electrolytic 1 – 100uF/50V Electrolytic 1 – 32+32 Electrolytic (Really big with three terminals) Potentiometers: 2 – A1M (Bass, Master Volume) 1 – B25K (Middle) 1 – B250K (Treble) 3 –...
  • Page 7 2 - Rubber Grommets 1 - Capacitor Retainer Ring 2 - #8 screws (Output Transformer mounting) 4 - #8 lock washer (Transformer mounting) 6 - #8 nuts (Transformer mounting) 3 - #8 Internal lock washer w/ Solder terminals 1 – ½ inch #4 screw (Terminal Strip mounting) 1 - #4 nut (Terminal Strip Mounting) 1 - #4 lock washer (Terminal Strip Mounting) 23 - M3 screws...
  • Page 8 Assembling the Chassis and Wiring Chassis Mounted Components Step 1: Add the two rubber grommets.

  • Page 9: Assembling The Chassis And Wiring Chassis Components

    Step 2: Add transformers. Orient the power transformer so that the red and yellow wires are pointing towards the back side of the chassis. Orient the output transformer so that the red/blue/brown wires are pointing towards the power transformer. Use #8 screws, nuts and lock washers.
  • Page 10 Step 3: add the preamp tube sockets. NOTE: these sockets are different from the 3 other 9-pin sockets for the power and rectifier tubes. These will have a base for the shield cover to connect to. Crimp pins 4 & 5 of the preamp tube sockets together with a pair of pliers before mounting to the chassis. DO NOT do this to the power/rectifier tube sockets.
  • Page 11 Mount the preamp tube sockets to the chassis (green arrows). Use M3 screws. The red arrows indicate the 9 pin power and rectifier tube sockets.
  • Page 12 Step 4: Mount the power and rectifier tube sockets/spring retainers indicated by the green arrows. Use M3 screws. Step 5: Mount the 32uF+32uF multi –capacitor using the capacitor clamp ring indicated by the red arrow. Mount the clamp ring to the chassis using M3 screws.
  • Page 13 STOP! Before going any further, inspect the 32uF+32uF capacitor to make sure the lugs are NOT touching the chassis. If they are, twist the capacitor a little until there is clearance. If it is too close for your comfort, twist the capacitor a little until there is clearance.
  • Page 14 Step 5: Attach the rear plexi panel. BE VERY CAREFUL. These plexi panels are very fragile. Use ½ inch #4 screw for rear plexi panel as shown Step 6: Attach the two terminal strips to this screw. Use a #4 nut and lock washer to secure...
  • Page 15 Step 7: Add the rest of the rear panel parts. Use the small black flat head screws for the power cord socket. Step 8: Add the front plexi panel. Add the Switches and lamp to hold it in place. Orient the toggle switches so that the “ON” side is facing up...
  • Page 16 Step 9: Add the rest of the front panel parts. Orient the potentiometers and jacks like the photo above, and be sure of their values.
  • Page 17 VERY IMPORTANT!!! If you are using a 120VAC power supply, you will use the BLACK/WHITE power transformer wire. If you are using 240VAC, you will use the BLACK/RED power transformer wire. Step 10: Cut and cap the black/red (or black/white if you are in a 240VAC country), and yellow/white wire. Insert the Green/Yellow wire to the upper ground solder terminal, and the Red/Yellow wire to the lower ground solder terminal (red arrows).
  • Page 18 Step 11: Twist the red wires together and place them into pins 1 and 7. It does not matter which red wire goes to which pin. Solder both connections.
  • Page 19 Step 9: Twist the yellow and white wires together and place them into pins 4 and 5. Make sure the white wire is in pin 4, and the yellow is in pin 5. Solder both wires.
  • Page 21 For this section you will need the length green wire included in your kit. You will want to cut them to make pieces that are 3 ½ inches long. Step 10: Twist the green wires coming off the transformer together and run them to the first EL84 socket. Attach them to pins 4 and 5. Do not solder yet.
  • Page 22 Step 11: Take two 3 ½ inch pieces of green wire and attach them to the first EL84 socket in pins 4 and 5. Solder at the green arrows. Twist the wires and run to the next tube socket. Attach these at the red arrows at pins 4 and 5 of the second EL84 tube socket, but do not solder yet.
  • Page 23 Step 12: Repeat the previous step. Place two 3 ½ inch pieces of green wire into pins 4 and 5 of the second EL84 and solder them. Then twist the green wires and run to the next socket. This time Connect the wires to pins 9 and 4/5 of the first preamp tube socket.
  • Page 24 Step 13: Take another pair of 3 ½” green wires and insert them in to pins 9 and 4/5 of the first preamp tube socket. You can solder these points at the green arrows. Twist the green wires and insert them into pins 9 and 4/5 of the next preamp tube socket at the red arrows, but do not solder.
  • Page 25 Step 14: Repeat the previous step for the final tube socket. This time you can solder all connections. The picture above shows what your heater wiring should look like.
  • Page 26 Heater wiring diagram...
  • Page 27 Step 15: Attach the Black/White wire and one of the lamp wires to the “ON” side of the mains switch and solder. NOTE: It does not matter which lamp wire.
  • Page 28 Step 16: Connect the Black wire from the transformer and the remaining lamp wire to the “N” terminal of the power receptacle and solder.
  • Page 29 Step 17: Using the clipped black wire from the previous step, connect the center pin of the fuse holder to the “OFF” side of the MAINS switch (green arrows) and solder.
  • Page 30 Step 18: Using a piece of red wire, connect the remaining fuse terminal to the “L” lug of the power receptacle and solder.
  • Page 31 Step 19: Using a piece of the Green/Yellow wire, connect the “E” terminal of the power receptacle to the silver lug of the capacitor. Solder at the power receptacle (green arrow). Do not solder at the cap yet (red arrow).
  • Page 32 Step 20: Using another piece of Green/Yellow wire, connect the silver lug of the capacitor to the closest ground solder terminal. Solder the capacitor terminal (green arrow). Do not solder the ground terminal yet (red arrow).
  • Page 33 Step 21: Using a piece black wire, connect pin 3 of the rectifier tube to the “ON” side of the standby switch. Solder both spots (green arrows).
  • Page 34 Step 22: Connect the red output transformer wire to the yellow terminal of the multi-capacitor. Use another piece of red wire to connect the yellow multi-capacitor terminal to the “OFF” terminal of the standby switch. Only solder at the switch terminal.
  • Page 35 Step23: Insert the 1.5K 5W resistor between the yellow and red lugs of the multi-capacitor. Solder the yellow lug now (green arrow). Do not solder the red lug (red arrow)
  • Page 36 Step 24: Connect the brown OT (output transformer) wire to pin 7 of the first EL84. Solder this connection (green arrow).
  • Page 37 Step 25: Connect the blue OT primary wire to the next EL84 at pin 7. Solder this connection (green arrow).
  • Page 38 Step 26: Create the output jack bus connections. Using two pieces of bus wire, connect the lugs as shown. Only solder at the green arrows for now.
  • Page 39 Step 27: Connect the black OT secondary wire to the output jack bus closest to the panel. Solder only at the green arrow for now.
  • Page 40 Step 28: Using a piece of the black wire you just cut, make the ground connection for the output jacks by connecting the bus to the ground terminal. Solder at the green arrows.
  • Page 41 Step 29: Using a piece of red wire, connect the remaining lug of the output bus to the center lug of the rotary switch closest to the output jacks. Solder at the green arrows.
  • Page 42 Step 30: Connect the remaining OT secondary wires (orange, yellow, and green) to the rotary switch. Solder them to the lugs as shown. The wires might not fit into the lugs, so you can ‘tack solder’ them if you need to.
  • Page 43 Step 31: Take two pieces of blue wire from step 25 and make two connections on the EL84 sockets. One is between pins 9 of each socket, the other between pins 3 of both sockets. Solder only at the green arrows. Do not solder at the red arrows yet.
  • Page 44 Layout of where you should be at this point...

  • Page 45: Potentiometer Wiring

    Potentiometer wiring Step 1: Take a piece of white wire and connect lug 1 of the BASS pot to lug 3 of the MID pot. Solder both connections (green arrows)
  • Page 46 Step 2: Using a piece of yellow wire, make a connection between lug 2 of the BASS pot to lug 1 of the TREBLE pot. Only solder on lug 2 of the BASS pot (green arrow). Do not solder on the TREBLE pot (red arrow) yet.
  • Page 47 Step 3: Using a piece of white wire, connect lug 2 of the TREBLE pot to lug 3 of the MASTER VOLUME pot. Solder both connections (green arrows).
  • Page 48 Step 4: Using a piece of yellow wire, make a connection between lug 2 of the TONE pot to lug 1 of the VOLUME1 pot. Only solder lug 2 of the TONE pot (green arrow). Do not solder lug 1 of the VOLUME1 pot (red arrow)
  • Page 49 Step 5: Make the ground bus for the potentiometers. Take a long piece of bus wire, and bend it to connect to each pot as shown. You will solder directly to the back of the pots. If you have problem with solder adhesion, you can scratch the back of the pots with emery cloth or a file.
  • Page 50 Step 6: Take a 2 inch piece of black wire and connect the ground bus to the chassis ground solder terminal. You want to wrap the wire around the bus wire. Solder both connections at green arrows.
  • Page 51 Step 7: Take a 1 inch piece of black wire and connect lug 1 of the MID pot to the ground bus as shown. Solder both connections at green arrows.
  • Page 52 Step 8: take a 1 inch piece of black wire and make a connection from lug 1 of the VOLUME2 pot to the ground bus. Solder both connections (green arrows).
  • Page 53 Step 9: Using a 1 inch piece of black wire, connect lug 1 of the MASTER VOLUME pot to the ground bus. Solder both connections.
  • Page 54 Step 10: Take a 1 inch piece of black wire and connect lug 1 of the VOLUME1 pot to the ground bus. Solder both connections now (green arrows).
  • Page 55 Step 11: Attach a 100K resistor between lug 3 of the TONE pot and lug 3 of the VOLUME1 pot. Only solder at lug 3 of the TONE pot for now (Green arrow). Do not solder lug 3 of the VOLUME1 pot (red arrow).

  • Page 56: Input Jack Wiring

    Input Jack Wiring Step 1: Prepare the ‘TMB’ channel input jack by bending a 1M resistor as shown. Only solder at the green arrow for now. Do not solder on the red arrows.
  • Page 57 Step 2: Prepare the ‘Normal’ channel input jacks. Repeat the previous step for the bottom jack. Also add a jumper between the ground lugs as shown using a piece of bus wire. Connect a 4 inch piece of black wire to the junction as shown.
  • Page 58 Step 3: Mount the TMB input as shown. Using a 1 ½ inch piece of black wire, connect the tip disconnect terminal to the ground bus. Solder at the green arrows.
  • Page 59 Step 4: Mount the normal input jacks as shown. Connect the black wire to the ground bus. Solder at the green arrow.
  • Page 60 Step 5: Connect the tip terminal of the lower jack to the tip disconnect terminal of the upper jack using a piece of bus wire as shown. Only solder at the green arrow for now.

  • Page 61: Terminal Strip Wiring

    Terminal Strip Wiring Step 1: Using a 10 inch piece of white wire, connect the TMB input from the unsoldered end of the 1M resistor to the first lug of the 6-lug terminal strip. Solder both connections (green arrows).
  • Page 62 Step 2: Using a 10 inch piece of brown wire, connect lug 1 of the TONE pot to the second lug of the 6-lug terminal strip. Solder at the green arrows.
  • Page 63 Step 3: Connect 8 ½ inch piece of yellow wire from lug 3 of the VOLUME1 pot to the third lug of the 6-lug terminal strip. Solder both connections at the green arrows.
  • Page 64 Step 4: Connect the lug of the 6-lug terminal strip that is also connected to the white wire to pin 2 of the first tube socket using a 22K resistor as show. Solder both ends. NOTE: Be careful to not short the leads of the resistor against the chassis or any other pins.
  • Page 65 Step 5: Connect one end of a .01uF capacitor to the lug of the 6-lug terminal strip that is also connected to the brown wire. Solder one end of the capacitor, leaving the other end unsoldered and not connected to anything for now.
  • Page 66 Step 6: Connect one end of the .0047uF capacitor to the lug of the 6-lug terminal strip that is also connected to the yellow wire. Once again, leave one end open.
  • Page 67 Step 7: Take both of the unsoldered ends of the capacitors and insert them into lug 6 of the first tube socket as shown. Do not solder pin 6 of the tube socket yet. Note: Be careful to not short any of the leads against the chassis or any other tube socket pins.
  • Page 68 Step 8: Cut and strip two pieces of 6 inch white wire. Connect the end of one wire to the tip terminal of the top normal jack and the end of the other wire to the tip disconnect terminal of the top normal jack...
  • Page 69 Step 9: Insert the other ends of the white wires into the 3-lug terminal strip. Insert the wire from the tip terminal into the lower lug. Insert the wire from the tip disconnect terminal to the upper lug. Do not solder yet. NOTE: The middle lug of the 3-lug terminal strip is connected to the chassis.
  • Page 70 Step 10: Insert one end of a 68K resistor to each of the outer lugs of the 3-lug terminal strip and solder. Then insert the unsoldered ends of both 68K resistors into pin 7 of the tube socket. Solder pin 7 of the tube socket. Be very careful to not short against the middle turret lug, the chassis, or any other tube socket pins.

  • Page 71: Populating The Circuit Board

    Populating the Circuit Board Step 1: Start by creating two jumper spots by wrapping bus wire around the lower tier of the lugs. The lower jump connection is between two lugs, the upper right is between three. Solder all the connections.
  • Page 72 Close-up of wrapped jumps Step 2: Insert all components into circuit board. Insert leads into openings on the tops of turret lugs. Solder the tops of all turret lugs. TIP: Don’t use too much solder. It will pour out the other side of the turret lug. If you find that you can’t get a nice solder joint on the top of the turret lug, stop fighting gravity.
  • Page 73 Drawing of component placement. Be very careful to orient your electrolytic capacitors correctly! Don’t mix up your 8k2 and 820 resistors!
  • Page 74 Step 3: Make the underside wire connections. The connections are between the tube side of the 8.2K 2W/16uF 450V junction to the 100K/100K junction. From the 100K/100K junction to one side of the 2.2K 2W resistor. From the 2.2K 2W/22uF 450V junction to the pot side of the 100K. Then from that same 100K to the pot side of the other 100K.
  • Page 75 Top-side picture with component values and the underside wires.
  • Page 76 Example of wire connections to top tier of turrets. Strip about ¾” off the end of each wire, wrap it around the top tier of its respective turret lug, then twist and solder.
  • Page 77 Step 4: Connect off-board wires to top tier of turret lugs on tube side of the board. Use 6” of wire.
  • Page 78 Step 5: Connect off board wires to the potentiometer side. Use a piece of 8 inch red wire at the 100R 2W/8.2K 2W junction.
  • Page 79 Step 6: add the 4 hex standoffs at the red arrows. Use an 3M screw for each to secure.
  • Page 80 Top-side component picture showing the locations of the standoffs in green.
  • Page 81 Step 7: Mount the circuit board to the chassis. Use M3 screws to secure.

  • Page 82: Wiring (Tube Side)

    Wiring (Tube Side) Step 1: Connect the Red wire from the 100ohm/8k2 junction of the board to the red terminal lug of the 32uF + 32uF as shown and solder.
  • Page 83 Step 2: Connect the white wire from the tube side 180R 10W/100uF junction to pin 3 of the first EL84 tube socket. Solder pin 3 of the tube socket now.
  • Page 84 Step 3: Connect the yellow wire from the tube side of the 100ohm resistor to pin 9 of the first EL84 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 85 Step 4: Connect the brown wire from the 1/2watt 8k2 resistor to pin 2 of the first EL84 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 86 Step 5: Move the next white and yellow wires at the 100k/.01uF junctions out of the way for now. We will come back to those later.
  • Page 87 Step 6: Connect the brown wire from the other 8k2 resistor to pin 2 of the second EL84 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 88 Step 7: Connect the white wire from the 56k/33k/500p junction to pin 8 of the first ECC83 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 89 Step 8: Take a 100K ½W resistor and make a connection on the first ECC83 tube socket between lugs 1 and 6. At the same time, use the lead from lug 1 to jump to lug 7 as shown in the picture. Only Solder at lugs 1 and 7 (green arrows). Do not solder at lug 6 yet (red arrow)
  • Page 90 Step 9: Connect the yellow wire 820ohm resistor to pin 3 of the first ECC83 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 91 Step 10: Connect the brown wire from the 470k resistor to pin 2 of the first ECC83 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 92 Step 11: Connect the white wire from the 2k2/22uF junction to pin 6 of the first ECC83 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 93 Step 12: Take the white wire you bent out of the way in step 5 and connect it to pin 6 of the second ECC83 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 94 Step 13: Connect the yellow wire you bent out of the way in step 5 and connect it to pin 1 of the second ECC83 tube socket and solder...
  • Page 95 Step 14: Move the next yellow wire at the 100k/.0022uF junction out of the way for now. We will come back to it later.
  • Page 96 Step 15: Connect the brown wire from the 470k/.0047uF junction to pin 7 of the second ECC83 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 97 Step 16: Take the next white wire from the 820ohm resistor and connect it to pin 3 and pin 8 of the second ECC83 tube socket. Do this by measuring your total wire cut to pin 8, and stripping enough wire to contact pin 3 as well. It might be helpful to tin the wire so there are no stray strands to deal with.
  • Page 98 Step 17: Connect the yellow wire from the 470k/.01uF junction to pin 2 of the second ECC83 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 99 Step 18: Take the yellow wire you moved out of the way in step 14 and connect it to pin 1 of the last ECC83 tube socket and solder...
  • Page 100 Step 19: Connect the brown wire from the 100k resistor to pin 6 of the last ECC83 tube socket. The two capacitors from the terminal strip will be sharing this lug. Solder now.
  • Page 101 Step 20: Connect the white wire from the first 1uF/820ohm junction to pin 8 of the last ECC83 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 102 Step 21: Connect the final yellow wire from the second 1uF/820ohm junction to pin 3 of the last ECC83 tube socket and solder.
  • Page 103 This is how your tube side wiring should look...

  • Page 104: Wiring (Potentiometer Side)

    Wiring (Potentiometer side) Step 1: Connect all the black wires from the circuit board to the ground bus running along the backs of all the potentiometers and solder.
  • Page 105 Step 2: Connect the white wire from the 500pF capacitor to lug 3 of the TREBLE potentiometer and solder.
  • Page 106 Step 3: Connect the yellow wire from the .01uF capacitor to lug 2 of the MIDS potentiometer and solder.
  • Page 107 Step 4: Connect the brown wire from the .022uF capacitor to lug 1 of the TREBLE pot and solder.
  • Page 108 Step 5: Connect the white wire from the 470K resistor to lug 2 of the VOLUME2 pot and solder.
  • Page 109 Step 6: Connect the yellow wire from the .0022uF capacitor to lug 3 of the VOLUME2 pot and solder.
  • Page 110 Step 7: Connect the brown wire from the .0047uF capacitor to lug 2 of the MASTER VOLUME pot and solder.
  • Page 111 Step 8: Connect the final white wire from the .01uF capacitor to lug 2 of the VOLUME1 pot and solder.
  • Page 112 Layout of wiring Coming from the circuit board.
  • Page 113 Finished Layout...

  • Page 114: Turning Your Amp On For The First Time

    Turning your amp on for the first time EL84 ECC83 EZ81 EL84 ECC83 ECC83...
  • Page 115 Step 1: Make sure your AC power cord is NOT plugged in. Do NOT install any of the tubes yet. Do not plug a speaker into the speaker jack. Do not plug any instruments into the input jacks. If at any point in this process, you smell smoke, see sparks, or hear any loud electrical hum noises, immediately pull the AC power cord from the wall socket.
  • Page 116 measure the voltage at the solder terminal of the of the ON side of the standby toggle switch, you should read approximately 340VDC. To test the rectified DC voltage, first set your meter to test DC voltage 500V or greater. Then connect the black probe to chassis ground.

  • Page 117: Diagrams And Schematic

    Diagrams and Schematic Circuit board (top side)
  • Page 118 Wiring Diagram for hi res pdf version go to http://www.byocelectronics.com/brit18layout.pdf...
  • Page 119 Heater Wiring...
  • Page 120 Schematic For hi res pdf go to http://www.buildyourownclone.com/tmb18schematic.pdf...
  • Page 121 For technical support, visit www.byocelectronics.com/board Written by: N.W. Kenning & K. Vonderhulls Artwork & Photography by: N.W. Kenning & K. Vonderhulls Copyright BYOC, Inc. 2020...

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