Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
SammyJ
18
Jun 17, 2014
For all that did get in on this buy, I've built a Bottlehead Reduction. It's more complex than this kit, but the procedures, skills and tools are roughly the same. While you wait for the kit, it’ll be good to get your toolkit together.
For the first time builders here, here's what you'll need:
1 ruler, both Metric and Imperial is best, at least 12" in length
1 soldering iron. I got an el-cheapo soldering station from Radio Shack and it works fine
1 8oz roll of solder. I used 60/40 Rosin-Core solder (.032" diameter). 8oz will last you for many, many projects
1 5' length of solder wick (trust me, you'll need this)
1 pair of diagonal cutters to snip the extra leads
1 pair of nail cutters (optional) -- sometimes useful in cutting leads as well
1 pair of needle nosed pliers -- if you can get the ones with the curved tip, that's even better. The thinner the tip, the better
1 pair of wire strippers that can go down to 20 gauge
1 MultiMeter. Auto-range digital ones are nice. Make sure it's capable of measuring both AC/DC voltage and resistance. I used this one: http://www.amazon.com/Mastech-MS8268-Digital-Manual-Multimeter/dp/B0050LVFS0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1403029751&sr=8-3&keywords=multimeter and it worked great. In addition, if you can get leads with alligator clips, that would be best. I used these: http://www.amazon.com/Amprobe-TL35B-Test-Alligator-Clips/dp/B0029XJANE/ref=sr_1_2?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1403029827&sr=1-2&keywords=multimeter+leads
For the base: Elmer’s Wood Glue Masking Tape Finish & Stain (optional)
In addition, you'll likely need a basic screwdriver set to actually screw the transformers and terminal strips to the main plate.
This video really helped me understand what I was getting into:

Finally, I have to say, Bottlehead kits are a ton of fun to build, and at the end of it, you’ve got a sweet sounding component. If you run into problems, their forum is an excellent place to find help. I can say I’m pretty well hooked.
PRODUCTS YOU MAY LIKE
Trending Posts in Audiophile