Making your own Capacitors
- FiveseveN
- Cap Cooler
Information
Do gimmicks count? I made some Leyden jars once.
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge. (Charles Darwin)
- Lucifer
- Cap Cooler
I had to make a capacitor or two on my university course.
It’s not easy, believe me, but it can be done.
The ones we made in class weren’t as close in value as the theory suggested, plus they were 'unsealed' and therefore prone to moisture ingress and instability. And trying to get caps as compact - and uniform in size - as what you can buy, was nigh on impossible.
Like I said - yes, it’s possible to ‘roll your own’ - but - unless your a real masochist - why would you want to ?
It’s not easy, believe me, but it can be done.
The ones we made in class weren’t as close in value as the theory suggested, plus they were 'unsealed' and therefore prone to moisture ingress and instability. And trying to get caps as compact - and uniform in size - as what you can buy, was nigh on impossible.
Like I said - yes, it’s possible to ‘roll your own’ - but - unless your a real masochist - why would you want to ?
”Sex is great - but you can’t beat the real thing !” - The Wanker’s Handbook
- FiveseveN
- Cap Cooler
Information
Why, for the toanz, of course. I guess the next best thing is this: http://studiozey.com/woodencapacitor/index.htmlLucifer wrote:why would you want to ?
Well, I'm sold!significant, across-the-board improvement in the sound
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge. (Charles Darwin)
- Lucifer
- Cap Cooler
Thanks, FiveseveN
I’m still laughing my socks off !! That’s the funniest thing I’ve read in years.
Pedals are getting smaller every day - then you suddenly bung in one of these wooden monsters - and there’s no room for anything else !
I know ! Let’s build all the components right into the pedalboard (must be wood, of course) - and then we could do away with the actual pedals themselves - just have one great big wooden circuit board.
Polished mahogany - with a flamed maple cap for improved top end - and rosewood footswitches for a smoother sound . . . and . . . and . . .
I’ve got to go to bed now (UK time) - my sides are aching.
Thanks again for such a great laugh.
I’m still laughing my socks off !! That’s the funniest thing I’ve read in years.
Pedals are getting smaller every day - then you suddenly bung in one of these wooden monsters - and there’s no room for anything else !
I know ! Let’s build all the components right into the pedalboard (must be wood, of course) - and then we could do away with the actual pedals themselves - just have one great big wooden circuit board.
Polished mahogany - with a flamed maple cap for improved top end - and rosewood footswitches for a smoother sound . . . and . . . and . . .
I’ve got to go to bed now (UK time) - my sides are aching.
Thanks again for such a great laugh.
”Sex is great - but you can’t beat the real thing !” - The Wanker’s Handbook
- induction
- Resistor Ronker
If they sound that good in the power supply, just imagine how awesome they would be in the actual signal path.FiveseveN wrote:Why, for the toanz, of course. I guess the next best thing is this: http://studiozey.com/woodencapacitor/index.htmlLucifer wrote:why would you want to ?
Well, I'm sold!significant, across-the-board improvement in the sound
- DrNomis
- Old Solderhand
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For me,I can't see how putting the insides of an Electrolytic cap into a wooden case can make the sound of the cap better, unless you lose some of the electrolyte in the process (more than likely the electrolyte would dry-up), but then the capacitance value would change and the ESR of the cap would go through the roof........
Genius is not all about 99% perspiration, and 1% inspiration - sometimes the solution is staring you right in the face.-Frequencycentral.
- deltafred
- Opamp Operator
There was a link to a youtube video some years ago on FSB of a guy making a guitar, he made almost everything including a PIO capacitor.
Politics is the art of so plucking the goose as to obtain the most feathers with the least squawking. - R.G. 2011
Jeez, she's an ugly bastard, she makes my socks hurt. I hope it's no ones missus here. - Ice-9 2012
Jeez, she's an ugly bastard, she makes my socks hurt. I hope it's no ones missus here. - Ice-9 2012
- phatt
- Transistor Tuner
Did I ever mention my reverse wound diodes?
Still trying to track down a decent winder.
There was my barbed wire canoe but found myself up the creek without a paddle cause no one would back my ideas.
Phil.
Still trying to track down a decent winder.
There was my barbed wire canoe but found myself up the creek without a paddle cause no one would back my ideas.
Phil.
- induction
- Resistor Ronker
Have you never heard of 'tone wood'?DrNomis wrote:For me,I can't see how putting the insides of an Electrolytic cap into a wooden case can make the sound of the cap better, unless you lose some of the electrolyte in the process (more than likely the electrolyte would dry-up), but then the capacitance value would change and the ESR of the cap would go through the roof........
Try encasing your resistors in ebony for increased tone realism and space definition. But only in the power supply. That's where tone really comes from.
At least it's slightly less stupid than this.
OK, maybe it isn't.
- DrNomis
- Old Solderhand
Information
- Posts: 6807
- Joined: 16 Jul 2009, 04:56
- my favorite amplifier: Self-Built Valve Amp Head :)
- Completed builds: Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face,Tone Bender Professional Mk 3,Tone Bender 3-Knob,Baja BK Butler Tube Driver,Baja Real Tube Overdrive,Roger Mayer Octavia,EH Soul Preacher,Tech 21 XXL Distortion,MFOS Weird Sound Generator.
- Location: Darwin,Northern Territory Australia
- Has thanked: 98 times
- Been thanked: 278 times
induction wrote:Have you never heard of 'tone wood'?DrNomis wrote:For me,I can't see how putting the insides of an Electrolytic cap into a wooden case can make the sound of the cap better, unless you lose some of the electrolyte in the process (more than likely the electrolyte would dry-up), but then the capacitance value would change and the ESR of the cap would go through the roof........
Try encasing your resistors in ebony for increased tone realism and space definition. But only in the power supply. That's where tone really comes from.
At least it's slightly less stupid than this.
OK, maybe it isn't.
I checked out that link to those pebbles in a plastic bag, and I have to say my reaction was this....... .....followed by...... ......and.......
The thing is, you most certainly can make your own capacitors, but there's some maths involved if you want to make caps of specific values.......
Genius is not all about 99% perspiration, and 1% inspiration - sometimes the solution is staring you right in the face.-Frequencycentral.