Home » Audio » Thermionic Emissions » To anybody that's seen a MQ S-271-A...
Re: Fine idea! [message #9879 is a reply to message #9878] Sun, 31 December 2006 00:03 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
bretldwig@yahoo.com is currently offline  bretldwig@yahoo.com
Messages: 7
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
The question is, or one question is, WHICH S-271 is MQ purporting to clone, because it's my guess that over the years they varied. As time went on wire insulation and assorted materials probably changed. I would venture to state the differences had some impact on the part, but how much is an open question.

It's safe to assume they all met all advertised specs, at least when Ercel Harrison was there. But put yourself in the position of the wind line. Various people were doing these things and when they got up to speed, each had her own style so to speak. Here's the thing: the "bogey" part is one wound at a time when someone good and fast was there. If someone isn't doing them all the time proficiency suffers badly, which is why one big order is preferential to several small ones. Most shops would do a big run of the coil structures at one go if it was a catalog part and not build them out until orders came. You only had the coils in inventory then, and in states with inventory tax you arbitrarily valued them at the cost of the wire, far less than the wholesale value of the part. If the orders never came, you could easily send them to the smelter for the copper value.

In some cases those coils could have sat a long time before being lammed up and built out.

A lot of times in those days, the docs did not match the part because the engineers would draw it up, it would be proto'd and found wanting, and the engineer would come out and make verbal changes and the people would follow along. They might or might not annotate their own copies. A lot of the time really tough parts went from proto, pilot, to production with the same assemblers and ROs and there were a hard core group that were considered key operators. Remember the situation in those days with what was from the 20s on a overwhelmingly female work force. Women married and/or with kids didn't work outside the home and so they'd have considerable turnover.

Modern QC programs like ISO 9000 and TQM are designed to limit this sort of thing. But even so examples of production not remotely corresponding to drawings are legion. I think Bob Pease or Jim Williams have one story in their book where they invited a retired old gal to do one after all engineering effort had failed, and it turned out the drawing was left-for-right, which "everyone back then knew". (Pease of NatSemi and Williams of LT write books which should be read by all present IMO).

 
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Previous Topic: need suggestions for baby-proof amp cabinet
Next Topic: Unity Gain Preamp
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Fri May 17 22:59:58 CDT 2024

Sponsoring Organizations

DIY Audio Projects
DIY Audio Projects
OddWatt Audio
OddWatt Audio
Pi Speakers
Pi Speakers
Prosound Shootout
Prosound Shootout
Smith & Larson Audio
Smith & Larson Audio
Tubes For Amps
TubesForAmps.com

Lone Star Audiofest