Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
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Posted on Mar 18 2015 10:24 AM
The external spring mounting system provides 2nd layer of suspension. It doesn't relate directly to the sound.
The purpose of this is:
To prevent accidental splashing on the slightest contact,
thus also protecting the delicate mechanism for the long term.
And to compensate for stage vibration/rumble.
If you don't play live you can get away with hard mounting the pan.
Dick Dale hangs his reverb tanks from a rope sometimes, thus - 3rd layer of suspension.
It can be acheived via other methods such as rubber grommets, foam, elastic bands... use your imagination.
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Mark2Bra
Joined: Sep 01, 2013
Posts: 248
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Posted on Mar 18 2015 11:13 AM
Thanks Wolfi and Ariel. Looks like I have a building plan now. . .
Surfgitar , that's a lovely build. I think now in retrospect, that the whole shebang can be held only with foam, away with the springs. From my experimentation, it doesn't really matter, as long as the pan has some float but the chassis stabilized.
Dread , you mean just to put it on foam or surround it with it , so that the pan won't hit the cabinet? How soft/hard should it be?
EDIT:
RCA cables - are all RCA cables shielded?
I found a cable from some pc I once built. It has three black cables together, with red, white and yellow heads.
Will they work fine if I separate them and ditch the yellow one?
Cheers,
Mark.
Last edited: Mar 19, 2015 14:30:32
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ReverendBow
Joined: Feb 10, 2014
Posts: 41
The Beach with no water
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Posted on Mar 19 2015 06:54 PM
Those type of RCAs are not shielded, however, you can try them, they may work better than what you are using....
— Bow
B.M.E (Bastard Musical Engineering)
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JObeast
Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Mar 19 2015 07:33 PM
The shorter the RCA cable run, the better. Cheap short cables, like Hosa's seem fine. I happened to have some high-end shielded audio cables on hand so I used them, but a short run in a shielded enclosure (metal tool box such as I have used) seems to obviate the need for much fuss.
Setting the pan on a thin layer of cork lining the box's floor, with double layer of corrugated cardboard glued over the open face of it as Fender does inside the vinyl bags it uses for its reverb combo amps, yields plenty of acoustic isolation in my unit.
— Squink Out!
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bjoish
Joined: Jul 06, 2010
Posts: 596
Stockholm
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Posted on Mar 20 2015 02:24 AM
Mark2Bra wrote:
Will they work fine if I separate them and ditch the yellow one?
Cheers,
Mark.
Hi Mark
The cable is shielded (not the connectors though), thats the main thing.
I have had no trouble using that kind of cable.
/Björn
Last edited: Mar 20, 2015 05:50:07
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ReverendBow
Joined: Feb 10, 2014
Posts: 41
The Beach with no water
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Posted on Mar 20 2015 10:14 AM
Where, oh where can my Surfy Bear Be?
Damn you USPS! Hurry up! 
— Bow
B.M.E (Bastard Musical Engineering)
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Mark2Bra
Joined: Sep 01, 2013
Posts: 248
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Posted on Mar 21 2015 03:03 AM
Ok , I'm now drawing the cabinet and measuring sizes.
I'll be using horizontal pan. Instead of springs I want to use foam.
Should I:
1. Put the pan on a foam mat?
2. Surround the pan with foam from all four sides?
Or should I do it differently?
And how much clearance do I need to give the pan in the cabinet? (from the sides)
Thanks,
Mark.
Last edited: Mar 21, 2015 03:08:58
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bjoish
Joined: Jul 06, 2010
Posts: 596
Stockholm
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Posted on Mar 21 2015 05:10 AM
Mark2Bra wrote:
Should I:
1. Put the pan on a foam mat?
2. Surround the pan with foam from all four sides?
Or should I do it differently?
And how much clearance do I need to give the pan in the cabinet? (from the sides)
Thanks,
Mark.
Hi Mark
If you want a good suspension for the pan, I think you should experiment.
It also depends on how you will use the tank. For bedroom use you might not need any suspension. There are no rights or wrongs here.
/Björn
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Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
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Posted on Mar 21 2015 01:56 PM
For Mark and ReverendBow: Yes, you should experiment. I think we all discovered what works for our own application. And don't worry about it too much... it will work. 
Good luck to both of you!
The pan doesn't need much clearance for the vibration it handles during regular operation, it is in the fractional millimeters range. Though, how hard you need to hit the enclosure for the springs to crash, that is up to you.
If you'll choose to use foam, I'd do it this way:
A kind that is half rubberized (that don't disintegrate with time as much), closed-cell and on the rigid side of elasticity.
2 x 10mm thick, 15mm wide strips that you can glue/attach to the outer channel.
Last edited: Mar 21, 2015 14:05:10
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hamerman55
Joined: Jan 18, 2015
Posts: 13
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Posted on Mar 21 2015 09:13 PM
Did a test run of my Surfy Bear with my band today, and it was wonderful! I don't play surf music with these guys, but the drippy spring reverb was just the thing. The other guitarist had a mid-60's Princeton Reverb, and she kept unconsciously cranking her reverb up to get the same splash. It was actually funny as she didn't realize that she was doing it.
Now I've got to box it up neat to make it easier to haul around the pan.
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Mark2Bra
Joined: Sep 01, 2013
Posts: 248
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Posted on Mar 22 2015 01:24 AM
A kind that is half rubberized (that don't disintegrate with time as much), closed-cell and on the rigid side of elasticity.
2 x 10mm thick, 15mm wide strips that you can glue/attach to the outer channel.
Sounds like a job for an isolation foam tube.
Just ordered the Surfy Bear Reverb! 
P.S
Those who used the metal tool box like this:
How well does it shield by itself?
Last edited: Mar 22, 2015 12:55:20
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JObeast
Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Mar 22 2015 02:09 PM
Looks at least 50% plastic (not sheilded top & bottom), and has no wabi-sabi 'mojo'. I say go vintage 18" toolbox and you'll be a stylin' grease-monkey in a full metal jacket. I see excellently beat-up toolboxes all the time in thrift and antique stores for $10 & up.
— Squink Out!
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ReverendBow
Joined: Feb 10, 2014
Posts: 41
The Beach with no water
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Posted on Mar 24 2015 10:13 AM
My Surfy Bear Has Arrived....
Let the fun begin!
— Bow
B.M.E (Bastard Musical Engineering)
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cambeezy
Joined: Jun 26, 2007
Posts: 399
Cleveland, Ohio
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Posted on Mar 24 2015 06:33 PM
Here's my latest setup: HRD and Fetverb pedal with mismatched knobs, Dymo labels and hacked Surfy Bear logo. I swapped out the stock pan for a MIK Accutronics 4AB3C1B. I found a 3' RCA cable at AES with right-angles on all four plugs. Sounds great thru the effects loop. Planning to gig this on Friday.
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JObeast
Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Mar 24 2015 08:40 PM
how does it sound in the effects loop vs. in front of the amp input?
— Squink Out!
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cambeezy
Joined: Jun 26, 2007
Posts: 399
Cleveland, Ohio
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Posted on Mar 25 2015 09:50 AM
Sounds OK but not as good as before the preamp. I'm glad you asked tho -- I needed a subtle  reminder that drippy reverb wants to be in front of the preamp. In the loop, the fetverb sounds more mellow and I had to crank its controls way up to get some semblance of drip.
So I'm going back to the normal chain but it's staying on top of the amp.
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Mark2Bra
Joined: Sep 01, 2013
Posts: 248
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Posted on Mar 26 2015 03:56 AM
A crazy question, but has anyone tried to make the unit box out of cardboard?
Two layers of thick cardboard+tolex cover.
Should be lighter than wood , but will it be rigid enough?
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da-ron
Joined: Jan 02, 2009
Posts: 1305
The original Plymouth, UK.
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Posted on Mar 26 2015 04:35 AM
You tell us. Give it a go and keep us informed. You could be on the cusp of a whole new manufacturing process.
— http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/
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Gilette
Joined: May 04, 2014
Posts: 734
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Posted on Mar 26 2015 04:39 AM
Mark2Bra wrote:
A crazy question, but has anyone tried to make the unit box out of cardboard?
Two layers of thick cardboard+tolex cover.
Should be lighter than wood , but will it be rigid enough?
It could work in an emergency. Be careful when kicking the tank. It might leave a dent. If you play with a very drippy reverb the enclosure may get soggy and dissolve.
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hamerman55
Joined: Jan 18, 2015
Posts: 13
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Posted on Mar 27 2015 07:52 AM
I was wondering how important the second level of suspension really is. I've seen several builds where the pan was suspended on springs. The pan comes with nice soft grommets, and the springs themselves are spring mounted on my pan. I would think that cork lining the box would do the trick, unless you were playing thunderously loud. How is the pan mounted in tube tanks like the Fender or the Gomez? Has anyone heard sounds due to a hard mounted pan so I can know what to listen for? I love the Surfy Bear, and wouldn't want to shortchange it by going sleazy on the mounting. I've hard mounted the pan, but can change it if really necessary. Thanks
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