Large modular restoration with great pictures

[JohnLRice]

Dave Brown is awesome, check this out:
http://modularsynthesis.com/moog/moog.htm

[rarecomponent]

What a fantastic post ! Well photographed and laid out, one can see you put a lot of effort into this and believe me it IS very much appreciated by a modular fan like me. Great info too....thanks for your time and the work you put in to this. I only wish I had this years ago.
Superb!!!!!!

[thealien666]

Yes, thank you for the link, John ! Great hi-res photos !

[JohnLRice]

My pleasure, I knew folks here would appreciate it!

And, just to be clear I'm not Dave Brown or the owner of the Moog, I just appreciate both!

[rarecomponent]

Ok John thought it was your work but nevertheless still a brilliant post. Any more info from Dave Brown ...links etc ? First PIC of rear of CP3 Ive seen.

[JohnLRice]

Dave is a really talented and nice guy. I've seen him at local synth meets. There is a ton of great information on his site: http://modularsynthesis.com/ He hangs out on Muff's forum quite a bit, typically in the 5U, DIY and general modular sections - http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/

[davebr]

When I started on this Moog I needed to figure out which mods were user installed and which were factory installed. I started looking for some photos and found there were really none of the modules themselves and few of the rear of the cabinet. I decided to take this opportunity to take and post photos. I also updated some of the schematic errors as I found them. It was a fun project and nice to get a hands-on experience but did take some time.

Dave Brown
http://modularsynthesis.com/

[Voltor07]

Welcome to the Moog forum, Dave! Love your work, and if you see anymore rarities in your travels, feele free to post them here!

[CZ Rider]

I decided to take this opportunity to take and post photos.

Thanks and welcome to the forum Dave!
Those photos you posted of the Moog 984 helped me out quite a bit. Was trying to make a smaller two channel version (aka 982) of the quad matrix mixer. I only had low-rez blurry photos of the actual circuit board. Was able to figure out the "correct" Moog component layout from your 984 photos. So thanks much!

The dots in the drawing are the T-28 Vector pins (.062 holes), black lines the buss wire and colored flying wires. Using the same Vector Plugbord as used in all R.A.Moog early revision modules. Bob Moog called these "Hot Rod" boards as changes and experimentation was easy on that type construction. Just about every R.A.Moog module started out on Vectorbord and some modules never made it to the large production copper etched boards.
Really like this old school construction. Here are a few I am working on.



The module on the left will be the two channel 982 mixer, right module a 902A Band Pass Filter Adaptor. And center top is a ring modulator/mixer/dual reversable attenuator. Had to first do the hardware and metal fabrication. Needed to learn how to drill and tap those Plexiglass standoffs. Wiring and component placement next. Have to get busy wiring/soldering now!

[davebr]

I also took photos of a Sonic Six that I restored. I posted it somewhere in the forum but darned if I can find it now. That page is at http://modularsynthesis.com/moog/sonic_ ... ic_six.htm

Dave
http://modularsynthesis.com

[JohnLRice]

Nice looking DIY, CZ!

[CZ Rider]

Thanks for noticing John!
I started to try and make a Moog module clone after that 902A module appeared on Ebay. The 902A was a real mystery module, the "Band Pass Filter Adaptor". After investigating further all the info was out there, just had to dig deep to find it. Apparently this was the first R.A.Moog filter module, described by one user as just a guitar type wah-wah with a set of switchable fixed capacitors forming a filter. The original "First Moog" on display seems to have a version of this. Never noticed before but there is a "expo/linear" switch and "gain" on that filter, same controls as found on the 902 VCA. The 902A worked in conjunction with a 902 VCA to form this filter.
There was enough info in the photos posted to try and clone this module.

Still have to wire it up, but fabricating the module frames was a big part of doing it right.
Tried the 70's method of using plexiglass for the insulated standoff for the rear. Worked with plexiglass before, and knew to drill you need a bit without a sharp edge or it will crack. But found out you have to drill really slow, or it will melt and bind to the bit. Had to learn this new technique. Tapping to 4-40 was just as much fun. Tapped one standoff and was on the last hole when I broke the tap. Forgot, have to do it sloooow. Any heat will melt it in.


The aluminum frames are handmade. Had to saw out the edge card opening.


Then file smooth.


Turned out OK?


I'll post more pics and info when I get these up and running.

Another interesting photo Dave posted was those CP panel circuits. Dave posted a nice pic of the back of the CP6 routing module. This had the reversable attenuator and 1% 100K node resistors that went to the 904A/B filter pair. There is not much room to mount behind these panels. The photo shows two seperate small boards, one for the resistors and the other for the reversable attenuator. Nice to see the reversable attenuator board was mounted way over behind the one of the multi/trunk jacks. This is where I was going to mount mine for clearance reasons. My IP did not have that attenuator since the filter was in a seperate cabinet. I have since moved the filter and wanted to add the switches and attenuator.
The method of mounting R.A.Moog small CP circuits is a small aluminum L bracket. Moog would also use that Vector Plugbord for many of these early circuits. I was able to fabricate the brackets from some .065" aluminum.
Mounted to a pot here.


And another pic of the brackets and circuit.


Thanks to Dave's photo's, I see I was not that far from stock mounting my one board behind the multi jack. Really helped me out.

[Voltor07]

Any plans for building your own System 55, CZ?

[CZ Rider]

Any plans for building your own System 55, CZ?

Just needed to fill a few empty spaces in my Moog. The ring modulator and output mixer seemed like nice additions.

Sorry couldn't help with the ribbon material. Remember someone auctioning off an original roll some years back. Thought it was made by 3M and no longer produced? Did try to find any part number info I might have saved, but came up empty. It was only the sticky tape top covering. Still needed the conductive material to adhere to.

[Voltor07]

Any plans for building your own System 55, CZ?

Just needed to fill a few empty spaces in my Moog. The ring modulator and output mixer seemed like nice additions.

Makes sense.

Sorry couldn't help with the ribbon material. Remember someone auctioning off an original roll some years back. Thought it was made by 3M and no longer produced? Did try to find any part number info I might have saved, but came up empty. It was only the sticky tape top covering. Still needed the conductive material to adhere to.

I have linear membrane potentiometers...basically pre-made ribbon controllers. All I needed was the tape for appearances/protection. I ended up going with a brown fiberglass/mylar tape backed with silicone adhesive. I do so hope it works.