Look what I got...

Mo Facta

Mo Facta

Farts of Nature
A second Chilton console, this time a QM1 (I also own a CM2)! I bought it for about $110 because it needs some work but the channel strips still all work and it's worth it for that alone. Check it out:

Chilton QM1.JPG

For those of you that don't know, these are known as a "poor man's Neve". The electronics are 100% Class-A, discrete and transformer balanced. P&G faders, Sowter transformers, etc. Good stuff!

Yesterday I opened it up to check out what needs to be done and cleaned it. Ya know, despite having sat for so long in some random radio station, it's in really good shape. Well, what's there is in pretty good shape. Stupid little excited school boy me got the linseed oil out and oiled the wood and then I silicon polished the leather arm rest/bumper thing on the front of the console. Anyone know the technical term for that leather part, by the way?

I spoke to my tech yesterday and we decided to give the refurb a go. Most of the issues to get it up and running are pretty easy and won't cost an arm and a leg. I've got a bit of cash coming my way soon so I'll be putting it toward it.

Basically I need to get a new panel laser cut for the master fader section and then I need four mono faders and one stereo fader. I'm looking at P&G or Alps but I know there are some other more affordable options. I would like to stick with P&G though because the console came fitted with them.

Then, channel 11 is dead so I have to get that looked at. Hopefully it's just some small component that's gone. Shouldn't be too much hassle.

Then I need to get a six-channel line driver card duplicated as it only has one intact and needs two. That shouldn't be too much of a problem as I have the schematic and an existing one, plus my tech fabricates cards.

At that point the console will be in good working order but there's still work to be done. There are four on-board C25 compressors but none of them have cards so I will have to get them fabricated at some point. Then, the Sifam PPM meters don't have driver cards so I'll have to get some fabricated too. Luckily I have the same ones in my other Chilton console so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Then, lastly, it didn't even come with any because it was an option when it was built but I would like to eventually get LED meters installed for the channel strips. That's the last thing on my mind, though.

Well, wish me luck!

Cheers :)
 
Looks like an excellent console for a project and will sound great, I'm sure. The armrest part of a console is either called a bolster or just call it an armrest. I think the word you were looking for is bolster though. Nice console!
 
A Reel Person said:
Looks like your Master section is missing.
:spank::eek:;)
Click to expand...

Ha ha, well spotted!

I spent this morning sourcing Alps faders for it. Basically, seven Alps faders - one dual pot and six single pot - are going to cost me like $120. I'm then going to get the panel made and laser cut, which shouldn't cost too much. A bit of engraving and bob's your uncle! The console has a master section and is ready to rock!

Cheers :)
 
Well, the master section restoration is well on it's way. Faders and knobs ordered. Panel in the process of being laser cut. Line driver card is next and will cost me $70 to get fabricated.

Looking good. I'll post pics when I've installed it all.

Then the hard work starts and the costs start to get high. Getting compressor cards fabricated will most likely cost quite a bit so I'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Then, I found a guy in the UK that will assemble four PPM drivers for me which will cost like $220 including shipping to my location. That's still not too bad. He's a really helpful guy from a company called GJC Designs. He's sold me on his customer service alone.

Then, lastly, the channel VU meters. This is looking like the biggest challenge. I'll probably end up going with Velleman LED VU kits for the meters. They're about $20 each so 12 of them later and I'm back at about $240. Then it's the time need to assemble them on top of installation costs.

Phew.

THIS IS FUN!

Cheers :)
 
A million posts about "analogue" portastudios and not a peep about this beautiful vintage British-made console?

WTF???

Cheers :drunk:
 
The rest of the faders came today and I picked up the master panel that I got laser cut as well. Here's the progress so far:

9397_10151454723792584_762742372_n.jpg


972086_10151454723812584_461615951_n.jpg


Nevermind the FA-101 and Samson C-Control in the BG. You didn't see that. It's my home studio, ok?

So anyway, coming along. I plugged the console in last week on a session hoping to use the pres but all of them were distorting at low levels. Me thinks the power supply needs a look at. There's another cost. In any case, I'll just keep soldering on (see what I did there?) until we're looking in good shape. I figure once I get the main issues sorted I can look at a full re-cap and getting up to like new condition.

I'm already getting all giddy just over this stupid fader panel.

Cheers :)
 
It's a fair amount of progress already, with the panel and faders.

I'd think that alone was very expensive. It's a labor of love & a challenge to restore. I'll call you the new sweetbeats!
:spank::eek:;)
 
Actually the panel cost me $7 for materials and laser cutting and the faders (Alps K Series) cost me about $120 including the fader caps. There's a total of seven (one stereo, six mono). The big costs are still to come. Gotta find a place to engrave the dB scales next to the faders after painting the panel and then get the faders installed by my tech.

Here's what she looks like so far:

IMG_1614.JPG

Like I said, I gotta get the panel faded so ignore it for now.

Woo hoo! Fun stuff.

Cheers :)
 
I wouldn't say it will ruin my sound. It's a fine interface. 10 in 10 out at 192k. Not bad if you ask me. Haven't had any problems with it's sound at all. What don't you like about it?

Like I said, that's my home studio. I just use it for bringing home the tedious work like programming and editing. I've got Lynx and Apogee converters at my studio which is where I do most of the work. The Chilton will be going in there as soon as it's restored.

Cheers :)
 
Mo Facta said:
A second Chilton console, this time a QM1 (I also own a CM2)! I bought it for about $110 because it needs some work but the channel strips still all work and it's worth it for that alone. Check it out:

View attachment 79890

For those of you that don't know, these are known as a "poor man's Neve". The electronics are 100% Class-A, discrete and transformer balanced. P&G faders, Sowter transformers, etc. Good stuff!

Yesterday I opened it up to check out what needs to be done and cleaned it. Ya know, despite having sat for so long in some random radio station, it's in really good shape. Well, what's there is in pretty good shape. Stupid little excited school boy me got the linseed oil out and oiled the wood and then I silicon polished the leather arm rest/bumper thing on the front of the console. Anyone know the technical term for that leather part, by the way?

I spoke to my tech yesterday and we decided to give the refurb a go. Most of the issues to get it up and running are pretty easy and won't cost an arm and a leg. I've got a bit of cash coming my way soon so I'll be putting it toward it.

Basically I need to get a new panel laser cut for the master fader section and then I need four mono faders and one stereo fader. I'm looking at P&G or Alps but I know there are some other more affordable options. I would like to stick with P&G though because the console came fitted with them.

Then, channel 11 is dead so I have to get that looked at. Hopefully it's just some small component that's gone. Shouldn't be too much hassle.

Then I need to get a six-channel line driver card duplicated as it only has one intact and needs two. That shouldn't be too much of a problem as I have the schematic and an existing one, plus my tech fabricates cards.

At that point the console will be in good working order but there's still work to be done. There are four on-board C25 compressors but none of them have cards so I will have to get them fabricated at some point. Then, the Sifam PPM meters don't have driver cards so I'll have to get some fabricated too. Luckily I have the same ones in my other Chilton console so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Then, lastly, it didn't even come with any because it was an option when it was built but I would like to eventually get LED meters installed for the channel strips. That's the last thing on my mind, though.

Well, wish me luck!

Cheers :)
Click to expand...
Hello ! nice job ! im looking for Qm1'S schematics and spare parts (missing Chanel 1&2) can you help ?
 
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