Finished my RAT clone - pics

[Paul Marossy]

Well, I've finished my RAT clone using the tonepad PCB layout. Here's a few pics:



The top is not quite as gold as it appears in the picture.



This is an attempt to show that there is a somewhat subtle sunburst - the overall color is kind of a chocolate brown metallic flake paint and the top has a light overspray of gold metallic paint. It looks really nice in person. The clear coat is some Minwax gloss polyurethane spray.



I usually use only DC jacks, so no batteries here, but there is room for one if the switch were moved a little bit. I went with a grounded circuit input true bypass on this one since it's such a high gain circuit. I think I've settled on a 100pF compensation cap, but I have wired it up in such a way that I can experiment with a variable capacitor to see if it has any useful effect on the quality of the sound. So far, I like it a lot with the CA3130 Bimos MOSFET opamp - but the real test will be when I take it to practice tonight and use it with my normal rig...  :wink:

Oh, and I finally painted a passive A/B box that I made a while back, too.

[samzeppelin]

Real good looking!
is that water decals?

Sam

[samzeppelin]

ok i see on A/B box that it is something else

[Paul Marossy]

is that water decals?

No, it's this stuff commonly called "stickyback". It is a clear matte self adhesive film that comes in 8.5"x11" sheets and costs about $75 for a box of 100 sheets. I print out graphics on it with a LaserJet printer and do a full face decal whcih gets covered with clear coat.

[samzeppelin]

ok thanks

[MartyMart]

BEAUTIFUL  !!

Nice one Paul,

Marty.

[casey]

lovely pedals paul, great look to them!
i was wondering if there are black plastic washers or clear washers rather than the white ones....such a nice paint job and then that big ugly washer on it.....

[Paul Marossy]

i was wondering if there are black plastic washers or clear washers rather than the white ones....such a nice paint job and then that big ugly washer on it.....

Yeah, I was thinking that the white washer doesn't look that good. I think I'm going to have to buy some thin 1/2" metal washers to use with these 3PDT switches...  :cry:

[Outlaws]

lovely pedals paul, great look to them!
i was wondering if there are black plastic washers or clear washers rather than the white ones....such a nice paint job and then that big ugly washer on it.....

Anyone tried food coloring?



Also, Paul, how does that clear cloat you use hold up to chipping?

[Outlaws]

I think I'm going to have to buy some thin 1/2" metal washers to use with these 3PDT switches...  :cry:

Hmmm.  I bought a 1/2" washing form HD but the footswitch isn't really 1/2".  They will work but you have to make sure to take time hand tightening it so it is dead center or the nut won't cover the hold.

[Paul Marossy]

Anyone tried food coloring?

I am not sure that food coloring would do anything - the plastic is not really a porous type of plastic so it really wouldn't have any affect on the plastic. Same goes for a black dye as well, but that might work to some extent if you heat it up...

Also, Paul, how does that clear cloat you use hold up to chipping?

So far it works just fine. It's pretty tough stuff once it's cured.  

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

Very nice!

Great paint job.

So, I guess the layout is officially verified.

About the washers... The problem is that the shafts aren't 1/2", they're 15/32", so the washer fits too loose and you need to center it.

I drill 15/32 for the stompswitches.

[Paul Marossy]

So, I guess the layout is officially verified.

Yep, it works! Thanks for the compliment.  :wink:
(honestly, this is another one of those things I just threw together)

15/32" huh? Well, that's an odd size. I have noticed that the 1/2" hole I normally drill in an enclosure is just a little big compared to the switch. I'm sure someone must make washers that size...

[Outlaws]

So, I guess the layout is officially verified.

15/32" huh? Well, that's an odd size. I have noticed that the 1/2" hole I normally drill in an enclosure is just a little big compared to the switch. I'm sure someone must make washers that size...

If you find a lpace, let me know.  lol

As for the size, they are 15/32" but I use a 31/64" bit.  Its funny how 1/64" smaller (15/32") and it fits nice and snug, but 1/64" larger (1/2") and its like wearing clown pants.

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

We got to get Steve Daniels to change his 1/2" washers (the toothed ones too) for 15/32"

Yeah, 1/64" in machine land is HUGE.

[Paul Marossy]

BTW, Fransisco, I really appreciate all of the compact layouts for the projects at your website. Keep up the good work!