DIY ProCo RAT clone pedal build @ instructables.com

[silverhalo]

Greeting everyone, just finished building my first distortion pedal and created an instructable (basically a "how-to") for those interested in building one.
Check it out at http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Rat-Clone-Distortion-Guitar-Effect-Pedal---The/
It was a lot of fun and isn't too complicated for beginner effect builders... Thanks!

[ambulancevoice]

that guy wasted WAYYYYY WAYYYY WAYYY to much copper!

[culturejam]

Yes, the copper that was pointlessly shed on this project is indeed shameful.

But maybe it got some folks into pedal building. We can always hope for that.

[dano12]

That's a very nice write-up. Its great to see the fringe art of DIY pedal building show in more mainstream places like Instructables.

Since there are a bunch of great mods for the Rat, perhaps you're next one could be on modding a Rat!

Anyway, great job, very clear instructions.

[silverhalo]

that guy wasted WAYYYYY WAYYYY WAYYY to much copper!

is there a copper shortage I wasn't aware about?? 

I don't know where you live but where I'm from getting 3 boards out of a $1.50 piece of blank circuit board is considered a bargin!!

I plan to do another RAT with all the mods later... I love the idea of LED's as clipping diodes.. colorful music!!

[Chawk]

I think the problem with the copper is more of an environmental thing.

"Sure, you can neutralise the hydrolysated Fe-III-Chloride with a base (NaOH, don't forget to check the pH!) but the environmental problem is actually the Copper (which you usually can't analyze at home, limit is 500µg/l here in germany... not very much!). And don't forget that you may theoretically generate toxic chloride gas in the process - one reason why I  use sodium peroxodisulfate.
Best thing: Bring noxious substances clearly marked to a disposal center without messing with them, alternatively the chemistry department of a university may help (if you know someone there ;-).
Appears trivial, but toxic waste (and that's what it is) is nothing to take lightly - your health and good ole mother nature will thank you. "

Taken from another thread:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=50426.0

[silverhalo]

Thanks for the info.... guess its not too good over cereal in the morning.
I know the amount of copper that is actually removed is quite a small amount.. how thick is the copper on a 1 oz. board anyways?
Thin as a sheet of paper just about...doesn't take much to scratch through it I know.
I have a waste disposal center in my city that I bring all my spent Ferric Chloride to, it is scary to think about all the crazy chemicals being used in China to make circuit boards where their regulation for waste disposal are almost nonexistent..... keeps me awake at night!

[Baktown]

Good job on the instructions!

Question:  Where did you get the slanted enclosure?  I really like those, but I haven't been able to find any.

Rock on!

Rick

[Dragonfly]

Good job, and a cool looking pedal !

Thanks for "giving back" to the DIY community !

[Solidhex]

Hey Baktown

  If you have a Fry's Electronics near you check them. They have a lot of those slanted boxes although for the same price you can get 2 1590's from Pedal parts plus....
  I have all the parts laying around for a Rat. I built one for a friend and it came out great. I used to own 2 but when I was 18 I left my cable/effects toolbox behind after a rehearsal. Blah

--Brad

[ambulancevoice]

that guy wasted WAYYYYY WAYYYY WAYYY to much copper!

is there a copper shortage I wasn't aware about?? 

no, but copper chloride (or copper itself i cant remember) is real bad for the environment, and that huge amount of space he wasted could have been used for alot more boards
tragic waste...

i love the name though, DEAD RAT
:D:D
i steal it for myself!

[BaLaClavaAa]

Cool, I ordered the parts for this like a week ago so this is perfect =]. Only thing is - Qty. 3 - 100K-A (Audio or Logarithmic (same thing) Potentiometers - 17mm diameter fit better
(careful not to get Linear taper Pots.... big difference!), I got linear =[, how big a difference is this and do i need to go find some audio's? Thanks.

[Sweetalk]

Cool, I ordered the parts for this like a week ago so this is perfect =]. Only thing is - Qty. 3 - 100K-A (Audio or Logarithmic (same thing) Potentiometers - 17mm diameter fit better
(careful not to get Linear taper Pots.... big difference!), I got linear =[, how big a difference is this and do i need to go find some audio's? Thanks.

You can convert linear pots into logarithmic (audio) taper pots. Check the "Secret life of pots" at GEO.

The tutorial it's nice, it's true, he wasted much copper but I think he was trying to use the borders of the board to cut it more easyly.

[ambulancevoice]

Cool, I ordered the parts for this like a week ago so this is perfect =]. Only thing is - Qty. 3 - 100K-A (Audio or Logarithmic (same thing) Potentiometers - 17mm diameter fit better
(careful not to get Linear taper Pots.... big difference!), I got linear =[, how big a difference is this and do i need to go find some audio's? Thanks.

You can convert linear pots into logarithmic (audio) taper pots. Check the "Secret life of pots" at GEO.

The tutorial it's nice, it's true, he wasted much copper but I think he was trying to use the borders of the board to cut it more easyly.

i dont think so
you really dont need that much room to cut out the boards
and there is a very thin gap bettween the rat board and the other board called "delayed"

[silverhalo]

I'm still trying to understand your obsession with my use of or lack of use of copper....
I don't have any great method of cutting fiberglass boards other than scoring it with a straight edge and utility knife and snapping them apart.
since i only had 3 boards to etch I just laid them out what is easiest for me to cut with straight lines.... I doubt if I trimmed them out before I etched I would have a leftover piece that would be big enough to make another board with unless it was some small bypass circuit which I have no use for......

[balance]

I wouldn't worry too much about the spent copper. Really it's no biggy. Conservation is always important and every little bit counts. What's more important is that the ferric chloride be disposed of properly, which you've already addressed.

One thing to consider is that this hobby, like any other "religion", comes with it's own dogma. I, for one, am always wondering what I can squeeze onto my leftover copper-clad, regardless of it's size. It's like a pedal builder's version of flagellation.

By the way, I think your instructable was nicely done. FWIW I cut my PCBs with scissors. Big honkin' ones, but scissors nonetheless.

Brian

[puretube]

"Stones"-method:

Paint  It  Black...