Tools of the Trade

[aziltz]

So I finished my first "REAL" pedal, a 5 Knob Compressor from BYOC.  It works great and sounds great.  After I paint the box though, I want to Redo the wiring with some heat shrink for protection and robustness (word?)

Note the blue LED for added Mojo...

Speaking of Heat Shrink, where's a good source for that?

Also, will the famed uni-bit work with a cordless drill? I have access to a drill press, but not at home.  Where can I find a uni-bit?  ACE didn't seem to have them in stock...

[jefe]

circuitspecialists.com sells a nice heat shrink variety pack for a good price. I got my uni-bit from harbor freight - search for "step drill" or something like that, very good price for a 3-pack.

and yes, unibit will work very well with a cordless drill.

[BDuguay]

Nice work!
I suggest you trim those transistors a bit more. You don't  want any of the exposed leads shorting to anything.
B.

[aziltz]

Nice work!
I suggest you trim those transistors a bit more. You don't  want any of the exposed leads shorting to anything.
B.

oh yes, i just wanted to get it working...

[doc_drop]

I got my cordless drill and unibit from Amazon.com.

The unibit works fine with a cordless. Mine is a quick release, hex type drill. I was worried I would have a hard time finding the right unibit to fit that, but they had it on Amazon.

[Processaurus]

Rather than heat shrink and redoing your wiring, hot glue is a great, quick, way to bullet proof (or at least tug proof) the wire connections to the board, so that they don't break at that connection from handling.  Not a big deal to get it off either, just half heat it up and you can scrape it off.  Or just dive in with a soldering iron!

I haven't found a need in stompboxes for heatshrink other than splicing wires or insulating LED's from the chassis.  Wires at the pots are unlikely to fray and short out as long as the insulation goes up to the solder lug.  Your orange wires are stripped too far up at the board, they actually could short out on each other, but you can just heat up each joint and slide the wire up until the insulation is at the board.

Heh, if you ever wonder where BYOC does their reading, from '05:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=40292.0

[aziltz]

Rather than heat shrink and redoing your wiring, hot glue is a great, quick, way to bullet proof (or at least tug proof) the wire connections to the board, so that they don't break at that connection from handling.  Not a big deal to get it off either, just half heat it up and you can scrape it off.  Or just dive in with a soldering iron!

I haven't found a need in stompboxes for heatshrink other than splicing wires or insulating LED's from the chassis.  Wires at the pots are unlikely to fray and short out as long as the insulation goes up to the solder lug.  Your orange wires are stripped too far up at the board, they actually could short out on each other, but you can just heat up each joint and slide the wire up until the insulation is at the board.

Heh, if you ever wonder where BYOC does their reading, from '05:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=40292.0

thanks for the suggestions.

I think I decided on heat shrink because I like the look, and it would be a little cheaper/less messy (at least for me) over hot glue.

Nice work with the Compressor, I really like the blend function!

[hubble]

i just posted about a unibit deal at Harbor freight tools, $6.99 and they also have a good deal on heat shrink tubing

[aziltz]

i just posted about a unibit deal at Harbor freight tools, $6.99 and they also have a good deal on heat shrink tubing

thanks! i'll look into that.

[hubble]

oh and i use a unibit with a cordless drill and it works great

[thereverend]

i got my unibit at home depot. it'll either be with all the drill bits or with the tap and die sets. i've seen it in different stores in those 2 locations.

[newfish]

Man!  That's a tidy build.

Nice work!

[solderman]

So I finished my first "REAL" pedal, a 5 Knob Compressor from BYOC.  It works great and sounds great.  After I paint the box though, I want to Redo the wiring with some heat shrink for protection and robustness (word?)


Also, will the famed uni-bit work with a cordless drill? I have access to a drill press, but not at home.  Where can I find a uni-bit?  ACE didn't seem to have them in stock...

Hi
I it will work as long as the drill has power enough but the result is up to your steady hand.
//Solderman 

[ayayay!]

So I finished my first "REAL" pedal, a 5 Knob Compressor from BYOC.  It works great and sounds great.  After I paint the box though, I want to Redo the wiring with some heat shrink for protection and robustness (word?)


Also, will the famed uni-bit work with a cordless drill? I have access to a drill press, but not at home.  Where can I find a uni-bit?  ACE didn't seem to have them in stock...

Hi
I it will work as long as the drill has power enough but the result is up to your steady hand.
//Solderman 

A steady hand is important, but moreso is keeping the enclosure still.  I always recommend a vise.  They're cheap.

Also, unibit's are not the "end all" of bits.  What about when you're drilling something and the diameter you need is all the way at the top of the bit?  If you only have 1" of clearance under where you're drilling, and the diameter you need is at the top of the 1 1/2" unibit shaft, you're hosed.     I keep both types handy.