Hey guys,
I've planned out making a Green Ringer, but i feel like it's going to be a good 10$ more than I planned. It's not enough to stop me from doing it and I'm not cheap or anything, but I was just wondering if there's a less expensive way to build future pedals. It would especially come in handy for larger builds with more expensive parts, i.e. Ge transistors, 3dpt switches, etc. as well as allowing me to make more builds for less money
Currently I buy pre-painted cases + all my electronics from small bear as all the radio shacks near my house have a very tiny selection of overpriced mixed-parts bags. For what i think are harder builds, I look at buying premade PCBs, which usually cost a ton more than regular perfboard. I could save by making my own PCBs, but that would require an etching kit and a laser printer, something I don't have access to (anal university computer techs won't even let me print on transparent acetates and they've padlocked the paper tray!!!).
Anyways, feel free to share any cost-reducing suggestions, I'm sure others could benefit as well!
Think ahead for future builds and buy all the parts at once at few places as possible.... also shop around around for the cheapest sources and stock up on parts used the most.
Also forgot salvaging parts off old circuit boards for the real cheap bastards!!
is it possible to use parts from burnt out motherboards and the like :P (assuming they're in working order)? seems like a good idea, although the short leads would be hard to use
Didn't say it was exactly worth the trouble, but if you want cheap go for it. I've got a small stash of boards I keep around in case I need a part I don't have on hand. you really need older electronics to salvage from because the newer stuff is mostly surface mount components.
Also find alternatives for enclosures: 'puter power supply boxes, raco electrical boxes, cookie/candy tins and such. I've been using cut rectangular tube for my builds lately. Only hassle is making ends for 'em.... using bent sheet metal.
Look up the thread about making a fuzz circuit from burnt out power compact bulbs somewhere on this forum.... some good caps inside, but be careful of the mercury!!
In the first edition of the guitar effects FAQ at geofex.com, from almost ten years ago, I noted that the electronics part of building your own effects is almost free.
At least it is compared to the mechanical parts: the box, jacks, battery clip, footswitch, control pots, knobs and so on that will be on every effect. If you do a detailed listing of each part and what it costs, the electronics themselves are always less than half, usually much less than half.
One maxim that was pounded into our heads as designers was working on reducing the cost of the most expensive parts first. If you get the cheapest parts FREE it doesn't reduce cost much. So go work on making the expensive parts cheap - the box, the controls, jacks, ...
search around ebay for resistors, good value packs (think about $9.99/shipped for 1000, or $12.99/shipped for 2000) and read geofex's page on making your own enclosures
Maybe my motives are different, but when I build pedals I'm doing it as a labor of love, not to try to mass produce a product. The pedals I build are for friends and fellow musicians, so I try to make each one unique, and something they'll want to keep forever. I'm not so pretentious to imply that I'm creating art, I just try to make things a little different, and if it costs a few more $$$, it's not a big deal.
I will, however, use the best quality mechanical parts I can find such as switches, jacks, pots, etc. Just because a build is unique doesn't mean it can fall apart in the middle of a gig!
Rick J
can you use a photocopier with the press n peel? i have an inkjet so i can't use that, but it does have a photocopier built in to
it and i've heard you can use that.
Quote from: philbinator1 on February 13, 2010, 02:48:18 AM
can you use a photocopier with the press n peel? i have an inkjet so i can't use that, but it does have a photocopier built in to
it and i've heard you can use that.
be very careful with that logic. Inkjet printers that have photocopiers are essentially just an inkjet printer that has a built-in scanner and the ability to print scanned photos without a computer. Yes, it is a photocopier, but it is still inkjet printing which won't work for press n peel. What press n peel needs is ink TONER, which comes from either laser printers or actual copy machines. The reason is because toner, unlike inkjet, is transferred to the paper by heat. The heat essentially melts the toner onto the paper. So when you print onto press n peel, you then take an iron and re-melt the toner to transfer it to the PCB copper. That being said, laser printers aren't the only thing that works. From my first try till the present, I've always printing the design onto regular paper and then used an office copy machine to transfer the image to press n peel. It has worked flawlessly every time. If you don't have one accessible at school, most copy centers or even minimarts that have copy machines will let you copy on to press n peel. If they are skeptical when I pull out the sheet, I usually just tell them it's the same material as an overhead transparency.
A quick note to contribute to this thread though... if you are planning ahead for multiple projects, use a graphics program like illustrator to get all your layouts onto a single page. Then when you make a copy, just run the entire sheet of press n peel through the copy machine. Saves a lot of time and hassle to do it that way instead of cutting the PnP to appropriate size and taping it to the other sheet to be re-copied.
Quote from: phector2004 on February 12, 2010, 11:08:20 PM
Currently I buy pre-painted cases + all my electronics from small bear as all the radio shacks near my house have a very tiny selection of overpriced mixed-parts bags. For what i think are harder builds, I look at buying premade PCBs, which usually cost a ton more than regular perfboard. I could save by making my own PCBs, but that would require an etching kit and a laser printer, something I don't have access to (anal university computer techs won't even let me print on transparent acetates and they've padlocked the paper tray!!!).
Anyways, feel free to share any cost-reducing suggestions, I'm sure others could benefit as well!
Avoid radio shack at all costs......
Craigslist - got a $10 panasonic laser printer
Ferric Choride - $20 a gallon at Frys
a couple of plasic trays - 99 cents at the 99 cent store... ;D
PCB material - Ebay (cheap)
staples or epson inkjet glossy photo paper - $5 on ebay (or)
magazine paper - free
patience and knowledge........................priceless
heres an idea for you to consider...
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=81803.msg680191#msg680191 (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=81803.msg680191#msg680191)
basically you take all the costly parts... jacks, stomp switch ,power jack
and put them into a base unit with a standardized/inexpensive connector
then you can 'plug' whatever board you want to use into it.
so instead of having to box up 20 circuits and their pots
you just make say 3 boxes and plug any 3 circuits into them interchangeably...
...in the long run it allows you to build and design away, without needing a constant stream of jacks and switches and boxes ...
and save up your money and make a big order (to save on shipping) from:
mouser (if you can figure out their part system - watch out for surface mount!)
futurlec (if you can handle waiting a little bit for shipping - but prices are awesome!!) get a few of their packs - resistor, capacitor, and IC/transistor it will set you up for a while for all kinds of projects
pedalpartsplus.com (great prices!, fast shipping!, everything under one "roof")
smallbear
diystompboxes.com store
watch the for sale/trade threads in this forum (some great deals!)
---------------------------------------
Important: Plan for your first 3-5 projects and order ALL the parts so you dont need to pay for shipping twice (or more....doh!)
Quote from: Quackzed on February 13, 2010, 05:39:04 AM
heres an idea for you to consider...
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=81803.msg680191#msg680191 (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=81803.msg680191#msg680191)
basically you take all the costly parts... jacks, stomp switch ,power jack
and put them into a base unit with a standardized/inexpensive connector
then you can 'plug' whatever board you want to use into it.
so instead of having to box up 20 circuits and their pots
GREAT IDEA!
Ive got an extra breadboard stuck to a tin with double-sided tape
that tin has a 9v, 2 jacks, and a dpdt switch with wires sticking out of the tin into the breadboard.
I wire up my circuit and plug in the in, out, 9v, and ground into the corresponding places on the breadboard and tweak away on the circuit into my test rig
Quote from: mikemaddux on February 13, 2010, 05:47:33 AM
Quote from: Quackzed on February 13, 2010, 05:39:04 AM
heres an idea for you to consider...
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=81803.msg680191#msg680191 (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=81803.msg680191#msg680191)
basically you take all the costly parts... jacks, stomp switch ,power jack
and put them into a base unit with a standardized/inexpensive connector
then you can 'plug' whatever board you want to use into it.
so instead of having to box up 20 circuits and their pots
GREAT IDEA!
Ive got an extra breadboard stuck to a tin with double-sided tape
that tin has a 9v, 2 jacks, and a dpdt switch with wires sticking out of the tin into the breadboard.
I wire up my circuit and plug in the in, out, 9v, and ground into the corresponding places on the breadboard and tweak away on the circuit into my test rig
that sounds great for testing. does anyone have a link with diagrams on how to make one? instructables etc?
Quote from: philbinator1 on February 13, 2010, 05:56:18 AM
that sounds great for testing. does anyone have a link with diagrams on how to make one? instructables etc?
Scroll down to the bottom of this page: http://rabbathrecordings.com/DOD250.htm (http://rabbathrecordings.com/DOD250.htm)
Hope it helps!!
-Joe Hart
Being a cheapskate myself, I must say the mechanical quality of the builds will suffer from trying to approach pedalbuilding from a hardcore cost saving perspective. Ugly and difficult to machine steel electrical boxes, rattle can paint, crappy plastic chinese jacks, questionable switches, crummy melty wire, mismatched thriftstore knobs, questionable no name pots with shafts that don't match the thriftstore knobs, used electroytic caps that might fail, might add up to save $15, but that pedal sucks.
Hint, if money is tight, you could find a musician friend that would be really excited to buy a pedal from you at the cost of the parts of it and an identical pedal you made for yourself. It takes much less time to make the second compared to the first. You made your pedal for free.
An exception, is you can build cheaply if you can buy broken pedals and build your circuit into them. Perfboard too, is a economical way to go, with the extensive benefit that you're learning your circuit, and have a good memory of how the schematic corresponds to the physical board. There are so many veroboard layouts here too, that is almost as easy as stuffing a printed circuit board.
Don't forget modules--you don't necessarily need to be married to the concept that your pedals need to be footswitchable. If you realize that they don't (especially in the 'I'm not sure if I like it THAT much yet'), use toggle dpdt switches instead of 3pdts for bypassing and make a modular setup (check out the modular ideas at Geofex for SUPER-cheap ideas).
:)
love the breadboard setup!
and i haven't really thought of making non stomp-able pedals... i know its a huge pain in the ass to balance my guitar on my knee while i fumble with patch cables, although i do leave many of my effects on for my entire jam session. I'd probably do so for something like a compressor or reverb, thanks for the idea!
i think the best option is to just buy in bulk, maybe planning 2-3 projects in advance. It means getting good quality components and saving myself from having to use those fugly electrical boxes (although i've seen some pretty sick uses of them! congrats if you can pull it off!). should also invest in PCB making, found a friend with an ancient 300dpi laserjet
guess i could also make some double builds for my friends, although they mostly play stuff like A7X and Bullet for my Valentine... nothing near what im into, but they might be interested in dist. pedals
Quote from: phector2004 on February 13, 2010, 03:43:20 PM
they mostly play stuff like A7X and Bullet for my Valentine... nothing near what im into
I know the feeling.
I think planning ahead for multiple builds is a pretty good idea.
Loop box and modules, then the switches and some of the knobs can stay the same, as well as the box...
either multiple boxes or multiple effects in one box, being able to swap order of effects is handy if you're not familiar with what you like or what can be make to sound good.
I consider myself to be pretty cheapo. Most of my effects cost less than $10 in parts, many have been less than $5.
1. Never buy enclosures. I buy things from thrift stores that will work well as enclosures. This is not only economical, but also I like the way they look. I frequently see old computer hardware switching boxes (like serial and parallel switch boxes) at thrift stores. These are in great metal enclosures and they are full of colored wire which can be used for panel wiring. Also usually a big-ass rotary switch and a knob.
2. Salvage pots, jacks, and other hardware from thrifted stuff wherever possible (if I see an electronic box full of pots and jacks for $3, I will buy it just to take it apart).
3. Pick up stuff from the side of the road. I recently built a 10W amp, including the cab, almost entirely from stuff I found.
4. I never put 3PDT stomp switches on my effects. I have a couple of bypass loop pedals that I built (that have the DPDT in them - I don't bother with an LED to tell me it's on) and I use them to switch my effects in and out. I am rarely using all of my effects at once anyway, so don't really need each one to have a bypass on it.
5. As others have said, buy duplicates of parts when you order them. Many effects use common values. The shipping is usually a big part of the expense. Also it is rad to just have what you need on hand and not have to plan for everything you build.
6. Look for surplus and junk stores. I have a place where I can get all the plexiglass and metal I need for a few bucks. Most large cities will have places like this.
1. Never buy enclosures.
Raco...sometimes you just need any box now.
Otherwise shop for boxes. I decided to take the approach [after getting some boxes whipped up, that enclosures are things that should be well thought through and finished before starting, I like using wood as a way to get very cheap enclosure, a few precut 'stalks', some gorilla glue and rubber bands basically gets a 'box', predrilling the lid for all the jacks 'n pots is the tricky part, 1/4'' is too thick for pot threads.
2. Salvage pots, jacks, and other hardware, thift stores, and put the word out, I've gotten trunkloads of stuff "If it has a wire coming out of it or has a knob or switch, I want it" is what I tell those who 'understand'.
3. Pick up stuff from the side of the road. I recently built a 10W amp, including the cab, almost entirely from stuff I found.
Amazing deals on stuff from side of road, sometimes there are linear power supplies that can be adapted or are already grounded...just sitting there, excellent vintage irons in chassis w/the resistors I use and the capacitors I try not to use, free tube amp stuff that can be used is the best shopping ever, not as easy as it used to be.
Build your own tools.
Some of the tools I have built include DC current testers using male and female jacks and banana plugs, an AC one using a wall plug attached to a 2x6 (total cost $4 compared to $30 for the one at Lowe's), a frequency/pulse counter which uses 3 rows of 10 LEDs with 3 cascaded decade counters (before I learned to program uCs), a logic probe using a $.99 car voltage tester housing, an IC pin bending tool (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=80058.0) and a DIY table saw (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=82306.0).
The great part is you inevitably learn something when you make your own tools.
see if your community has a computer salvage place. in portland we have Free Geek. they recycle computers and have a thrift store and volunteers can get a free or low cost Linux machine. In their thrift store they have old modems and switcher boxes. The switcher boxes can be perfect pedal sized. I got four from my dad, 1990s serial port things for switching printers.
The world has a LOT of computer trash...much of it well sized for pedal enclosures
- Strategy
steal!
Regarding the off-board component testing unit... I built something very similar. You can see it here: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=70472.msg568814#msg568814
I just wire the pots to the circuits since they usually change from pedal to pedal and then I solder the wires to length for the enclosure I will eventually use and then use the alligator clips to connect them to in/out and power/gnd.
Here's an interesting instructable for making PCBs. Looks a lot cheaper in the long run than buying (and properly disposing) Ferric Chloride all the time: http://www.instructables.com/id/Stop-using-Ferric-Chloride-etchant!--A-better-etc/
and BTW... LOVE the idea about offering to make a pedal for a buddy for the cost of parts for two. That idea is brilliant.
Quote from: jacobyjd on February 13, 2010, 10:59:12 AM
Don't forget modules--you don't necessarily need to be married to the concept that your pedals need to be footswitchable. If you realize that they don't (especially in the 'I'm not sure if I like it THAT much yet'), use toggle dpdt switches instead of 3pdts for bypassing and make a modular setup (check out the modular ideas at Geofex for SUPER-cheap ideas).
:)
Bingo. I got tired of:
a) having to shell out for boxes,
b) having to step into a cold garage to machine the boxes,
c) having to catch grief from my wife for the smells that were coming into the kitchen from the garage when I would paint the boxes,
d) spending money on big jacks, big plugs, and stompswitches,
e) the sheer nuisance of repatching a pedalboard, and the limitations of NOT repatching it.
So, I went modular. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/mhammer/DSCF0785.jpg)
The cost of "the package" (box, jacks, switch, paint, battery) when added up, comes to around $10 on a good day with the wind at your back, and more often something like $15-20. The cost of the package for my modular system was $0.25@ for the faceplate, $1.50@ for the toggle, and $0.50@ for the jacks, I suppose we can add another $0.50 on top of that for the paint pen, perfboard and wire, plus about $10 for the overall chassis to house the modules.
You can read more about it here: http://music-electronics-forum.com/t10177-post80136/#poststop
@ Mark Hammer: I love the stapled on faux-tolex :D
I stopped distinguishing between guitar effects and synth modules a long time ago. a lot of the more interesting guitar pedals were basically adapted from synthesizers to begin with. Frostwave units, and Moogerfoogers were the right idea. I love all of the Maestro, Moog, Korg, and Roland pedals from the 1970s and 1980s.
One more thing I came across recently regarding making PCBs.... http://www.instructables.com/id/Sponge-Ferric-Chloride-Method-Etch-Circuit-Bo/
I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like this method would significantly reduce your cost of materials if you're making your own PCBs. If you're not, I would highly recommend looking into starting. It's really a drop in the bucket price-wise compared to buying pre-fab PCBs and with a little know-how, it's really not a complicated process.
wow that looks ridiculously easy!
might even try it for my current project
are there any GOOD alternatives to laser-printing then melting the toner onto the copper side?
Quote from: Mark Hammer on February 16, 2010, 02:10:57 PM
Quote from: jacobyjd on February 13, 2010, 10:59:12 AM
Don't forget modules--you don't necessarily need to be married to the concept that your pedals need to be footswitchable. If you realize that they don't (especially in the 'I'm not sure if I like it THAT much yet'), use toggle dpdt switches instead of 3pdts for bypassing and make a modular setup (check out the modular ideas at Geofex for SUPER-cheap ideas).
:)
Bingo. I got tired of:
a) having to shell out for boxes,
b) having to step into a cold garage to machine the boxes,
c) having to catch grief from my wife for the smells that were coming into the kitchen from the garage when I would paint the boxes,
d) spending money on big jacks, big plugs, and stompswitches,
e) the sheer nuisance of repatching a pedalboard, and the limitations of NOT repatching it.
So, I went modular. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/mhammer/DSCF0785.jpg)
The cost of "the package" (box, jacks, switch, paint, battery) when added up, comes to around $10 on a good day with the wind at your back, and more often something like $15-20. The cost of the package for my modular system was $0.25@ for the faceplate, $1.50@ for the toggle, and $0.50@ for the jacks, I suppose we can add another $0.50 on top of that for the paint pen, perfboard and wire, plus about $10 for the overall chassis to house the modules.
You can read more about it here: http://music-electronics-forum.com/t10177-post80136/#poststop
Um excuse my ignorance but what the hell is that!? :D do you control it with footswitches or something?
Mark, that's great! What are the dimensions of the box and modules?
hmmm...get over it and shell out the extra $10 on a one of a kind pedal you build for yourself? it's still cheaper than buying something new most of the time... otherwise, spend your time driving around to free craigslist ads, garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, etc etc.
other people who responded gave really good ideas... just trying to give another perspective. ;)
Quote from: phector2004 on February 16, 2010, 05:37:50 PM
wow that looks ridiculously easy!
might even try it for my current project
are there any GOOD alternatives to laser-printing then melting the toner onto the copper side?
The laser print/toner melt technique works famously. I etched my first 3 boards last weekend, and three more this weekend using Muriatic Acid (38%) from Lowe's and Hydrogen Peroxide. Mix it 1 part acid into 2 parts perodixe and wear a mask and eye protection!
I used a #60 bit for pretty much all the holes.
Here is the secret I learned after watching about 10 different youtube videos that makes life VERY simple....
With the iron on high, preheat the PCB for a minute with an unprinted piece of photo paper before you put the transfer in place. Pull it off then apply the transfer. The transfer will stick quickly, so make sure you have it aligned before you commit.
Iron the hell out of it for a good 2 songs, then throw it in a bucket of water for 5 minutes. The photo paper peels right off without any extra stickage. The toner parts might have some residue, but I found that leaving it doesn't make any difference in the transfer. Just rub it a bit with your thumbs to make sure there isn't anything in between traces, but again, there probably won't be any. I just laugh when I see videos of people scrubbing away with toothbrushes etc.
I used Kodak basic Photo Paper, CAT 820 9017 and a Brother Laser printer I got at Staples for $49 (HL-2140)
Now the laser printer is another funny story. I had to print a whole bunch of pages and when you get them new they give you about a half a toner cartridge which is supposed to last like 800 pages. Well mine was printing fine then just crapped out at about 150 pages. The Toner light came on, so I took the toner cartridge out and shook it up like I used to with my HP, then put it back in and the light was still on. I didn't get mad, I got google. I found a thread that talked about this exact problem and it turns out Brother uses an optical sensor to detect low toner. There is a little window on each side of the printer cartridge and a light source and detector on opposite sides of the printer that shines through and figures out how much toner you have by how much light gets through.
So it turns out all you need to do is put a little electrical tape over the sensors on the printer and it will keep printing. I have printed at least 800 more pages and it's still going strong on the first cartridge.
Re PCBs, I bought my first ones at Rat Shack for $5 each, but I looked around ebay and it looks like you can get a dozen for $5. Has anyone tried those?
Quote from: philbinator1 on February 16, 2010, 05:43:36 PM
Um excuse my ignorance but what the hell is that!? :D do you control it with footswitches or something?
It's a custom "frac rac". Modules are patched via cables, and modules are switched in two ways. One way is the obvious toggle (true bypass in miniature), and the other way is via solid state switches, shown in those unfinished EPFM Switch modules. Those yellow slots hold two nondedicated assignable switches, that will be enabled via a floor unit with four latching and four non-latching switches. The EPFM switches permit one to use either type. Nonlatched is for when you just want to engage an effect (or combination) for a brief passage, and have it revert back the moment you lift your foot off. Latching is for when you want them to stay on. So, I could run a cable to an EQ, then to a switch, then to a quartet of distortions (with 3 toggled off and one on), then back to the switch and off to an autowah. The switch engages the whole loop in that instance, but I can pick which of the distortions I want to use when the loop is engaged, simply by toggling them. Nice thing about toggles is you can see when they"re up (off) or down (on).
Quote from: space_ryerson on February 16, 2010, 06:41:35 PM
Mark, that's great! What are the dimensions of the box and modules?
The panels are 2.5" x 4" each, and came anodized, 4/$1 at a surplus place (the store is now ancient history, sadly). The box has two rows of 6, and is about 16" wide, 5.5" deep and about 10" high. Two boxes give me 24 modules of my chosing. While 2.5 x 4 doesn't seem like much,because I don't have to leave space for phone jacks, battery or stompswitch, there is a lot more usable space under the panel than one might find in a Hammond box. Note as well that I can stack circuit boards on top of each other with spacers, as long as the total depth doesn't exceed 5 inches or so back from the panel. Naturally, inside the box is a regulated power supply with a bus for sharing power.
The good thing about modular is that it is cheap and flexible. The bad thing about modular is that it is generally proprietary. However, I included a few splitter blender modules to permit interfacing with the outside world.
Quote from: studiostud on February 16, 2010, 03:08:01 PM
One more thing I came across recently regarding making PCBs.... http://www.instructables.com/id/Sponge-Ferric-Chloride-Method-Etch-Circuit-Bo/
I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like this method would significantly reduce your cost of materials if you're making your own PCBs. If you're not, I would highly recommend looking into starting. It's really a drop in the bucket price-wise compared to buying pre-fab PCBs and with a little know-how, it's really not a complicated process.
OH MY! This is a messier method, but what a time save if it works! I can clean up any extra mess for the most part, but I cant get the time it takes to etch the boards back.
I might do it a little differently. I'd probably pour some ferric on a sponge in a plastic dish, and then rub the board over the sponge in the dish. I think this might help minimize the mess factor. Id' probably use a little more solution this way, but it's still a 95% saving over how I used to do it!
Quote from: Mark Hammer on February 16, 2010, 07:42:23 PM
Quote from: space_ryerson on February 16, 2010, 06:41:35 PM
Mark, that's great! What are the dimensions of the box and modules?
The panels are 2.5" x 4" each, and came anodized, 4/$1 at a surplus place (the store is now ancient history, sadly). The box has two rows of 6, and is about 16" wide, 5.5" deep and about 10" high. Two boxes give me 24 modules of my chosing. While 2.5 x 4 doesn't seem like much,because I don't have to leave space for phone jacks, battery or stompswitch, there is a lot more usable space under the panel than one might find in a Hammond box. Note as well that I can stack circuit boards on top of each other with spacers, as long as the total depth doesn't exceed 5 inches or so back from the panel. Naturally, inside the box is a regulated power supply with a bus for sharing power.
The good thing about modular is that it is cheap and flexible. The bad thing about modular is that it is generally proprietary. However, I included a few splitter blender modules to permit interfacing with the outside world.
I really think that you nailed the size/form factor. It reminds me of the Mattson mini-modular format, but I think yours fits guitar playing better somehow. The switching solution is good too.
Recently I went on a salvaging crusade in local (and not so local) second hand stores and found some really nice stuff like old tape recorders (the big ones with BIG tapes on a role) some old tube radios (one I actually fixed and added an input for a guitar and it actually sounds really nice (two 8'' speakers all-tube power amp which I believe is around 2W). My goal was to build some stuff only with salvaged parts (at least electronics and some mechanical stuff if feasible). I've built valvecaster in that fashion (easier with vero or perf builds as you have odd sizes of components often times). Actually it feels really good to build stuff with old salvaged stuff as this is direct-deluxe-recycling :) . Yesterday I wanted to build a audio probe and I mechanically reached for my cap-box to grab some dc-blocker but of course changed my mind and took one from my salvage-box. Old PC power-supplies have some stuff in them and most people have few of those in their garages/basements/attics. Audio probe in my local electronics store costs around $12 and it was totally free as I used a pen some wire one cap and voila! And I'm not cheap, I do tend to spend more money on this 'hobby' then it would be to buy new/old pedals but this is just toooo giving and fun.
Z E N N O W
Quote from: mikemaddux on February 13, 2010, 05:42:54 AM
and save up your money and make a big order (to save on shipping) from:
mouser (if you can figure out their part system - watch out for surface mount!)
futurlec (if you can handle waiting a little bit for shipping - but prices are awesome!!) get a few of their packs - resistor, capacitor, and IC/transistor it will set you up for a while for all kinds of projects
pedalpartsplus.com (great prices!, fast shipping!, everything under one "roof")
smallbear
diystompboxes.com store
watch the for sale/trade threads in this forum (some great deals!)
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Important: Plan for your first 3-5 projects and order ALL the parts so you dont need to pay for shipping twice (or more....doh!)
I really like Mouser's pricing & shipping speed can anyone provide part numbers for common stuff that they like.. pots & knobs especially.. and any value packs on anything like resistors? I read on this site you could buy 200 resistors on mouser for $1.80.. but that guide was written up in 2001 and the part number no longer works.
Quote from: Mark Hammer on February 16, 2010, 02:10:57 PM
Quote from: jacobyjd on February 13, 2010, 10:59:12 AM
Don't forget modules--you don't necessarily need to be married to the concept that your pedals need to be footswitchable. If you realize that they don't (especially in the 'I'm not sure if I like it THAT much yet'), use toggle dpdt switches instead of 3pdts for bypassing and make a modular setup (check out the modular ideas at Geofex for SUPER-cheap ideas).
:)
Bingo. I got tired of:
a) having to shell out for boxes,
b) having to step into a cold garage to machine the boxes,
c) having to catch grief from my wife for the smells that were coming into the kitchen from the garage when I would paint the boxes,
d) spending money on big jacks, big plugs, and stompswitches,
e) the sheer nuisance of repatching a pedalboard, and the limitations of NOT repatching it.
So, I went modular. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/mhammer/DSCF0785.jpg)
The cost of "the package" (box, jacks, switch, paint, battery) when added up, comes to around $10 on a good day with the wind at your back, and more often something like $15-20. The cost of the package for my modular system was $0.25@ for the faceplate, $1.50@ for the toggle, and $0.50@ for the jacks, I suppose we can add another $0.50 on top of that for the paint pen, perfboard and wire, plus about $10 for the overall chassis to house the modules.
You can read more about it here: http://music-electronics-forum.com/t10177-post80136/#poststop
This year 2021, any idea to make it more mobile Sir? in a suitcase
I also wonder about ground connection and remote switch, any project of this?
i'm currently planning a lower level modular FX box.
i'll use rails to connect perf boards to and use jumpers from board to board, and only trimmers, no external pots. all boards house several independent circuits doing simple things, gain stages, tone controls/filters, envelope followers, slew rate reducers, wave folders, fuzz circuits, octave up rectifiers, etc...
its mainly aimed at distortion, tremolo, swell and compressor like effects. i don't like delay/reverb anyways.
this level of modularity gives the option to change order of operations and which parts are controlled by which footswitch.
also, ill add a few cheap mini breadboards to do some simple circuits on those.
the whole thing is getting housed in a large cookie tin. the lid is going to be the bottom, and the case is going to be the top where the footswitches are mounted.
chees, Iain
As my experience, cheap is not always cheap. I buy cheap cable without shielding, so have to be careful especially online. I should have a simple audio cable tester.
Currently in my mind
(https://i.postimg.cc/wRMZzPtp/cheapo.png) (https://postimg.cc/wRMZzPtp)
1. Using plain pcb and spacers as enclosure
2. Give room for paint art for our paint artist can make some skin, like Mark Hammer Font Art
media pcb, acrylic, aluminium plate, etc size 6 cm x 11 cm or bigger
transparent acrylic for showing pcb art
3. Use regulated power supply +15V, ct, -15V, for most op amp
for some old circuit use positive ground can use 7909 or a simple diode
power bus, prefer star
The transformer is far away in cage, avoid hum
4. Remote Bypass switch, click less using magnetic switch, with rubber for feedback or led indicator
For board cable using JST connector for power, for audio a cheap is using stereo not dual mono,
but the problem is which is input or output. This kind need standard, specially for portability.
The pin is only +, 0, -, input, output, but finding best jack, socket, cable ?
Any advice? most appreciate.
Your interface only trimmers, no external pots, would it be guitarist familiar with it?
or you plan for some kind a test unit, with mini breadboards.
It looks cool for field test.
I also found a Guitarist on YouTube, a metal guy like, this also confusing for me.
He always max out all knobs, may be, he doesn't needed.
But a volume, I wonder his neighbors feel about it.
cheers
Plan, draw first, use a template
Learn how to drill
Patient
Some polishing
(https://i.postimg.cc/1nbyP68H/cheapoenclosure.png) (https://postimg.cc/1nbyP68H)
Freedom for art