The way I make my pedals..

[Geiri]

In the comments section of Vemuram Jan Ray I was asked to shed some points as to how I build my pedals since I'm pretty quick at it. I'm gonna paste what I wrote there below:

"Hah! Yeah I'll list a few points here that may be obvious to some.

Once I've got my veroboard to the size I need, I look at the layout and use a sharpie (black permanent marker) to mark the cuts. What probably saves me some time here is experience. I'm very quick at making those markers. Then I use my vero cutting tool (basically a drillbit with a handel) and make the cuts. Again, I do this very quickly because I've done it loads of times. I just quickly glance on the other side and then make a few cuts.

I bought the little handy tool that Mark posted here a while ago. It's a little tool used for fixing cell phones or something. It's brilliant!

I put ALL of the resistors and diodes in one go. Again, practice, because I bend the components to size from memory so I usually get it right. Then on the other side I bend the wires so they stay in place.

After resistors and diodes come IC sockets and transistors. Then all capacitors and whatever might be left. From the layout view, I do everything from right to left. No idea why but that's what I do hah!

When the circuit is ready I usually have an enclosure ready to drill so I go and quickly drill it with a drill-press and use step drills (which saves time!)

Once that's done I put all the pots, jacks, switches and LEDs in their place and start off by wiring the LED before anything else. I want to get it out of the way. I wire the - of the LED to the switch and use Marks offboard wiring. I've also memorised it so I never need to look at it. Then I wire a resistor from the 9v power input to the + of the LED. If the LED is in an awkard place needing long wires and stuff, I put tape on the enclosure so that it's underneath all the wiring (preventing it touching the enclosure) and wire it however I need to. Then I put tape on top so that it's secure from anthing.

Then I do all the grounding, input and output. If there's any wiring from or between the pots that doesn't go to the board itself, I take care of it. I basicallty take care of ALL wiring that doesn't go to the board first. Then I put all the wires from pots, switches, ground, power in their approximate length in their place. I've already stripped both ends.

Last thing is the circuit and I always do it in order from the layout, top left to bottom right. Usually it works out fine right away but sometimes I do mess up and put a wire in the wrong place and I usually see it fairly quickly."

I was also asked to talk a little about pedal finishing (paint, artwork).

All my pedals are handpainted with acrylic paint. It's fairly simple. Just take the wrapping of the box, find colours and start painting right on to it. I personally don't paint any of the pretty pictures. I leave that to my girlfriend who's a lot better at it than me. I however found a neat method of blending two colours together to make a cool splash with a nice texture.

However, I'm about to start doing it much better. I just bought loads of sprays in nice colours and textures so from now on I'm going to start using a primer, then colour and then clearcoat on top.

[GoranP]

Geiri wrote

However, I'm about to start doing it much better. I just bought loads of sprays in nice colours and textures so from now on I'm going to start using a primer, then colour and then clearcoat on top.

Please let us know how that works out. I've looked into the whole primer+acryl+cc thing and some swear it needs baking while some do without.

I'm not looking for a quick turnaround (although that might be nice too, given my limited apartment pedal-building space), rather a sturdy finish that won't chip and flake.

Looking forward to your experiences...

[Geiri]

GoranP wrote

Geiri wrote

However, I'm about to start doing it much better. I just bought loads of sprays in nice colours and textures so from now on I'm going to start using a primer, then colour and then clearcoat on top.

Please let us know how that works out. I've looked into the whole primer+acryl+cc thing and some swear it needs baking while some do without.

I'm not looking for a quick turnaround (although that might be nice too, given my limited apartment pedal-building space), rather a sturdy finish that won't chip and flake.

Looking forward to your experiences...

Yeah sure thing, I'll post my experience with it and some photos once I've made a few enclosures. It'll be in a few days since I'm out of town until saturday.

Cheers!

[Jon the Art Guy]

a helpful post, to be sure. Even on my first build, I'm finding it a pain to totally populate, then solder. I'm probably going to work from one side to the other now.

Also, thanks for the heads-up on the Jan Fuzz in your email. I thought it might have been a Black Cat and was hoping. I'll be following your mods :D

[dodido]

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[Vince]

The ones I spray, I bake. It gives it a smoother and harder finish. Baking it softens the spray making it smoother then I turn off the oven and leave them in there to cool naturally with the oven.

Primer (two coats) bake
Spray colour - dry with hair dryer - spray again - Bake - Done.

I bought a mini oven so as to not use my conventional one... like this....

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/12945663/art/logik/l18mov12-mini-oven-black.html



I burnt a white pedal by accident once so not too hot for too long. It actually came out pretty cool looking.. smoky effect

[GoranP]

Just as I read all over the interwebz. Some people bake, some don't.

@Vince: how long do you bake and at what temperature. Also, no clearcoat? Any decals (waterslide and such)?

@Dodido: I've considered just letting it airdry but living in an apartment with a wife and a small child I'm concerned with a)smell, b)having it knocked over by one or both girls and c)dustbunnies getting caught in the tacky finish. Do you (wet)sand between coats?

[Vince]

For me personally I think baking just cures it quicker making it SEEM to dry harder.. That's just me personally.

As for time and heat, I put them in for about 10mins. I'm not sure of the heat but its low, about a quarter. I leave them in there until I can smell hot paint then turn it off. Decals shrink in the oven and the clear coat can turn yellow in the oven so I don't bake them.

[Geiri]

Jon the Art Guy wrote

a helpful post, to be sure. Even on my first build, I'm finding it a pain to totally populate, then solder. I'm probably going to work from one side to the other now.

Also, thanks for the heads-up on the Jan Fuzz in your email. I thought it might have been a Black Cat and was hoping. I'll be following your mods :D

You're welcome! I built it first stock and plugged it in. Didn't like it one bit. It was thin and weird so just changing a few values made it much more useable, at least to my ear. Someone might find the stock values cool for something.

I think populating as much as you can and then solder will save you lots and lots of time but it is a bit awkward to begin with so maybe you can start by putting 5 at a time, work up to 10 at a time and then maybe all resistors in one go. Like I keep saying, it's all about practice

--

I'm just going to experiment with spraying as soon as saturday evening and see how it comes out. I'll definitely post some info, experiences and photos here!

[IvIark]

Geiri looks like David Villa with his new hair cut

Sorry, carry on

[Geiri]

Hahahah!

[dodido]

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[dodido]

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[Snare227]

I'm just getting my feet wet in this building scene, but I've tried doing it a couple different ways and the "building in layers" method seems to work the best for me as well.  

[ichilton]

All my pedals are handpainted with acrylic paint.

I just got a few bottles of Acrylic paint this morning as I saw some in a shop for £1.25/ea so I thought it was worth a try.

I just tried painting two boxes - one light green (tubescreamerish) and one blue.

They looked cool when wet, but now they've tried, the light green one in particular looks very streaky and a bit patchy.

Do you do multiple coats?

Then at the end, do you cover it in some kind of lacquer or something to get a shiny finish instead of the powdery rough finish the paint leaves (which feels like it will easily rub off)?

If so, where's the cheapest place to get it from (in the uk?)

Thanks,

Ian
 

[dodido]

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[ichilton]

Hi,

I realise it's not going to be a smooth professional finish - i'm not doing designs, just wanting to colour the boxes so they are different colours and not the plain silver colour.

I've painted a few as a test and it seems to have worked fine.

All I need is something to coat it so it's not the bare paint....

Thanks,

Ian

[Geiri]

The thing about hand painting is that it's supposed to look hand painted. Well at least with my pedals. My girlfriend is pretty good at it so she makes it look good and she puts pretty pictures on the enclosures as well.

I've just acquired loads of acrylic spray cans with various colours and stuff. I just did a coat of primer on a few enclosures. I'm not experienced with spray so I'm sure they will improve as I practice. Can't wait to try out the colours!

[ichilton]

So you just leave them with the paint, and don't coat the in anything afterwards?

Ian

[Geiri]

Pretty much yeah. But I've been experimenting with spraying now and I'm liking the outcome. I'm clear coating everything now which does make a difference and should make them last longer.

I'll post some pictures soon. If you guys have instagram you can already see some stuff @pedalprojects