- Feb 16, 2008
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- John K Custom Basses
i don't use a solder mask and just solder to the tin plated copper traces.
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Any DIY pedal builders on TB? Strut your stuff!
- Thread starter SubHuman
- Start date
Reading through this thread, already learning a lot. Not a huge pedal fan, mostly because I don’t like the prices on something you can’t test till you have it
So I’m dipping my little toe in the shallow end, and ordered a MoD kit
So I’m dipping my little toe in the shallow end, and ordered a MoD kit
That's the one I built up for my friend's daughter.
I think you'll have fun with it, and if the sound isn't to your liking, it'll make a great gift to a friend while you try another circuit for yourself.
I think you'll have fun with it, and if the sound isn't to your liking, it'll make a great gift to a friend while you try another circuit for yourself.
GeoFex Neutron with blender.
I've been gradually piecing this one together over the last six months. There's a lot packed into this project that draws knowledge from many gurus of DIY. Started with GeoFex's Neutron pcb from GeneralGuitarGadgets and added a RunOffGroove split-n-blend. I used a reduced split-n-blend schematic from SabroTone to lay out a stripboard that would fit in remaining space. The LP/BP/HP toggle switch uses Madbean's Naughty Fish configuration. The lowest toggle switch is phase inversion for the blender, bandpass mode is in phase and lo & hi pass are inverted phase. I used a SPDT on/off/on so that the phase switch positions would match the frequency pass switch positions. Underestimated the amount of space needed and had to shift the output jack down, used @Roxbororob epoxy method to fill the hole. Eliminated charge pump whine by adding a jumper between pins 1&8 (added after photo taken). Used H11F3's in place of VTL5C3 optocouplers. They work, but they don't sound much like a Mutron. I can get vowel sounds and massive down sweeps, but wet quacking ducks are missing. I'm also having trouble with the signal distorting too soon during big sweeps. This project will probably be set aside again until I can get the correct components.
I've been gradually piecing this one together over the last six months. There's a lot packed into this project that draws knowledge from many gurus of DIY. Started with GeoFex's Neutron pcb from GeneralGuitarGadgets and added a RunOffGroove split-n-blend. I used a reduced split-n-blend schematic from SabroTone to lay out a stripboard that would fit in remaining space. The LP/BP/HP toggle switch uses Madbean's Naughty Fish configuration. The lowest toggle switch is phase inversion for the blender, bandpass mode is in phase and lo & hi pass are inverted phase. I used a SPDT on/off/on so that the phase switch positions would match the frequency pass switch positions. Underestimated the amount of space needed and had to shift the output jack down, used @Roxbororob epoxy method to fill the hole. Eliminated charge pump whine by adding a jumper between pins 1&8 (added after photo taken). Used H11F3's in place of VTL5C3 optocouplers. They work, but they don't sound much like a Mutron. I can get vowel sounds and massive down sweeps, but wet quacking ducks are missing. I'm also having trouble with the signal distorting too soon during big sweeps. This project will probably be set aside again until I can get the correct components.
As I travel down the DIY PCB rabbit hole I am wondering if anybody has come across the questions and issues but I'm having. When you tin the traces after etching the PCB what is best to use for this? I see there is a product called liquid tin and it looks like it works pretty good, it is pricey but probably worth it. Does anyone have any experience with this. I was not aware of doing this and soldered my first homemade PCB and it looks like dookie. Used way more solder than I probably needed. I have looked into doing solder mask and it doesn't look like too hard of a process but if it is unnecessary then I see no point in doing it. For those of you that have made your own pcbs and tinned the traces, how do you keep your solder neat. Also what size drill bit are people using to drill the pcb's. I realize that the pots are slightly larger than the other components. There's plenty of information available on how to etch pcbs but there is not much information that I have found for what you do after it's etched other than tinning and solder mask. Does anyone have any tips to offer up that may help a rookie?
Very nice, but what will you do with all that extra space inside the box?
Has anyone tried VTL5C1 in place of VTL5C3? There arent many places that sell real VTL5C3s at a reasonable price. There are a lot of 'new' ones from China on ebay, anyone try one of those?
PedalPCB Spirit Box reverb is populated. I need to order the reverb unit.
Very nice, but what will you do with all that extra space inside the box?
Has anyone tried VTL5C1 in place of VTL5C3? There arent many places that sell real VTL5C3s at a reasonable price. There are a lot of 'new' ones from China on ebay, anyone try one of those?
If I could fit only one more toggle switch it would be to bypass the blend circuit. I temporarily removed the blender circuit while troubleshooting distortion issues and the output was a little louder and clearer, although just as distorted.
Next shopping cart will include NSL32's to give those a try since they aren't too hard to find.
D
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Genuine new XVive ones are good, cheap eBay fakes are not (red led inside, wrong resistance etc).
I've no experience, but I've seen discussions regarding your topic of concern on DIYSB and FSB. Come to think of it, I'm sure I've seen this discussed on MadBean's forum, too. I'd shoot M'Beaner Haberdashery a PM (or email him @ Lectric-FX) — I got a couple of VERY nicely etched PCBs from him — or shoot a PM to TB's own JohnK. There's a few others that do their own PCBs around here, I'm sure, hit them up as well.
Here's some info I've collected for when/if I ever attempt my own PCBs:
Robot Platform | Howto | PCB Etching Tutorial 1
Robot Platform vid to go with above info (vid skipped to Drilling at 6:36):RobotPlatform said:
DIYSB TIPS — CUTTING PCBs TO SIZE
Invalid Link Removed
when working w/ fibreglass pcbs, 400ish grit wet-or-dry (wet, on glass, with gloves) is your friend. it can turn the ugliest raggedy edge into a smooth straight, better than many fab houses.
JOHNK first cuts it with a dremel #409 cutoff wheel, then smooths the sides with a sharpening stone block.
My own tips, even though I don't etch:
I keep a small assortment of small drill bits for reaming out PCB pads when the solder-sucker and brass-braid aren't enough to clean up my mistakes — the bits are VERY fragile, IMO, so buy extra bits and...
LET THE BIT DO THE WORK — if you rush it and apply a little bit of extra pressure, you WILL break the bit.
Got a box from Tayda today. I gotta admit, the $0.50 powdercoat upcharge on their 125B enclosures is well worth it.
I've had good luck with their powdercoat with the exception of the viola pink. I used a couple of those for my most recent pedals and the paint chipped on both of them while I was drilling. I've not had that happen with any other Tayda enclosure so I'm chalking it up to a bad batch. The chipping was all covered up by the nuts and other hardware (except for around the LED bezel for one of them) so it's really not a big issue, especially considering that I'm not selling anything. I still have a pile of them in the garage with more coming, so it's not made me change where I get them, but it was still kind of a bummer.
joe
Ordered my first...a BYOC for a classic fuzz face. Seemed simple enough. I tried to order an A/B box and a boost but couldn't find the in stock anywhere. Looking forward to finally giving it a try.
