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Post subject: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:00 am
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When I last posted a pedal build, someone mentioned they would love to try building their own pedal from scratch but wasn't sure how to go about it. Now, I wouldn't recommend this for a complete beginner, if this is you, then you would be better to go with a simple kit such as those produced by BYOC or GGG. If you have some solder time and a few kits under your belt, can work methodically and are dead set on trying something from scratch, here's a few tips I've learnt and a general sequence of how I like to go about a build.



First you need to decide what you would like to build and hunt down a vero board layout

Tagboardeffects has a vast selection of verified layouts to choose from and there are other sites as well, here is a TS808 for example.

http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com.au/ ... ts808.html

I'm building a Tubescreamer variant here, so the circuit is essentially the same with some tweaked component values, same as hundreds of "boutique" pedals on the market.

That brings me to my next point, while building like this does save money, I really just enjoy the process and satisfaction of building, it does take some time and if you take that into account you may be better in most cases to just buy an original. :wink:

So without further ado, here's the start.

The enclosure which needs drilling and a piece of vero (strip) board that will need to be cut to the exact size required by the layout. It also helps to print out a copy of your chosen layout so you can make notes or and highlight components as required.

Image

Next up I'll show the cut-to-size vero and how to cut the copper traces and add the links as per the layout to create the blank "circuit" which then gets populated with the components.

I'll also mark out and drill the enclosure to accept all the hardware (sockets, switches. LED, etc)

Snowy


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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:46 am
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Hi Snowy. I don't think I will be attempting this myself any time soon, but I am really looking forward to your build thread.

Thanks & Cheers!
BM

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:35 pm
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Hi Snowy: many eyes will be watching - so plenty of photos, please! :D

Very interested. Go to, fella.

Cheers - C

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:47 pm
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This is gonna be great Snowy. I'm looking forward to the build.

Next year i'm starting building, come hell or high water, but i'll start on something easier. Some of the fuzz faces look pretty easy. I saw the insides of a regular FF and there were very few parts in there as compared to a lot of pedals where the board and everything is very busy.

What kind of drill is best to get for the enclosures? Tons of drills on the market and i haven't got a clue what i should be looking for :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:53 pm
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I wanted to get the enclosure finished up (at least marked out and drilled) because I'll be giving it a nice paint job, so that'll require undercoat and drying times while I'm working on the circuit part of the build.

As with all this work it's a case of "measure twice, cut once". I marked out the holes based on a previous build but basically you need to make sure all the components will fit where you want them. Once the locations are marked use a Centre Punch to give your drill a starting point and help prevent any wandering. I always start with a 3mm Pilot hole and then move to the actual size required to fit the component, but you can graduate sizes if you like. These holes were drilled using an electric drill and nice sharp drill bits, use a vice to hold the box and it will be easy.
You'll need a small selection of bit sizes, I use 6mm, 8mm, 10mm and 12mm to cover about all the common stomp-box components that I use like switches, jacks, 5mm LED Bezel and pots for example.

Image

All required components are test fitted in their respective locations, the switch isn't actually the one I'll be using but for the purpose of trial fitting, the hole is the same size. Everything then gets removed so the box can be finished.

Image

And outside.
Image

Here's the board cut to the required size based on my chosen layout. My layout requires 19 holes x 15 holes. A couple of tips here, I like to allow an extra row of holes at each side of a layout to loop the flying leads through and serve as "strain relief" holes, so I have cut my board to 21 holes in that direction. When cutting the board use a metal ruler and multiple passes of a sharp Box Cutter, go through a row of holes to make it easier, you might be able to see those edge holes are slightly larger, I drilled them out just a touch to accomodate the wiring looping through. I then clean up the cut edges with a file, just to make things look a bit neater.

Image

Next up we'll cut the copper strips on the reverse of the board at the required points.


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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:26 am
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This looks great, I'll be following this thread with interest. I hope to learn about electronics and eventually build some of my own pedals but I think that's a long way off yet.

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:32 pm
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The pics are superb Snowy, very clear and high quality and you can see everything clearly. Top class this is. 8)

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 6:32 pm
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Thankyou Snowy! I'm looking in interest as well! Found this bunch of metal heads singing "the eyes of Texas are upon you":
http://youtu.be/Uz5ymPmhu6s :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:55 pm
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OK, here's where the fun starts. :lol:

On your chosen layout you will have Red squares with the dots showing where you have to make a cut on a copper strip, the Black lines show where a connection (link) is require to connect two copper strips. (7 links and 18 cuts on this one)

Image

First up I start with the cuts, the layout shows the cuts from the top of the board, as though you were looking "through" it. To get the cuts in the right position I use a small piece of wire and starting with the first row of holes count along the required number then poke the wire through the hole. For example as per the layout I need to count 13 holes along the first row (forget the first hole because as I mentioned before it is just a strain-relief hole that I added), like this....

Image

Flip the board over and mark the identified hole with a Sharpie like this. Go to the next row and do the same thing, and so on. In the pic have already marked all the holes where cuts are required. Double check the locations you have marked before going to the cutting stage.

Image

I use a small special tool called a "Spot Face Cutter" to make the cut, it is designed just for this job and has an end somewhat like a drill-bit with a shallow angle tip and once inserted into the hole a gentle twist makes a perfect sized circular "cut" in the copper strip. This is the easiest way to do it but some people just use a suitable sized drill-bit to do the same thing. I found the spot cutter in an electronics store for about $6.00, it makes it so easy it's worth it to me.

Image

Once each cut is made, use the continuity function on your Multimeter to test that you do in fact have a gap in the copper strip, if it "beeps" you still have continuity and you need to pay more attention to that cut. Don't skip this step, again, double check.
Here I'm checking my first cut, no beeping = Good! 8)
Image

Here's all my cuts finished and tested.
Image

This is harder to explain and looks more complicated than it actually is, I'm probably making it sound harder :? , but it really isn't if you take it easy and double check each move.

Next I'll be adding the "links" as shown in the layout. Time to fire up the soldering iron! :wink:


Snowy


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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 1:33 am
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Here's the links added, these correspond to the vertical Black lines on the layout, I have left one off the far right side, which I will add when I connect the flying leads to the board, I'll just extend the adjacent lead and form the link from that.

At this point it's pretty much a little custom-built circuit board now just waiting to be populated with components.

Image

Soldered and trimmed on the back, again it pays to test each connection now with a Multimeter, this can also determine if you have caused any shorts to adjacent tracks with sloppy soldering.

Image

Next up we'll add all the Resistors.

Snowy


Last edited by No457 Snowy on Sun Dec 30, 2012 1:42 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 1:36 am
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Looking good Snowy! :D

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 12:14 pm
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Very nice work and excellent photography! :)

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 2:26 pm
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These pics are great Snowy and i'm enjoying this build up 8)

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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:39 am
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Thanks folks.

Here's the Resistors added.
Image

Next up are the caps and sockets for the IC and Transistors.

Snowy


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Post subject: Re: Building a pedal (eg - Tubescreamer) from scratch
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 2:27 am
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The board is fully populated with the addition of the caps and sockets, that's it for the board. Be especially aware of the Positive/Negative orientation of any Electrolytic caps in your build, the layout will guide you, getting them around the wrong way will bring your build unstuck :cry:

Image

Next up are the leads that will run from the board to the Pots and Switches.


Snowy


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