Show Your Pedal Builds

Humbug said:
I completely and whole-heartedly agree! Regarding the position indicators, you could try a fillet around the knob except where the indicator is, so the indicator is raised rather than recessed. Should be easy to see and feel.
Click to expand...
That's another good idea. What I ended up trying (pretty successfully) is just some acrylic paint and a teensy tiny brush. The recess allows some slop in the application, because you can wipe any excess off pretty easily. Not perfect, but pretty easy and good enough for government work.

1737721674265.png
 
Finally found some time to finish this, it's a Thorpy Muffroom cloud clone on a Fuzzdog pcb.

It sounds fabulous and is going straight on my pedalboard but I've never had a pedal fight me as hard as this one did. It felt like I dropped every other nut or washer and half of those disappeared into the black hole that occasionally opens under my desk. I also had to take it apart because I forgot to ground the jacks to the circuit. :facepalm

Finally done and despite the annoyances I'm really happy with this one.

1000095521.jpg



1000095518.jpg
 
I have a question for you guys. How do you clean the flux off of the PCB after you solder the components in?

I have 4 pedals that I started possibly a year ago that I have been thinking about finishing. I looked at them yesterday and the flux on the backs of the PCBs has gotten a kind of ashy look to it. I remember trying to clean it off after I soldered the components to the board that are on them now. I was using contact cleaner and a brush and it didn't really remove much so I left it at that. I would like to try to get this stuff off. It looks kind of bad.
 
JasonE said:
I have a question for you guys. How do you clean the flux off of the PCB after you solder the components in?

I have 4 pedals that I started possibly a year ago that I have been thinking about finishing. I looked at them yesterday and the flux on the backs of the PCBs has gotten a kind of ashy look to it. I remember trying to clean it off after I soldered the components to the board that are on them now. I was using contact cleaner and a brush and it didn't really remove much so I left it at that. I would like to try to get this stuff off. It looks kind of bad.
Click to expand...
If it's old and crusty, I think you may have to scrape it off. Fresh flux can be removed with alcohol and a soft brush.
 
JasonE said:
I have a question for you guys. How do you clean the flux off of the PCB after you solder the components in?

I have 4 pedals that I started possibly a year ago that I have been thinking about finishing. I looked at them yesterday and the flux on the backs of the PCBs has gotten a kind of ashy look to it. I remember trying to clean it off after I soldered the components to the board that are on them now. I was using contact cleaner and a brush and it didn't really remove much so I left it at that. I would like to try to get this stuff off. It looks kind of bad.
Click to expand...

I don't bother doing it anymore but when I did I used 99% isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush.
 
Humbug said:
If it's old and crusty, I think you may have to scrape it off. Fresh flux can be removed with alcohol and a soft brush.
Click to expand...
I tried that too but it didn't work. The flux set up once it cooled, which was pretty fast. I have a couple of plastic scrapers that I was planning on trying. I just need to be careful to not damage the PCB. I was hoping someone on here had an easy way to get it off.

To note, the flux used to be clear looking and is now more white looking.
 
SillyOctpuss said:
I don't bother doing it anymore but when I did I used 99% isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush.
Click to expand...
I figured I would at least try to get it off. If I can't no big problem. I have never seen it change color like this before. I have also not left any of the boards out of some sort of enclosure this long either.
 
JasonE said:
I have also not left any of the boards out of some sort of enclosure this long either.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty bad for that tbh. The one I posted above has been soldered for about 6 weeks before I got round to putting it in a box. I've got another one I'm boxing up tomorrow that I populated six months ago.
 
JasonE said:
I tried that too but it didn't work. The flux set up once it cooled, which was pretty fast. I have a couple of plastic scrapers that I was planning on trying. I just need to be careful to not damage the PCB. I was hoping someone on here had an easy way to get it off.

To note, the flux used to be clear looking and is now more white looking.
Click to expand...

Using fresh flux to dissolve the old and then cleaning with alcohol might work, or you could try a stronger cleaning agent like a degreaser, a stronger solvent or something (I have not tried this, may be a horrible idea :LOL: ).

There might be a recommended cleaning product/method mentioned in the datasheet for the flux you are using.
 
SillyOctpuss said:
I'm pretty bad for that tbh. The one I posted above has been soldered for about 6 weeks before I got round to putting it in a box. I've got another one I'm boxing up tomorrow that I populated six months ago.
Click to expand...
I hate to admit it but these boards were soldered up a long time ago. I am going to say it was more than 6 months ago and maybe around a year ago. I missed some components when I ordered the parts and assembled what I had. I somehow missed components for all 4 of them. I honestly don't know if I have everything yet. I remember ordering what I missed and thinking I had everything to finish them but when I looked at the boards I noticed one of them is missing quite a few capacitors. I am not sure I have all of those. I will eventually find out.
 
LeftyLoungeLizard said:
SMD soldering: for those who excelled at the game "Operation" :LOL:

Click to expand...

I did this for my engineering capstone project. Specifically, there was an ADS131E08 on the board - which is very similar in package and pin count to the IC in the video thumbnail. Funny enough, it was the 0201 resistors on the board (including them at all was a complete oversight on my part) that gave me the most trouble - not the ICs.

As I look back on that project, it's a wonder it worked. Part of my responsibility for the project was to be the numskull in charge of board design and assembly, and let me tell you, I'm sure I broke every rule in the book when it came to both of those things.
 
eggpl@nt said:
As I look back on that project, it's a wonder it worked. Part of my responsibility for the project was to be the numskull in charge of board design and assembly, and let me tell you, I'm sure I broke every rule in the book when it came to both of those things.
Click to expand...

good-to-be-king.jpeg
 
Put together the board for a Thorpyfx Tacit Blue clone tonight. I biased it, hooked it up to my test box to check if it was working ok and managed to lose about three hours.

It's honestly the best fuzz face I've ever heard by quite a large margin. Stupidly good fuzz, the smooth and bias controls are really really cool. First NPN germanium I've built that's worth boxing up. It's also got a transformer at the front of the circuit so you can run other pedals into it or have a buffered pedal in front and it'll still sound good.

If you like fuzz faces you should build this. I'll do a demo of this one after I've put it in an enclosure.

1000102065.jpg
 
SillyOctpuss said:
Put together the board for a Thorpyfx Tacit Blue clone tonight. I biased it, hooked it up to my test box to check if it was working ok and managed to lose about three hours.

It's honestly the best fuzz face I've ever heard by quite a large margin. Stupidly good fuzz, the smooth and bias controls are really really cool. First NPN germanium I've built that's worth boxing up. It's also got a transformer at the front of the circuit so you can run other pedals into it or have a buffered pedal in front and it'll still sound good.

If you like fuzz faces you should build this. I'll do a demo of this one after I've put it in an enclosure.


[/QUOTE]
Nice test box - simple and effective.

I recently picked up a couple FuzzDog PCBs based on your posts here. I still don't know what kind of fuzzes I like, but I have a whole slew of them ready to build.
Click to expand...
 
@eggpl@nt Thanks. I built that text box about 10 years ago now, it's beaten to hell but still works just fine.

I really like Lee's PCBs and his build docs are excellent. I'm looking forward to seeing what you build.

If you decide you like fuzz faces then grab one of these too. It's properly excellent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top