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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: MetalUpYerEye on August 24, 2006, 09:45:26 PM

Title: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: MetalUpYerEye on August 24, 2006, 09:45:26 PM
Hey guys I was just wondering... If I was to send all the parts (pre-drilled box included) for my Dr. Boogey to someone, how much would you charge to assemble it and get it working like a champ? We're talking soldering all the components, pots, jacks, etc to the board (already etched/drilled) and housing it and then testing everything for functionality. I'm going to build it myself but I was just wondering how much someone might want for such a task...

Thanks
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: markm on August 24, 2006, 09:46:42 PM
Are you going to be doing this for someone?
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: MetalUpYerEye on August 24, 2006, 09:59:23 PM
No actually I got most of the parts in the mail today and was showing my younger brother when the following conversation ensued...

Brother: Why don't you just buy one at the store?
Me: They don't sell Dr. Boogies, the only way to get one is to make it.
Brother: Why don't you pay someone else to make it?
Me: 'Cuz I already got all the parts.
Brother: Just mail them to someone and pay them to put it together so you dont screw it up.
Me: Thank you. Thank you for having so much confidence in my abilities.

So anyway, I just got curious and was wondering;

How much would someone charge to assemble a stompbox, given that all the necessary parts were pre-provided by the person paying them?
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: KerryF on August 24, 2006, 10:02:21 PM
I like probably $40 should cover it for the labor part of a Dr. Boogie.  You would pay the shipping though.
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: BDuguay on August 25, 2006, 12:01:36 PM
40 clams sounds about right.
B.
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: gez on August 25, 2006, 12:40:03 PM
With the help of this forum, you won't screw it up!  Even if it doesn't work first time, it will in the end (as hundreds here will testify).

Keep your money & tell your brother to p*ss off (he's just jealous)!  :icon_razz:
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: powerplayj on August 25, 2006, 12:46:30 PM
Is the enclosure from one of the kits that was once offered or one you drilled yourself?  If this is a DIY drilling and your first go at it, be aware of the difficulties with designing a layout, especially with a 6 knob monster like the Dr. Boogey.  You may want to populate the drilled enclosure with all the pots, jacks, switches, etc. to make sure your hired hand has room to wire everything in.
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: newbie builder on August 25, 2006, 01:29:58 PM
$40 would be enough for me at least to happily build most pedals for anybody! (save for some really big complicated pain in the ass ones or if i had to drill the enclosure..)
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: Jaicen_solo on August 25, 2006, 02:26:42 PM
I agree. I wouldn't build the enclosures for that money, that winds me up. I think $40 for labour is fine if the PCB is drilled and all the parts are ready. If I had to make the PCB too, that'd be another story...
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: phaeton on August 25, 2006, 02:32:39 PM
Quote from: MetalUpYerEye on August 24, 2006, 09:59:23 PM
Brother: Why don't you just buy one at the store?
Me: They don't sell Dr. Boogies, the only way to get one is to make it.
Brother: Why don't you pay someone else to make it?
Me: 'Cuz I already got all the parts.
Brother: Just mail them to someone and pay them to put it together so you dont screw it up.
Me: Thank you. Thank you for having so much confidence in my abilities.



Sorry, but I'd interpret that as A DIRECT CHALLENGE to build the pedal myself.
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: MetalUpYerEye on August 26, 2006, 07:10:36 AM
NO NO NO.

You all mis-interpret. I OWN HIM. The pedal will be built by me and shall be a beautiful masterpiece of art; flawless and perfect.

I was just wondering what y'all'd charge for something like that.

The enclosure is an old enclosure for a DOD Death Metal. I thought it'd be funny to stick a Dr. Boogey in there and fool innocent dummies. The PCB is pretty small and i'm using ribbon cable so I should have plenty o room for it. Then... Stranger things have happened.
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: darron on August 26, 2006, 08:48:11 AM
could you please post us some pics when you are done? :D
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: petemoore on August 26, 2006, 09:18:01 AM
The enclosure is an old enclosure for a DOD Death Metal. I thought it'd be funny to stick a Dr. Boogey in there and fool innocent dummies.
If this is a DIY drilling and your first go at it, be aware of the difficulties with designing a layout, especially with a 6 knob monster like the Dr. Boogey.
 

 
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: markm on August 26, 2006, 09:23:53 AM
Quote from: petemoore on August 26, 2006, 09:18:01 AM
The enclosure is an old enclosure for a DOD Death Metal. I thought it'd be funny to stick a Dr. Boogey in there and fool innocent dummies.
If this is a DIY drilling and your first go at it, be aware of the difficulties with designing a layout, especially with a 6 knob monster like the Dr. Boogey.
 

 

Agreed.
5 knobs was tough enough for me with the English Channel.
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: MetalUpYerEye on August 26, 2006, 02:50:11 PM
I finally got the DOD enclosure apart to look at it. I'm going to have to do a few modifications but I think I can make it fit. This particular pedal has 4 pot holes (har har) already drilled and the other 2 are easily drilled in the small groove on either side of the LED indicator. I'm going to have to cut a small section of crossbar out from under the pre-existing switch and hot-glue it into place. Then I can mount my footswitch, pots, jacks, LED and finally the board. Then again... How many times have we said "Everything SHOULD fit..."?
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: DuncanM on August 26, 2006, 03:32:13 PM
$40....??

Damn, you guys either are very quick or willing to work for minimum wage...   :icon_eek:
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: MetalUpYerEye on August 26, 2006, 04:45:17 PM
Quote from: DuncanM on August 26, 2006, 03:32:13 PM
$40....??

Damn, you guys either are very quick or willing to work for minimum wage...   :icon_eek:

I was surprised too, I expected to see things like $80+. I even had one guy who was short on parts offer to build it for the low, low price of 5 pots!
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: DuncanM on August 26, 2006, 05:14:57 PM
Yeah, I mean, how long would this take to populate the board, wire up the offboard stuff, trim it and test it?
I would guess an hour minimum - and that's if NOTHING GOES WRONG!!!

If you end up having to debug it you could be there for a LOT longer...
Oh yeah, been there.........  :icon_evil:

So at BEST you're working for $40 an hour, at WORST it could end up costing YOU money.!! Been there too.

Not something to be taken on lightly.
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: QSQCaito on August 26, 2006, 05:29:26 PM
Quote from: gez on August 25, 2006, 12:40:03 PM
With the help of this forum, you won't screw it up!  Even if it doesn't work first time, it will in the end (as hundreds here will testify).

Keep your money & tell your brother to p*ss off (he's just jealous)!  :icon_razz:

+1

Things may be seen very easily in electronics(at least for my opinion): If you did it all ok it should sound.. This haas worked for me 4 times already.. all fired at once. It may sound better or worse.. but that can be solved..
And if you do something wrong, guys in here will point you, and will help you find where your mistake is.. BTW 40$ seems like a lot.. at least for me that i live in Argentina. Get that money, and keep buying for more components.. then you can tell that to your bro ;)


Bye bye

hopé it helps

DAC


Edit:
QuoteSorry, but I'd interpret that as A DIRECT CHALLENGE to build the pedal myself.
Totally agree.. specially with the brother I have :P
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: Connoisseur of Distortion on August 26, 2006, 05:53:48 PM
i would probably charge about $40 for the board/wiring, but would include an additional $25 for a drilled enclosure... and we haven't even discussed graphics!

my brother comes into my room and talks to me when i solder. it's well and good, but I make some of the most fascinating mistakes when chatting away with him; on my String Ringer, I actually soldered all of those jacks end-to-end (that is, tip-ground-tip-ground-tip...). I was pretty amused, but a little irritated.
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: JimRayden on August 26, 2006, 05:56:09 PM
Quote from: DuncanM on August 26, 2006, 05:14:57 PM
Yeah, I mean, how long would this take to populate the board, wire up the offboard stuff, trim it and test it?
I would guess an hour minimum - and that's if NOTHING GOES WRONG!!!

If you end up having to debug it you could be there for a LOT longer...
Oh yeah, been there.........  :icon_evil:

So at BEST you're working for $40 an hour, at WORST it could end up costing YOU money.!! Been there too.

Not something to be taken on lightly.

Ahh, but when you open the pack and discover he sent you a copper board and some ferric chloride, then you're looking at another hour etching it. :P And, of course, when you're making something for sale, it has to look good, so I believe some paint would be in order. And for the safety of the customer, all the knobs should be labeled.

It's either the customer wants a *functioning* unit or a *good looking, functioning* unit for the money.

You'll end up sitting next to your paint baking oven staring at your two 20-dollar bills and thinking what way to spend it the next day. :icon_mrgreen:

-----------
Jimbo
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: DuncanM on August 26, 2006, 08:36:00 PM
Good / fast / cheap - pick any two

It's a good principal to operate by.

If you want it good and cheap you'll have to wait for me to get around to it.
If you want it good and fast you'll have to pay a lot more for me to drop everything else.
If you want it fast and cheap you won't get the same meticulous quality...

this applies to much in life.  ;D
Title: Re: Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...
Post by: Torchy on August 27, 2006, 01:43:22 PM
If you approach stompbox building as a hobby the $40 is about right.