ROG Tri-Vibe - Low Profile Resistors

[ttist25]

Hey there!

I've been working on building the ROG Tri-Vibe using Andre Schapp's layout with one modification.  I'm trying to use 90 degree PCB mount pots to reduce wiring and to provide a good mount for the board.  This is my 3rd pedal build so I'm still pretty noobish.

I've been dry fitting the parts around the pots to see if I can get everything to fit before soldering.  Anyway - here's a pic of what I'm trying to do:


another view:


And here's the problem I'm having:


I didn't account for the fact that I've got to stand the resistors up on end and there are a few more that I still need to jam in there.  Other than that - the clearance for the pots seems doable. 

So the question - other than SMD - is there something else I can do to make this work?  I thought about mounting those resistors on the solder side of the board but I looked around the web and didn't find much about using that technique so I'm guessing maybe it's a bad idea. 

I also looked at trying to find through hole resistors with a shorter length and I saw some 3.2mm length 1/8 watt resistors.  Not sure if that's a good/bad idea either. 

Anyone have any ideas what can be done to make this work (sans scrapping the PCB and starting over)?

Thanks in advance for any help.  And Andre, ROG, and anyone else involved - if you're out there - thanks a ton for the layout.  I've had a lot of fun working on this build (albeit a bit painful) and I'm really looking forward to getting it working. 

[EBK]

With how tall those electrolytics are, why are you concerned about the resistors?

There's nothing wrong with resistors standing up.  I do it all the time.

[Keeb]

-You could solder the components on the backside (copper trace side). It might be a bit trickier and you might run into problems when you're putting it all in the enclosure (those components touching the enclosure and what not) but as long as mother nature is happy it will work.

-Another approach is to solder pieces of solid core wire and elongate the pots. Make sure to use a thick wire to make it as stable as possible. You might need an extra stand off to secure the board. I have done this with solid core wire with a diameter of 1mm² and it worked. Just make sure he box has enought depth.

-Or you could try to fold the components over each other in the flattest configuration possible. Just make sure leads aren't touching.

None of these alternatives are optimal but they will work. And as EBK mentioned, make sure you can lay down all electrolytics before going through all this trouble.

[EBK]

As long as the parts don't stick up higher than the bottom of the pot bushings, it will fit in your enclosure, and if they do stick up higher, it will probably STILL fit your enclosure because you will solder the pots last, after mounting them in your enclosure, and their solder leads are long enough to give you as much clearance as you need.  As it looks now, you can keep your electrolytic caps standing up and keep everything else at that height or lower and be ok.  Or, did I miss something? 

By the way, if you need a good mount for your board, I'd suggest double stick foam tape.  Just cut it to whatever size/shape you want and stack it as high as you need. 

[reddesert]

You'll get this to work much easier if you solder the ICs, resistors, etc on the usual side of the board, and mount the pots on the other side of the board (the trace side). You need an insulator to keep the pot backs from contacting the traces/solder - this can be anything from a specially fitted plastic cover, to a piece of foam tape.

Components on one side, pots on the other, is how most people build with board mounted pots, so just look around for some build reports to see how it looks. It's also good to have access to the components when troubleshooting a build.

[EBK]

You'll get this to work much easier if you solder the ICs, resistors, etc on the usual side of the board, and mount the pots on the other side of the board (the trace side). You need an insulator to keep the pot backs from contacting the traces/solder - this can be anything from a specially fitted plastic cover, to a piece of foam tape.

+1

[ttist25]

Hey everyone. Thanks for the replies.  Some great ideas but, reddesert, the most simple solutions are often the most beautiful aren't they? 

I'm gonna give that a shot and I'll let you know. 

Thanks again!

[Keeb]

Hey everyone. Thanks for the replies.  Some great ideas but, reddesert, the most simple solutions are often the most beautiful aren't they? 

I'm gonna give that a shot and I'll let you know. 

Thanks again!

Just remember that if you put the pots on the other side of the board you need to mount them "away from the board" (as in the pot hanging off the pcb and not over the pcb, as they do in your pictures) in order for the terminals to make the right connection. Otherwise your controls will be backwards.

[LightSoundGeometry]

this is one of the coolest pedals there is if you can get the clock ticking to go away

[EBK]

this is one of the coolest pedals there is if you can get the clock ticking to go away

Good to hear.  It is on my short list for future builds.

[antonis]

I'm trying to use 90 degree PCB mount pots to reduce wiring and to provide a good mount for the board.

Although it's a matter of personal taste (and experience..), I wouldn't count on that way of PCB mounting..
(maybe yes, if pots were on diametrically opposed places..) 

[EBK]

I'm trying to use 90 degree PCB mount pots to reduce wiring and to provide a good mount for the board.

Although it's a matter of personal taste (and experience..), I wouldn't count on that way of PCB mounting..
(maybe yes, if pots were on diametrically opposed places..)

I also have an uneasiness about relying on a solder joint for mechanical stability.  I have not had one fail, but it seems to invite an otherwise preventable failure point in with very little benefit, in my (unsubstantiated) opinion.

[antonis]

<off topic on>

The vast majority of blindfold troubleshooting is some jack or pot straight mounted on a PCB..

<off topic off>

[LightSoundGeometry]

yes this thing rocks! its a great circuit for learning on too as i went through hell trying to get the tick to go away lol ..you have to shield all the wiring ..I thought I had it quieted down several times only to box it up and get ticking again ..but man its a great pedal if you like univibes .

[LightSoundGeometry]

I'm trying to use 90 degree PCB mount pots to reduce wiring and to provide a good mount for the board.

Although it's a matter of personal taste (and experience..), I wouldn't count on that way of PCB mounting..
(maybe yes, if pots were on diametrically opposed places..)

I also have an uneasiness about relying on a solder joint for mechanical stability.  I have not had one fail, but it seems to invite an otherwise preventable failure point in with very little benefit, in my (unsubstantiated) opinion.

take a look inside the new fendwer tweed amps ..im actually scared to turn the pots on it lol, seriously ..and my outlet cable is just loosly hanging off the transformer ..I had to duck tape it ..they are really cutting corners , im surprised more gigging amps dont break down more often than they do.

[reddesert]

IMO, board mounted jacks are worse than board mounted pots, because they are more frequently plugged/unplugged and with much greater force.  If the jack or pot nut is tight to the chassis, it should take much of the strain off the solder joint, but nuts get loose. I bet that a lot of failures occur after the nut gets loose and is not retightened.