Creating layouts

[foxfire]

all my builds so far have been perf. i like to a layout on graph paper first. then i redo it with the DIY layout creator and, usually i can shrink it down even smaller by that point. years ago my girlfriend got me a binder with clear plastic sleeves for keeping my "poems" in. this was the first time we lived together and, right around the time i stopped writing "poems." man did we hate each other and now we're engaged! anyway i'm now using it to keep my layouts in. i keep the hand drawn layout, the DIY layout creator copy and when i have it the schematic all together with the idea that i can easily chart my progress. i'm not doing any super complex circuits but, i find myself just doing it for fun sometimes on circuits i don't plan on building.

[Pushtone]

i find myself just doing it for fun

Foxfire, I want to party with you! 
Just kidding, it is fun to try new things.


Thanks for the comments on the first layout folks and R.G.

I feel humbled and excited at the same time.
No doubt that I acquired the "right" skills from the all the GGG Tonepad and Geo layout I've built on.
And no doubt there is room for improvement.

John's tip of actually building on your own layout I think would be an invaluable learning experience.
That would bring the experience full circle. And no one to bitch to but yourself.




BTW - R.G.  -  I got the November issue of GP and I'm liking VS's full page ad and the new small box size.
It's so cute. Looks like a boat, ah I mean ship.
Nice box design. Is it cast metal or welded?
Do those inset jacks work with 90deg angle plugs?

[markm]

John's tip of actually building on your own layout I think would be an invaluable learning experience.
That would bring the experience full circle. And no one to bitch to but yourself.

I usually build all of mine and sometimes modify as I go to fit components better.

[foxfire]

that's what i like about the DIY layout creator, i find that i get a realistically sized layout when i'm done. i need to get a better understanding of when the "order" of things matters and when it doesn't. my layouts usually aren't much more than just the schematic redrawn but, i'm starting to get more creative with things.

[Pushtone]

my layouts usually aren't much more than just the schematic redrawn but, i'm starting to get more creative with things.

Yeah thats exactly how I feel.

That first layout of mine looks a lot like the schematic.

[foxfire]

my layouts usually aren't much more than just the schematic redrawn but, i'm starting to get more creative with things.

Yeah thats exactly how I feel.

That first layout of mine looks a lot like the schematic.

but as long as it works and is of a size and shape that works for your build than 2 thumbs up and crack a beer.

oh and i spent tonight drawing up a perf layout for the colorsound overdrive. it was actually a bit of a pain for me. i have a feeling it'll get redrawn at least once more before i get  a finished layout that looks any good. right now it's 19 holes wide and 12 holes high but, i think i can shrink it a bit still.

[markm]

John's tip of actually building on your own layout I think would be an invaluable learning experience.
That would bring the experience full circle. And no one to bitch to but yourself.

I usually build all of mine and sometimes modify as I go to fit components better.

[markm]

Test 1. 2. ------------Testing........phhhht...........TEST
Not sure if any of you are able to read my posts lately......
I'll try again;
My advice on size is this.
A smaller layout does not necessarily mean Better in all cases.
I usually try to leave ample room for components that can be large or vary in size such as capacitors.
I have received PMs from people who have attempted to shrink things to ridiculous size only to discover what
a pain in the butt it is to build and make it all fit!
If a circuit can fit into a 1590B then so be it but, don't take the approach that they all HAVE to 'cause they all CAN'T!
The colorsound OD has some big caps in it plus, the board will have 4 pots connecting to it as well as
an In & Out, power and grounds. That's alot to hook up and it's helpful to the builder to have some room available.
But, hey........it's your baby!

[jlullo]

Test 1. 2. ------------Testing........phhhht...........TEST
Not sure if any of you are able to read my posts lately......
I'll try again;
My advice on size is this.
A smaller layout does not necessarily mean Better in all cases.
I usually try to leave ample room for components that can be large or vary in size such as capacitors.
I have received PMs from people who have attempted to shrink things to ridiculous size only to discover what
a pain in the butt it is to build and make it all fit!
If a circuit can fit into a 1590B then so be it but, don't take the approach that they all HAVE to 'cause they all CAN'T!
The colorsound OD has some big caps in it plus, the board will have 4 pots connecting to it as well as
an In & Out, power and grounds. That's alot to hook up and it's helpful to the builder to have some room available.
But, hey........it's your baby!

i agree.... some components don't seem like they'd take up too much space until you're practically on top of yourself with caps

[Herr Masel]

Here's a layout I did now for the dod od250, I chose it mainly because it's a simple circuit that is supposed to sound good. Criticisms welcome!

[Herr Masel]

Oops, here it is
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=6003053&albumID=0&imageID=20095956
Can't figure out how to make it visible without having to log on to myspace though...

[foxfire]

Test 1. 2. ------------Testing........phhhht...........TEST
Not sure if any of you are able to read my posts lately......
I'll try again;
My advice on size is this.
A smaller layout does not necessarily mean Better in all cases.
I usually try to leave ample room for components that can be large or vary in size such as capacitors.
I have received PMs from people who have attempted to shrink things to ridiculous size only to discover what
a pain in the butt it is to build and make it all fit!
If a circuit can fit into a 1590B then so be it but, don't take the approach that they all HAVE to 'cause they all CAN'T!
The colorsound OD has some big caps in it plus, the board will have 4 pots connecting to it as well as
an In & Out, power and grounds. That's alot to hook up and it's helpful to the builder to have some room available.
But, hey........it's your baby!

no hey i hear ya, thats why i got out a 0.22uf cap and figured the it should get a 4 hole spacing rather than the usual 3 holes i give caps. i understand that size doesn't matter accept for when size matters but, i have found that going small makes me have to be more creative with the layout.

[markm]

3 Holes as opposed to 4 yes but, side to side spacing was my point actually which get overlooked often.

[foxfire]

yup and electrolytic's are the worst. they just take up way too much space for as small as they are. please don't think i'm not listening. i've spent a lot of time looking at your layouts. it's just that i tend to like doing things the hard way till i know what i'm doing. if that makes sense.

[markm]

please don't think i'm not listening. i've spent a lot of time looking at your layouts. it's just that i tend to like doing things the hard way till i know what i'm doing. if that makes sense.

Don't feel bad, as seen above and in various other threads lately, I get ignored more often than not
unless I say something about Hendrix.  Then everyone has a comment!!

[R.G.]

BTW - R.G.  -  I got the November issue of GP and I'm liking VS's full page ad and the new small box size.
It's so cute. Looks like a boat, ah I mean ship.
Nice box design. Is it cast metal or welded?
Do those inset jacks work with 90deg angle plugs?

Thanks! The new boxes are die cast. We had cases with the old folded-steel boxes where a player would run across stage, leap in to the air and come down on the box to change the settings. This occasionally resulted in "flat-topping" the box by breaking off the stomp switches and knobs. The swoop up in back is just a touch higher than the knobs, so a misplaced stomp hits the case, protecting the knobs in most cases. The big-button switches are also die-cast. They are just actuators. The actual switch is a sealed dome switch under a rubber pad in the case. You can break off the actuators with hammers - or Doc Martins - and it won't hurt the switch. Replacement switches if you DO kill them are about $0.25.

Yes, the insets work with right angle plugs. The inset is not very deep, just enough to trim up the sides a bit. We got all these complaints that the pedals were too wide, even after we demonstrated that one of the dual pedals was narrower than two single pedals side by side, so we gave up and produced singles.

Back on topic, the thread is hitting issues from the book head on. Accurate footprints for size, mechanical spacings, successive improvement, use of PCB programs, spacings, fitting to a box and how to tell when a layout is getting better.