where to buy enclosures with a pedal switch

[zach]

This strikes me as a fairly stupid question, but I can't find these things anywhere!  I'm just looking for an enclosure that contains an actual pedal.  Pedal part plus told me they don't know of anyone selling them.  Most DIY stompboxes I see don't have one, but obviously most commercial boxes are in that format, and I'd like mine to be as well.  If they can't be bought, how would I go about building one?

Thanks,
Zach

[deadastronaut]

i dont understand the question.?.....you want a box with a switch?...

[Scruffie]

Do you mean the BOSS Format with a Paddle rather than switch? Otherwise... yeah you want an enclosure... and a switch!

[zach]

Yes, with a paddle...so it's easy to step on.  Do most people just use a regular switch and try to find as big a button as they can?  This still seems kind of cumbersome for performance. 

[Scruffie]

Yeah... using tactile switches for DIY for a begginer is probably gunna be troublesome... You have to use a tactile switch with these boxes which means lining up a tiny little thing like this to work inside - http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=34
We just use Foot switch like you'd find on EHX pedals, you just as they say "stomp" on the stompbox, i've never found them cumbersome, infact, I find Paddles to be a bit unresponsive in feel.

[Hides-His-Eyes]

It will take far less time to get used to stomp switches than it will to build boss shaped pedals.

[zach]

Thanks, I'll probably just use a large switch like everyone else.  I guess the only way to make a Boss type pedal, would be to roll my own paddle?

[zombiwoof]

Well, you could buy a broken Boss (or similar) pedal, and build your pedal in it.  Then you'd have your "treadle" (or paddle) enclosure.  But pay attention to what others have said about the difficulty for a beginner with dealing with tactile switches and the extra circuitry involved.  A standard metal mechanical footswitch will be much easier to wire up.

Al

[ghostsauce]

If you did gut boss pedals for your own use then you might as well save the guts from the boss ones and build em' into a multi fx unit.  I imagine you could get some decent cash for it, lots of guys out there who want more boss.

[pleiades]

If you are heart-set on having a paddle, you could just buy a slanted enclosure and rig a plate on a hinge over a standard switch.  The plate will act as a paddle, depressing the switch.  Shouldn't be too hard if you have the right tools and/or access to a decent machine shop.

[adf]

Hi Zach,
Is this what you're after?
http://pedalshell.webs.com/
A bit pricey for me, but maybe cheaper than gutting a boss...
Al

[zombiwoof]

Actually, you can even buy a working Boss pedal on Ebay for $25 or less, check out the auctions for DS-1 pedals, which only sell for $40 new.  I've bought DS-1's for as little as $22 on Ebay, there are a million of them for sale.  Broken pedals go for even less.  You can also save a search for "pedal parts" or "pedal project" or "pedal repair", and watch the results until a busted Boss pedal shows up.  Right now I could only find a couple of more expensive Boss pedals that needed repair, and a couple of DOD pedal projects.  I guess you could use a DOD shell, but you'd want the later ones with the bigger switch "pad" on them I think.

Al