How long does it take you to build one pedal?

[petemoore]

I advocate taking your time!
  +1, if you don't, 'it' will.
  The only thing I noticed about rushing is that when I don't rush things come together more or less 'on time', and that amount of time seems less 'dense'.
  The first and second times through first builds, you especially should be taking extra time...pondering layouts, figuring out exactly the order in which wires are soldered can make a big difference...some wires are easier to wire when in the box [such as an accessible potlug] than out.
  Other times you might want a cardboard pots-holder for soldering the lugs outside the box, 'a stitch, in time, saves nine'.
  I like to do chosen debug tests at certain points during a build like 'no-short' condition before the first power application, before adding '____' to the PS...I usually start off with the simple battery clip and initial tests, repeating all tests after say DC input jack install.
  Kits are of course the fastest.
  Printed circuit boards ='d fast, first time fire ups for me.
  Perfboard...a really good layout think through helps prevent junk board, 'crampy' node connections can become less crowded. 

[Stellan]

It depends on three things for me: 1 what project I´m working on. I have done a perfboard wah in less than an hour, because all i had to do was solder components an hook it up to the the enclosure from my crybaby. 2 Tools. I drill my pcb´s with an electric screwdriver and just today drilling holes in the pcb for a CE2 took me over an hour... etching also can take a loooong time (over an hour) with the piece of shit etchant i´ve got. I use the same screwdriver/drill for drilling the enclosure and my bits are not big enough for the dc jack and stomp switch, so i use a file to enlarge!!! 3 How careful i am. I HATE debugging, its about the most frustrating thing i know so lately I have checked every solder joint for shorts or bad connections with a DMM as I make them, checking also that the pcb traces are intact and don´t short out.
All in all without painting the enclosure i probably spend 4-6 hours on an average stompbox. I never make more than one of each.

[8mileshigh]

I do like Stellan, I try to debug before I put the board in the box so it takes longer (usually two sessions of 2 hours to get a simple fuzz up and running).  Much of my time is spent looking for parts, testing capacitors and continuity & with some good luck, the circuit will fire right up.  It happens about 75% of the time.  I still have a GE Fuzz Face to debug that's been in my drawer for 2 years, I hate debuging !!!

Chris

[Xavier]

1st ever: BSIAB  : Took 2 years to complete. Obviously it didn't work at first try, so it was gathering dust on the shelf until I had the guts.......

Boosters: Usually 2 hours, not counting on painting....

Dr Boogey: Built 3 different boards !!!! I had squeals and noises until I redid all the wiring and added a current limiter. It took me around 4 months to complete, but it's the only DIY pedal in my board, along with my Mosfetzer (fetzer valve into mosfet booster, hard wired).

Usually I don't have enough patience and throw it to the garbage , unless it's giving me instant satisfaction 

[petemoore]

  'Build'?, or build, debug, tweek, re-tweek, modify back to just 'tweek', then find the application for it and do the necessary mods now that you think you've found it's niche? 
  FF...couple hours, probably more for a debug, less if you really take your time and get it right 1rst time.
   I started building FF's around 2000, and then a year or two ago I finally began mostly *just playing them..course..the other [failed] box made room for the other 'ol FF which made another recent appearance in a new position on the pedalboard...It's now a 'lowfat, no salt' fuzz face, finally getting work just about every day.
  Dyna Comp...by the time I had a working DC it was actually months after when I worked on the perfboard project really really hard for about a week...before opting/ordering the PCB...it's still surviving, it accidentally got broiled...I need to clean it all up though, it changed for sure , but it still comps really nice .
  Basic cut 'n dry perf a booster board takes about 15 min or 20 if a debug...big deal...just a booster board, slap it together. Easy to get working, if not it's about an hour and a 2x2 of perf lost.
  I don't consider the box actually really usable until it just stays on the pedalboard and doesn't bug or bother me.
  Some pedals seem to just waste time, so that'd be time chalked up to pedals I actually use...ie..experimenting to find the pedals means...having aquired them and having done the exps.
  All that takes time.
  At this point I get to rating them on:
  Performance and performance improvement Vs. How Many times it's pulled off the pedalboard [for mods, re-arrangements don't count].
  If it's sitting on the shelf, in a drawer, on a #2pedalboard or buggin' me [ie not doing the job I expected], it's not really 'built'.
  Generic', or close enough because I don't know what closer would sound like is for commercial pedal users.
  IMO for a pedal to sound it's best, 'some dude-like you' has to figure your stuff out for you, fingers, speakers...everything...there's no short cut to 'it', and you can't [well maybe, but it's easier to just build 'em] just go out and buy 'it'...I used to try, 'it' always turned out to have something else or not actually be 'it' for some reason.