Noob Prototyping Box

[ttist25]

Hey there! 

I'm new to building effects pedals.  I've done some simple distortion stuff on the breadboard (that worked), attempted the Beavis noisy cricket (that was a disaster - probably should learn to solder first), and attempted the Matsumin tube booster thingy (got the tube to light up which made me happy but that's about all it did). 

Anyway, in these first attempts, I found a common theme; off-board wiring is not conducive to kitchen table builds!    So I set off to remedy the problem and am currently in the process of building this:

I'm looking for ideas on the best way to manage the potentiometer wiring.  I was thinking about something like a Euro style mini terminal strip ala Radio Shack http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103986#

but I'd need to get two and cut one in half to get all 6 pots wired up plus, I'm not sure how cumbersome it would be to connect/disconnect wires from the selected pot to the breadboard.  I feel like there's a better solution out there.

So, what say ye?  Anyone have recommendations on how I can best handle this?  I think a "holy grail" would be something like the euro style terminal block that had set screws on one row and spring loaded clips on the other (think speaker wire connectors but really really small).  Also whatever it is would have to fit in the space beneath the pots and above the little bread board after I stick that bad boy on there. 

Looking forward to your responses and finishing this up so I can start breadboarding circuits!  Woo hoo!!!!

[davent]

I've copied this idea for dealing with pots from electrosonic and it works great. With Tayda's  terminal blocks, pots and veroboard you can do a few pot setups (for multiple boards) for very little money.

More practice etching.. one off Beavis Board w/ relay switching.

I took the idea for the graphic from a bottle of red wine. I think wine labels are great for inspiration for stompbox art - they are about the same size and have some great graphics and fonts.



Andrew.

Then some leads like these make it easy to hook up to the breadboard.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1x-60-Pcs-Solderless-Breadboard-Jumper-Cable-Wires-Wire-Kit-for-Arduino-/321247208831?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4acbd3657f

dave

[PRR]

> manage the potentiometer wiring.

Pots are cheap. Don't bother with terminal strips, IMHO.

First boff a bunch of 3/8" holes in a strip of metal and screw it to your wood board. Take a pot, and 3 different color small stranded wire. Strip, solder to the pot (yes you HAVE to learn good soldering!). At the other end, cut the lead off a resistor and solder it to the stranded wire. This sticks into your protoboard. Mount the pot, also jacks, in your 3/8"-holey metal strip.

> get two and cut one in half to get all 6 pots

Huh?? OIC. You want to provide for exactly 6 pots (18 leads).

Rule of wiring: you always need more wires, this time or next time. It's no sin to have a dozen "excess" network cable-runs in the wall. Certainly not to have a mere 6 extra screws on your board. You'll find a use. Pots are not the only awkward connections.

BTW: the euro-strip cuts E-Z with pruning shears, and seems to be going out of stock (I got a handful at half-price). It made sense for a permanently installed house power monitor with deadly voltages on way too many wires which had to be swapped in installation. But not for breadboarding.

[ttist25]

Thanks for your responses guys. 

PRR - I'm just being anal with the whole wiring thing, probably unnecessarily so, but it's likely due to my being overwhelmed due to my noobness.  My guess is that what makes sense to your experienced eyes looks like a giant wire monster ready to attack to me.  I'm sure if I stick with it I'll get over it!    The soldering of the resistor end to the stranded wire is BRILLIANT though.  I'm keeping that in the box 'o tricks I've got stuck in the back of my head. 

Davent - that's something close to what I'm looking for.  I especially like the use of the patch wires in combination with the terminal blocks.  If I can get everything to fit in that row of space beneath the pots and above where I'll stick the little breadboard I'll be happy.  I'm really stuck on finding something spring loaded and small.  If I could get something where I could push a button or clip and slide one end of the patch wire in how awesome would that be?  Quick, easy, no wire monsters coming to get me ...

I'm not having any luck finding my holy grail but in asking the question I've picked up some great ideas! 

Thanks!!!

[Pojo]

Remember those kids electronics kits that have those spring terminals that you bend the spring with your finger and insert a lead end into to connect all the components together? My mind's eye envisions a proto-setup with a bunch of those springs wired to a selection of off-board components.

[davent]

You can get terminal blocks that are spring actuated rather then using screws.  Recently got some from Digikey, any of the big supply houses would carry them.

[tubegeek]

Fahnestock clips?

http://www.micromark.com/Fahnestock-Clips-Pkg-of-25,8941.html

[ttist25]

Thanks for the response Pojo!  I do remember those and I remember my grandmother getting me one of those for my birthday one year back another lifetime ago.    That sounds like a REALLY good idea to me but, the question is, should I be taking that as sarcasm?  And if so, given how great of an idea I think it is, what does it say about my own ineptitude? 

Tubegeek - I've never seen those but it looks deceivingly simple.  A little glob of J.B. Weld on the bottom of those and I might be in business.

Davent - your term spring "actuated" (rather than spirng "loaded") helped out my Google search and I came across this:



https://www.asiconnectors.com/member/~MRT1P5~08-2GR.asp?Dept_ID=1154

I was thinking I might be able to lay this on its side, pop the pot wires up through holes in the top of the box, solder them to the pins, and then use jumpers from the holes to the boards depending on the pots I wanted to hook up. I'm thinking the breadboard jumper wires you showed me should fit in those holes - no?   

What do you guys think?  Have you ever actually laid eyes on one of these things? 

Thanks again for all of the responses.  Greatly appreciated.