Design A Layout...Get A Bare Box #1 Free

[smallbearelec]

I mentioned in a previous post that I want to encourage wider use of the Bare Box #1. I think part of my problem is a chicken-and-egg situation; aside from Projects on my own site, there's no library to which you can go and find a vetted designed to do what you want. Having done a few builds in the Bare Box, it hit me that it would be easy for users of DIY Layout Creator to set up everyone's favorites on the standard wiring platform that I created for the Oh My Darling and the Ursa Minor.  It took me about an hour to figure out how to use DIY LC--fabulous application! Aron was gracious enough to set up a folder for me in his Layouts Gallery, and you can see my first effort there:

http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/Small+Bear+Electronics/

Clearly, what I have done is provide a standard "canvas" on which numerous simple effects can be set up. I included a few jumpers (Blue) to put the essential power and signal runs where they need to be to be Bare Box-friendly, and there is plenty of room to insert components and wire. You can do the inputs and outputs with Molex connectors as I do, but you don't have to.

So here's an offer:

1. Buy a Bare Box #1 and a 60 x 60 mm board.

2. Do a layout for a positive-ground PNP Fuzz Face in DIY LC and verify it by building.

3. E-mail the verified layout to me at smallbearelec@ix.netcom.com. First reply by the e-mail time stamp gets a full refund for the enclosure and shipping cost. I will post the layout with credit to the designer. You are on your honor respecting verification.

If I get a good response to this, I will, of course, make a similar offer for other builds.

Regards
SD

[Mike Burgundy]

Cool idea! I'm sure people will jump on this one.

[boogietone]

Wish I had the time. Sounds like fun.

[Mark Hammer]

Probably 95% of layouts that work fine in a 1590B, and 80% of those that work in a 1590BB, will adapt to a Bare Box pretty easily.  The critical part in many instances is simply routing the pads for controls and switches to one edge so that they can take advantage of a Molex to connect up to the 5-pot board.

[digi2t]

Since I've been working on the BMP of late, it also included a perf board version that I'm planning to build soon (special project). As such, I decided to do some rearranging, and here is a BMP that fits the Bare Board. Not a FF, but my contribution to try and get this going.

These are component side views, with 9mm pots mounted on the opposite side of the board.







At the same time, it gave me a chance to condense my original layout, so it's a win-win.

No transistors, or diodes are spec'd, those can be chosen by the builder. The cap and resistor values are a mix of Triangle, and Ram's Head, which I've used of late with good results. Again, flavor to taste. There is an extra cap, C16 (1uF non-polar), which helps eliminate any chance for DC noise across the Tone pot.

EDIT:

There was a small error in the above layouts, C3 was off one set of holes. That has now been corrected.

I also got to thinking, since building the Big Muffarray, I've been enamoured with the "Body" control, for boosting the midrange. Hence, here are another set of layouts that include the aforementioned control.







There you go.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

@Steve

I wouldn't just limit this to vero or perf.

I bet you can get A TON of good designs on PCB as well. Self etched OR fabbed!

Why not host a contest? A bare box build-off contest 

(I think I heard this elsewhere on here so I am pretty sure this is NOT an original idea  )

Also, some more option on the potentiometer board would be nice (2, 3, or 4 pot options. With LED. Maybe some toggle switches. etc

[smallbearelec]

here is a BMP that fits the Bare Board. Not a FF, but my contribution to try and get this going.

I could not have done this...my layout skills are not up to it. THANKS! Please drop a message to the smallbearelec address with your shipping info and we will get a box and a board in the mail. Please build, verify and post pics. I will include the layout in my gallery as soon all done.

[smallbearelec]

I bet you can get A TON of good designs on PCB as well.

Well, sure! If you can do it on pad-per-hole, going to gerber is easy. As I've said, I have my own agenda for things I want to build in there, I don't want to give time to designing the "top 40", and other people's skills (like digi2t) are better than mine. If this offer winds up spawning another competitor to GGG, Madbean, Tonepad, GuitarPCB, etc., I won't argue; I just wanna sell enclosures and parts.

Also, some more option on the potentiometer board would be nice (2, 3, or 4 pot options. With LED. Maybe some toggle switches. etc

It had occurred to me. Please give me a little more time to recover tooling costs...

[digi2t]

Did a little update to my original post layout above, to correct a small error. Also added another layout, with added "Body" midrange control.

Ordering stuff today. Going to be a fun build.

[Mark Hammer]

Also, some more option on the potentiometer board would be nice (2, 3, or 4 pot options. With LED. Maybe some toggle switches. etc

It's a more flexible board than some might think.  The layout of the pads for the pots can easily suit a 2-pot, 3-pot, or 4-pot arrangement.  And since the pads for the pots are not "committed" (e.g., one pad always going to ground), that means one could easily co-opt them for some other function.  So a 5-pot board could be used to install 3 pots and a pair of SPDT toggles, or 4 pots and a SPDT, or two singles and a dual-ganged pot (hmmm, I wonder what famous pedals use that configuration?), or any of a variety of other possible arrangements (including flashing LEDs).

[LucifersTrip]

After I chose my prize (Small Bear credit) in the last contest, Steve was cool enough to offer a Bare Box #1 if I built
something into it.

I believe the only layout on the SB site was a Rangemaster, which I've built too many.

A Fuzz Face variant (Schaller Fuzz) was on my to do list, so I decided to go for that.

Had a good time using that big perf for that simple circuit....just had fun spreading out the components, not worrying about
running out of space. Sorry, I never use layouts and just improvise from schematics, and like to have wires hard soldered, so
didn't use the molex connectors. I also didn't want to complicate a simple circuit mapping out connections.

I expected Steve to send just the box but he sent the whole kit...All the parts of the box fit together very nicely, with easily enough
space maneuvering around. The board was populated in late November and by then it was too cold to paint...and it's finally getting
warm enough this month. So, still not finished.

This thread reminded me of the build, and coincidentally Steve asked for a Fuzz Face layout. Here's what I have...very simple to make
a few changes for a Fuzz Face.

Schaller original:
http://www.luciferstrip.com/fuzz/schaller-fuzz-72.gif

I did a standard mod and set the Fuzz full and added a pre-gain with a pot in series with the input. I initially had 20uF off Q2E, then did some more
experimenting and realized 22uF actually sounded better, but not as good as 25uF, so I add a couple 1uF's.
http://www.luciferstrip.com/fuzz/schaller-fuzz-schematic.gif

[smallbearelec]

Thanks for sharing!

For those participating, please do the layout in DIY LC, components on the blank side and input and out "BOSS Standard". Trip reminded me that many people will want to go NPN silicon negative ground, so I will widen my offer to accept one PNP and one NPN. I will Not encourage PNP negative-ground builds.

[digi2t]

OK Steve. I`ll just say this though; I considered using as many goodies as possible on the, ahem... Big Bear Pie, so the in/out points on the board will be using header pins. I chose this route because A) I always place the jacks at the top of my builds, not the sides. I hate the sides, it just doesn`t work well in my rig. B) All my pedals run in/out left to right, not standard.

I`m planning to cap the holes on the sides of the Bare Box. The four pots will connect to the board via header as well.

It`s at this point that I would like to say... I wish an undrilled box was available.

[Mark Hammer]

AFAIK the Bare Box only comes with 3, maybe 4 holes pre-drilled: stompswitch (top), in/out jacks (sides), and power jack (rear).

The side-mounted jacks work well with boards and jacks that permit having the jacks mounted directly to the PCB.  I suppose one could mount the jacks on the "sunken" part at the rear of the box and use the side holes for pots if that was your whim.

[smallbearelec]

OK Steve. I`ll just say this though; I considered using as many goodies as possible on the, ahem... Big Bear Pie, so the in/out points on the board will be using header pins.

I understand, and I will be happy to post your layout.

I wish an undrilled box was available.

Again, I gotta recover more of my tooling costs. If I can do it without breaking the bank, I will make it happen.

[digi2t]

As promised, here is my completed project. I call it the Big Bear Muff. All in all, it went fairly smoothly. The wire pins are a bit of pain to crimp, but with some patience, I managed to get the done. I added a touch of solder to the crimp, just as insurance. I found that the header to pots harness was a cool feature, though I wish that the wires were 1/4" longer. As they are now, I have to bend the pot lugs down on two pots to avoid any strain on the wire.

I really recommend installing the headers last, after all the components are installed. Also, don't install any caps one hole away from a header. A resistor lead can easily slip under the header, but a cap is too big, so it's something to consider when designing a layout.

Here are the pics of the build. It's a four knobber, adding the Body control for the midrange, like my Muffarray build. I'm using the same set of resistor and cap values as the Muffarray build, with BC550C transistors this time. They work pretty well.

















Yup, nice and neat. My only beef is the side mounted jacks, but hey, some slim 90 jacks will do fine. I will be happy when it comes undrilled though. Just a personal thing. I just need to validate the layout for this build, and I'll publish it tomorrow. There are some changes to the above layouts, especially considering that I'm using the header for the pots. Customary video tomorrow as well.

[Mark Hammer]

Tis a thing of beauty, Dino.    What a man.  What a citizen.  Nicely done!

[Greenmachine]

Wow ... looks great. 

[Jdansti]

Nice, neat job!  Looks great!

[bluebunny]

+1.  Very nice job, Dino.