top-mounting hardware

[djp8djp]

OK, not really "top-mounting", but on the top vertical "far" face of a pedal enclosure. See, I know that the standard is to place the input and output jacks on the sides of the pedal. But I just can't stand it. I prefer them on the top, and the pedals can all sit shoulder to shoulder. So for my upcoming builds, I want the input, output, and DC jacks at the "top". Of course, there'll also be pots up in that neighborhood too.

So my question .... can I fit into the top spaces of a Hammond 1590G, two 1/4" jacks (preferably "enclosed" style), plus a 2.1mm switched barrel-style DC jack, AND still be able to use single-gang Alpha RV16 series (16mm, single-gang) pots. All with a tiny bit of clearance? And no, I don't expect the circuit board to have to extend as far ass the jacks, so consideration for that clearance/thickness is out of the equation.

I know, the component measurements tell me it'll all work. But I'd like to hear from someone who's done so, because as we all know, building on paper and building in the real world, well, they're two different things, aren't they? If it's tight but doable, I'll order my parts. But if it's so close that it's darned near impossible to pull off, I'll re-plan (i.e., bigger box, diff. layout).

Thanks !!

[Cozybuilder]

Thats how I mount my jacks in 1590B enclosures. With the smaller Lumberg or enclosed I/O jacks you can use a switched 9V, or non-switched 9V and use Switchcraft style I/O jacks. Your measurements and drilling need to be accurate, I use 0.5mm for pilot holes in a drill press- its easier to nail the center with that small of a bit. As you can see, its tight but doable. The G is 0.4" narrower, so you would have to use the smaller jacks (Lumberg, or round enclosed). Its doable, especially if you modify the screw bosses with a dremel.

Examples:

[Granny Gremlin]

Yep, I agree - this is the only way to fly.  The ability to do so varies by project (larger boards with larger components on them may present challenges).

Bit of a tip: most enclosures come in a taller version (e.g. the 125B or 125BB vs the standard 1590B/1590BB) and this extra space can make all the difference in some cases. A 1590G is like a shorter 1590B so unless the project has a really small board and you can move the pots further south out of the way, it's not gonna work. Enclosed jacks are also the largest ones available.  You can't have it all; you need to use a taller box or smaller jacks to even have a chance of this working (again, depending on the project).

[duck_arse]

OK, not really "top-mounting", but on the top vertical "far" face of a pedal enclosure.

call the footswitch end the "toe end", the other the "jax", works for me.

See, I know that the standard is to place the input and output jacks on the sides of the pedal.
Thanks !!

standard? this is news to me. also, no problem! and also, I can't comment on standard-box builds.


cozy - that purple box looks familiar. nice colour choice, too.

[armdnrdy]

OK, not really "top-mounting", but on the top vertical "far" face of a pedal enclosure.

Back of the enclosure.

The top is where you mount the controls and switches...the sides...self explanatory...
The bottom is the screw on lid/cover.

But...I've seen builds that upset the whole apple cart by mounting the controls on the lid! 

[Granny Gremlin]

Lets not be nit-picky about semantics; if anything 'top-mounted' is the most common usage as far as I have seen (e.g. https://aionelectronics.com/diy-pcb-projects/ - see 'Design Rules' section down close to the bottom; and there's many more where that came from - see also MadBean's documentation), but who cares.

[blackieNYC]

I put all the jacks - DC, in, out, maybe stereo out, on the top facing up. Whenever possible. See ridiculous profile pic. I like my pedals to sit right next to each other.  It works on all but the flattest (shortest. Uh, least tall, lowest H) Hammond boxes.  (On some small builds I have given the box one or two pigtail cables instead of jacks.  It has worked out well for me too.)  Then I use all right-angle plugs for the cables.  I have a very dense pedalboard.

[armdnrdy]

I put all the jacks - DC, in, out, maybe stereo out, on the top facing up.

Oh no! Don't call where you put the jacks "the top!" It doesn't conform with the "Design Rules!" 

I posted my description of what I believe the top, back, bottom, etc, of an enclosure is because the OP seemed to be having problems describing the back/top whatever section in question.

I don't follow someone's made up description....I use common sense.

Where do we put the artwork, controls, and switches? On the side facing up...correct?
We'll call that the top.

Where do we put Velcro to mount the enclosure to a pedal board?...or...what part of the enclosure is making contact with the floor? The side facing down...right?
We'll call that the bottom.

When we are playing through a stompbox that is mounted on a pedal board or placed on the floor..
which side do we have facing us? The side with the footswitch? That would be a yes!
We'll call that the front.

What is the opposite of the front? The back?
We'll call it the back...or the rear of the enclosure.

And finally....we have the two sides.
I generally call the side on the right....you guessed it! The right side!
but that does not mean that the opposite side is the wrong side.
I call it the ....drum roll.....left side.

Gotta love formal semantics! 

[Cozybuilder]

Just an idea, but for small box builds without a battery, is there any reason you can't use a stereo jack for in and out, making your own cables to go to other boxes in the chain? There are many examples of Stereo Input jack guitars, with 2 mono output cables from the stereo plug. That might be an answer to your 1590G box.

[Granny Gremlin]

Yeah - it's annoying as F@#! ;P  Also decreases perceived value if you ever want to sell, and you have to carry spares cause a regular cable you could borrow won't work.  That said I'd still do it if I wanted a super tiny build or something (1590A) or for an FX loop, but I would try to avoid it, when possible, for the main I/O.  In this case (1590G) I actually don't think it would help much; the bottleneck is not the width so much as the height.

armdnrdy, seriously, let it go.  I get why you want to call it the back (and agree), but most people call it the top, that is the convention, so that ain't changing any time soon.  See both Aion and MadBean build docs/specs if you don't believe me.

[stallik]

Call it what you want and include a picture 

[samhay]

I mount my jacks in the top/whatever we are calling it side of the enclosure for most of the same reasons already stated.

>can I fit into the top spaces of a Hammond 1590G, two 1/4" jacks (preferably "enclosed" style), plus a 2.1mm switched barrel-style DC jack, AND still be able to use single-gang Alpha RV16 series (16mm, single-gang) pots.

Having just pulled the calipers and the 1590G datasheet out, I am pretty sure I could get closed jacks + a DC jack in the top of one of these. I don't see how this would leave room for the pots under the jacks though, so you would have to push these down towards the foot switch. This can still give you enough room between the controls and the foot switch if you are careful- e.g.



I use Neutrick M series-style enclosed jacks, which are not the smallest, but I don't think this enclosure has enough depth to put pots under any style of 1/4" jack.
http://www.neutrik.com/en/audio/plugs-and-jacks/jacks/m-series/

[Cozybuilder]

Stereo Lumberg jack compared to other common ones:

[R.G.]

Frankly, given the state of pedalboards, putting jacks on the top, sides or ends is an anachronism, harking back to the day when pedals were actually set on the floor. It makes a lot more sense to put them on the *bottom* where the cables can be routed under the surface of the pedalboard.

[bloxstompboxes]

My big feet can hit the wrong switch, especially if it's a boss or DOD type, if I have them too close together. I just do the side mounted jacks. although i have done top mounted ones on a phaser. Too much of a pain in the arse to get them so close together and looking straight and usable though.

[Tony Forestiere]

Frankly, given the state of pedalboards, putting jacks on the top, sides or ends is an anachronism, harking back to the day when pedals were actually set on the floor. It makes a lot more sense to put them on the *bottom* where the cables can be routed under the surface of the pedalboard.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Unto each his own. Put 'em where you want 'em. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

[Granny Gremlin]

Frankly, given the state of pedalboards, putting jacks on the top, sides or ends is an anachronism, harking back to the day when pedals were actually set on the floor. It makes a lot more sense to put them on the *bottom* where the cables can be routed under the surface of the pedalboard.

I agree, except that occasionally I take a pedal off the board and use it on the floor or tabletop.

To really modernise and maintain flexibility we would all use recessed edge connectors (downward facing on the 'top'... ) plugged into I/O and power busses on the pedalboard.  Pigtails for stand alone use (so they'd need to have space at the bottom for a r angle plug  to fit and not touch the floor - something like an IDE cable but less pins and thicker gauge wire; empty positions between signal and power conductors etc).

We'd never get the industry to agree on the standard though.

[djp8djp]

Holy moley you guys are fast. Posted last night, checked now, and the page went and got busy. Thanks to all for straightening me out - and providing some interesting diversion - regarding names for the enclosure faces.

Beyond that, lots of good info regarding the fitting of the hardware. Thanks to all! Yeah, I suppose there is no "normal" config, it just seems that most of the small rectangular pedals I've purchased in some time have all had side jacks. Happy to hear I'm not the only one who prefers the back location (but, to each their own, right?). And happy to hear that the fit can (with qualifications) work.

I wanted the G box because it's a tad smaller all 'round. I suppose I can give it a spin for a couple, and if it turns out to be too much of a pain, I'll fall back to B boxes.

And for reference, here are the inside dimensions, in millimeters, of a bunch of Hammond boxes (from Hammond's PDFs). Rounded to the nearest tenth of a millimeter (yeesh). These are all inside dimensions... the ones that matter for considerations of fitting. Oh, and these L and W are at the lip of the box .... both get a little narrower at the box's top. And the H (aka depth) is just of the box itself - the hollowness of the bottom plate grants a little more for breathing room.

             L(mm)      W(mm)       H(mm)
1590A         89.1        35.0           25.4
1590G         96.2        46.2          19.0
1590S        105.5       77.4          37.5
1590B        108.1       56.5          25.0
1590BS      108.0       56.5          36.0
1590BB      115.0       89.5          27.8
1590BBS   115.0        89.5          35.9
1590Q       115.0       115.0         27.5
1590N1     117.7        62.0          34.2

And just to mess with yer heads ..... Hammond calls the plate, which we consider the bottom, the "lid", which one normally considers as going on top..... 

Thanks again, one and all.

Oh wait.    Anybody got a suggestion for a domestic (USA or Canada) mail-order source for those Lumberg jacks?)

[Cozybuilder]

BLMS, Lawrence is a decent guy, he'll treat you right.

http://bitcheslovemyswitches.com/#!/1-4-Jacks/c/5027593/offset=0&sort=normal

[peterg]

http://smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com/lumberg-1-4-compact-shrouded-mono-jack/