Looking for tips for cleaner wiring.

[Bill Mountain]

Good Morning!

I finished this project last night and I'm super excited about it*.  I'm still working out the kinks but it is my most fully realized design to date.  I'm actually so proud of it I'm going to build some to sell to friends and such.  So...since I'm looking to build these for other people I want to make them look a bit better.  I have no qualms about the build quality.  I feel I can build a rock solid pedal.  My issue is that I have never been a details guy so when actually building it I kind of eyeball everything.

I was wondering if you guys had any tips on cleaner wiring?  I always start out with nice clean lines but when you get to the end there are so many wires it all turns into a rats nest (for me at least).

Do you guys have any tips for cleaner looking builds?

Thanks!

*This is a preamp/boost/overdrive/distortion/fuzz for high output low tuned basses.  It can get a range of tones based on how you use each pot.  I'd love to talk about the design if anyone is interested but I'm keeping this post about the aesthetics.

[Bill Mountain]

Front pic and schematic attached.

[duck_arse]

make a dummy front panel, with all the right holes/right places. measure the wires to/from. mount pots/switches on the dummy, wire the parts on the panel out of the box, then drop the assembly into the drilled box when ready. or use a sub panel for each pedal, and drop that into the box. the sub panel can be any old bit of scrap, and can have anti-rotate holes (hidden from view) and can help space pots/knobs, and hold mounting pillars, etc.

[Mark Hammer]

Actually, looks pretty "clean" to me.  If you build enough things more than once, you eventually find that the 2nd build of anything is a whole lot "cleaner" than the first, simply because you have a more realistic and better idea of where things need to go, and what can conceivably make leads shorter and neater (e.g., rotating toggle or jack orientation).  Also leads to better judgment about lead length, and snipping wires prior to soldering.

[davent]

Just like duck_arse says, wire it before putting it in the enclosure.

i need pictures...

dave

[deadastronaut]

+1...template/wire outside the box first.

makes for a neater job...like daves neat work.

[Bill Mountain]

Why do you guys feel wiring outside makes a difference?

Edit:  I like the idea and am going to try it.  Not trying to be snarky.  Just being curious.

[deadastronaut]

its just easier to layout wiring without fiddling around inside a tiny space/walls etc..

works for me anyway..

i'm cheap, i just use cardboard

[davent]

Easy, easy access from all sides, wiring in the box you're always fighting the box sides, limits getting the iron in, limits getting cutters in, getting fingers in.

All you need is a piece of box board and the enclosure drilling template. Wire everything except the two 1/4" jacks to the switch.
dave

[blackieNYC]

Dummy panel!  I must start doing that.
The best tip I have to offer is never look inside my enclosure. Looks like my desk, bedroom, backpack, cargo pants pockets. (My work-wiring is beautiful, future employer)
I don't use board mount pots, and I use too many knobs. This leads to a bird's nest (albeit with good soldering, some shielded cable, surprisingly quiet and reliable performance, really) which will lovingly cradle my perf board so tightly that I couldn't mount it, or even short it against something, if I tried.
I think the dummy panel will be of great help to me, in terms of wire length and dress. And wire "training".

Lately I've been taking individual wires out of expensive "star quad" mic cable. The most flexible 24ga. I've ever seen.

[di_rocks]

A well made pcb layout will help a lot too...

The pads in right place to solder wires more near the jacks and switch

In all of my layouts i put in the bottom a sequence of pads (gnd, led -, in and out) so, just take this 4 wires and send to the switch. Then i place the +9v and gnd at the top.

Sorry my bad english 

[Gargaman]

+1 for a good layout. Pads for wires on the edge of the pcb, near to where the wire is going.
Yours look pretty clean. I would try to mask those ground wires a little bit, maybe leaning near the box.
When it doesn't look good, you hide.
Dave's one looks pretty beautifull right in the face. You can see that he knows where everything is going to. Those bracelets are really cool too.
I use small enclosures that I can't solder anything inside.

*This is a preamp/boost/overdrive/distortion/fuzz for high output low tuned basses.  It can get a range of tones based on how you use each pot.  I'd love to talk about the design if anyone is interested but I'm keeping this post about the aesthetics.
And it has a very populated board!
Is it for bass? Can you tell us how it works?

[Jdansti]

Good Morning!

I finished this project last night and I'm super excited about it*.  I'm still working out the kinks but it is my most fully realized design to date.  I'm actually so proud of it I'm going to build some to sell to friends and such.  So...since I'm looking to build these for other people I want to make them look a bit better.  I have no qualms about the build quality.  I feel I can build a rock solid pedal.  My issue is that I have never been a details guy so when actually building it I kind of eyeball everything.

I was wondering if you guys had any tips on cleaner wiring?  I always start out with nice clean lines but when you get to the end there are so many wires it all turns into a rats nest (for me at least).

Do you guys have any tips for cleaner looking builds?

Thanks!

*This is a preamp/boost/overdrive/distortion/fuzz for high output low tuned basses.  It can get a range of tones based on how you use each pot.  I'd love to talk about the design if anyone is interested but I'm keeping this post about the aesthetics.

No problem with wanting cleaner wiring, but this looks immaculate compared to my builds!

[alanp]

Experience, and "getting your eye in" helps as well. No one starts out doing great wiring. Over time, you get a better feel for how much wire to use, how much you'll strip, that sort of thing.

[amptramp]

I sometimes use ribbon cable and just peel the wires back to make the connections where I need them.  This may not work for high-gain pedals where the output is beside the input, but you plan those things.  Some ribbon cable is colour-coded so it is not difficult to find both ends of the same wire.

[bluebunny]

No one starts out doing great wiring.

How long does "starts out" last??  I'm still not there yet...   

[Fndr8875]

haha, man im so jealous of a lot of you guys skills. everyone keeps says keep at it and youll get better. My builds always start out neat but seems like i run into one small thing and it snowballs from there. Ive only used pad per hole boards so far     This hobby for me is such a love/hate type thing ive never expenienced on this level with a hobby.

[duck_arse]

This hobby for me is such a love/hate type thing ...

I wish I could say you get used to it, but I don't think you do. not wiring clods like me, anyway.

[rankot]

I would like to build this Pillar Shaker, is there any PCB design for it? I'll design one one my own, but I am not sure if I understand well power for ICs on this schematic. 

[LightSoundGeometry]

proper wiring is essential in the high gain fuzz or you will get oscillation and rfi. that pedal looks great ! PCB can make things neat, tidy and assembly a breeze.