All-in prototyping (rushing ahead to an untested final build)

[EBK]

I've noticed recently that when I'm designing stuff, I've been going right from schematic to vero layout to completely soldered board with reckless disregard for without fully testing whether the ultimate circuit sounds good or even works as intended, preferring to troubleshoot on the finished product rather than testing on a breadboard. 
I'll even sometimes drill an enclosure before I power up a new design for the first time. 
Some pedals end up needing a handful of part changes, and some are set aside as not sounding like I had hoped, to put it lightly (either for recycling or major redesign), but there have been successes too. 

I was curious as to whether anyone else engages in such mad science all-in prototyping or if I'm the only one. Call me crazy if you'd like. Edit: Realized that I had to de-crazy my own post. 

[slashandburn]

I've built other peoples layouts and PCB's "blind" (or "deaf" might be a better term) before. Not sure I'd tackle making my own PCB or vero layout from a schematic I wasn't sure worked but that's likely down to not having the skills to knock one together in what I'd deem a reasonable amount of time. 

I've certainly also done mad things like drill and start painting enclosures before I checked I could get all the components for acceptable prices, or fit replacements components into my hastily drilled box. (I'm looking at you, Dynacomp).

I just build one off's and etching is so messy and time consuming I don't like getting the ferric out for just a single board or encosure.   Sometimes the idea for the enclosure design inspires the build, other times I'll build a circuit and then take weeks or months to sort a box for it.  I've got quite a few circuits needing enclosures and some enclosures needing circuits that don't pair up and basically fell by the wayside.

I'll usually breadboard smaller circuits or anything I plan on building more than one of.

Anyway.  Yup. You're crazy. (edit: you're in good company though)

[GGBB]

Yes - you're absolutely insane.

The last three of my builds have been from inception to schematic to layout to fabbed PCB to build without anything more than minor simulation of eq. All have turned out quite well after a couple of minor tweaks (usually anticipated by sockets). I'm probably pushing my luck if I try it again, but I probably will anyway because I detest breadboarding more than anything else in this hobby. Note that all three designs were new but based on existing designs (essentially hybrids of ideas from other pedals) and one was a redesign of a pedal I had already built once.

I think at least a little bit of crazy is par for the course around here. 

[bloxstompboxes]

I'm sorta with GGBB on this one. I don't necessarily detest bread-boarding but I don't really have the time to. Let me explain maybe a little better. While not working I have time but it is not uninterrupted. While waiting for the new job I have been a stay at home dad with a 3 year old and a 1yr 3 month old. Don't think I need to go much further on that, lol. I too build away and hope for the best. That's usually ok on schematics that everyone has used to make layouts or on simple enough circuits to not worry about not working anyway. However, That damn DOD chorus didn't work on two different layouts. The second of which was based on my own reverse engineering of the actual pedal in hand. That was frustrating as hell and will be solved when I'm not so mad at any more.

[EBK]

I'm sorta with GGBB on this one. I don't necessarily detest bread-boarding but I don't really have the time to. Let me explain maybe a little better. While not working I have time but it is not uninterrupted. While waiting for the new job I have been a stay at home dad with a 3 year old and a 1yr 3 month old. Don't think I need to go much further on that, lol. I too build away and hope for the best. That's usually ok on schematics that everyone has used to make layouts or on simple enough circuits to not worry about not working anyway. However, That damn DOD chorus didn't work on two different layouts. The second of which was based on my own reverse engineering of the actual pedal in hand. That was frustrating as hell and will be solved when I'm not so mad at any more.

I have a (nearly) 5 year old and a 1.5 year old.  Maybe that is why I rush to build and build for the rush.   

Thank you, slashandburn, GGBB,  and bloxstompboxes for the validation and perspective! 

[slashandburn]

...... While waiting for the new job I have been a stay at home dad with a 3 year old and a 1yr 3 month old.

I have a (nearly) 5 year old and a 1.5 year old.  Maybe that is why I rush to build and build for the rush.   

Snap.

Well, a 4 year old, a 5 year old and a 3rd in the oven.

It's fair to say this pedal making lark requires a certain degree of concentration that can be hard to maintain with little people running around.  It also limits the volume I can "test" at after about 8pm to around zero. So, while the kids are sleeping I can get some actual work done. But I can't make any actual noise.

Need a workshop. Away from the house of chaos.

And a total frontal lobotomy?

[amptramp]

Keep up the good work EBK!

I have used breadboards before and I despise them - you have to spend time troubleshooting connections and does anyone build a breadboard that can take resistor and electrolytic capacitor lead thicknesses?  It seems if you can use an electrolytic, everything else is going to rattle around in the breadboard sockets.  I use pre-patterned boards and soldered connections I can trust.  Besides, you only have to do a layout once - it is easy to make a mistake with a breadboard layout and fixing it does not help with the production layout.

And good luck trying to fix oscillation problems on a breadboard.  They may or may not exist in the production unit because the production lead dress is a lot better.

[EBK]

Looks like I'm at it again!  I'm going to drill 16 holes into this 1590BB before I test these two boards.   

[Cozybuilder]

And a total frontal lobotomy?

Hmmm- reminds me of my favorite country song
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"