What's wrong with my build(s)???

[maartendh]

On multimeter testing: sometimes your solderjoints will be isolated at the outside (maybe a consequense of flux?). You have to press the point of your probe into the solder, or sand the solder just a little bit. You might verify this by measuring resistance of one single join (one probe at one side, other probe ont he other side of the same solder joint)t: if there is no contact between solder and probe, your multimeter will show no connection. This might explain your readings, where others see several bridges in your work.

I lerarned from this to check the connections between meter and solder whenever I dont get a reading. Hope this helps you too.

[deadlyshart]

I'm another noobie. I'm not in quite the same position, because my circuits have all "worked", but several of them have definitely been mysteriously crappy for unknown reasons.

Something I'll say that can help a lot is if you can get your hands on a cheap scope and function generator. Obviously nice ones can cost a bunch, but the scope I use was one from a kit on aliexpress that costed $15 shipped, and the function generator is another kit one of similar price (of course, I had to assemble them, and if assembly is where stuff is going wrong... it could be a problem).

The fn gen/scope combo can often tell you really quickly what's happening, because you basically get to "follow" the signal through the circuit. You put the signal in on the input and, unless it's a really complicated circuit, you can probe and see what's happening to the signal at various points. It's something multimeters can't tell you.

[GibsonGM]

The fn gen/scope combo can often tell you really quickly what's happening, because you basically get to "follow" the signal through the circuit. You put the signal in on the input and, unless it's a really complicated circuit, you can probe and see what's happening to the signal at various points. It's something multimeters can't tell you.

Totally a great idea and method, Shart....but for those who wish a cheaper and simpler approach, an audio probe (search) will do the trick, too!

Lets you probe into a circuit and listen to the signal at any point you choose, and it's fast and easy to pinpoint what stage is causing you trouble, etc.

[pdavis68]

I bought this $30 soldering station https://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-Variable-Soldering-Station-Removable/dp/B00MCVCHJM and it turned me from "Soldering is the thing I hate most about electronics," to "Soldering takes me to my zen place!"

I'm sure any decent soldering station can get you there if you've been using the kind of junk I was using before.

I do work on tube amps and more recently pedals. I couldn't do pedals worth a damn before this soldering iron.

Some other notes:
- I would recommend buying some heat shrink tubing. It's nicer and more reliable than tape, or bare connections. 
- Use heavy wire cuts to cut into your vero board along the holes and it should just split nicely (mine always do). Use a file to smooth the edges down. Just looks nicer.
- Get flush wire cutters to cut the wire tips down. Having them hang over the edge increases the risk of bridges. It's just a good habit to get into.
- I always check for bridges anyway, with my DMM before I fire up a circuit for the first time.


Update
As an additional note: I've discovered that neatness pays dividends, whether it's working on tube amps and turret boards, or pedals and vero boards. Put on some music that will put you in a relaxed mood and then take your time and focus on what you're doing. Spending more time being careful with each joint takes more time up-front in the build, but you'll end up with less time debugging.

If you get a proper soldering station, it'll probably have a little sponge. Use it. Clean the tip before each joint. Just a few pulls across the sponge to get the oxidation off, and it'll be nice and shiny and ready to go. Double-check component placement, more than once if necessary. Make sure your joint is good. If it's not shiny, or there are gaps, add solder if you need to, remove solder if you need to, reflow joints if it's at all questionable.

Finally, if you get the iron I linked above, I haven't had to turn it above about 3.2 (just a bit past 3) yet. It's a VERY hot iron.

[pervyinthepark123]

On multimeter testing: sometimes your solderjoints will be isolated at the outside (maybe a consequense of flux?). You have to press the point of your probe into the solder, or sand the solder just a little bit. You might verify this by measuring resistance of one single join (one probe at one side, other probe ont he other side of the same solder joint)t: if there is no contact between solder and probe, your multimeter will show no connection. This might explain your readings, where others see several bridges in your work.

I lerarned from this to check the connections between meter and solder whenever I dont get a reading. Hope this helps you too.

Shouldn't I be able to test for a bridge by multimeting the copper strips against eachother? This was the method that seems to always be recommended on websites.

I've been using the audio probe and all it shows me is that everything seems to always fail at the first transistor despite always getting it to work on breadboard...

I think my problem is probably my solder iron and soldering onto the rivets (which I only just now started to save time from fanagling those pesky pcb mounts... I noticed I messed up the mechanism in one but I think the rest hopefully still work but I'll double check with a multimeter; the ones in the first transistor should work though). I'll get a new solder iron.

But I still don't get, how I can see a connection on my multimeter, but not seem to get it when I plug in and audio probe it? And how can there be a bridge between copper traces when the multimeter doesn't see it and I've cut between traces with an xacto knife to ensure no meeting? Can a bad solder iron really account for solder joints that read on a multimeter as connected, but in the actual use of the circuit are not strong enough of a connection? Why/how? Makes no sense... the way I understand, if multimeting says its connected it is and if it doesn't you either aren't probing it right or it isn't?

Also, what could possibly make grounding onto the box with alligator clips suddenly not worK?? Makes no sense to me because I tested the power connection and other externals and it definitely doesn't go to the box, but the ground connections do? Yet grounding my audio probe, etc onto it didn't work last time...


PS, just cause everyones talking about heat shrink... yeah, I know, I have a bunch and try to use it... sometimes I find the tape is just easier for small wires because I have to put the shrink on before I solder and move it down, but the heat coming off the solder iron shrinks it before I can solder anything it seems, so it just gets stuck and I have to use the tape.

[Ben Lyman]

Shouldn't I be able to test for a bridge by multimeting the copper strips against eachother?

It might not be good enough to just check for bridges here though.. you may have to test for "cold solder" connections as well. But I think you will find most of your worries disappear after you get a good soldering iron.. I know I did 

[thermionix]

I'm guilty of making up new words myself on occasion, including once or twice on this very forum, but "multimeting" has really hit me in the funny bone for some reason.  Awesome.  10 out of 10.

Carry on.

[pervyinthepark123]

I like to verberate words. Like I like to reverberate my dank tones.

[GiovannyS10]

Hm, i have been occupying my time with pedals a lot, and the first trick that i can learn you is maybe the principal you need to know.
Never be anxious! And if you be, control it for not let the anxiety to interfere in your work.

I am too much anxious and for a long time it damaged my building. I had a lot of not-working pcbs, bad painted enclosures, not working breadboardings and things like this.

Is normal things not working right when we start to do new things, i am doing pedals for more or less three years, i think. And i think now i am starting to learn how this things works. So, take it easy. With the time you will learn things for improve your layouts, can get better tools and parts. Use better wires, improve your solder skills and things like this. Seems bullshit, but is true. Electronics are very small things, and very small knowledge and attitudes do all the difference.

When we start to do a pedal, normally we concentrate us in try to do something beautiful. Sometimes it damage own work, because we have a beautiful enclosure for a not-working pcb. So, in this start, concentrate and do the breadboard and after it maybe you think in visual and graphics. When i started i did boards inside sardine cans. Was beautiful? Really not! But worked. And the cans was all what i had at that time.

And when i subscribed here i was only a beginner (more than today LOL  ) and all my threads are like "How to fix...", "Pedal not sounding", "How to troubleshooting..." So, not think you are the only one in the world with pedal problems, it is only the life saying welcome for you for this new hobby. And every time when i published this kind of thread, the people ever helped me, the people here welcomed me so well, and today i am able to help people with little problems, but continue being a beginner. I am sure everyone here will help you if you need, so let's get start to build things, and if it don't work, let's undo and do it all again. 

I hope my words and little tricks help you somehow.

[pdavis68]

Yeah, I don't think many of us entered the world of pedal building without a lot of frustrating, not working builds.

Settling down and taking your time and focusing on quality, I think are the real keys to successful pedal building. I don't naturally have that kind of patience, but I see now that it's crucial, and so I just have to force myself to go slow and pay attention to details.

[anotherjim]

You'll get there I'm sure.
Neatness isn't a requirement, but it helps enormously towards getting good results.
I think you need to work on your stripboard methods.

To cut it, score several times with a craft knife (firm steel rule to guide the knife) along the hole centre line on the copper side. Score again on the plain side. Line the score up over a sharp & firm corner edge of something or in the jaws of a vise and snap it. Doesn't take long with practice. That is already a fairly neat break, but it's better to finish with a flat file and be sure to remove ALL copper burrs/rough bits.

Track cuts are best NOT done by drilling completely through, but with a drill bit in a handle and twisting by hand until the drill has gone down just enough to remove the cooper to the width of the track.
I use a tool (Called a "spot face cutter") that is just a twist bit in a handle like this...

[PRR]

> alligator clips suddenly not worK??

I have found that pre-made clip cables ALL suck, sooner or later.

I'd buy them (Radio Shack), then take them apart, scrub, strip, and solder good.

And if it was the smaller-gauge wire (came with the small clips we often want), I'd never really trust it. It breaks internally. Not-so-much current will blow it out.

[Jdansti]

Here's my favorite soldering video. Worth watching.

[pervyinthepark123]

Thank you everyone. That video did help also.

I think my alligator clips are fine, they connect, but it seemed like something was somehow connecting my box to power.

How important is cleaning flux residue? If you solder right and at the right heat you shouldn't need to right?

Also, what is a good temperature to avoid copper oxidation? I feel like I've definitely had that happen before quicker then the solder could melt because my tip is too hot with no way to turn down other then leave the tip sketchily loose.