Homebrew Tweaks site

[guitarzan25]

Does anybody know they guy (sean, I think) who runs the Homebrew Tweaks site?

http://www.kilback.net/homebrewtweaks/pedals/pedals.htm

I'm fairly new to this and would like someone to do a layout of his schematic for his "skildrive" (a fulldrive 2 clone with a bunch of extra goodies)and also draw a schematic and layout for his "space ranger" ( a rangemaster with a 3-way selectable knob for cap value changes).

At this point, I'm just not familiar enough with circuitry to look at a schematic and intuitively see the layout. Actually, at this point, I'm still looking at a legend to figure out the component symbols (but you've gotta start somewhere).

thanks mucho

[Marcos - Munky]

The Space Ranger is just the Rangemaster with a switch to select the input cap. Build the Rangemaster and put a socket in input cap, then select some values that you like and use a switch to select between them.

[petemoore]

Start with a big chunk or use Runoff Grooves perfboard template [prints an image of different sizes or perf] to do a layout [quite like what the schematic looks like layout wise]
 Just print one or more templates, do a draft or two of the ckt on there and you sould be able to get a good perf ckt. going...
 I just got used to perfing layouts and start right in...remembering to look a few moves ahead and count connections at nodes etc. .just remember the OA's [if you use duals] will look spread out in the schematic, but the second one instead of being say to the left on the schem will be around the same socket as the first half...I always leave three or four spaces all the way arounda dual OA socket...you'll probly need  that room for all the OA hookups...

[guitarzan25]

okay, since I'm new to this- what are "ckt"s, "nodes", and "OA"s?

is an OA an OpAmp? (guessing, now) If you don't mind a little newbie education here, Which component acts as the opamp and what does it do?

thanks for the help.

[petemoore]

Ckt is my way of not typeing Circuit.
 Node is where connection are made ... They are  where two schematic 'lines'  cross or intersect and there's usually a DOT there if a connection  or connections are made there. Schematic art varies...soem crossing lines are not connected if dots are used in the art, others 'hump or 'hill' over the non connected line to indicate wires may cross there but shouldn't 'touch'..look at a buncha schematics and read FAQ...you'll see most schematics one of two [or three?] art styles that are pretty 'readable'...

[guitarzan25]

thanks, pete. I've been online for about 3 days straight just devouring everything I can find on schematics and circuitry. I've collected this humongous folder of info but unfortunately there is pretty big gap between knowing nothing and knowing the minimum to get by. At this point I'm trying to get a working knowledge of what the components DO so I can better understand WHY I'm soldering X to Y to change the sound to make it more _______________.

again, thanks for your help.

[smoguzbenjamin]

Resistor limits current
Capictor blocks DC and passes some AC.
Transistor amplifies/switches.
OpAmp amplifies.

That's the basics

[gtrmac]

It looks like the Skilldrive was copied from John Green's Fulldrive schematic so you can probably use a PCB from Tonepad or General Guitar Gadgets and just modify them. Those websites have all the layouts and wiring diagrams too. I've been buying the PCB's there and having a great time playing through my clones.

[Jered]

Hi Corey,
    About the best intro to building stompboxes is right here. This is an absolute MUST for those wanting to know the basics. Thanks go to Aron for this: http://www.diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewforum.php?f=6&sid=e30b5c7f55900b9dd387abce2957416c
  Jered

[guitarzan25]

This link just takes me to the beginner's forum. Is there a particular topic or thread that is most helpful or are you just pointing me towards the beginner's forum?

On either account, thanks for the help.

-c

[Travis]

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/g_knott/index1.htm

I used this site quite a bit when I was starting.  It has several legends, and usually includes both US and UK symbols.