Pics of my Obsidian, etched enclosure, board mounted goodness

[SolderBoy]

the gross chewing-gum looking wad on the board is hot glue to reinforce the battery clip leads.

Ahh... I thought you must have sneezed right before you clicked the camera...

[Paul Marossy]

Love the graphics! Nice job on the assembly of it, too. 

[DavidS]

The graphic is from a warning sticker off of a utility truck. The caption was something like "Don't get wrapped around a driveshaft, it will f*ck you up". I scanned it and Gimped the hell out of it.

[Peter Snowberg]

That is absolutely professional looking. 

Wow!

My hat is off to you!

[Processaurus]

Really cool workmanship, and great look.  CAD is great for projects like that, if you already know how to use it.  Nice idea with the hot glue on the battery wires, if you you see them getting pulled around a lot.

[DavidS]

Actually, I learned a little bit of AutoCAD basics just for this project I really like the AutoCAD interface, the ability to do almost everything from the command line (I was a strict Linux user until last year, and I'm a programmer, so I like the command line). I'd love to find an EDA package for AutoCAD.

As for the hot glue, well, the battery wires are the only wires not going between two fixed points. Well, they are pretty fixed when the box is closed, as the battery is held in place not only by the PCB, but there are two rubber "feet" on the inside of the lid that presses it firmly against the top of the box. I just like to be sure.

The battery clip is homemade, too, from a dead battery, hot glue and some 18 guage wire from an old computer PSU (got the idea from somewhere linked from the forum, GeoFX, GGG, can't remember).

[pyrop]

SWEET!!
very nice work and attention to detail.
I've built this version as well, albeit not to this standard.

One possible suggestion though is you could wire the pots with 1 less wire. From memory you should be able to run a wire from the tone pot wiper lug (2) to the (3) lug on the volume pot lug rather than from the tone pot to the board and back to the volume pot depending on you layout of course. Just a suggestion.

Could you make some sound samples? I love the way the pedal looks, but have yet to hear the BS250 version of the Obsidian.

Anybody?

RDV

got one here http://members.optusnet.com.au/pyrop/diypedals.htm don't mind my playing and don't look at the pic its not to davids' standard lol

once again nice work

pyrop

[MartyMart]

That's such a "pro" looking build .... nice work
I'd be tempted to just "laquer" the top and leave it as it is, looks very cool.

MM.

[DavidS]

I've had a very disappointing time With laquers. I've treid 4 different brands, always follow the instructions, and the stuff just never gets hard enough. If I can still scrape it off with my fingernail after a week of hardening, it's not worth it. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I'm going to try clear powder coat.

[pyrop]

I've had a very disappointing time With laquers. I've treid 4 different brands, always follow the instructions, and the stuff just never gets hard enough. If I can still scrape it off with my fingernail after a week of hardening, it's not worth it. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I'm going to try clear powder coat.

I actually work for a paint company down he in oz. There's a couple of secrets for putting clear lacquer on alum.
First of all it needs to be squeaky clean. Clean with acetone or similar. Don't touch surface once clean.
Secondly the lacquer needs to for non-ferris metals.
Last of all you need to put on very fine coats and allow to flash off (touch dry) before applying subsequent coats.

Hope that helps, although powdercoating would be a far more durable finish in the long run!

pyrop 

[Paul Marossy]

AuotCAD is great, isn't it?! I'm a believer anyway. 

[SolderBoy]

Secondly the lacquer needs to for non-ferris metals

Hey pyrop, can you suggest a brand name or two of this type of product?

I'm in Aus too, and I have a few friends that use incralac for brass and sax repairs, but I don't think you can get that anymore.

Two-pac or acid cat type stuff is cool as I have a spray rig.  I gave up spraying alum boxes with rattle cans years ago...

[pyrop]

Hi SolderBoy

I'm in Aus too, and I have a few friends that use incralac for brass and sax repairs, but I don't think you can get that anymore.

Two-pac or acid cat type stuff is cool as I have a spray rig.  I gave up spraying alum boxes with rattle cans years ago...

I work for Wattyl & "Incralac" is now called "Clear Lacquer Finish" same stuff just renamed and only avail in rattlecans though.
Aluclear would be a better product but its not avail in small sizes and it isn't cheap. Also hard to get.
But realistically I think powder coating would be the most durable.
I can't think of any 2-pacs that would do the job but I will try and find out and let you know if I find something.

pyrop

ps sorry DavidS.. not trying to hijack your thread

[wcampagner]

Hello DavidS,

First of all congratulations for your pedal it is really good looking and high-quality finish.

I was looking at your PCB Board and i noticed a large area of copper around the board... does it have any function? Is it ground? Does it provide shielding against any signal?

Thanks,
Wagner.

[AdamB]

I think it's there coz Leaving ink around the design on a PCB etch helps hold the PnP in place, more ink = more stickyness. The ones on fuzzcentral have a thin border too, I think it's for this purpose.

-Adam

[DavidS]

Yes, it's ground. I actually left it on there largely to speed up etching and save on etchant. More copper on the board = less copper etched!

[formerMember1]

WOW!!!!

That is really nice.  I think it looks incredible the way it is,..i would just powder coat it clear,...but that is up to you,...

For some reason it reminds me of stonehenge,(in a good way  )..don't ask why,...

[DavidS]

Humm, just gave the photo paper method a try, didn't work so hot. The toner couldn't seem to get good enough adhesion to the aluminum to withstand the removal of the paper, even with a lengthy soak in water. I'm working on a Ross/Ropez Phaser now, got a couple of things I'm going to try different with this one.

[jrem]

Yes, it's ground. I actually left it on there largely to speed up etching and save on etchant. More copper on the board = less copper etched!

nice pedal . . .    the wholes for the footswitch round, I presume?  also, what is the command in eagle to make that ground plane?  thanks . . .   

[Xlrator]

Your attention to detail when building is similar to mine. I always have the tolerance bands on the resistors face the same direction.

I've wanted to do the ground/shield areas on something of mine for a while. Mostly to use less etchant, too!! 

Good work!