Building Someone Elses Own Stompbox...

MetalUpYerEye · August 24, 2006, 09:45:26 PM

Hey guys I was just wondering... If I was to send all the parts (pre-drilled box included) for my Dr. Boogey to someone, how much would you charge to assemble it and get it working like a champ? We're talking soldering all the components, pots, jacks, etc to the board (already etched/drilled) and housing it and then testing everything for functionality. I'm going to build it myself but I was just wondering how much someone might want for such a task...

Thanks

markm · August 24, 2006, 09:46:42 PM

Are you going to be doing this for someone?

MetalUpYerEye · August 24, 2006, 09:59:23 PM

No actually I got most of the parts in the mail today and was showing my younger brother when the following conversation ensued...

Brother: Why don't you just buy one at the store?
Me: They don't sell Dr. Boogies, the only way to get one is to make it.
Brother: Why don't you pay someone else to make it?
Me: 'Cuz I already got all the parts.
Brother: Just mail them to someone and pay them to put it together so you dont screw it up.
Me: Thank you. Thank you for having so much confidence in my abilities.

So anyway, I just got curious and was wondering;

How much would someone charge to assemble a stompbox, given that all the necessary parts were pre-provided by the person paying them?

KerryF · August 24, 2006, 10:02:21 PM

I like probably $40 should cover it for the labor part of a Dr. Boogie. You would pay the shipping though.

BDuguay · August 25, 2006, 12:01:36 PM

40 clams sounds about right.
B.

gez · August 25, 2006, 12:40:03 PM

With the help of this forum, you won't screw it up! Even if it doesn't work first time, it will in the end (as hundreds here will testify).

Keep your money & tell your brother to p*ss off (he's just jealous)!

powerplayj · August 25, 2006, 12:46:30 PM

Is the enclosure from one of the kits that was once offered or one you drilled yourself? If this is a DIY drilling and your first go at it, be aware of the difficulties with designing a layout, especially with a 6 knob monster like the Dr. Boogey. You may want to populate the drilled enclosure with all the pots, jacks, switches, etc. to make sure your hired hand has room to wire everything in.

newbie builder · August 25, 2006, 01:29:58 PM

$40 would be enough for me at least to happily build most pedals for anybody! (save for some really big complicated pain in the ass ones or if i had to drill the enclosure..)

Jaicen_solo · August 25, 2006, 02:26:42 PM

I agree. I wouldn't build the enclosures for that money, that winds me up. I think $40 for labour is fine if the PCB is drilled and all the parts are ready. If I had to make the PCB too, that'd be another story...

phaeton · August 25, 2006, 02:32:39 PM

Quote from: MetalUpYerEye on August 24, 2006, 09:59:23 PM
Brother: Why don't you just buy one at the store?
Me: They don't sell Dr. Boogies, the only way to get one is to make it.
Brother: Why don't you pay someone else to make it?
Me: 'Cuz I already got all the parts.
Brother: Just mail them to someone and pay them to put it together so you dont screw it up.
Me: Thank you. Thank you for having so much confidence in my abilities.

Sorry, but I'd interpret that as A DIRECT CHALLENGE to build the pedal myself.

MetalUpYerEye · August 26, 2006, 07:10:36 AM

NO NO NO.

You all mis-interpret. I OWN HIM. The pedal will be built by me and shall be a beautiful masterpiece of art; flawless and perfect.

I was just wondering what y'all'd charge for something like that.

The enclosure is an old enclosure for a DOD Death Metal. I thought it'd be funny to stick a Dr. Boogey in there and fool innocent dummies. The PCB is pretty small and i'm using ribbon cable so I should have plenty o room for it. Then... Stranger things have happened.

darron · August 26, 2006, 08:48:11 AM

could you please post us some pics when you are done?

petemoore · August 26, 2006, 09:18:01 AM

The enclosure is an old enclosure for a DOD Death Metal. I thought it'd be funny to stick a Dr. Boogey in there and fool innocent dummies.
If this is a DIY drilling and your first go at it, be aware of the difficulties with designing a layout, especially with a 6 knob monster like the Dr. Boogey.

markm · August 26, 2006, 09:23:53 AM

Quote from: petemoore on August 26, 2006, 09:18:01 AM
The enclosure is an old enclosure for a DOD Death Metal. I thought it'd be funny to stick a Dr. Boogey in there and fool innocent dummies.
If this is a DIY drilling and your first go at it, be aware of the difficulties with designing a layout, especially with a 6 knob monster like the Dr. Boogey.

Agreed.
5 knobs was tough enough for me with the English Channel.

MetalUpYerEye · August 26, 2006, 02:50:11 PM

I finally got the DOD enclosure apart to look at it. I'm going to have to do a few modifications but I think I can make it fit. This particular pedal has 4 pot holes (har har) already drilled and the other 2 are easily drilled in the small groove on either side of the LED indicator. I'm going to have to cut a small section of crossbar out from under the pre-existing switch and hot-glue it into place. Then I can mount my footswitch, pots, jacks, LED and finally the board. Then again... How many times have we said "Everything SHOULD fit..."?

DuncanM · August 26, 2006, 03:32:13 PM

$40....??

Damn, you guys either are very quick or willing to work for minimum wage...

MetalUpYerEye · August 26, 2006, 04:45:17 PM

Quote from: DuncanM on August 26, 2006, 03:32:13 PM
$40....??

Damn, you guys either are very quick or willing to work for minimum wage...

I was surprised too, I expected to see things like $80+. I even had one guy who was short on parts offer to build it for the low, low price of 5 pots!

DuncanM · August 26, 2006, 05:14:57 PM

Yeah, I mean, how long would this take to populate the board, wire up the offboard stuff, trim it and test it?
I would guess an hour minimum - and that's if NOTHING GOES WRONG!!!

If you end up having to debug it you could be there for a LOT longer...
Oh yeah, been there.........

So at BEST you're working for $40 an hour, at WORST it could end up costing YOU money.!! Been there too.

Not something to be taken on lightly.

QSQCaito · August 26, 2006, 05:29:26 PM

Quote from: gez on August 25, 2006, 12:40:03 PM
With the help of this forum, you won't screw it up! Even if it doesn't work first time, it will in the end (as hundreds here will testify).

Keep your money & tell your brother to p*ss off (he's just jealous)!

+1

Things may be seen very easily in electronics(at least for my opinion): If you did it all ok it should sound.. This haas worked for me 4 times already.. all fired at once. It may sound better or worse.. but that can be solved..
And if you do something wrong, guys in here will point you, and will help you find where your mistake is.. BTW 40$ seems like a lot.. at least for me that i live in Argentina. Get that money, and keep buying for more components.. then you can tell that to your bro

Bye bye

hopé it helps

DAC

Edit:

QuoteSorry, but I'd interpret that as A DIRECT CHALLENGE to build the pedal myself.

Totally agree.. specially with the brother I have

Connoisseur of Distortion · August 26, 2006, 05:53:48 PM

i would probably charge about $40 for the board/wiring, but would include an additional $25 for a drilled enclosure... and we haven't even discussed graphics!

my brother comes into my room and talks to me when i solder. it's well and good, but I make some of the most fascinating mistakes when chatting away with him; on my String Ringer, I actually soldered all of those jacks end-to-end (that is, tip-ground-tip-ground-tip...). I was pretty amused, but a little irritated.

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