Wah enclosure question

[mtlin]

I'm building the BYOC wah drop in kit and putting into a Dunlop Crybaby enclosure from the mid '80's. The circut board won't fit because the bolts that fasten the flat spring are too long. They protrude into the area where the board needs to go. The original board had holes cut out to accommodate those bolts. What can I do? I'm thinking that I can either replace the bolts with shorter bolts or cut the bolts with a bolt cutter. The problem with replacing the bolts is that the space between the top and base on the enclosure is so small that it is not clear that I can get in there to put in the shorter replacement bolts. The problem with using bolt cutters to make them shorter is that I don't own bolt cutters and buying a pair would be almost as much as buying a new enclosure. Moreover, I'm not sure I could get the necessary angle due to the sides of the enclosure.

Thanks

[$uperpuma]

are there circuit traces where the bolt needs to come through? if not simply drill a hole... if so... shorter bolts should be available at the hardware store, just be sure to match the thread.. but this seems like something that would have been solved in the prototype stage of production... surely they wouldn't send all these kits out with boards that didn't fit...

[Paul Marossy]

Got a Dremel Tool? Attach a cutting wheel to it and cut off the part of the screws that are above the nut(s).

[lacto]

You could always take the pedal apart, I mean separate the pedal from the base by knocking out the spindle that holds the pedal on, after loosening up the bolts so you can replace the bolts with shorter ones. That is sort of a pain, and I am thinking, like someone else mentioned, I bet there are no traces at the location of the bolts, such that you could drill out holes in the board to accommodate them. Otherwise, if you don't have any kind of power tool, like a Dremel as mentioned, you could get a hacksaw blade for about $2.00 and break it off a little less than half the length, having enough to hang on to and be able to sort of bend it, put some tape around it so you can hold it and saw away at the bolts with short strokes. I am pretty sure they are #8-32 bolts, so not large in diameter.  Not the easiest method, but it will work. Also, if you wanted to buy one of those hacksaw blade holders made for parts of a blade, they are around $6.00.

[sfr]

+1 for cutting the ends of the bolts off with a dremel.  I had to do the same thing to cram the Neovibe board into an old crybaby.  The older dunlop shells just seem to have longer bolts there.  Don't bother with the bolt cutter route - I was unable to get at those bolts with mine. 

While a dremel or similar rotoary tool might seem costly, chances are you *will* find plenty of uses for it to justify the expense.

Knocking out the pin to get the pedal apart seems rather difficult - I almost wonder if they flanged that pin or something, because mine refused to budge, no matter what I tried to drive it with.  Perhaps it's just my pedal.  I'd like to get it out because one of the bolts holding the flat spring is coming loose - unfortunetly I can't get at the pan-screw head on that bolt with the foot treadle on!  (You'd think they would have used a hex head here)   (How vital is that flat spring to proper operation?)

[RedHouse]

It's not vital at all to the operation of the pedal.

It just holds some tension on the pedal for those who like to set the wah at a certain place, and take their foot off while playing.

Without the spring the pedal just simply lies down onto the switch tip when you take your foot off.
(it's not heavy enough to toggle the switch by itself)

One positive side effect is that without the tension spring, the pedal moves alot more freely.

[mtlin]

Thanks for your replies. I think that BYOC is assuming that you're not using an enclosure as old as mine. I looked at pictures of more recent Crybaby's and they don't seem to have the long bolt. Anyway, the board has components right over the bolt so I couldn't drill a new hole. I banged on the pin for a while but it wouldn't budge. So I got a Dremel tool and I cut off the bolt. I spent more on the Dremel and attachments than I would have on a new enclosure, but now I have a Dremel tool. Otherwise I would just have two wah enclosures, one of which I didn't need. Worked like a charm. Thanks again.

Martin

[Paul Marossy]

I banged on the pin for a while but it wouldn't budge.

It only comes out and goes in from one direction. Sometimes they are difficult to get out, too.

So I got a Dremel tool and I cut off the bolt. I spent more on the Dremel and attachments than I would have on a new enclosure, but now I have a Dremel tool.

You won't be sorry for spending your money on that. They have a thousand uses! 

[mtlin]

It only comes out and goes in from one direction. Sometimes they are difficult to get out, too.

That's interesting. How do you tell which direction it comes out of?

Martin

[lacto]

Sorry, I guess I omitted one detail of getting the pin out the holds the pedal to the bottom of the wah enclosure. You MUST loosen up the bolts that hold the flat spring against the pin, which I already said AND it only comes out one way. You have to set your wah input jack side down and whack it from that side. When it comes out you will see that the output jack side is larger on that end, so that is why you can't knock it out that way.

It's not vital at all to the operation of the pedal.

It just holds some tension on the pedal for those who like to set the wah at a certain place, and take their foot off while playing.

Without the spring the pedal just simply lies down onto the switch tip when you take your foot off.
(it's not heavy enough to toggle the switch by itself)

One positive side effect is that without the tension spring, the pedal moves alot more freely.

.

It is always curious to me when people recommend removing the flat spring from a wah pedal. The pedal moves freely alright as there is no resistance at all as was intended. It is not just for the pedal to remain in one place if removing the foot, with no tension you need
to tense up your leg to have any control over it. You never have a foot pedal for any kind of device that you can push on lightly with one finger and it bottoms out. To each his own, there are many who prefer it that way...

[mikeeboy]

Sorry, I guess I omitted one detail of getting the pin out the holds the pedal to the bottom of the wah enclosure. You MUST loosen up the bolts that hold the flat spring against the pin, which I already said AND it only comes out one way. You have to set your wah input jack side down and whack it from that side. When it comes out you will see that the output jack side is larger on that end, so that is why you can't knock it out that way.

It's not vital at all to the operation of the pedal.

It just holds some tension on the pedal for those who like to set the wah at a certain place, and take their foot off while playing.

Without the spring the pedal just simply lies down onto the switch tip when you take your foot off.




sir just a question how may i add some tension on my wah pedal a vox847 the flat spring is intact but it doesnt have any tension to resist rocking it forward or backwards it just tends to fall on the forward postion.
(it's not heavy enough to toggle the switch by itself)

One positive side effect is that without the tension spring, the pedal moves alot more freely.

.

It is always curious to me when people recommend removing the flat spring from a wah pedal. The pedal moves freely alright as there is no resistance at all as was intended. It is not just for the pedal to remain in one place if removing the foot, with no tension you need
to tense up your leg to have any control over it. You never have a foot pedal for any kind of device that you can push on lightly with one finger and it bottoms out. To each his own, there are many who prefer it that way...