Building the Meat Sphere

[GodSaveMetal]

Roberto, as I said there already are some layouts for this, see the Pisotones website, and I think in the Wiki at the top of this forum and by using the search feature on this forum there are a few threads with different layouts already posted. These layouts would be much better suited to making at home - there's no reason to use mine. There are some places with 6 mil trace spacing etc.

Ok my friend I'm looking at PISOTONES the layout for it!!! thank mister!!! your great sir!!!!!

[thedefog]

Besides, the boards Taylor makes are top notch and well worth the measly $17 he's asking to cover his costs/time.

[thedefog]

Enclosure is complete. Got all the parts sourced, just waiting for the board now. Anyone that watches Aqua Teen will like the "mister" reference. Thanks Vince_B for the drilling template.

[Taylor]

Wow, fantastic work!

[Vince_b]

This is a really nice enclosure thedefog, I'm glad that my drilling template has been useful to you.

[thedefog]

I still haven't drilled the spot for the LED because I'm debating installing an indicator LED like on the original unit. The million dollar question is where it goes in the circuit. I couldn't find a schematic of the original, but I'd imagine it just hooks in where the LED for one of the vactrols goes.

[Taylor]

If I understand you correctly, you're wanting an LED that flashes with your envelope? The one on the board already does that. Simply follow the wiring diagram in the build doc. 

[Vince_b]

The pcb have pads for soldering the led. The hole for the led that I made on the drilling template is just on top of those pads. So you just have to cut the legs of the led to the right length then solder it on the pcb and it will line up with the hole on the enclosure. But you can also put the led anywhere else on the enclosure and run to wires to the pads on the pcb.

[thedefog]

If I understand you correctly, you're wanting an LED that flashes with your envelope? The one on the board already does that. Simply follow the wiring diagram in the build doc. 

Awesome, that's what I was looking for. Thanks Taylor. Should have asked that first. I'll probably include both one for on status in red and green for the envelope.

[Taylor]

A cool thing to do would be to use one of those bicolor LEDs, so it's red when on but flashes green with your playing, etc. Haven't tried it but should work and looks fancy.

[thedefog]

A cool thing to do would be to use one of those bicolor LEDs, so it's red when on but flashes green with your playing, etc. Haven't tried it but should work and looks fancy.

That sounds cool. I wish I had one of these already. Maybe the rat shack down the street has them so I don't have to go out of my way to order one.

[LaceSensor]

So to confirm ,the LED on the PCB, that you would assume was a simple status LED, actually is an LED that will fade or go brighter with the envelope?
Is it therefore even possible to have both indicators, like the original meatball?

thanks and sorry if I am not grasping something fundamental. Ive read the Build PDF.

[Taylor]

So to confirm ,the LED on the PCB, that you would assume was a simple status LED, actually is an LED that will fade or go brighter with the envelope?

Correct.

Is it therefore even possible to have both indicators, like the original meatball?

The way the diagram shows, the LED indicating envelope will turn off when the pedal is off. It should be possible to adjust the value of RLED so that the LED lights dimly when the pedal is on but the envelope is closed, and brightens with attack.

If you instead wanted separate LEDs for bypass and envelope, simply wire the envelope LED straight to the board without involving the switch at all, and use the center pole of your 3PDT to wire up your bypass LED as is normally done in pedals (search "3pdt wiring" if you're unfamiliar with the normal scheme for this).

[LaceSensor]

So, to confirm, to have the envelope LED, you dont fill the switch pads on the PCB, and it will remain on all the time?

Again sorry for the noob questions.

[Vince_b]

Just to be sure that you understand:
The pads for the led on the pcb are for a led that will flash following the envelope. If you want a led that remains on all the time (that will not flash) you don't use those pads. You have to wire your led like a normal status led. If you don't know how, go to tonepad.com and looks at the pdf with the wirings diagrams.
You also can use 2 leds if you want (1 indicator and 1 following the envelope) but to do so, solder one of the leds directly on the pcb (without wiring it to the 3pdt switch) and use those unused poles of the 3pdt to wire your indicator led.
I hope this is clear enough.

[Vince_b]

thedefog, I was looking again at your enclosure and I'm sorry to tell you that but I think that you made a mistake with your decals. Because of the way you have oriented your chicken head knobs, up/down and high/low will be reversed. On the original Meat Ball those knobs are pointing inward (not outward like yours) and I'm pretty sure that Taylor's pcb have been made with the orientation of the original in mind.

[LaceSensor]

Just to be sure that you understand:
The pads for the led on the pcb are for a led that will flash following the envelope. If you want a led that remains on all the time (that will not flash) you don't use those pads. You have to wire your led like a normal status led. If you don't know how, go to tonepad.com and looks at the pdf with the wirings diagrams.
You also can use 2 leds if you want (1 indicator and 1 following the envelope) but to do so, solder one of the leds directly on the pcb (without wiring it to the 3pdt switch) and use those unused poles of the 3pdt to wire your indicator led.
I hope this is clear enough.

Yeah thats cool I understand.
I wanted to confirm that the SW pads on the PCB are unfilled in the case of using 2 LEDs. I assume yes, but its not always the case...

[thedefog]

thedefog, I was looking again at your enclosure and I'm sorry to tell you that but I think that you made a mistake with your decals. Because of the way you have oriented your chicken head knobs, up/down and high/low will be reversed. On the original Meat Ball those knobs are pointing inward (not outward like yours) and I'm pretty sure that Taylor's pcb have been made with the orientation of the original in mind.

Crap, you're right! Good thing it is just a piece of printer transparency film sitting on the top right now. I hadn't clear-coated it yet for that very reason. Thanks for the heads up!

[thedefog]

thedefog, I was looking again at your enclosure and I'm sorry to tell you that but I think that you made a mistake with your decals. Because of the way you have oriented your chicken head knobs, up/down and high/low will be reversed. On the original Meat Ball those knobs are pointing inward (not outward like yours) and I'm pretty sure that Taylor's pcb have been made with the orientation of the original in mind.

Crap, you're right! Good thing it is just a piece of printer transparency film sitting on the top right now. I hadn't clear-coated it yet for that very reason. Thanks for the heads up!

Or I could leave it as is and have that be part of the "MISTER-Y"

[samE]

hi, i have a question about the vactrols:

i notice on the schmatic the two vactrols are mark 120k and 220k

i could only buy an LDR and LED combo to make the vactrols myself, these are rated at 1M - dark res', should i look for the marked values or am i fine with the diy versions?

thanks in advance

one more thing, does anyone know a good and cheap place to buy stomp switches in the uk? or a toggle equivalent? i tend to use my effects on table tops and not the floor...