Show off your "Pro" and "Exceptional" builds!!!

[deadastronaut]

etched...

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=85803.0

[gena_p1]

[noobamp]

ugh....i'm depressed now, towel in hand.....you guys are awesome

[duck_arse]

we get through lots of towels in threads like this.

[smurfedelic smurfberry]

ban shift line...

[gena_p1]

hehe, it's tube preamp

[therealfindo]

hehe, it's tube preamp

I want one!

[Will.mendil]

I wonder how much money in tools and time minimum you have to invest to get similar results for a small quantities of pedals as a hobby to get these kind of results

[wildebelor]

Not much at all, just lots of research and innovation.  I've had really great results from small runs and they look very professional!

[Will.mendil]

Yes but you need to get proper pcbs made which are £50 for a prototype plus a proper printer to get the finish plus a powder paint gun&compressor plus a stand drill or whatever they are called to get very precise holes plus and so on... You get a couple thousand right there. And if course A lot of time to get proper pcbs, layouts etc... Bref out of my reach for now ^^

There's a cool video online I guess everybody have seen with a guy making a simple boutique pedals

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a8tTVtUCNnY

[mth5044]

Yes but you need to get proper pcbs made which are £50 for a prototype plus a proper printer to get the finish plus a powder paint gun&compressor plus a stand drill or whatever they are called to get very precise holes plus and so on... You get a couple thousand right there. And if course A lot of time to get proper pcbs, layouts etc... Bref out of my reach for now ^^

There's a cool video online I guess everybody have seen with a guy making a simple boutique pedals

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a8tTVtUCNnY

Maybe in crazy under the rock world that is what it costs. Or in Europe, I guess.

OSH park for proto PCBs. You can do a 5 square inch PCB for 50 (and get three of them), but I doubt whatever you make is going to be that big. A 2" x 1" board is pretty common, which is $10 for 3 boards. Used laser printer. Have PPP do the powder coating and drilling for $20-$30 including enclosure.

IMO, the things that make it professional are:
1) The circuit (sometimes).
2) The pretty labeling.
3) The construction.

All three are things that you don't pay for, but things that you get better at through experience.

[gena_p1]

"Do everything for Yourself and you will not be disappointed" (c) one my friend.
yes, a lot of problems with coating, power filtering, normal potentiometers and high voltage capacitors, tube,  4"x5" PCB, etc.
But we like what we are doing. And this preamp costs less, than EBS Microapmp ($280 vs $420 microamp price in Russia).

Guts:

[kingswayguitar]

very nice stepashka
what kind of tube?

[gena_p1]

Tungsol 12ax7, as seen on photo

[therealfindo]

Yes but you need to get proper pcbs made which are £50 for a prototype plus a proper printer to get the finish plus a powder paint gun&compressor plus a stand drill or whatever they are called to get very precise holes plus and so on... You get a couple thousand right there. And if course A lot of time to get proper pcbs, layouts etc... Bref out of my reach for now ^^

There's a cool video online I guess everybody have seen with a guy making a simple boutique pedals

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a8tTVtUCNnY

Maybe in crazy under the rock world that is what it costs. Or in Europe, I guess.

OSH park for proto PCBs. You can do a 5 square inch PCB for 50 (and get three of them), but I doubt whatever you make is going to be that big. A 2" x 1" board is pretty common, which is $10 for 3 boards. Used laser printer. Have PPP do the powder coating and drilling for $20-$30 including enclosure.

IMO, the things that make it professional are:
1) The circuit (sometimes).
2) The pretty labeling.
3) The construction.

All three are things that you don't pay for, but things that you get better at through experience.

OSH park ship free to Europe...

[gena_p1]

4) good demos
5) testing by real musicians on their tours (no ground on scene, 205V or 242V instead of 220V-230V),
etc

[darron]

Yes but you need to get proper pcbs made which are £50 for a prototype plus a proper printer to get the finish plus a powder paint gun&compressor plus a stand drill or whatever they are called to get very precise holes plus and so on... You get a couple thousand right there. And if course A lot of time to get proper pcbs, layouts etc... Bref out of my reach for now ^^

There's a cool video online I guess everybody have seen with a guy making a simple boutique pedals

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a8tTVtUCNnY

hey! just followed the link thought it might be something cool.

turns out that guy is me... haha. kind of a let down but honoured for the kind words and sharing

powder coating has been very fun and rewarding. a cheap gun is about $150 but then you'll need a compressor and oven too - not shown in the video.

anyway, the TRICK... is to consider it all a hobby. i invest so that i've got an effective and easy way to build and design pedals because that's my HOBBY. luckily i can sell a few here and there to recoup some funds and people see that i build the pedals as i would for myself.

i think the first pedal i learn to build cost much less than $70 to invest in etching chemicals, parts and minimal hardware. Living in Australia can make things a bit more expensive as I need to get a lot of stuff shipped from the states. Smallbear is excellent for the best quality and service

Here are some of the processes I've tried to come where I have so far: Silk screening, acid etching, CNC routing, UV light box exposures, mirror polishing, powder coating, anodizing, laser engraving, laser decals, stenciling, and using every kind of paint possible along the way.

[Will.mendil]

I am honoured darron. To be honest I thought it was a boutique manufacturer 

Might be a hobby but you got "industrial" small scale machinery. Which is way out of my reach for now.

For instance, how much does the printer cost ( the one you printer the circuit template on the pcbs)?

Second I guess you have space because it won't be in a 35m2 flat in Paris living with a girl, who obviously hates me doing the pedals as I mess up the place like hell, that I am going to fit one of these.

On the other hand. I ve only started just recently and I've already done two proper none kit pedals so far. So I have a long way to go

( I know they are not pro stompbox but it is just in order to illustrate, apologies for any disappointments )


Actually I did have a question. I guess I should do a new thread about it but sill.
How do you test the layout of a pedal. The way I have done it was placing the switches jacks and pots in order for them to fit and then solder the circuit which ends up hanging for its wires which is not very good looking. Your layout on the other hand looks very neat and you know exactly what length of wire to prepare ( I do like the use of the razor blade. I mean you got big equipment, and you still stick with this easy cheap method, pretty ironic) anyway how do you prepare/predict the layout for everything to fit exactly. I have seen people using wood with holes in them to welcome the different pots and switches upside down. But unless you only stick to one or two layout I am not sure I want to buy a piece of wood for every test to end up seeing the holes were too close by 1cm and start again.

Sorry for the long post. You could put the blame on curiosity.

Cheers

[Will.mendil]

Yes but you need to get proper pcbs made which are £50 for a prototype plus a proper printer to get the finish plus a powder paint gun&compressor plus a stand drill or whatever they are called to get very precise holes plus and so on... You get a couple thousand right there. And if course A lot of time to get proper pcbs, layouts etc... Bref out of my reach for now ^^

There's a cool video online I guess everybody have seen with a guy making a simple boutique pedals

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a8tTVtUCNnY

Maybe in crazy under the rock world that is what it costs. Or in Europe, I guess.

OSH park for proto PCBs. You can do a 5 square inch PCB for 50 (and get three of them), but I doubt whatever you make is going to be that big. A 2" x 1" board is pretty common, which is $10 for 3 boards. Used laser printer. Have PPP do the powder coating and drilling for $20-$30 including enclosure.

IMO, the things that make it professional are:
1) The circuit (sometimes).
2) The pretty labeling.
3) The construction.

All three are things that you don't pay for, but things that you get better at through experience.

OSH park ship free to Europe...

Oh did not see the free/included shipping. I guess I'll have a look when I get the chance

[duck_arse]

willi - cornflakes packets. make an open bottom cardboard box the size of yr real box. you can cut out a square in the front, and then try different arrangements of your controls on squares of card.