BLACK FOREST High Gain Preamp - Based on the Bogner Uberschall

[pakrat]

Good luck scuzzphut, we have faith you will be successful!

[J0K3RX]

Just listened to the mp3 clips - I will have to build this - great work Jok3rx.

If anyone in the UK plans to get some PCBs done, I will happily buy one.  Otherwise it's vero for me...  

Not so fast... I have some updates! I will post them in a little bit.

[J0K3RX]

Here ya go... This one KILLS!!!!!! 



Larger pic, easier to see 
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11178619/BF_ULTRA_R3.png

Board Transfer
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11178619/BF-ULTRA.pdf

[pakrat]

Thank you J0K3RX! I'll order parts tomorrow 

[scuzzphut]

  That was close - press n peel arrived today !

Thanks Jok3rx

[J0K3RX]

That was close - press n peel arrived today !

Thanks Jok3rx

Yer welcome! I hope you and pakrat like it...? I gotta try that press n peel one day!

[pakrat]

Easiest pcb etching ever.... print on glossy magazine paper and 3 passes through a laminator. No expensive pnp blue, takes 1 min and it comes out perfect! I do use pnp for etching enclosures though....

[J0K3RX]

Easiest pcb etching ever.... print on glossy magazine paper and 3 passes through a laminator. No expensive pnp blue, takes 1 min and it comes out perfect! I do use pnp for etching enclosures though....

I am not much for etching enclosures myself... maybe for 1 for myself but if I had to do 5 or 10 that would be a huge pain in the @ss for me! I need to look into a laminator though, the clothes iron is a bit of a pain. I have 500 sheets of some kind of glossy paper that works real good, almost just dissolves when I run some cold water over it after I have ironed it on the copper. I do need to figure out some easy method of painting the enclosures or something? I did a print on photo paper and then ironed it on an enclosure and just left it on there like that, then I clear coated over it and it looked awesome! May try that again..

[pakrat]

I am about to try waterslide decals for the first time, I'll let you know how it turns out. I hate etching enclosures because it's a TON of work, but I love the outcome so I do it. Me and a buddy of mine are working on a foolproof way to transfer without an iron. The laminator for pcbs IS like cheating, you won't regret trying one. It comes out flawless every time, and is so little work to transfer. I use a 20 year old version of this one: https://www.laminator.com/model-5000-id-card-pouch-laminator-3-7-16-inch.html  Now, if I could only automate the drilling.......

[J0K3RX]

I am about to try waterslide decals for the first time, I'll let you know how it turns out. I hate etching enclosures because it's a TON of work, but I love the outcome so I do it. Me and a buddy of mine are working on a foolproof way to transfer without an iron. The laminator for pcbs IS like cheating, you won't regret trying one. It comes out flawless every time, and is so little work to transfer. I use a 20 year old version of this one: https://www.laminator.com/model-5000-id-card-pouch-laminator-3-7-16-inch.html  Now, if I could only automate the drilling.......

That's a heavy duty looking laminator! I may look into getting one soon. I have wondered about the water slide decals myself? Let me know how you make out with that, looks like it will work pretty nicely... Another reason I don't like etching enclosures is that I use up a lot of ferric chloride and I seem to have a hard time getting that stuff. The worst part of the whole deal to me is drilling the boards! I am going SMD as soon as possible but I stll have a crap load of through hole parts so probably won't be too soon. I have a partially used reel of SMT J201's over 1000, and am about ready to get a large variety of 1206 SMT resistors for dirt cheap... smaller boards, no lead clipping, and best of all NO DRILLING, except for stuff like caps, wires etc..  

[pakrat]

It will be a while for me to get into SMD, but I definitely plan on it in the future. By the way, a few questions on this layout.... 1) How are the pots wired for this? I get which pot goes where, but how are the pads numbered to the pot lugs? 2) This pcb looks huge, will it even fit into a 1590bb enclosure?

[J0K3RX]

It will be a while for me to get into SMD, but I definitely plan on it in the future. By the way, a few questions on this layout.... 1) How are the pots wired for this? I get which pot goes where, but how are the pads numbered to the pot lugs? 2) This pcb looks huge, will it even fit into a 1590bb enclosure?

The pots should be 1-2-3 where 1 is the square pads.

Did you print from the pdf? The pdf will print to scale... If anything I think it's a bit too small from the pdf but hey, that's what diylc spit out... If you print from the pdf you should be able to get 3 of them into a 1590bb enclosure

[deadastronaut]

looking good jim...

you must have 500 hi gain monsters by now..  \m/ \m/

[J0K3RX]

looking good jim...

you must have 500 hi gain monsters by now..  \m/ \m/

Thanks Rob.. Only a few ever find a home in a enclosure, this is one of them! Best one I have made yet! Still working on the Soldano Avenger, it may be another... New ENGL Invader coming soon

[scuzzphut]

I am about to try waterslide decals for the first time,

I've been using decals for a while now and have learned the following :

(1) Cut out your printed decal bigger than required , then clearcoat and let dry.
(2) Once dried - cut to correct size.   

The clearcoat prevents the decal from breaking up and the second cut-to-size stops it from sticking to the backing paper.

Finally - spray lacquer for the final coat gives a really nice finish.   

[pakrat]

Thanks scuzzphut, I already have the whole sheet clear coated. I will probably apply it tonight and then several coats of clear on top. All paper isn't created equal either, I bought some on ebay that just turned to goo when wet. The new paper I'm using is papilio, and the graphic printed very crisp. We shall see how it applies later.....

[scuzzphut]

Couple of questions  : 

(1) I assume this is designed to go straight into the power amp section, rather than into the regular guitar jack ?  I've built a Dr Boogey and a Soldano S1 (AMT Legend) and they both improve when I bypass the preamp on my Blackstar HT-5.

(2) The pots are numbered 1 to 3 with the square being 1. Is this looking from the bottom with the lugs to the north ?

[pakrat]

@scuzzphut 1) I believe he did intend for this to go into the power amp section or return jack. 2) If the square pad is #1, then yes.... the next one up is #2, then #3. By the way, sprayed 3 coats of clear on the decal last night and today and the color came off when I put it in water  I just did a new one with now 6 coats.... back to waiting overnight for it to dry. I hope this works or I'm etching again.

[scuzzphut]

Hi pakrat.

That's really weird about your decal. I usually print (inkjet) allow to dry overnight, one coat of clear ( I have used Plastikote fast dry enamel and Citadel Purity Seal from the local Warhammer shop) which I then allow to dry for a few hours and then cut and apply. I only put the decal in warm water for about 20 seconds. Hope this helps in some way.

As for the pots - I was asking about how the lugs on the actual potentiometer are numbered. My method so far has been to guess, then when it turns out it's the wrong way round, I fix it.    There has to be better science than this !!

[pakrat]

Here ya go http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/Pots/
Thanks for the input on my decals... I have read some posts on it and have seen people using krylon acrylic clear, which is what I used. If this one doesn't work, I'll try lacquer.