DIY Info Collection.

[Scruffie]

Rapid doing Free U.K postage is a new one to me, it used to be really expensive... although there prices still aren't that great anyway and you have to remember to turn VAT on when you're shopping or things that seem nice and cheap suddenly aren't but free postage might get me to look at them again.

I wasn't going to add a list of suppliers as I didn't want to affiliate myself really but perhaps i'll do that too.

The reading material sounds like a good idea, I haven't really gone down the route of books apart from a few specific ones, I seem to remember a thread on ILF with downloads for some of the more sought after books on the subject.

[moose23]

Rapid doing Free U.K postage is a new one to me, it used to be really expensive... although there prices still aren't that great anyway and you have to remember to turn VAT on when you're shopping or things that seem nice and cheap suddenly aren't but free postage might get me to look at them again.

I wasn't going to add a list of suppliers as I didn't want to affiliate myself really but perhaps i'll do that too.

The reading material sounds like a good idea, I haven't really gone down the route of books apart from a few specific ones, I seem to remember a thread on ILF with downloads for some of the more sought after books on the subject.

I'd call it personal experience rather than affiliation but I see your point. Where do you find cheaper than rapid? I do think there's a minimum order for the free delivery, not that I get it seeing as I'm in Ireland.

[Scruffie]

Ah but for me it's not entirely personal experience, I haven't tried each supplier and I don't feel I should favour any but... sod it.

Cheaper than Rapid, personally I like to use Futurlec (The cheap prices & postage negate the long wait) and ebay is a great source for cheap & bulk buying if you're careful what you buy, there's also another company whose name escapes me... Tanyas or something.

Then of course there's the larger companies such as Mouser, Digikey & Farnell but they can be confusing to order from and i'm not sure on there postage plans.

[nbabmf]

I've come up with a few ways to get nice, clean layouts without a drill press. It's also helpful if you DO have a drill press. I have never seen an enclosure without even slightly sloped sides, so by measuring and marking your layout on the face of the enclosure, you don't have to worry about that.

If you buy your enclosures raw, don't unwrap them yet! Mark up your layout on the cellophane wrapper. If they're painted, you can put masking tape on top once the paint is totally dry and cured (I wait at least few days).

I put the knobs and switches on top of the enclosure first to get an idea where I want everything, then mark a couple dots to center them. Once I have my layout done, I measure in from the top and bottom to get nice long straight lines. Measure twice, drill once... unless you've been drinking. In that case, you want to just eyeball it. :wink: For precision holes, I've found that these little stainless steel rulers that go down to 1/64" are indispensable!



I use a Unibit with 3/16 up to 1/2 inch holes. After marking, I use a center punch to make an indentation in the box for the drill bit to find. I drill all the holes to the smallest diameter first to check my layout. If something is a little off, I can correct it when I open the holes up to their respective sizes. As an added bonus, the masking tape seems to hold the bit and it keeps the shavings from marring the finish on a painted box.

[phantasmagorovich]

First of all: Scruffie, this is an awesome thread!

has encouraged me a lot to get my hands on diy stuff. I have not received my order, but from my experience until now these kits seem to be great:
http://moodysounds.com/
Especially because the dude also supplies a manual with simple modifications you can try out. And he covers most of what I could think of in that manual. He even explains how to fit germanium transistors into his silicium fuzz.

And a question. Has anyone read this book? Is it recommendable? It looks awesome for sure!

[Jero]

I have not received my order, but from my experience until now these kits seem to be great:
http://moodysounds.com/

What's the conversion for US $? Looks like there are quite a few things offered for the kits...I do believe I saw an expression wah ...nvrm, it's just a photo res one

[phantasmagorovich]

There is a language button on the right side. I think then the prices are also converted.

[Jero]

There is a language button on the right side. I think then the prices are also converted.

LOL thanks

[nbabmf]

This is a pin vise. It holds a tiny drill bit so my sausage fingers don't have to! It's great for cutting traces on vero, opening up holes on circuit boards a little wider to accommodate tinned or larger gauge wire, and quickly creating a small indentation in enclosures for the larger bits to center themselves on (and it's quieter than a hammer and center punch!)

[Jero]

This is a pin vise.

Damn, I could use one of those!

[comtrails70]

cool whammy mod for anyone who might be interested:
http://www.rodrigoconstanzo.com/Whammy.html

[Zack AKA Moose]

Hey Scruffie, do you know some more books that would be good for not just pedals but electronics in general? thanks.

[Nychthemeron]

Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking by Nicolas Collins is supposedly one of the best books to start out with.

[Scruffie]

Hey Scruffie, do you know some more books that would be good for not just pedals but electronics in general? thanks.

I never did any book reading regards electronics because well they were expensive and i'm cheap so asking other people will probably be better than asking me, but as I said before in the thread there was a thread somewhere on ILF with a collection of downloadable E Books of all the Electronics books most people usually go for.

But i've heard the one Nychy mentioned before so give that a whirl.

[LaoWiz]

+1 on Handmade Electronic Music. It got me into experimenting with chips. Very easy to follow.

Beavis Audio Research was great for me in the beginning. He shows you how to build a LPB boost from schematic to breadboard, amongst a lot of other info. I have learned a lot from DIYSTOMPBOXES, as well. Register and use the search function like a motherfucker. Tons of info.

My first project was a dummy box with jacks, a switch, and pots that connected to a breadboard. I mounted the box to a piece of stained oak and interchange breadboards to whatever I feel like working on.

You could buy a kit from General Guitar Gadgets, which would supply everything you need, or build circuits on a breadboard and then decide what you want to commit to a pedal. I do option #2 since enclosures are expensive and you can experiment with parts more on a breadboard. And it was fun to have to figure a lot of things out myself. DIYing does take up a lot of your spare time, if not all of it, because once the bug hits and you have gotten over some of the initial curves is it REALLY a lot of fun...