Building your own stompboxes

juansolo · August 2013

There was a sticky on the old forum about building your own stompboxes with a lot of handy info in it for people wanting to give it a go. I thought I'd have a stab at putting something back here. Starting with a load of DIY Links:

Kits
Build Your Own Clone
Vibe-o-tronic UK distributer of BYOC kits

PCBs & Projects
Madbean Pedals
1776 Effects
Grind Customs FX
GuitarPCB
MusicPCB
Run Off Groove

Tonepad

Forums
Build Your Own Clone
Madbean
Grind Customs FX
DIY Stompboxes
Free Stompboxes
Circuit Workshop

Parts
Farnell
CPC Farnell
Rapid
Bitsbox
Tayda
MEK
Das Musikding
Smallbear
Dr. Tweek

Ninjas
SabroTone
|V|ark's Effects Layouts
Dragonfly's Layout Gallery
Valve Wizard's site
EMH
SJ Effects

OilCityPickups · August 2013

I had a real chunk of success with my TS 808 clone from Pedal Parts UK (The Pedal Poodle)
It's become my favourite filth box. He seems to have a whole bunch of nice stuff and his prices are very reasonable.

benvall · August 2013

What about http://diypedalkits.com/

"Edit"
looks like I'm an idiot. Can one of the Mods remove the two posts below. Sorry

benvall · August 2013

benvall · August 2013

stickyfiddle · August 2013

Also www.pedalparts.co.uk

Good chap running it, very helpful and great quality kits.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

stickyfiddle said:

Also www.pedalparts.co.uk

Good chap running it, very helpful and great quality kits.

I did said it already innit ...

stickyfiddle · August 2013

TheGuitarWeasel said:

stickyfiddle said:

Also www.pedalparts.co.uk

Good chap running it, very helpful and great quality kits.

I did said it already innit ...

D'oh! So you did... Well I'm glad I'm not the only fan

OilCityPickups · August 2013

I'm going to try one of his delay pedals ... that should be an interesting challenge!

EdGrip · August 2013

I've bought some parts from teh Pedal Poodle, he's got good stuff at best prices.

But for me, my #2 DIY pedal site (after Freestompboxes, who are all heroes) is http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/

IvIark and Miro have made vero layouts for pretty much anything you might want to build. Much love.

- Ed

Misterg · August 2013

And if you want to draw your own vero board layouts:

DIY Layout Creator

is brilliant

Paul_C · August 2013

whilst it wasn't a stompbox, I was inspired to go out to Maplin and buy all the bits to make a cheap and cheerful FS-6-ish-alike

it doesn't have all the functionality of a proper one, but it does what I want it to (change patches on an RC-50) and cost under a tenner, instead of £45

when I first plugged it in nothing happened, until I realised I had to change RC-50 settings

breadfan · August 2013

Banzai is great for parts

http://www.banzaimusic.com/

randomhandclaps · August 2013

Has anyone used that stuff from photo paper - Photo Paper Direct Adhesive Decals? Although it's clear, does it hold colour against dark enclosures?

Headphones · August 2013

I've used "Inkjet Water-Slide Decal Paper" from this lot "http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk" with good results (you need the acrylic spray too).

The effect is as good as your printer/pictures/imagination and brings back those old "Airfix moments".

My oldest is about two years, no hint of dicolouration yet, though I confess to the odd scratch or two!

randomhandclaps · August 2013

I tried the inkjet waterslide but am forever tearing or wrinkling it? Maybe it's the brand I used.

Sporky · August 2013

You need to soak it until it lifts off the backing if its own accord.

randomhandclaps · August 2013

Thank you, that may be the issue. Do you press/rub it with your fingers? And if so do you wet your finger first?

Headphones · August 2013

The method's simple but important.

Once printed, they need a light dusting of the spray to "set" them.

Then cut to size and damp the backing until the decal is loose.

Damp the target location, then slide into place -it'll whizz all over the place at this point, then once in place a bit of tissue at the edges will soak most of the water away, enough to keep it in place. I find a cotton bud really good for both positioning and (if it's small) blotting, fingers are a bit pudgy unless it's the whole pedal face.

Then blot out the rest, centre outwards. The trick is to blot or roll, not wipe.

Then, once it's had time to dry, spray it with a lacquer to prevent damage. The acrylic that's used to set the decal in the first place works fine.

randomhandclaps · August 2013

Thank you.

Sporky · August 2013

And do dust coats of the lacquer first, otherwise as it dries it'll shrink and wrinkle the decal.

randomhandclaps · August 2013

I think maybe I was applying too heavy a lacquer to the decal to 'set' it.

juansolo · August 2013

randomhandclaps said:

Has anyone used that stuff from photo paper - Photo Paper Direct Adhesive Decals? Although it's clear, does it hold colour against dark enclosures?

It's what I use. There's a technique to getting the best results (on my site). But yes, you're in the same boat as you would be with transparent waterslides when it comes to colour and enclosures. It's why I tend to stick to light coloured ones. When I do do a black enclosure I print on the white decals. Which are a pain to be honest so I don't do it often.

IMO they're better than waterslides in every way. Much, much easier to deal with once you get the hang of them. More robust and I get way better results.

The way we do them is we use raw/polished or powder coated enclosures, adhesive decals and we finish the top with Envirotex. You really have to mean it to damage them now.

randomhandclaps · August 2013

I've always wanted to try Envirotex. Do you find it easy going to get a smooth finish? Is there a lot of waste?

Edit - I saw the bit on your website. So you are literally only Envirotexing the top, not the sides?

juansolo · August 2013

Yep. As the boxes are powder coat or bare, they don't need it.

Cleggy has just done 4 boxes today in fact. I think he used 45ml for that. Once you get your technique down it's way easier, cheaper and more durable than lacquer. The only issues occur when you get tiny bubbles in the finish. then you have to sand and T-cut them to get them nice.

EDIT - Those guides are a little old. Our technique has refined over time. This is the last time I went through it end to end whilst taking pictures: http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=8212.0

crunchman · August 2013

Any chance of getting this one stickied like the one in the old place?

Or should we put it in the making and modding area?

lasermonkey · August 2013

I've been using Lazertran inkjet decal film with excellent results. It's quite thick, so you can print whole front panels without any stretching and tearing. Just make sure you seal it with Plastikote fast dry clear lacquer to ensure the backing goes clear.

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