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Can any of you recommend a company that will make custom shaped aluminum enclosures from CAD renderings?
I've done some initial 'googling' but with no context in this area it'd be a crap shoot.


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My wife has a photography business.  Therefore we have a dry Mat board press.  Looked at it the other day and saw it goes up 350 degrees.  Then I thought, hey, press n peel needs 325...and this will apply even pressure!
I did my first layout and etched it using PnP Blue and this press.  It worked great...there was no black left on the PNP when I was done.  Let it sit for 4 min at 325 and that was all there was to it.
Unfortunately, the guy at Fed Ex Office couldn't get it to print on the correct printer (one I've used many times before) and ended up printing it on another printer and it came out splotchy (mainly on the ground pour), my last piece of PNP blue at that.
I've etched boards before but have always struggled to get an adequate transfer.
Didn't realize the I had my image flipped horizontally:(  Went as far as to populate the voltage inverter board before realizing I'd messed it up. It should have been absolutely obvious because the wording is backwards-see pics.
Oh well.  Ordering more PNP Blue tonight to give it another go.
Now just need a wet tile saw to get straight edges. On the board. 




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I bought a pickguard from guitar fetish and with disappointment the holes didn't line up. 
Who do you recommend for purchasing a pickguard and strat knobs?


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If I am going to add a variable input cap to a silicon fuzz face...I would connect input to lug 2, high value cap to lug 3 and low value cap to lug 1?  I would connect the other ends of the caps together? 
If I understand the above correctly, then my question is:
What value pot would you use and why that value?


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I am looking at a weller or Hakko station. In searching Amazon, I am seeing a lot of 2in1 with SMD hot air for not much more money.  I've never used SMD.  I am interested in it.  Is it worth the extra couple of bucks to have both or are the ones in $100-$150 range garbage?

Thanks for you input:)


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So I bought some bulk unsorted PnP transistors.  I've measured about half of them and I've started to pair them up for Q1 and Q2.
I read multiple articles on recommended ranges for each but I'm getting some conflicting info.
The only consistent thing I've read is that Q2 should be larger than Q1.
RG Keen's article recommends ~80 for Q1 and ~110 for Q2.  Or 70 and 120 as Mike fuller recommends.
I saw where Midwayfair suggests that Q1 sounds good at  2/3 of Q2.
Is there an accepted rule? 
Following RG Keen's logic, would Q1=90 and Q2=100 be acceptable?  With Midways 'formula' with Q1=90 then Q2=135.
I am going to audition some combinations later today but wanted to hear your experiences as well.
((Seems the more I research the more uncertain I become))


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Layton and I live in the same town and last time I met up with him he gave me a Teflon mat to try out.  If you haven't had any dealings with Layton, he is truly a stand up guy and pleasure to talk with. 
So I go home with this mat thinking - 'that was pretty cool for him to give me this mat'.  I have to admit though, I wasn't totally stoked to have received a Teflon mat.  It was a mat:) how much would it change my pedal building?
Well I got home and put it on my work bench (collapsible card table).  Next time I sat down to work I was really surprised how much I liked it.  First thing I noticed was my wire clippings didn't roll all around the table.  When I was done working I just picked up the mat (maybe 10"x20") and tossed the debris in the trash.  Another bonus was that the board stayed put and didn't shift around when working.  BUT, it isn't tacky or difficult to work with in any way.
So after a few builds I decided I really like it.  My wife was digging it because she hadn't stepped on any wire pieces.  I then had an opportunity to take a circuit up to Ardent Studios in Memphis to tweak and record audio of a circuit.  So, I had found another use. I didn't know what kind of surface I'd have to place the bare circuit on so I took my new Teflon mat - it acts as an insulator as well.  I felt a little more professional having something to set the testing rig and circuit on. Unfortunately, I was so stoked about the sound of the pedal through their gear and the resulting recording that I left the mat there:(
Layton, you now have one of your mats at Ardent Recording Studio.  I had the guy I was working with (paying for the studio time) swing by and try and pick it up but it was MIA.
Bottom Line: if it were lost or stolen (or left at the studio), I'd buy another one.  I consider it a luxury item for pedal building.  One more thing, working on a white surface makes it really difficult to misplace items which makes for a much less frustrating experience!


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I'm going to be sorting transistors in a day or so and wanted to bag and label them.  Any tips on where to find these small bags like small bear use?  I noticed small bear sold them for .10 a bag but only after I had placed my order.
Any brick and mortar sell bulk of these small bags? 


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I just used JB Weld for the first time. I put in a battery clip and I used it to secure the LED in the enclosure. I read on the frequently asked questions part of JB Weld website that the stuff is an insulator and is not conductive.  can anybody on here confirm that it will not cause a bridge between the two LED leads.


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Just saw Gearmandude reviewed Function (fx) Clusterfuzz.  Looks like a very versatile fuzz box!!

http://youtu.be/Cx2AB-VR-jM


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The circuit sounds pretty good...except when I connect lug1 to ground from the  Fuzz Knob.  I am really perplexed.  I've tried two different pots with the same behavior.  Any ideas.  Circuit seems to run great other wise. 
I have lug 2 going to the negative side of the 22uf cap which goes to ground.
Lug 3 goes to the emitter of Q2 and 100k resistor.


Here's the vero I'm using.  I've also compared it against Sabrotones vero




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I built JMk 's Hamlet delay and had a guy approach me about building him one.  This was when JMK's store indicated he was on vacation so I sold him my unit thinking I'd just build another one.  Well got busy and never built a replacement.  Fast forward to today.  Saw it on CL at a ridiculous price.  Turns out he's raising money for a wedding and leaving the music scene.  I gladly bought it back.  Such an awesome circuit.  Thanks Jon and Jacob.
Guy said it was his favorite pedal on his board and the most musical delay he's owned.



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Have a friend that 'loves' these knobs and wants them on a pedal.  Looks like they have a rounded top.  Anybody seen these around?  I've looked at SB, BLMS and pedal parts.



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I'm working on a Fuzz Face and want to add a power inverter (I realize the Mangler exists but I'm trying to understand the circuit and EAGLE as well). 
So you feed the IC +9v and it converts it to -9v. What do you make the ground plane in Eagle?  I would assume you have to make the ground plane the ground from the dc jack(black).  So what do you ground the components to in the positive ground Fuzz Face Circuit?

TOTALLY CONFUSED HERE!!
Thanks guys.
Phillip


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Planning on building up a Fuzz Face for bass.  Do I need to alter the input cap?  Are there any other considerations?

Thanks

Phil


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I've never put a battery in a pedal (1.5 years of building).  I have a few metal battery holders.  What's your favorite way to secure the clip to the enclosure?


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My wife wants to buy me the parts for a project for Christmas.  I want to build a project with a tube preamp (something clean- but feels like a tube with warmth) that I can build with something like TH Customs line driver to go straight to PA or recording interface.

Need some recommendations.  Basically,  something at the end of my pedal board that will go straight to PA with the feel of a Fender amp as an alternative to my heavy amp every time I play out:)

Does it make sense to do a Azabache before  a tube preamp that runs off 12v or 9V?

PS if possible, I'd like it to massage my feet as well!

Blackface Bassman is my preferred 'sound'


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Again, thanks to the folks on this forum for all the support:

http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=18810

I decided to write some music as a thank you for the guitar.  I played it a few hours and decided that the neck pickup sounds really great for finger picking (really balanced sound across all six strings through my amp).  I used that idea as a building block for the rest of the song.  The bridge pickup sounds like a tele so I incorporated some country style double stop melody for the second guitar part.  He had included a slide in the case so I felt obliged to put some slide at the end of the song (I really can't play slide but felt it was the 'right' thing to do).

As a meager thank you to you all here on the forum, I am sharing it as well.

Thanks again,
Phillip

http://soundcloud.com/resuggan/song-for-my-brother

Run of the mill DLS no mods.  Sounds killer.  Etched board, Grindcustoms 3pdt board.




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Had a friend of mine invite me out to his car to show me a guitar today.  It was a really sweet looking partscaster.  He flipped it over to reveal my name and a message written in permanent marker so I couldn't refuse the gift.  It was very humbling to say the least.  I don't do well at receiving gifts...never have.  I am so grateful to have people in my life that love me and can see past my faults.  God has done a great work in me and continues to change me through relationships with others.  This is a big deal because I used to keep most everyone at a distance.  Since I've started letting people in things are changing...
He doesn't remember the details of the build (he had someone build the body and assemble everything). He said it had 'high end' pickups and hardware.  I played it all night tonight and the neck feels incredible.  The bridge pickup sounds like a tele for sure but not quite as bright as my other tele.  I don't know if it's the pickup and/or the wood...but I like it.

Please respond below with gifts you may have received in the past and how you felt accepting such a gift.

Also, if you recognize what wood the guitar and neck might be made of please comment as well.