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Hey all,

Sorry this took so long. The move and getting set up took a lot longer than I thought.

Learned a ton. To slow down and take my time, how to modify pots to obtain different values, a little about SMD's, capacitors and ripple, managing a messload of pots at one time, etc.

Big shout out to tcpoint for all of his help with parts and questions. To others as well for my usual abundance of questions.

Build materials: Xicon 1% MFR, Mainly 5% WIMA caps with a few 5%TDK/Epcos scattered in and a lone 5% Kemet. Nichicon Fine Gold electros in the signal path and other Nichicon in the power supply. TDK 5% (C0G) MLCC's. Gold plated pin/socket IC sockets. Mainly TI IC's. Mostly Alpha pots and  Bourns trims. Kobiconn power jack an switchcraft g enclosed guitar jacks.

What's missing": The name plate. I will have to find or make one.

Next up: Either the Uber tuber or Rabbit Hole, I haven't decided yet.

Thanks again for all your help.

-Mike

Sorry,

i've Searched and could not find a satisfactory answer.

My amp is on the fritz and so last night I started a project that I've been thinking about for awhile.

I have a v6 drive from GuitarPCB (vox/fender tone in a box) and a small 20w stereo class D amp from Adafruit that I was thinking of combining into one enclosure.

Is it really as simple as routing the output of the v6 into the amp?

Then is there something I need to do to isolate the two power supplies from one another?

Then last question, should I make both circuits common ground to eliminate ground loops or just do that for each individual circuit.

Thanks in advance for any help and If I am way off in left field don't hold back, I can use any constructive criticism I can get.

-Mike

Hey all,

I'm back with another question. I have looked on the web and searched the forum and cannot find satisfactory answer. I was wondering if someone might explain this to me.

'LED to signal engagement'

I would appreciate any help and I will try and get back on track posting my builds.

Have a great day.

-Mike

Just trying to get my feet wet with tag board and Vero. I'm stumped, I've looked around and I'm probably just missing it could someone enlighten me please what the significance of the box is outlined in red with the white and red centers are?



-Mike


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I'm curious about this and would like to learn more but I don't even know what to put into Google to search for it.

What is this called?



-Mike


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So, I still can't source the 2/2.5ka 16mm pots that I need. Am desperate and looking over at Ali-Baba.

Is this a bad idea or does anyone have some caveats?

-Mike

OK so I decided I'm going to blog this build as I go.

I only made it to step three before I got stumped. Help me identify this part, I have it my resister box and it's labeled four. 7 AM it reads four. 7 AM on the multimeter I just need to know if it's a different wattage or is it just a different brand than I'm used to her usually use Xicon. I don't want to get done with this and find out that I messed it up in the very beginning

Any Ideas?

-Mike


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OK, here are the ground rules. I haven't gone over the BOM for the Beast build. I know I've got a lot of it but I may have to trade someone for a few parts. I was going to give an entire week for a vote but I've got to get packing pretty soon so why don't we give this till Wednesday at 8 PM Pacific time.

1. Our own, "Rabbit Hole". For some reason I just haven't gotten around to building in 1590A or I've been avoiding it subconsciously. Ok, i've Gone over the BOM and all I'm missing are the pots. If it wins  then I will need to beg, borrow, steal ,buy or trade for these.



2. Once again, our own "Uber tuber". Just don't know much about it although, it seems it involves a number of things I've never done. I've gone over the BOM for this one and i'm Missing: 100 pf Silver Mica, 220uf Electro and then I would also need all of the pots.



3. The Beast Build. Aion Electronics L5 preamp. I'm still Looking over the BOM.




Feel free to include your reasoning.

Get out the vote!
-Mike




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So, I'll be moving soon and am in the process of consolidating and packing.

Well I brought all my boards together and on a whim I counted them.

There are 76 builds in the queue.

Oops! Can someone say overkill.

Like I said a good problem, but no wonder I don't have any cash left to buy enclosures and parts!

-Mike

Hey everyone,

My question is not so much about how to do something in any given graphics program. I am slowly figuring that out.

Rather, what steps do you take when creating your graphics.

I just feel like I'm making this way harder then it needs to be, although it just may be the program that I'm using (Graphic for Mac/iPad).

This is what I'm doing now.

1. Define a paper/canvas size
2. Define paper/canvas color
3. Choose create rectangle
4. Define Radii for rectangle
5. Create approximate size rectangle
6. Finalize rectangle size
7. Lock rectangle size


This is pretty much where my eyes glaze over and the drooling starts.

Is this standard fare that I just need to push my way through or is there an easier way to do this?

If this is normal then I have a few other questions.

What's next, do you populate your graphics with approximate sized knobs and switches or do you just measure off your exemplar enclosure and then base your labels and artwork off of measurements?

-Mike

So, it's a bit crowded, but everything is within reach. Unfortunately, I'm moving soon and everything will get redone.




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 Sorry I posted twice I didn't realize the other one went through.

It was out in the ether for awhile before it posted.

-Mike


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I got the Idea from watching Brian's video intro to Madbean.



This is off to my right and my most commonly used tools.

When I get back all actually post pictures of my workstation after I clean up a bit.

I'm just always curious to see how other people do things and I always learn something.

-Mike


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Just wanted to send out a general thank you to the members of this forum.

I was remembering back to my last career and The depth and breadth of knowledge to be learned was daunting. I was pretty much left to my own devices to learn it and that was a steep hill to climb.

Fast-forward.

I was just working my way through some of the tutorials and I was thinking about how awesome it was to have all of this information just laid out and available to consume.

In addition, there are numerous people on this board who have taken the time to answer my many questions, no matter how dumb, and also to offer encouragement and advice if not outright, tangible help.

All of this makes learning much more forgiving and easier to accomplish. I don't know how often you all are told that it is appreciated, but I'm saying it now.

-Mike

To borrow from one of Brian's earlier posts:

This build was poopy!

Of course some of this is PPPPPPP, Some of that was my stupid hands shaking and some came directly from Beelzebub himself.

I burned one of the capacitors soldering the pot on. I'm leaving it for now, it'll bother me enough eventually to where I'll fix it. I slipped while drilling one of the breathing holes, The cheapo graduated drill bit tore a chunk of the part of the graphics and also made the hole eccentric. I also could not make the wire behave for the life of me, it did it's own thing as you can see.

And when I say it fought me to the end, I mean just that. For whatever reason, it seems like the star ground is always the last thing I do and I had everything ready to solder and I broke off the main loop.

I do like the graphics and it sounds good. I also like the breathing whole design. I stole that from myself from an earlier build.

The good news is always is that I learned things Did I will implement in my process from now on.

Just looked at the pictures it also looks like I need some smaller knobs.

Please feel free to comment both good and bad. Constructive criticism is only going to help me get better.




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OK, I'm a big fan graduated drill bits, for the most part. I have a small medium size one that I've had for 25 years, while I'm old, it's a snap on and has been worth every penny I paid for plus many times over.

However recently I needed one for larger holes and indiscriminately purchased one off of either eBay or Amazon I can't remember which. It bites and I mean that in many different ways.

I also just had an enclosure ripped out of my hand, luckily it didn't hurt me but it took a chunk out of some of my graphics, which I'm not happy about.

You'll see it when I post to build in the next day or two.

I'm not using this bit anymore,  when I need something to replace it with anyone have any suggestions for a larger size graduated Drill bit?

-Mike


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Coming up with the graphics is something I can figure out. i've Got a graphics program and it's tedious, but I can do it.

As for actually getting the graphics onto the enclosure, I've had some enclosures printed, but it's really expensive.

Etching looks cool, but not really my thing.

I've tried waterslide, but I've got a tremor which makes it frustrating.

I have almost resorted to stickers.

I'm sure there is another method I just don't know what that is.

Could anyone point me in the direction of another method that is more forgiving than waterslide?

-Mike

I made a statement the other day that I had made the most expensive Klon clone ever. I based that on my damn the torpedos/spare no expense approach and not on data. That is unlike me and so I decided to crunch the numbers. I did a high/middle/low example. I did not include expenses related to business, that is no shipping, no advertizing, no insurance, etc. I wanted this to be DIY. I also did not include the use of a graphic artist or labor.

High includes having someone else powder coat, drill and print your enclosures. It would actually be a little higher if you did a single enclosure as this number was based on 12 that I had ordered. It includes mainly products from Mouser, PPP, small bear and my personal favorite Amplified Parts  , for a product I will never buy again, an LED footswitch. 1%mfr, diodes from mouser (except for the clippers), mostly 5% box film, gold plated IC sockets, Nichicon fine gold electros, Kobicon DC jacks, switchcraft guitar jacks, Davies knobs and I also included an arbitrary WAG of 5 dollars for disposables and supplies. That is wire, solder, solder tips, double sided tape, heat shrink tubing, etc.

Middle case includes buying an enclosure and having it powder coated then doing the drilling, graphics and water slide on your own. I arbitrarily included 3 dollars for water slide decal paper, envirotex, mixing cups etc. Again using 1%mfr (if you buy 200 at a time (only $3) then it's hard to buy cheaper unless you hit up eBay. Tayda diodes, 10% box film, run of the mill IC sockets, everyday pots, mammoth jacks, std footswitch,etc

Low example includes a prefinished enclosure from the likes of small bear or Lawrence again I included 3 bucks for decals and envirotex. Everything else was pretty much Tayda or eBay.

This is how it came out:

High: ~$77
Middle: ~$55
Low: ~$35

If you take the enclosures out of the equation (the most expensive item) then:

High: ~$52
Middle: ~$37
Low: ~$26

I guess part of it depends on your weltanschauung. My Dad is the most frugal person I've ever met. If you gave him a rock he'd be happy. I on the other hand could be given a Ferrari for free and would find something not to like about it.

I do think that with the more expensive parts, that you are bound to have less failures and better longevity. I have also made the same build with avg/below avg parts and premium ones and I can tell a difference in the tone.

It was really obvious that my best option to save money is to learn how to finish enclosures myself. I suck at water slide, but I've got a lot of it and got envirotex that I've never tried. I know Paul has a good video and I've seen others on YT and I have no doubt that there is a lot of good info right here.

I still think the only way my clone could have been more expensive would be if I had gotten genuine Hammond enclosures. On that, I had already spoken to someone familiar with enclosures and they stated there was not much of a difference in-between the two.

Anyway, those are my numbers for what it's worth.

-M

Hey everyone,

I'm going to give the 1776 Finish Line Bypass a try.

Along with it I'm going to use a Kemet relay.

However, I'm looking for a momentary footswitch to use and really don't know what I'm looking for. One of the Tayda momentary footswitches was recommended to me by someone I respect, but I am not a big fan of Tayda hardware.

Does anyone have any recommendations on one to use and why?

I would greatly appreciate any recommendations.

-Mike

I will spare you the details, I'm not going to impress anyone around here.

I do think I was successful in making the most expensive to manufacture Klone ever.

I also think if it has problems I'm up the creek, I left myself no wiggle room with the wiring whatsoever.

Graphics are a little busy too, but better than my normal labelmaker graphics.

Enough dogging on myself, it sounds great.

I obviously don't have a Centaur to compare it too, but I've listened a lot on YT and this is grittier, in a good way, for the last 1/2 to 1/3 of the pot.