Messages

For breadboarding.

Another great idea!

So, what's the best way to cut the SIP sockets?  I never get good clean breaks. I usually end up with chunks of the plastic missing. Sometimes the little sockets go flying and I never find them again.

Plywood scrap and a bolt from the miscellaneous hardware stash

My first pedal build, a GGG TS kit.

Kind of wish I still had that one for nostalgia's sake. I can't say it was a bad decision though because I'm not a fan of the mid hump and I traded it for an ISP Decimator. I can't imagine being without the Decimator unless there's a schematic for it and I can build it smaller.

Love the cable assembler, davent! Simple=good. I could combine that idea with your pot/rotary switch holder to make a switchcraft pancake plug building jig

I want to build some leads with the pot lug connectors on one end and these test clips on the other. I think these are the ones th at have the little retracting claw.

http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Grabber-Minigrabber-Color-Interface/dp/B00AH3OYGQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1392525896&sr=8-5&keywords=test+clips

I don't really have the goopy-ness problem that people report.  Sure, the bluetack sticks to the component, but it comes off just as easy.  Im thinking it could be the brand.  The stuff im using is 'bostick' and apparently is 'the original blu-tack'.  You can see the packet in the video at approximately 32 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ACT2w93Mc

Sorry Leevibe I know this thread was supposed to be about other ideas then just blu-tack

Paul
DGP

No problem. This is the kind of info that's valuable! I don't think it's too big a deal for me. I'll most likely continue to use my vise to hold boards for soldering. Bending the leads has always held parts securely enough for me. I love the idea of using BT for holding parts to the bench when I'm rigging things together for testing though.

The reason I started the thread is because I want to build myself a test rig for circuits that aren't boxed. I want to be able to hold stuff together and not have my guitar cables pull everything off the bench. I was actually inspired by the infamous Bill Finnegan article. I liked his test rig and I want to come up with my own. (sans card table)

Paul, I have to say that I will be making up a bunch of those test leads with the little spade connectors for clipping to solder lug pots. Great idea!

Keep the ideas coming and let's get to the bottom of this blu tack thing. Is it getting the right brand, or is it get in and get out with the heat? Inquiring minds want to know.

Someone should do a blue tack shootout

Thanks Lee! im finding since using blue tack I use my helping hands about 5% of the time now.  Its also pretty much the only way to solder smd in my opinion.
Paul

I hate helping hands. I was always fighting with them. My wife bought me a hobby vice for Christmas a couple years ago and I haven't used HH since.

When you solder components that are pressed into the BT, does the heat ever do anything funny to it?

OK, here's another one I do. This is how I clamp wires to LED's when I use flying leads. I suppose if I had blue tak I wouldn't need the vice!

(sorry if it's bad form to reply to my own post)

I'm always trying to come up with new ways to make pedal building easier.  Sometimes I do the dumbest things out of habit, sometimes because it hasn't dawned on me that there's a better way.  I only recently saw Chromesphere's video on the use of blue tak and am realizing all of the reasons I need a ball of that stuff on my bench.  I hadn't thought of any solution like that before.

I thought it would be good to get your ideas.  What genius things have you come up with that make the process easier?  It would be great to see pictures of your inventions.  Or just let me know your way of doing whatever it is that you have figured out.

I've got a few.  One of them centers around the fact that I'm a bit color blind.  Enough that I can't reliably read resistor codes, so I test them.  I came up with this little rig because I got tired of trying to pin resistors down on my bench using the DMM probes or having to hold it all together in my fingers.  This way I just grab a resistor and set it down in the little notches.  I have the clips soldered slightly open, so they're not actually pinching the leads, but they're closed enough to get good contact.  There's enough continuity coming through the machine screws that I get good readings.  I like it because it's one handed and fast.  If I need to measure something with the probes, I just pop the leads off the spade connectors and pop the probes on.

What are your little tricks and tips?  I would love to get some new ideas.

I agree to a point, but the craft beer industry is a little bit more personal. With local brew pubs and community events, its a little different than the pedal industry. There are faces to beer industry, but not as much to the pedal business, ie... most pedal companies don't have a brick and mortar storefront.

Good point.  On the other hand, if one of your pedals lands on the right board, you get the best kind of exposure.

True talent, artistry, innovation rises to the top eventually. The market will sort itself.

I have another confession I think.

4) I really, really, really enjoy Star Wars.

Jacob

Me too, but it doesn't feel too much like a confession to say so. Unless we're talking about the prequels.  If I liked those it would be a confession. I'm an episodes 4, 5, 6 guy.

My wife and I make up lyrics to the Olympic theme

Super cool!  I was looking at something similar on Amazon last week.  I'm not doing SMD but I love having the integrated heat gun for heat shrink.  Plus it looks amazing with dials, switches, indicators.  Keep us posted as to how well it holds up.