Build Blitz # 5 - Tongue Twister (saved the best for last!)

[DuctTapeRiot]

This is my best build to date for sure. Its FF and CJs Stutter Trem. Decal and envirotex went down perfect, the paint is much more metallic in person. I had the wiring all nice and bundled up and then I mixed two of them up and had to undo it all anyways  :roll:  It is so much fun, i love this thing.



Guts

[Guitafuzz]

Excellent!!!!!! i like the glossy finish!!!!!!!! Congratulations  the envirotex job its and art

[DutchMF]

Looks awesome! How do you apply the envirotex? If I can find it here, I'll have to try it. That finish looks absolutely perfect!

Paul

[DuctTapeRiot]

Thanks guys!  Dutch, for envirotex, you may be able to find Park's Glaze which is the same thing?  Envirotex is a bit of an art.  I have a couple more builds coming up in this style, and then I am going to switch things up and try some etching and some powder coating.  Envirotex gives great results, but is too hit or miss for me.  There are a couple good envirotext threads here and at BYOC, but here are some key points:
- Your workspace and whatever kind of jig you are going to be resting your pedals on when you pour and cure needs to be perfectly level.
- Dust and cat hair etc are your mortal enemy.  They will find a way to get to your curing pedal.  Do everything you can to keep your pour area dust free.  Getting some kind of a big box that you can set over your whole pouring jig to keep the dust out seems to help.
- Only do a max of 2 pedals at a time.  Once you mix the resin and hardner your clock is ticking.  You have a max of 20 min to get it on there for best results. Ideally the time from mixing the components to finishing pouring should be under 15 min.  I have found every time I have tried to do more than  2 at a time, the little bubbles dont pop correctly on the last one and I wind up with a wierd patina or film on the top. Also never ever ever mix a new batch in the same containers that you mixed your first batch in.
- Your mix of resin and hardner needs to be exactly 50/50.  This is harder to do in small quantities.
- Tape up your screw holes on the inside of the enclosure.  Ask me how I know this 
- In order to get good results on the lower lip of the enclosure, you really have to be on top of wiping away the drips that form. I dont even worry about it unit about 1-1.5 horurs after pouring when it starts to get good and tacky.  I will then wipe about once ever 1-2 hour to about 8-10 hours from pouring.  It may seem like you are kind of messing up or pulling the enviro when you are doing this, but it will settle back to smooth.  I am constantly suprized at how late after the pour the drips are still forming.
- I have yet to find a satisfactory way to stop the lip or pillowing that happens on the jack holes on the side of the enclosure.  Closest I have come is to use Masking tape from the inside of the enclosure to almost form a little plug.  You do not want to use anything with a glossy or smooth finish for this.  Also envirotex does not seem to work well with waterslide decals on the sides of the enclosures, the gloss of the decal makes the pour run at a different rate than the rest of the pedal and it comes out looking all wrinkely.

Well that turned into a novel pretty quickly!

[gtr2]

Great looking build.  I can see your reflection with that shiny envirotex!

Josh

[Sigesmundninja]

All of look so damn good!!! I've got to get into this!

[nzCdog]

Man!  You are churnin these out, looks fantastic!

[midwayfair]

Looks infinitely cooler than my stutter trem.

Cool sounding box, too.

[DuctTapeRiot]

Thanks Corey, I actually finished these over about 3 weeks, but I sat on my camera  so wasnt able to take any pics untill this week.

[DutchMF]

Well that turned into a novel pretty quickly!

Yep, a novel allright, but a good one! Thanx for all the info, now it's just a matter of finding the damn stuff over here in Holland. Maybe some closet-dutchies on this forum have any tips?

Paul

PS: excuse me for stalking you DuctTapeRiot, but your pictures where just too cool!

[jkokura]

Well that turned into a novel pretty quickly!

Yep, a novel allright, but a good one!

Dude... until your posts look bigger than mine, yours is a short story Dave.

Jacob

[DuctTapeRiot]

Ha ha ha, I concede, you are definitely the king of long posts.  Mine is a novella perhaps? It will be a long time before I am at your level in terms of the electronics side of things so I think your crown is safe.  The only area I am really qualified to write at lenght about is finishing, and envirotex specifically, and I think I have just about tapped that one out (not that that is in any way going to stop me from trying )

[jkokura]

Heehee. I'm no electronics wiz, I just use a lot of words so I look like one.

Jacob