Post-Lockdown pedal building

Alex2678

Thanks both, I shall take all this on board and will be dropping you a message @ThorpyFX , thank you

I am hoping to establish it as a brand, I don’t ever see it being bigger than me doing one offs on my own, a bit like Hello Sailor, and I have been talking to Joe from HSE a lot. 

Kurtis

Alex2678 said:

Kurtis said:

Alex2678 said:

Kurtis said:

How did you come about the box for the Rangemaster? 

It’s a transformer box from a model train set, got it at the car boot sale. Got another for my next build on eBay, they’re really solid 

Cool, nice idea!

Sets it apart from the usual. 

I have seen them used before, Raygun has one listed at the moment, hoping giving them a paint job differentiates a bit. 

Ha, I suppose there's not much hasn't already been done!

It's the dream of the amateur builder to find a cheap supply of interesting boxes 

Alex2678

Sorry for derailing the build thread everyone - here’s a TS I did recently with a BYOC kit I got on Facebook after someone abandoned their ambitions. I’ve done a few ‘Keeley’ mods I picked up around the web, more clean range, more treble etc 

Cookiemonster

Kurtis said:

Alex2678 said:

Kurtis said:

Alex2678 said:

Kurtis said:

How did you come about the box for the Rangemaster? 

It’s a transformer box from a model train set, got it at the car boot sale. Got another for my next build on eBay, they’re really solid 

Cool, nice idea!

Sets it apart from the usual. 

I have seen them used before, Raygun has one listed at the moment, hoping giving them a paint job differentiates a bit. 

Ha, I suppose there's not much hasn't already been done!

It's the dream of the amateur builder to find a cheap supply of interesting boxes 

It really is. I had a few from a builder but he stopped making them. At least they were different looking. 

Cookiemonster

Alex2678 said:

Sorry for derailing the build thread everyone - here’s a TS I did recently with a BYOC kit I got on Facebook after someone abandoned their ambitions. I’ve done a few ‘Keeley’ mods I picked up around the web, more clean range, more treble etc 

I like a clean look. At the moment I have enjoyed hand painting but the next 4 are like the little box. They have a vinyl art print on them. I was trying to keep away from just digital graphics. But I do have one to make for a band where I will do that. 

I quite fancy trying the stamping into the metal approach soon 

Alex2678

I went through a bit of an ink stamping phase, fun trying to find interesting image stamps. I had a 1940s American farmer style pickup truck stamp I used on an odr-1 clone

Cookiemonster

Alex2678 said:

I went through a bit of an ink stamping phase, fun trying to find interesting image stamps. I had a 1940s American farmer style pickup truck stamp I used on an odr-1 clone

Yes I did some ink stamps. I did a life pedal for a colleague at work. And also made him a surprise delay pedal with a stamp. I sold a few of the other stamp ones.  

I should really do more computer graphic ones but tbh as I’m on a computer a lot for work I just like the arts n crafts stuff. 

I do have a circuit I like that is a take on the fuzzy nuts which is the same as one of the Mythos pedals. But it has switches for bass and treble. A switch to go from overdrive to fuzz. And a gain control. I might try and work on a tagboard layout for that. 

When we moved house I had so many circuits I just sold a lot in, still have a box of circuits I need to actually but into enclosures. I wonder if a lot of pedal builders are like that ? 

Cookiemonster

The farefield style metal stamping is what intrigues me 

Alex2678

I’ve found you need something to support the other side, it took some force to make the marks and the enclosure caved in 

LukeFRC

Cookiemonster said:

The farefield style metal stamping is what intrigues me 

You need something behind the pedal- I bought a Jewelers anvil to begin with which wasn’t great.
then a friend gave me a massive lump of steel bar about 70x25 on the end, clamp it in a black and decker resting on the frame and I’ve got a little anvil.

a few layers of electrical tape make a baseline guide, and then I’ve got a pair of mole grips to hold the letter stamps in. Hit hard with hammer once.

Takes a wee bit of practice but it’s fairly simple. Recomend starting words at centre point (ie under pot) and working out 

LukeFRC

Cookiemonster said:

Alex2678 said:

I went through a bit of an ink stamping phase, fun trying to find interesting image stamps. I had a 1940s American farmer style pickup truck stamp I used on an odr-1 clone

Yes I did some ink stamps. I did a life pedal for a colleague at work. And also made him a surprise delay pedal with a stamp. I sold a few of the other stamp ones.  

I should really do more computer graphic ones but tbh as I’m on a computer a lot for work I just like the arts n crafts stuff. 

I do have a circuit I like that is a take on the fuzzy nuts which is the same as one of the Mythos pedals. But it has switches for bass and treble. A switch to go from overdrive to fuzz. And a gain control. I might try and work on a tagboard layout for that. 

When we moved house I had so many circuits I just sold a lot in, still have a box of circuits I need to actually but into enclosures. I wonder if a lot of pedal builders are like that ? 

What kind of thing do you have not in a box? The completer finisher in me would hate building something and not trying it out! 

That said I have got a shelf of pedals needing a bit of a rebuild or broken ones I picked up from folk and am trying (and failing) to fix

Cookiemonster

LukeFRC said:

Cookiemonster said:

The farefield style metal stamping is what intrigues me 

You need something behind the pedal- I bought a Jewelers anvil to begin with which wasn’t great.
then a friend gave me a massive lump of steel bar about 70x25 on the end, clamp it in a black and decker resting on the frame and I’ve got a little anvil.

a few layers of electrical tape make a baseline guide, and then I’ve got a pair of mole grips to hold the letter stamps in. Hit hard with hammer once.

Takes a wee bit of practice but it’s fairly simple. Recomend starting words at centre point (ie under pot) and working out 

Fantastic thanks ! Will give it a try 

Cookiemonster

I try them all on the test rig ! Just sometimes they are not for me. I have fuzz, drives etc ! I need to box them and just sell them on cheapish 

LukeFRC said:

Cookiemonster said:

Alex2678 said:

I went through a bit of an ink stamping phase, fun trying to find interesting image stamps. I had a 1940s American farmer style pickup truck stamp I used on an odr-1 clone

Yes I did some ink stamps. I did a life pedal for a colleague at work. And also made him a surprise delay pedal with a stamp. I sold a few of the other stamp ones.  

I should really do more computer graphic ones but tbh as I’m on a computer a lot for work I just like the arts n crafts stuff. 

I do have a circuit I like that is a take on the fuzzy nuts which is the same as one of the Mythos pedals. But it has switches for bass and treble. A switch to go from overdrive to fuzz. And a gain control. I might try and work on a tagboard layout for that. 

When we moved house I had so many circuits I just sold a lot in, still have a box of circuits I need to actually but into enclosures. I wonder if a lot of pedal builders are like that ? 

What kind of thing do you have not in a box? The completer finisher in me would hate building something and not trying it out! 

That said I have got a shelf of pedals needing a bit of a rebuild or broken ones I picked up from folk and am trying (and failing) to fix

Cookiemonster

Here is a good person to follow https://www.instagram.com/p/C9Xp7ObO1xL/?igsh=MWx3MGF0c3U2OHYwNA==

Cookiemonster

They promote smaller builders 

LukeFRC

Cookiemonster said:

I try them all on the test rig ! Just sometimes they are not for me. I have fuzz, drives etc ! I need to box them and just sell them on cheapish 

see I'm not smart enough to have a test rig! And end up with a PCB that possibly works, and maybe doesn't and I'm in the garage sanding aluminium enclosures!  
I'll keep my else open for you selling things cheapish, boxed or unboxed! Though I'm a bass player so tastes might not overlap!

LukeFRC

 example of my playing with stamping - 2mm stamps I think. Practice on a rear plate first or something you don't need. Trick is go slow with setting up lining up and making sure the letter is the right way round and about the right place... and then go fast with just hitting it.  An I needs less force than a R or B so you take that into account

Stamp away, clean with isopropyl and then ink up with a sharpie and wipe away the top so it leaves stuff in the groove. 

graphic designer so love the look and the fact I can do it by hand. Engraving something would be interesting too I'm sure I did Etching back in my artshool days....

roberty

I love the look of the stamping too @LukeFRC it's so cool. Reminds me of library cards a little bit

LukeFRC

ThorpyFX said:

Right…. I am throwing this out there. If I put together a kit (I have some spare enclosures with a Mirrored surface and can laser etch them) . Anyone be interested in buying a kit to build,  I’d supply all parts. 

 

It won’t be a Thorpy circuit I’ve released but I do have some ideas that would suit something like this. 

This is the first seeds of an idea…  so forgive me if it isn’t fully formed.  I dont want to do this on mass but it’d be fun to offer it to people here and see what the builds are like. 

Bit late to the party, but if this becomes a thing, and if it’s useable on bass (most things are) ild be in! 

Cookiemonster

Yes definitely would be interested @ThorpyFX ;