Chop Shop (stamped enclosure)

[Roanacho]

Build Rating

5.00 star(s)

This is my first build report, I have been building pedals for several years but never came up with a way of labeling my builds that I was satisfied with so most of my pedals are unlabeled. I had built the Chop Shop PCB a while ago, this is the first version without trimmers. I just tried different smd jfets until it sounded good, I also used 2n3904 transistors in place of PN2222A and it sounds great.

Anyhow, I recently purchased metal stamps to try and approach the Fairfield style enclosure. It seemed like the simplest way for me to label my enclosures and I have always liked the aesthetic. It took me a long time to commit to trying it as most of the examples I’ve seen on line of other people's attempts looked bad, so I thought there was some magic to the process. It turns out it’s not difficult but just takes a bit of practice (mostly in laying out where to stamp). My results are not perfect but I am really happy with how it came out. I was intentionally a bit haphazard with it, maybe a bit too much on the “drive” label. I think it’ll get better as I complete a few more. Still need a third knob, so not quite complete.

 

[Erik S]

Those stamps look great!

What’s your process for filling the letters?

And where’s the gut-shot!?

 

[Einzeln]

Wow never had a good result so far

 

[Roanacho]

Those stamps look great!

What’s your process for filling the letters?

And where’s the gut-shot!?

The letters are filled with a small bottle of Black gloss Testers paint, like for use in building models. Just cover each stamped label with the paint, dab it with the paint brush, then almost immediately, remove the excess paint by wiping lightly with a paper towel with some Acetone (nail polish remover) to leave behind the paint inside the impressions left by the stamps.

As far as a gut shot, I might take a photo when I go back into the pedal to tack solder my jfets and transistors so to the transistor sockets.

 

[Roanacho]

Wow never had a good result so far

The key was using 2mm or 5/64ths” letter stamps and a steel backing block under the enclosure, so as not to deform the top from hammering. I practiced on the inside of an old painted enclosure to see how much force it would take with the hammer. The pictured enclosure required a harder whack with the hammer. Fortunately, you can make multiple blows if you get the stamp seated properly in the previous marking to deepen the impression. The Gorva enclosure in the photo is not ideal in that it’s slightly rounded near the edge, sometimes while hammering near the edges it wants to dent slightly. Using a Hammond/style enclosure might give better results. You want the steel block to sit flush with the underside of the surface you’re hammering.

 

[Einzeln]

Yep steel block makes sense! I need to buy smaller stamps as well. Using 6 mm now with zero result.

 

[Roanacho]

Yep steel block makes sense! I need to buy smaller stamps as well. Using 6 mm now with zero result.

I was trying to guess what size and what font to get similar results to the Fairfield pedals and came across a conversation on Reddit. Someone that works for the company said they use 2mm and buy them from Lee Valley tools. I got mine from Amazon but they shipped from China took a while. The price was similar so I would probably buy them from Lee Valley to reduce the transit time. The quality of the stamps I received are really good though.

 

[pingpongcomputer]

I really like that led bezel/lens, are you willing to share where you got it? It just looks so clean and appears to sit flush or close enough.

 

[Roanacho]

I really like that led bezel/lens, are you willing to share where you got it? It just looks so clean and appears to sit flush or close enough.

No bezel lense. That is the actual led. I drilled the hole just wide enough to fit the 5mm LED and then lightly chamfer the hole with next size. Then depending on the pcb and where I want the LED to be located I adjust how much it protrudes through the top by soldering one leg and then trial and error until when fully assemled it has the look I want.

 

[Roanacho]

Those stamps look great!

What’s your process for filling the letters?

And where’s the gut-shot!?

Gut shot attached, nothing special. Distance from footswitch to PCB is kinda long but that’s the way it ended up.

 

[pingpongcomputer]

No bezel lense. That is the actual led. I drilled the hole just wide enough to fit the 5mm LED and then lightly chamfer the hole with next size. Then depending on the pcb and where I want the LED to be located I adjust how much it protrudes through the top by soldering one leg and then trial and error until when fully assemled it has the look I want.

Thanks, that's what I do with 3mm LEDs, but your picture fooled me into thinking it was a flush lens, it looks much nicer with 5mm, I'll have to try that.