Bring out yer Diptrace

[Grubb]

Inspired by @JamieJ and others on here rolling their own PCBs, I thought it would be fun to have a place on the forum where people share the cool stuff they're working on in Diptrace. Other PCB programs are more than welcome, I would love to see what circuits you're cooking up and how you're going about implementing them on a PCB.


I'll happily go first. Here's an *unverified* layout for the Mark IV preamp section, one I hope to test build sometime this year:

I decided just to roll with the punches and spec SMD J201s, as I have plenty of them and no TH varieties. It's probably not the best routing I've ever done and the board feels like it has a lot of extra/wasted space on it because of how I placed the hardware on my mock-up. Still, the symmetry is pleasing to me.

So with the first entry out of the way, it's time for you to

 

[Big Monk]

I need to start using the schematic then autoroute function.

I’ve been doing everything manually right in PCB creation and I feel I could get cleaner routes and do things quicker if I use the program like its intended.

Anyway, here’s my latest:

 

[JamieJ]

Looks great @Grubb
Looking forward to seeing what everyone else is cooking up.

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

I’m still trying to figure out how to import new libraries into the Mac version of DipTrace, but I have some cool stuff planned once I get that worked out

 

[Big Monk]

I’m still trying to figure out how to import new libraries into the Mac version of DipTrace, but I have some cool stuff planned once I get that worked out

I’m trying to figure out how to convey my Pattern Library I made to a Component Library.

I really am a Luddite.

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

I’m trying to figure out how to convey my Pattern Library I made to a Component Library.

I really am a Luddite.

For what it’s worth, DipTrace just has a notoriously shitty system for importing and converting libraries, even though they’re the only PCB cad

 

[lrgaraujo]

I've been using eagle for some time, and I've recently laid a single sided board for the channel A of the preamp of an Ampeg VH140

 

[Big Monk]

I need to step my PCB game up. I see what you guys are putting out and it really blows my stuff away!

 

[Grubb]

Hey thanks for the cool designs and responses, I look forward to seeing more!

I need to start using the schematic then autoroute function.

I’ve been doing everything manually right in PCB creation and I feel I could get cleaner routes and do things quicker if I use the program like its intended.

I do find the schematic to PCB workflow helpful, but I don't find autoroute that useful unless I'm running out of ideas on a particular trace. If I do use autoroute, I'm more likely to use it to route one net at a time in the order I prefer (power paths first, then larger nets or inescapable longer traces). I will usually have to adjust most auto-routed traces to be shorter or have better shape. I also enforce manhattan routing on them as I get better results when I do it on more complex circuits.

For what it’s worth, DipTrace just has a notoriously shitty system for importing and converting libraries, even though they’re the only PCB cad

I fight with the library system every time I use the program. It is not intuitive. However, the rest of the program is amazing.

Here's another circuit I brewed up over the last few months. It's the preamp section of the Green Matamp 120 in pedal format, based on schematics I found. This one is verified.


I will probably go back and add SMD mounts for the J201s and such. Bugg has ruined me for needing symmetry haha, I have been spoiled by buying and using his boards.

 

[Grubb]

Not to spam the thread, but I worked on this today and feel pretty happy with the outcome. It's a Boss DS-1 circuit, but with the Wampler JCM mods baked in, which is mostly capacitor value changes that thicken the tone. BW gives two suggested gain options for his mod, both of which are available on this circuit via the Gain switch. And then I've added the ability to also select between symmetrical or asymmetrical for the hard-clipping diodes. I've called it the Goldfish both because of the original pedal's colour and also how common they are.



Of course, I could just mod a real DS-1, but that's not as much fun for me as home-brewing a PCB.

 

[Grubb]

And this one is a Nobels ODR-S clone with added clipping mods which I have finally managed to condense into 125B format after many failed attempts. Happy days!

 

[MarX Halvick]

Pretty pcbs here ! I'm hijacking the thread to know if you guys have a printed pcb provider that you would recommend ? (i'm from canada). Thanks !

 

[Big Monk]

Pretty pcbs here ! I'm hijacking the thread to know if you guys have a printed pcb provider that you would recommend ? (i'm from canada). Thanks !

I use JLCPCB. Great service and tons of tiered shipping options depending on how fast you need things.

 

[JamieJ]

Pretty pcbs here ! I'm hijacking the thread to know if you guys have a printed pcb provider that you would recommend ? (i'm from canada). Thanks !

I use JLCPCB. The prices and quality seems to be good but I find the delivery (to the UK) to be pretty slow.

 

[Grubb]

I tried OSH Park to begin with - awesome quality but a little more expensive. Located on your continent, I believe. But like the others, I mostly use JLCPCB. Cheap, but still good quality. Postage to Australia is also pretty slow, but I choose the cheapest postage option, so that's probably on me.

 

[Big Monk]

Postage to Australia is also pretty slow, but I choose the cheapest postage option, so that's probably on me.

Yup. Standard Air Mail is the “Long Boat” option.

I used normal shipping for $10 or so once to a get a quick turnaround on my Universal Fuzz board and it got here in 8 days.

 

[Big Monk]

Revised Forum Fuzz. I took the opportunity to add some more features "under the hood":

 

[vigilante398]

I don't really have anything to contribute, but I feel like I should be here anyway. Enjoying the pics

 

[Grubb]

Revised Forum Fuzz. I took the opportunity to add some more features "under the hood":
View attachment 24893

Looks good @Big Monk . Just wondering though if you have traces running the same path on opposite sides of the board just to the left of the Gain pot? I've been told that it's best to avoid that if possible.

What are the baked-in features? I would love to hear more about this circuit!

 

[dan.schumaker]

Due to the bad influence of others on this forum, pushing me to explore this more, here is something I finished up today. It is a 2 BBD delay, giving 600ms of delay time in a 1590A. This has a charge pump to drive the BBD's at 15V, and I added a switch to tap into the first BBD, hopefully giving a sort of rhythmic delay.