- Build Rating
My latest overdrive obsession is the Way Huge Saucy Box. The Effects Layouts Spice Runner was my gateway drug. I liked it so much, I quickly whipped up a custom PCB for the circuit, calling it the "Gigantic Sauce Container". That design was notable in that it was my first time using a "stacked" PCB scheme. The first one I built worked fine, but I wasn't happy with the aesthetics, so I built a second. I've been rocking that second since I built it. I sent @MichaelW one of the PCBs, and he built the Biggus Rubbermaid, and seems to really like it!
Next I wanted to shrink the physical size of the PCB, and moving to surface-mount technology is the obvious way to do that. And this thread, Getting Started with PCBA at JLCPCB was the catalyst for getting the SMD version of the design done. I'd done SMD via JLCPCB before, with success, but the linked thread had a bunch of useful tips and tricks for making the overall process easier/cheaper/better.
So here I present the surface-mount version of the "Gigantic Sauce Container". I was excited to power it on, but also worried I had once again made a stupid mistake like I did with my electrical bypass PCBs. But, everything worked just fine!
I think I could make this layout smaller still. I actually started with mostly 805-sized components, that's why everything is spaced out so much. But the linked thread suggested that 603-sized components, resistors in particular, have the largest availability of basic parts (i.e. no $3 feeder fee), so I switched most of the components to that size. I didn't want to re-route everything, so I left the components in their place. I also originally designed on a two-layer PCB, but the price increase for four layer is pretty modest, so I figured why not go four layers. All-in, I got away with only six total extended parts.
I'm also really happy with how the enclosure turned out. It's faux leather snakeskin from Amazon. I used 3M Super 77 spray adhesive to mate the faux snakeskin to the enclosure. Then I coated the whole thing with epoxy resin (Envirotex). This was a pretty decent resin pour. In the past, I've had trouble with the resin lifting from the decorations when I drill it, but not this time. All my past resin pours were over these mandala stickers. I suspect those stickers are too smooth/slick, and the resin doesn't really stick to it, and that's why it lifts during drilling. The faux snakeskin has a bit of texture to it, and I think that helped the resin adhere so that it didn't lift.
I've built over 100 pedals and my wife said she thinks the snakeskin is her favorite, so that's saying something!
Also as a first, I used JST headers for power and the switch. I didn't really make room for them on the PCB, but by luck, they fit (just barely, in the case of the power connector). 100 pedals in, and I don't know why I waited so long to do this. All my PCBs will have explicit pads for JST headers from now on. I'm a slow learner!
Now I've been bit by the SMD bug, I have plans to miniaturize a few more favorites!
I have a few spares of these assembled PCBs, if anyone is interested, PM me.
Next I wanted to shrink the physical size of the PCB, and moving to surface-mount technology is the obvious way to do that. And this thread, Getting Started with PCBA at JLCPCB was the catalyst for getting the SMD version of the design done. I'd done SMD via JLCPCB before, with success, but the linked thread had a bunch of useful tips and tricks for making the overall process easier/cheaper/better.
So here I present the surface-mount version of the "Gigantic Sauce Container". I was excited to power it on, but also worried I had once again made a stupid mistake like I did with my electrical bypass PCBs. But, everything worked just fine!
I think I could make this layout smaller still. I actually started with mostly 805-sized components, that's why everything is spaced out so much. But the linked thread suggested that 603-sized components, resistors in particular, have the largest availability of basic parts (i.e. no $3 feeder fee), so I switched most of the components to that size. I didn't want to re-route everything, so I left the components in their place. I also originally designed on a two-layer PCB, but the price increase for four layer is pretty modest, so I figured why not go four layers. All-in, I got away with only six total extended parts.
I'm also really happy with how the enclosure turned out. It's faux leather snakeskin from Amazon. I used 3M Super 77 spray adhesive to mate the faux snakeskin to the enclosure. Then I coated the whole thing with epoxy resin (Envirotex). This was a pretty decent resin pour. In the past, I've had trouble with the resin lifting from the decorations when I drill it, but not this time. All my past resin pours were over these mandala stickers. I suspect those stickers are too smooth/slick, and the resin doesn't really stick to it, and that's why it lifts during drilling. The faux snakeskin has a bit of texture to it, and I think that helped the resin adhere so that it didn't lift.
I've built over 100 pedals and my wife said she thinks the snakeskin is her favorite, so that's saying something!
Also as a first, I used JST headers for power and the switch. I didn't really make room for them on the PCB, but by luck, they fit (just barely, in the case of the power connector). 100 pedals in, and I don't know why I waited so long to do this. All my PCBs will have explicit pads for JST headers from now on. I'm a slow learner!
Now I've been bit by the SMD bug, I have plans to miniaturize a few more favorites!
I have a few spares of these assembled PCBs, if anyone is interested, PM me.
