Harry Klippton's pedalboard build

[Harry Klippton]

I've mentioned this a bunch in various threads (workbench etc) but wanted to detail this in full here now that it's really complete.

This is my new pedalboard build. It's solid 3/4" oak with half blind dovetails. I did a couple light coats of tru oil. It's about 18"x 12". In and out cables with sp400 plugs are soldered to the in and out jacks with electrosocket cups. The deck has velcro-brand loop fabric. Dual lock sticks to it well. It's got rat feet on the bottom, and a blank silkscreened PCB logo badge. All things considered, I'm happy with how it came out.


That being said, I'm already planning for its replacement. As you do, I learned a lot in making this and I'm excited to make a better one. I also started this in 2019 and my needs have changed since then.

Probably about 2016, I saw some boards made by Salvage Custom and thought they looked incredibly cool. That business seemed to have imploded at some point and I had decided I wanted to make my own because that's what I want to do with everything. Down below are a couple pics of my old board that the new one is replacing.

 

[Harry Klippton]

Here's the old board

 

[steviejr92]

Quite a difference! Awesome workmanship!

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

It’s a beaut! Those half-blind dovetails are fantastic. I definitely get the salvage custom vibe— had forgotten all about them but I remember them from the early Instagram days.
It would be a shame for this one to not get used when you build the replacement you’re planning, so I guess that means you need to plan on building some bass pedals to put on this one when that time comes

 

[steviejr92]

Loving those L brackets he used to hold the top board up!

 

[Harry Klippton]

It’s a beaut! Those half-blind dovetails are fantastic. I definitely get the salvage custom vibe— had forgotten all about them but I remember them from the early Instagram days.
It would be a shame for this one to not get used when you build the replacement you’re planning, so I guess that means you need to plan on building some bass pedals to put on this one when that time comes

My buddy said he wants to buy it when I build the new one. I offered to build him a custom one but he wants this one

Loving those L brackets he used to hold the top board up!

I'm undecided on the L brackets actually. I might try a cleat on a subsequent build

 

[Paradox916]

 

[Harry Klippton]

View attachment 52178

Just for that, I'm posting one

 

[Harry Klippton]

Something tells me @Alan W may have some good advice for this- I used a spray adhesive to put the loop fabric on the deck, which is 1/2" Birch plywood, but it didn't adhere as well as I would have liked. I did spray both surfaces and wait a minute or so until the glue started turning tacky. I also let it sit for 24 hours before messing with it. I might need to clamp it or put some weight on it to make it adhere better next time because it's not going to hold together with frequent pedal swaps

 

[Alan W]

Something tells me @Alan W may have some good advice for this- I used a spray adhesive to put the loop fabric on the deck, which is 1/2" Birch plywood, but it didn't adhere as well as I would have liked. I did spray both surfaces and wait a minute or so until the glue started turning tacky. I also let it sit for 24 hours before messing with it. I might need to clamp it or put some weight on it to make it adhere better next time because it's not going to hold together with frequent pedal swaps

I’ll bite. Spraying both surfaces is much better than just one, if they’re porous. But, as you’re finding out, maybe not enough. Ply is like a sponge, and since spray adhesives typically are fairly light mists, I have to think back to when we would’ve used brush on contact cement to do that job. The instructions always said to apply one coat on porous surfaces, let it dry (loses the tacky feeling) and then apply a second coat, wait until it’s tacky to the fingers, but doesn’t lift off—so I’d recommend this approach with spray adhesives. Do a first, wet coat on the ply. Let it completely dry, then do your normal process.

The other technique would be to make the ply less porous — put a coat of shellac, or a sanding sealer, where you’re going to put the loop fabric, and after it dries do the typical spray both sides.

Clamping for a day may help, it’s absolutely worth a try. It may not be ideal, aesthetically, but staples along the edges would work too. They probably make black staples, if you’re fussy. (Yeah, I‘m fussy about those details.)

 

[Dan0h]

Sweet!

 

[szukalski]

I still like the look of the old board..

 

[ADAOCE]

I'm undecided on the L brackets actually. I might try a cleat on a subsequent build

My board uses cleats screwed into the vertical boards and the top board sits on top and screws in. See pics

By the way you did a great job that looks awesome. Having the connections on the sides is nice and convenient.

 

[Harry Klippton]

I still like the look of the old board..

You know I don't hate it. My buddy asked me if it was wood salvaged from my house

My board uses cleats screwed into the vertical boards and the top board sits on top and screws in. See pics

By the way you did a great job that looks awesome. Having the connections on the sides is nice and convenient.

Thanks. Your board is also gorgeous!

 

[Harry Klippton]

I've been thinking about making a new board after using this one for a while. Here are some things I'd like to implement

• Hinged deck. I've yet to find full overlay hinges that close at <90°. I'd put a bottom on it, mount my power supply there, and do all my routing there.
• More integrated I/O routing. I want a splitter that sends my guitar signal straight to my DI so I always have an unaffected DI track in my DAW for reamping. Having some insert points for off-board pedals might be handy too. I'd love to find an elegant way to incorporate something like the 3-channel splitter
• External dc ports for powering pedals off the board. This one is easy to implement
• Integrated ABY/ channel splitting so I have immediate access to both channels on my amp. It might be cool to have the switches built right into the board, but maybe having a separate enclosure would be better so the switches are the same height as the other pedals

 

[Erik S]

All that routing and splitting stuff is way over my head, but solving box-design problems with specialty hinges is very interesting to me. I think I understand that you want a hinge with a pivot above the deck so you can keep the deck-inset-in-frame design? Interested to see what you come up with.

Just thinking about this and doodling pedalboards... Could it make sense to hinge the bottom? So instead of flipping up the deck to reveal a box, you'd flip up the deck and sides to reveal a flat platform/ bottom? You'd need to work out a latch, but the hinge might be simpler, and possibly your pedals/ deck would stand vertical instead of being flipped all the way over?

 

[Joben Magooch]

I've been thinking about making a new board after using this one for a while. Here are some things I'd like to implement

• Hinged deck. I've yet to find full overlay hinges that close at <90°. I'd put a bottom on it, mount my power supply there, and do all my routing there.

I had a similar arrangement about a year ago and used these hinges. They say 90 degree, but I found they closed a bit beyond that, probably about 15 degrees past if my math is roughly accurate.

A little messy/busy in there, but you get the idea. Buncha power stuff, buffer on the input, stereo I/o, headphone out, etc.

 

[Harry Klippton]

I had a similar arrangement about a year ago and used these hinges. They say 90 degree, but I found they closed a bit beyond that, probably about 15 degrees past if my math is roughly accurate.
View attachment 60200
A little messy/busy in there, but you get the idea. Buncha power stuff, buffer on the input, stereo I/o, headphone out, etc.

Goddamn that's a huge board

 

[ADAOCE]

I've been thinking about making a new board after using this one for a while. Here are some things I'd like to implement

• Hinged deck. I've yet to find full overlay hinges that close at <90°. I'd put a bottom on it, mount my power supply there, and do all my routing there.
• More integrated I/O routing. I want a splitter that sends my guitar signal straight to my DI so I always have an unaffected DI track in my DAW for reamping. Having some insert points for off-board pedals might be handy too. I'd love to find an elegant way to incorporate something like the 3-channel splitter
• External dc ports for powering pedals off the board. This one is easy to implement
• Integrated ABY/ channel splitting so I have immediate access to both channels on my amp. It might be cool to have the switches built right into the board, but maybe having a separate enclosure would be better so the switches are the same height as the other pedals

Any movement on this? I’m thinking the same thing recently. I’m working with my buddy to build a Schmidt array type board. I made a nice template out of mdf and did all the math to figure out the actual dimensions of the SA including the top deck size and curved side pieces. Depending how goes I can send you the template I made. Planning on doing the side routing I/o boxes too.

 

[Harry Klippton]

Any movement on this? I’m thinking the same thing recently. I’m working with my buddy to build a Schmidt array type board. I made a nice template out of mdf and did all the math to figure out the actual dimensions of the SA including the top deck size and curved side pieces. Depending how goes I can send you the template I made. Planning on doing the side routing I/o boxes too.

I haven't worked on this yet. Currently working on some other big projects ahead of it. I'm eager to see what you come up with though