How Did This Happen? - Acid Rain Fuzz

[BQFS]

This worked the first time I turned it on, but the controls worked backwards. Unless I missed something, I didn't see anything that told me how to position the pots. Clearly, they go the other way around (I saw a picture of one that someone else built and it shows the top pots positioned above the board, whereas mine are on the board. See the pics below Shouldn't the build instructions explain this important information?

I am kind of upset because I always test before drilling, and for some reason, I didn't on this one and have probably ruined a nice painted enclosure.

So, in future, how does one go about determining the correct orientation if it isn't shown in the build instructions?

Thanks in advance for suggestions, constructive criticism, etc.

 

[GizzWizzKing]

I've never seen a PedalPCB project with the knobs oriented upside down like this. I imagine every build will orient the pots the other way round unless specifically noted. The schematic and ground pads would be good indicators as well.

 

[Gordo]

The square pads for the pots indicate pin 1 on the pot. Looking at the back of the pot with the pins on the bottom they’re labeled 3 2 1 from left to right. How do I know this? From doing exactly what you did and cursing and swearing the whole time I spent unsoldering the pots

On the plus side you’ll never make the mistake again.

Use a solder sucker, and/or desoldering braid. Take your time and you’ll do fine.

 

[jwin615]

Carry this mix up/mistake and this unfortunate sidejacks as a badge of honor. A rights of passage.
Box it. Rock it. But never forget.

(Pots point north to allow for top jacks btw)

Happy building!

 

[BQFS]

So, I had to write the pretty box off as a complete loss. Then I drilled another identically sized box and found that it was all I could do to mount the pcb correctly. I removed (desoldered) the controls and resoldered them in the correct position, only to find that the drill pattern was wrong. If I had followed the pattern, the top mounted jacks would have run right into the pcb, or vice-versa depending on your point of view.

Fortunately for me, I drilled the holes for the dc and in/out jacks first. Then it was easy to observe that the pattern for the controls was correct, but too near the top. So I shifted the pattern down a bit, but not too far or it wouldn't have left enough room for the switch.

Whomever created the drill pattern appears to have made errors. All is well now though, and yes, I have learned a lot through this series of errors.

 

[eh là bas ma]

So, I had to write the pretty box off as a complete loss. Then I drilled another identically sized box and found that it was all I could do to mount the pcb correctly. I removed (desoldered) the controls and resoldered them in the correct position, only to find that the drill pattern was wrong. If I had followed the pattern, the top mounted jacks would have run right into the pcb, or vice-versa depending on your point of view.

Fortunately for me, I drilled the holes for the dc and in/out jacks first. Then it was easy to observe that the pattern for the controls was correct, but too near the top. So I shifted the pattern down a bit, but not too far or it wouldn't have left enough room for the switch.

Whomever created the drill pattern appears to have made errors. All is well now though, and yes, I have learned a lot through this series of errors.

I guess you could also have wired your pots, to be able to get the pcb away from the DC powerjack, and keep your first enclosure ?

with pots connected with wires, the pcb would be less stable, but you can use some piece of foam, plastic or cardboard to keep it steady in the closed enclosure.

 

[BQFS]

I guess you could also have wired your pots, to be able to get the pcb away from the DC powerjack, and keep your first enclosure ?

with pots connected wth wires, the pcb would be less stable, but you can use some piece of foam, plastic or cardboard to keep it steady in the closed enclosure.

That is a truly superb idea that would never have crossed my mind in a million years. Thank you VERY much for that suggestion. I have already redone the enclosure, but I didn't throw out the old one, hoping to be able to use it for something at some point. I will keep your excellent suggestion in mind.

My weakness in life has always been my inability to visualize things, so a lot of how I figure things out is what I call "error and error" as opposed to trial and error. lol. This is a perfect example of that. I wish I could say this was the first time something like this happened... Anyway, thanks again.

 

[BQFS]

The square pads for the pots indicate pin 1 on the pot. Looking at the back of the pot with the pins on the bottom they’re labeled 3 2 1 from left to right. How do I know this? From doing exactly what you did and cursing and swearing the whole time I spent unsoldering the pots

On the plus side you’ll never make the mistake again.

Use a solder sucker, and/or desoldering braid. Take your time and you’ll do fine.

You are TOO right. I am a highly experienced tech, but visualizing how things should fit has always been my #1 weakness in life. I did indeed use my faithful solder sucker to remove the pots and insert them correctly. All is well.

With the clarity of hindsight, I saw the square marking but my pots don't have 1 2 3 on them. Oh well, now I know.

It is somewhat comforting that I'm not the only one who did something like this. Oh well, live and learn, right?

 

[eh là bas ma]

I didn't throw out the old one, hoping to be able to use it for something at some point. I will keep your excellent suggestion in mind.

4 holes like that... i'd suggest Aion BD-2 clone with the extra bass control (Aion's Sapphire), or Aion's Meridian compressor, or PPCB Gravitation reverb, or Delyk's Up Down Daddy Octaver (Pearl OC-7 clone).

They're all excellent choices in their own category, maybe even among the best possible options...

 

[BQFS]

That's great. Again, something I never ever would have thought of. I will check those out. Thank you very much!

 

[Feral Feline]

... I didn't throw out the old one, hoping to be able to use it for something at some point. ...

That's good. Even badly borked enclosures can be repurposed as a test mule, a breadboard-buddy or other ... just need to get creative to see the ugly-duckling's potential. YOUR enclosure isn't badly borked, nor is it ugly. Definitely just needs the right circuit(s) inside it.

Further to eh là bas ma's excellent Aion suggestions, know that Aion has LEGACY boards that are specifically meant for retro-builds with side-jacks. Also know that Aion has seen the future, and that is why these projects are legacy and not employing current methods of building pedals for effective pedalboard real-estate management.

IN ADDITION, MadBean has taken a step back in time to the BC era, the BLUNDERING CRETINACEOUS-PERIOD of pedal-building, for reasons unknown other than nostalgia and also illogically once again offers side-jack projects known as "THE STANDARD" series. One step forward, two big steps back.


I'd go for Delyk's UpDown Daddy.

...
With the clarity of hindsight, I saw the square marking but my pots don't have 1 2 3 on them. Oh well, now I know.

It is somewhat comforting that I'm not the only one who did something like this. Oh well, live and learn, right?

RIGHT!

Here's a pot-primer by DIY Doyen RG Keen:

The Secret Life of Pots

... Which oddly doesn't have a simple diagram showing the pinout. I wish I'd seen the following when I first started building:

 

[BQFS]

Being new to pedal building, I didn't know that there was a preference for top or side mounting the jacks. Seems to me that a lot of pedals currently marketed can be found with both types of configuration. So, is top mounting the preferred method these days or does it matter?

 

[Robert]

Whomever created the drill pattern appears to have made errors.

The drill template was created for a 125B enclosure.

That is a Hammond 1590BB3 enclosure you have there, they have different dimensions.

 

[BQFS]

The drill template was created for a 125B enclosure.

That is a Hammond 1590BB3 enclosure you have there, they have different dimensions.

Well, that certainly explains it. Hard to know which one is which without a scorecard. lol. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Robert]

I wasn't familiar with the BB3 until your post.

I believe the Hammond 1590N1 is the 125B equivalent.

 

[HamishR]

"I am a highly experienced tech, but visualizing how things should fit has always been my #1 weakness in life."

I'm almost the exact opposite! I have no trouble with visualisation, but struggle with anything technical and to do with formulas or complex math.

 

[Feral Feline]

Being new to pedal building, I didn't know that there was a preference for top or side mounting the jacks. Seems to me that a lot of pedals currently marketed can be found with both types of configuration. So, is top mounting the preferred method these days or does it matter?

It's whatever you like.

That's the beauty of DIY.
I like to poke fun of the old-school side-jacks, but...
...There are pros and cons to each way of jacking up an enclosure.

I wasn't familiar with the BB3 until your post.

I believe the Hammond 1590N1 is the 125B equivalent.

I've posted about the merits of the B3, both the Hammond B3 Organ and Hammond B3 Enclosure.
TTBOMK, neither organ company nor enclosure company came out with a BB3.

 

[Nostradoomus]

B3s are the bizness, just chonky enough to not be a problem but chonky enough to be...well....CHONKY