Naming the pots on board

[allsmoke]

While it's pretty easy to figure out if you can read a schematic, thought I'd suggest adding labels to pots on boards where all pots are the same value. Not everyone reads schematics, so for labeling purposes, it could help them (off the top of my head I'm thinking things like the Byrdhouse where there are 2 x 250k B pots, and the build materials tells you what each one is for, but doesn't identify it on the board itself.
Again, not a big deal to figure out, but just a suggestion intended in the nicest possible way!

 

[Alan W]

The boards have the value and taper of the pots labeled, but not their use. If the full documentation is available for the board, pretty often (and this is something that seems to be happening more often, so I assume it’s becoming SOP) the drill template has the pots all labeled, so that’s been a useful work around.

If the docs aren’t available, I’ll typically do a search by title, and find the mockup that @music6000 has posted—even though I can read the schematics, it’s good to have a confirmation.

This is not to say that it’s not a good idea!

 

[andare]

I don't need the labels if the docs are there (unless all the pots are the same and I can't see the traces) but what I do need is to know the positions of the toggle switches because those are not always like the original pedals, case in point the Unpleasant Surprise fuzz, the 3 toggles are not in the same order. Another one is the Caesar. Which way is sine wave?
Of course I can find out when I test the board but knowing beforehand speeds things up.

 

[szukalski]

I agree that it’d be a great addition with relatively low effort, though it will throw the board symmetry out a bit.

The only things I could ever see improving on PPCB boards are name labels on the pots/switches, and type (on/on or on/off/on) on the switches (this may already be present).

 

[Harry Klippton]

I suspect you could learn how to read schematics before @Robert gets around to doing this

 

[Guardians of the analog]

You could turn the knobs and see what they do. Volume, tone, gain, etc... Should be pretty obvious what they do. Reading schematics should be day one stuff.

Edit: forget I mentioned anything

 

[jimilee]

You could turn the knobs and see what they do. Volume, tone, gain, etc... Should be pretty obvious what they do. Reading schematics should be day one stuff.

I agree, turn knobs. However, I disagree schematic reading should be day one stuff. From a hobby point of view, I never really understood schematics and what was happening until I started learning eagle. I feel like, as you get a feel for building and troubleshooting, schematic reading will come with time.

 

[Fama]

You could turn the knobs and see what they do. Volume, tone, gain, etc... Should be pretty obvious what they do. Reading schematics should be day one stuff.

FWIW I really only build my pedals whem I have UV printed enclosures ready.

 

[Guardians of the analog]

I don't know, I tried to offer a suggestion. All the years I've been building and I've never had a problem.

 

[andare]

You could turn the knobs and see what they do. Volume, tone, gain, etc... Should be pretty obvious what they do. Reading schematics should be day one stuff.

Took me a year or more to get comfy with schematics. Breadboarding was the game changer

 

[Harry Klippton]

I've also searched the forum for other build reports to see how stuff is labeled but don't tell anyone I said this

 

[Guardians of the analog]

I've also searched the forum for other build reports to see how stuff is labeled but don't tell anyone I said this

There are build reports with labeled enclosures?

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

I've also searched the forum for other build reports to see how stuff is labeled but don't tell anyone I said this

Same. Especially since I frequently design enclosures before I even have the PCB on hand

 

[jimilee]

FWIW I really only build my pedals whem I have UV printed enclosures ready.

Wow, that’s commitment right there!

 

[szukalski]

I don't see a down-side. Those who would benefit from labels will do so, those who don't want to use them can scrub theirs out with black marker or do builds in the dark, or whatever makes them happy.

 

[jimilee]

I don't see a down-side. Those who would benefit from labels will do so, those who don't want to use them can scrub theirs out with black marker or do builds in the dark, or whatever makes them happy.

I guess my point was, what happens if you can’t get it working I may or may not have done it.

I label because I can’t remember what what they do, or what the pedal is for. Yaaay for being old.

 

[Fama]

Wow, that’s commitment right there!

I hate blank enclosures for my own use (no offense to anyone using those, you do you), and I like the graphical design parts and getting a nice looking enclosure. I also haven't had a good way to audition boards without wiring the input, output and DC jack (which should be fixed as soon as I get my next Tayda order), so it makes sense for me to go all the way with all my builds.

I do have a couple of pedals where my wife has agreed to paint the enclosures (from before I even started using the UV print service), but it can take her a good while to get to it, so one of them has been built for a couple of months now, waiting for the enclosure. That's pretty annoying too, but I know it will be good once she gets to it.

 

[jimilee]

I hate blank enclosures for my own use (no offense to anyone using those, you do you), and I like the graphical design parts and getting a nice looking enclosure. I also haven't had a good way to audition boards without wiring the input, output and DC jack (which should be fixed as soon as I get my next Tayda order), so it makes sense for me to go all the way with all my builds.

I do have a couple of pedals where my wife has agreed to paint the enclosures (from before I even started using the UV print service), but it can take her a good while to get to it, so one of them has been built for a couple of months now, waiting for the enclosure. That's pretty annoying too, but I know it will be good once she gets to it.

I can respect that. And yep, a good test rig is a life saver.

 

[Laundryroom David]

You could turn the knobs and see what they do. Volume, tone, gain, etc... Should be pretty obvious what they do. Reading schematics should be day one stuff.

Edit: forget I mentioned anything

I see utility in having them labelled either on board or build docs. I also agree that, to paraphrase, it would be best practice to be able to read schematics.

How’s that for diplomacy?

 

[Robert]

The controls are labeled on the drill template in the newer build docs.

I started labeling the controls on the boards a couple years ago... label on the component side, values on the solder side, but a lot of folks missed the values so I haven't done it in a while.