Build Your Own Clone Message Board

I'm kinda embarassed to show this one - this was my attempt at some very quick box labeling. I took a powder coated enclosure from PPP, and marked it with a Dremel engraver. The engraver came with a plastic lettering stencil, so I gave it a shot - I stenciled the leters with a sharpie, then egraved over that.

I wanted something durable, fast (band practice is tonight), and easy to read. I realized that some of my pedal lettering is hard to actually see when I'm standing up, looking down at my pedals. Maybe it's because I'm 6'3" and those pedals look like there a mile away down by my feet, or maybe it's because I'm getting old and I can't see that great anymore.. but I just wanted some large lettering for once.







I left my cheat sheet intact this time, for future reference ( I usually tear the layout diagram out with tweezers, because it looks cooler that way, lol.. ) - I socketed the trannys and 1 resistor for possible experimenting later.



edit: layout is gaussmarkov's

BTW, this was another case where I scoured through every parts bin I had to see if I had all the parts on hand. That's why there's a whole mish-mosh of different kinds of caps & resistors. Whatever, I'm done trying to make everything ally matchy and pretty. lol..

Awesome Jefe! So the stencils came with your dremel? Wierd, cuz ive never seen em hehe

Thanks! Mind you, I'm not talking about a Dremel rotary tool, this is an engraver - the head doesn't rotate, it just vibrates a pointy carbide tip. Mine didn't come with the blue stencils, just the orange one ($20 at Home Depot):



edit: now I kinda want some fancier stencils, lol

Sorry dude, I just read dremel
Looks cool, must find one now, thanks haha!

slick.

I saw one of those engravers a week or so ago at True Value. I'll have to pick one up.

Very nice, plus perf for extra points!!! I've never thought of using a cheat sheet that way . . . dammit, I look right over the good stuff!

I like the engraving - it's pretty friggin' cool. I may try some of that . . .

Oh, hells yeah! The cheat sheet is the way to go.. it's almost like having x-ray vision or something. I can see through perfboard!

But thanks for the kind words, guys. I wasn't sure what you all would think about the engraving. It's not the neatest looking thing in the world, but it's easy to read, and very easy & quick to apply. I guess my next thing to try is rub-on lettering, if I can find a good selection of sizes & texts... looks realy easy to apply, though.

Yeah, rub on lettering is fun, and surprisingly durable!

Nice vero board man. And I like the BnW paper overlay.

Hey now! This aint no stinkin' vero - this is perf! He perfed like a man perfs!!!!

*facepalm* Does it make it any better if I say that I meant to say perf?

I'm reviving one of my old threads to comment on the fact that I now HATE placing the LED near the footswitch like this. It may make the pedal easier to build, but it also makes the pedal a little harder to use, especially in a band setting. Sure, when you're home practicing by yourself, its very easy to hear when a BSIAB2 is on or off. But at band rehearsal, when i'm switching the pedal on and off during a song with my foot hoovering over the led, this blows. Led goes up near the top from now on.

Hmm.. You've got a good point there. I put the LED next to the switch too most of the time. May have to rethink that one from now on. Thanks for sharing!

It's something I didn't realize until I was actually in a band. I guess there's a reason why the mass-producers put the LED up near the top... Duh?

COOL IDEA!!!! I love the idea of just putting the layout on the perf board, I didnt even think of that!!!


How does this circuit sound? Can it get metal at all?

And yes - though Ive been LED'ing near the Footswitch, I am finally fed up with doing that, because my enclosures and this feature are causing me problems with having 9v batteries inside of my builds. This is an option that can ruin a sale if a customer wants the feature.

Great point!

Putting it on the side of the switch can help with visibility. Madbean does this on some of wiring diagrams.

Hmmm.. no, I wouldn't say it does metal per se.. I use it more for hard rock sound. Weezer, AC/DC, etc.. not that it nails either of those bands, but it gets me in the ballpark, which is close enough in a cover band setting.

I did this on a few pedals, but with my 12W shoes, I still can't see that damn LED.

I wear size 13. Yes, it is easy to block out the entire pedal.

LOL.. I bought a few 1590A enclosures.. I have yet to build anything in them. They're so small, I'm afraid they'll get lodged between the lugs of my shoe soles.