DIY Effects

[Woodinblack]

I just used a car spray paint can and a lot of coats, followed by some lacquer. Seemed to work ok

 

[bobbass4k]

10 hours ago, ordep said:

any tips on painting enclosures? got a couple of raw ones that I want to paint. Looking for something thats durable but wont break the bank.

 

If it matters, I am looking at painting them white. 

Sand down well with 400-600 grit wet'n'dry, wipe clean with acetone/spirits, couple of coats of primer, leave to dry, few coats of spray paint of choice, drill, touch up any problems cause by the drilling, graphics, few coats of clear coat. You could drill first, but as the painting can take a day or two with drying time, I like to work on my drill template/design while the paints drying. 

I use all rustoleum stuff because i usually don't have the foresight to plan ahead and end up going to the local DIY store. With proper priming you can use any general purpose spray paint really. I think you can get specialist aluminium primer, but I've found the general purpose rustoleum primer to do the job, just make sure you sand properly (the primer needs something to grip to). 

[bartelby]

Sorting out my Gristleizer build. Can’t find some of the bits though! 🙄

This will be a eurorack module, but with 3.5mm and 6mm ins and outs.

[paul_5]

3 hours ago, bartelby said:

Sorting out my Gristleizer build. Can’t find some of the bits though! 🙄

This will be a eurorack module, but with 3.5mm and 6mm ins and outs.

what bits do you need?

[bartelby]

Just a couple of pots and sockets so a quick order from Rapid. 

[ordep]

Thanks @Woodinblack and @bobbass4k

[bobbass4k]

Just stumbled across these at work, forget hunting down original JRC4558s, clearly these are now the key to that truly golden tubescreamer sound... all for a very reasonable £50.... http://www.profusionplc.com/parts/orange-dd 

[paul_5]

Finished a Fuzzdog Bug Muff Blend pedal this week - lovely thing. Built it to Black Russian specs but I didn’t have 390 ohm resistors did the transistor emitters so used 330 instead; just a smidgen more gain never hurt anyone, right?

I think there’s a phasing issue with the blend though.

[jposega]

Is there a UK equivalent to Small Bear? They’ve got amazing customer service, selection, and prices in the US. I could order parts from their, but the shipping and VAT would be way more costly than buying parts domestically.

[Bigwan]

26 minutes ago, jposega said:

Is there a UK equivalent to Small Bear? They’ve got amazing customer service, selection, and prices in the US. I could order parts from their, but the shipping and VAT would be way more costly than buying parts domestically.

RS, farnell, rapid electronics, loads of ebay options.

[Bigwan]

Had 3 Brutalist Jr PCBs delivered the other day. Maybe get around to building one of them in 2020...

[paul_5]

Technobots carry a lot of stock too, definitely worth a look.

[bobbass4k]

3 hours ago, jposega said:

Is there a UK equivalent to Small Bear? They’ve got amazing customer service, selection, and prices in the US. I could order parts from their, but the shipping and VAT would be way more costly than buying parts domestically.

Bitsbox is probably the closest, they're geared to the hobbyist, and the audio/pedal hobbyist in particular. They don't have quite the selection of the big boys and the prices aren't rock bottom but no minimums, low fixed postage and reliable delivery make them my goto for low volume/last minute orders. 

[jposega]

Cool, thanks. Much faster with more insight to ask the forum rather than hitting up Google.

[Bigwan]

Can anyone think of a way to blend between 3 separate signals using a single pot? I want:

1. signal "A" full volume, signals "B" and "C" totally off at 0% pot travel
2. signal "B" full volume, signals "A" and "C" totally off at 50% pot travel
3. signal "C" full volume, signals "A" and "B" totally off at 100% pot travel

In honesty I can think of 2 different ways of doing this, both of which are quite involved, but was wondering if anyone could come up with simpler way!!!

[Woodinblack]

No, not without using a three gang custom type pot. Which is not cheap, or easy to use. Or electronics. Or a switch.

[bartelby]

1 hour ago, Bigwan said:

Can anyone think of a way to blend between 3 separate signals using a single pot? I want:

1. signal "A" full volume, signals "B" and "C" totally off at 0% pot travel
2. signal "B" full volume, signals "A" and "C" totally off at 50% pot travel
3. signal "C" full volume, signals "A" and "B" totally off at 100% pot travel

In honesty I can think of 2 different ways of doing this, both of which are quite involved, but was wondering if anyone could come up with simpler way!!!

what would you be expecting to happen at 25% and 75%?

[Bigwan]

Just now, bartelby said:

what would you be expecting to happen at 25% and 75%?

at 25% a 50/50 blend of A and B, no C. At 75% a 50/50 blend of B and C, no A.

[Bigwan]

I should probably say I think it can be done as follows:

1. with transconductance amplifiers like the LM13600/13700 (see "interpolating scanner" project online) where one of these devices acts as a volume control per channel
2. with an arduino reading the input pot as a voltage divider and controlling digital pots on the i2c bus to act as volume controls for each channel based on the position/voltage output from the pot

But I can't think of an easier way to do it. 

[Woodinblack]

Both of those are reasonably easy enough (although I would use a position sensor rather than a pot if I was doing an arduino). The arduino would give you the most accurate option

 

[Bigwan]

3 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Both of those are reasonably easy enough (although I would use a position sensor rather than a pot if I was doing an arduino). The arduino would give you the most accurate option

 

Position sensor? Like a rotary encoder? 

[Woodinblack]

Yes, you can get absolute position rotary encoders. Otherwise the problem is working out where it is.

Does it absolutely need to be a 3 way control like you said? I can imagine it being a bit fussy around the middle area.

[Bigwan]

Yes and yes! 

[rmorris]

On 4/12/2018 at 15:10, Bigwan said:

RS, farnell, rapid electronics, loads of ebay options.

+1 and add CPC - same company as Farnell but prices sometimes cheaper and free delivery over £5 if willing to wait 3/5 days.

Albeit Product info' / datasheets etc sometimes a bit minimal . Check their Bargains / Clearances too.

Bitsbox handy .

Switch Electronics (from memory)

For larger orders Digikey ( and maybe Mouser) can be better - good UK delivery times.

I was checking some Neutrik connectors prices out at work the other week and the difference was BIG.

Edited May 3, 2018 by rmorris

[bobbass4k]

I get the bulk of my stuff from CPC now as I get a frankly embarrassing Farnell staff discount and the quality is fairly good on the cheap stuff. They have a lot of unbranded/generic resistors/caps that are exactly what you'd get off ebay or a bulk seller.

Just to add, Banzai in Germany is also a good one to have bookmarked. Their prices can be quite high, but if you're struggling to find something, Banzai probably have it (I just bought a 100k reverse log 9mm pot that I literally couldn't find anywhere else). Postage is a bit steep but it's a fixed price you won't get stung taxes so it's still cheaper than america.