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I got a spool of Worthington 97/3 Rosin Core solder and have been using it for a long time.  I've always had problems getting solder to stick.  I just assumed my technique was bad.  (to be fair, it probably kind of is)  I recently built a project from a kit that came with a small roll of solder and it worked beautifully.  I've never had a board look so good.  My question is, what kind of solder do you guys use?  Also, is there a reason the stuff I was using before refuses to cooperate so often? 

You can try and squeeze this in there. https://www.motleymods.com/collections/box-mod-diy-kits/products/1591b-20700-green   

If there's enough room for two batteries though.  Looks like the biggest part of that list.   

That would be awesome. I'm a sucker for novelty.  A vape stomp box? Brilliant!

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I was thinking it could look intentional rather than slacking.  You could even plug the hole with a vaping mouthpiece.

Ah, yes.  I see.  That's a cool idea!

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(Note the foot facing LED in the pic.  Oops.)

On a marijuana-themed pedal, you could get away with an open hole there. Just saying. 

Yeah.  The big pot leaf kinda implies a bit of slackerism.  I wish I could say I was stoned when I did it, but I haven't smoked pot in 10 years!  Just good old fashioned complacency.  I like the design, though.  It's not the best sounding pedal I've made, but it's the best looking by far.  I'll reuse it with a better circuit and make a few of them for some local guitarists in the stoner rock scene.

Thanks.  Found that picture somewhere in the internet and she looks exactly like our pet dog who passed away 2 years ago. I miss her.

Yours is cool too. Weed pedal, weed guitar.  He a reggae guitarist? hehe I like it.  That input jack it's way up near the pot.  Pcb mounted? Have you tried image transfer using mod podge?  Has anybody done it? Does yours leave a smooth finish after?  I made one last month for a friend bassist and I didn't get a smooth surface (Maybe because I only have inkjet printer). Cool thing about it is that it made it look worn, like I relic'ed it or something.  I wonder how I can get it like decal smooth..

The in/out jacks (as well as the oddly placed LED) is poor execution.  I marked the top holes after drilling the sides and had the drill guide upside down, so the jacks were too high and DC jack was on the bottom.  I repurposed the DC jack hole for the LED and had to do some maneuvering with the pots.  They are 9mm pots, so it could have been worse.  Each pedal is a learning experience.  I sprayed 5 coats of clear lacquer after the decal was set and it came out pretty smooth. 
(Note the foot facing LED in the pic.  Oops.)

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See the 1st attachment.  I used the vinegar added in warm water trick.  I don't know if it's supposed to look like that but I think I f'ed it up. It's still wet and I'm waiting for it to completely dry. The 2nd pic is just dipped in warm water then applied onto enclosure. If you look closely, you can see the wonky black line to the left.  PS, I don't sand my enclosures except for those that have deep scratches.

@ddj3891 what did you use?  How did it go?

Also, I dig the graphics on yours.  Good job!

See the 1st attachment.  I used the vinegar added in warm water trick.  I don't know if it's supposed to look like that but I think I f'ed it up. :- It's still wet and I'm waiting for it to completely dry. The 2nd pic is just dipped in warm water then applied onto enclosure. If you look closely, you can see the wonky black line to the left.  PS, I don't sand my enclosures except for those that have deep scratches.

@ddj3891 what did you use?  How did it go?

I used waterslide decal paper from Amazon.  I printed it and sprayed it with clear coat and let it sit for 24 hours.  I set it in warm water for a couple minutes and it slid on a stuck pretty good.  The weather is cool so I dried it with a hair drier.  I'm really pleased with the result.  I made it for a friend to go along with a marijuana themed guitar he made. 


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I think that Madbean has the best quality PCBs out there.  I'm curious: What program do you use to design your cicuits and who does Madbean  get to make the PCBs. 
I'm an amateur who is just now trying to figure out Eagle, but I'd like to get one of my simple circuits on a legit PCB instead of my usual perf board.  Any advice is welcome.

I was a fan of Mammoth Electronics' selection of enclosures.  They had more color options of powder coated boxes than any other resource I've used.  Does anyone know of another place that offers a selection other than black or white?

Attaching a footswitch to the actual effect circuit is one of the most predictable paths of future failure, IMO. The footswitch is the point that receives the highest mechanical force exerted on the enclosure (which is itself not as rigid as it might seem). Any flex on the enclosure from stomping on the switch could lead to small fractures in the solder joints on that switch which will lead to failure at some point. When you have two separate boards, there's no rigid plane to cause those failures: the small footswitch PCB simply has nothing trying to keep it in one plane.

That makes sense.  That's why your the guru and I'm just a grasshopper. Thanks!

I've gotten some of the footswitch PCBs from the fine folks here at Madbean Pedals and they really make things easier.  I'm curious, though, as to why the footswitch PCB isn't built into the pedal circuit PCB to begin with.  As I type this, I am thinking it has to do with different dimensions of footswitches and pots and may have answered my own question.  I still welcome responses from folks more knowledgeable than I am.

Awesome.  Thanks!

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When it comes time to adding the finishing touches to my enclosure, it typically involves spray paint and stickers.  I see some of you guys have some very professional looking enclosures with nice graphics and shiny epoxy stuff going on. I'm ready to upgrade the looks of my boxes so I can show them off without having to give the disclaimer of "I know it's ugly, but wait 'till you hear it". What are some of your techniques and where can I go to learn to master the magic that you guys are using?

The muddbunny civil war calls for 430p caps.  The suppliers I use don't carry that.  Can I substitute that with another value without compromising the circuit?
The only resource that I know has them is mouser, but they have so many options I always end up getting weird sized caps because I don't know all the details to match what I'd get from mammoth or small bear.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.

The Mudbunny Civil War calls for 430p caps, but my usual suppliers don't carry them. Can I substitute them with another value?

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