A couple of layout question?

[RobA]

I'm doing a layout for a new effect that has 2 pots and 4 switches; Gain and Vol and Treble Boost, Fuzz, Octave, and Tone and I want to board mount them using 9mm pots and standard toggles in a 125B. So, here are the questions. First, assuming that no other parts are in the way and there is just the added depth of the PCB, is there enough room left to top mount the jacks in a 125B? How about if I went to a 1590BB instead. I'm doubting it in the 1590BB because top mounting in those things is tight already. The second question is how would you layout that set of controls? I was thinking the two knobs on top and then the four toggles on a row below that. That seems a bit weird though and unbalanced, but the two knobs and one switch on one row with three toggles below doesn't seem right either.

[jkokura]

I would say no. Without moving the switches and pots way down on the face of the enclosure, there's no room to top mount jacks if a PCB is up close to that end of the PCB. I find you need about 3/4" of clearance.

The best is if you do your layouts like I do, using 16mm top mount jacks that are lined up at the upper edge of the PCB. You can see it any one of the pedals I build and in all the projects I release.

As for the layout... Personally I would wonder what type of switches are being used first. If they're all SPDT or DPDT, you could get them in a row, directly below the two pots. I would use 16mm pots mounted along the top edge, like I normally do, with 1.25" spacing between the centre of each pot. Then I'd line up the switches directly below these pots. Exact spacing I can't remember off the top of my head.

Jacob

[RobA]

The switches are all SPDT except the Octave switch which is a DPDT. I do think they'd fit in one row.

I was afraid of that being the case with the pots. Thanks for the advice on using the 16mm rotated off the board. That does sound like the best solution.

[jkokura]

If you want top jacks, yes.

Also, of note, I usually err on the side of giving switches more room than they might need. The worst feeling in the world is getting to assembly stage and realizing the washers for your switches all overlap. Space those suckers out.

Jacob

[RobA]

If you want top jacks, yes.

Also, of note, I usually err on the side of giving switches more room than they might need. The worst feeling in the world is getting to assembly stage and realizing the washers for your switches all overlap. Space those suckers out.

Jacob

I've done that. I've got a little 1590A treble booster with one pot and two toggles in a row and the toggles' nuts sit on top of the pot's washer. I couldn't even fit the switch washers on in the end.