Noob with Noob questions (Sabertooth)

[Zeelod]

Hello, I'm starting my build on the Sabertooth pedal. And I was wondering if I could get some beginner tips on pedal building.
First, I assume that I place all the parts on the side with the words and symbols, correct?
And then do I even need solder since the metal bits on the parts are plenty long enough?

Thanks for any tips that could help this woeful green pedal builder.

[eniacmike]

you want to solder your parts in to assure physical and electrical connections.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NU2ruzyc4
watch some videos on youtube to learn  how to solder correctly.

you want to populate your board with parts and place them flush against the side of the board with the silkscreen part numbers on it. flip your board over and solder on the side with no printing on it.



here is a picture of my sabertooth build, it might help you get a visual on things.

I generally start with the "flat" components first, put the resistors and diode in, then flip it over and solder them. trim the excess leads. Then I do the capacitors. Finally I solder the transistors in last. Then with all the parts on the board I wire up the off board wiring and pots.

[Zeelod]

Alright thanks! I wondering, I don't have the 20k resistor but I have plenty of the others, could I sub 1 say the 10k resistor without any significant change?

[B_of_H]

Alright thanks! I wondering, I don't have the 20k resistor but I have plenty of the others, could I sub 1 say the 10k resistor without any significant change?

you can just put 2 10k's in series to make 20k. 

[Zeelod]

How would I go about doing this on the board? Just put two of them in the 20k spot?

[camsna]

How would I go about doing this on the board? Just put two of them in the 20k spot?

Not quite. Doing this would be putting them in parallel, not in series. In parallel, a pair of 10k resistors would get you 5k. What you want to do instead is...

Twist together one lead from each resistor and solder that twisted pair of leads together. What you have now, effectively, are three leads -- one of them is the one you just twisted up. The other two leads go on the board in the holes meant for the 20k resistor.

Now, when I do this, I like to make it look neat, so I clip the twisted leads close to the resistors and cover the now shortened lead and resistors with heat-shrink tubing. This insulates the otherwise exposed lead and makes it look neat and tidy!

Hope this helps rather than confuses.

[Zeelod]

Thans for the help! Definitely clears things up.

[Zeelod]

Hey guys, I'm on to wiring now and I'm having a bit of trouble with it. I know how to connect all of the pots to the board but my trouble comes with wiring in the jacks and LED and footswitch. I've looked at the general wiring diagrams but it's hard to make complete sense of it to a total noob. Any help with this?

[gtr2]

The answer you seek is here already 

http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=707.msg4255#msg4255

Josh

[Zeelod]

Well I just failed (sorta). I got everything hooked up but when I turned it on I just got a wall of fuzz. The switch didn't turn it off. I can't get any good pictures so what are your suggestions?

[gtr2]

Are you wired up in an enclosure?  We need more info...  Pictures are really really helpful!!!! Are you properly grounded?