Clean guts: how to make it happen?

[add4]

Hello all back on the forum after a long absence.

When I see some pictures of really neat guts I really wonder how people make it happen. My builds are never so clean. So I'd like to ask you to share your build/inboxing routines in order to see how I can make mine better.

The main problem for me is that I want to test one build before boxing it so the wires I put are not at the box length. Do you guys de solder all your pots just to inbox cleanly?
Another thing is that the wires of clean boxes are so small that I wonder how you could even solder them in the first place. The space between the box and the pots is tiny.

Thanks for your input. Don't hesitate to post a bunch of pics and words to help me but also other builders of ugly wiring.

[juansolo]

I've built quite a lot of pedals so a lot of it comes from that alone. But I also have standard templates, so when I build things out of the box, I can build them with the pots where they need to be. On more complex builds like the Dop2.1, the box gets drilled as part of the process, and the pedal is built in there to be removable (as the box gets finished later). I tend to only do that for complex stuff as you sacrifice a box if it doesn't work or you don't like the effect.

[Jabulani Jonny]

I've built quite a lot of pedals so a lot of it comes from that alone. But I also have standard templates, so when I build things out of the box, I can build them with the pots where they need to be. On more complex builds like the Dop2.1, the box gets drilled as part of the process, and the pedal is built in there to be removable (as the box gets finished later). I tend to only do that for complex stuff as you sacrifice a box if it doesn't work or you don't like the effect.

Juan, that's one thing I notice about your designs, they are dialed in. Any chance you can post or attach your templates for different pedal sizes?


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[stevie1556]

Heat shrink tubing, and a very poorly designed 3PDT board.

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[pickdropper]

I agree with Juan that the main thing is just time and practice.  But there are some other things:

1.)  If you don't have PCB-mount pots, figure out where in the enclosure they are going to be.  I think it helps to drill the box, put in the pots, then figure out where the PCB will be and determine the wire lengths that are needed.

2.)  For pots, ribbon wires help a LOT.

3.)  If you want to test the PCB before boxing, make the input/output/power/ground wires longer than you will need and then cut them down to size later.

4.)  You can also mount the pots and board on the inside of the box or on a piece of cardboard while testing.  Davent has some good photos of nice mounting templates that he uses.

5.)  For the rest of the wiring, carefully measure the length of each wire before it goes in.  Other than practice, carefully planning makes the biggest difference in neat wiring.  It takes a bit longer, but it looks a lot nicer in the end (IMHO).

[juansolo]

I've built quite a lot of pedals so a lot of it comes from that alone. But I also have standard templates, so when I build things out of the box, I can build them with the pots where they need to be. On more complex builds like the Dop2.1, the box gets drilled as part of the process, and the pedal is built in there to be removable (as the box gets finished later). I tend to only do that for complex stuff as you sacrifice a box if it doesn't work or you don't like the effect.

Juan, that's one thing I notice about your designs, they are dialed in. Any chance you can post or attach your templates for different pedal sizes?


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They're a bit specific to the boxes I use and the Optotron switch board, but they're already posted here:

http://juansolo.demon.co.uk/stompage/pstemplates/

They tend to evolve quite a bit so I'll update that folder in a moment.

EDIT: done that.

Actually that's a good example. There's a 1590G template in there that's a work in progress (in the wrong folder, but I'll leave it), and you can see how I'm currently shuffling things around on that to make it fit. It's nowhere near ready yet. But I do a lot of shuffling virtually in Photoshop for builds like that before they enter the real world. Where possible I have to scale depictions of the boards on there (there is for the delay and phaser, the layers are at the top but unselected), so you can work out where things can go.

[mandrewbot3k]

Before i give you a tip, lemme just say my builds are atrocious compared to most the guys on here. But I found one thing that helps a lot is If u have a drilling template you plan on using, First drill into a price of 3/4" pine. Then You can get your pots and switch wiring lengths right. Then you just have in/out and power left.

[alanp]

To echo the others, a lot of it is practice. Your 'eye' for how much wire is needed for a particular connection develops after awhile.

Another part is bein' cunnin'. If there is too much wire, rather than leave it flying around loose, route it and use up the excess wire on that. (If there's still too much, then you need to desolder one end and shorten it a bit.)

[jimilee]

Mine aren't all spotless, but I have several I am proud of. What i do is populate the board, drill the box wire the pots to make sure the wire isn't going to be too long / short. Use longer in / out / +9 / ground wire than you're gonna need. Rocking and then box it using either heat shrink or electrical tape to keep the wire from getting out of hand. With the D'lat build, however, it just got out of hand quickly. The other thing I use is stomp boards, helps tremendously.

[rullywowr]

I agree with Juan that the main thing is just time and practice.  But there are some other things:

1.)  If you don't have PCB-mount pots, figure out where in the enclosure they are going to be.  I think it helps to drill the box, put in the pots, then figure out where the PCB will be and determine the wire lengths that are needed.

2.)  For pots, ribbon wires help a LOT.

3.)  If you want to test the PCB before boxing, make the input/output/power/ground wires longer than you will need and then cut them down to size later.

4.)  You can also mount the pots and board on the inside of the box or on a piece of cardboard while testing.  Davent has some good photos of nice mounting templates that he uses.

5.)  For the rest of the wiring, carefully measure the length of each wire before it goes in.  Other than practice, carefully planning makes the biggest difference in neat wiring.  It takes a bit longer, but it looks a lot nicer in the end (IMHO).

All of these!  I also am a huge fan of small "right-angle" or "bent nose" needle nose pliers.  I got a pair of large ones to use when working on my cars, and they worked so well that I thought "what if I could use these on pedals?"  Well, I got a pair like this and I am elated.  I basically use them anytime I need pliers when making pedals now.  Basically, I use a pair of flush cutters, these pliers, and my irons and that's it.  These pliers can get into places regular pliers can't, and really help when trying to get wires to go where you want them to go or pulling leads through PCBs (even when the PCBs are already installed).  They are popular with "beading" or "jewelry" making, so you will find them where those supplies are sold.  I am pretty sure mine have "teeth" on the business end but this picture shows what I am talking about.

[das234]

Disclaimer:  I am also no good at this.  But I've made some improvement.

Here's something I did on my latest pedal (the nameless Current Lover) and will probably keep doing whenever I use a 3PDT board.  To get the wire lengths just right, I stripped the insulation on the wires that go to the 3PDT board to the correct length but left the stripped ends extra long.  This made it easier to feed them all through the proper holes without them pulling back out as I moved things around.  After I got them soldered in, I snipped the ends shorter.  I probably didn't invent this approach but I just recently discovered how much easier it makes precise wiring.

[alanp]

Picked up a pair of tweezers for smd work. They turned out to be HUGELY useful in wirewrangling in enclosures. Worth getting. (Don't pinch your better half's eyebrow tweezers, you'll get in trouble.)

[LaceSensor]

Practice, patience, being methodical, using the correct parts and tools, measuring accurately.
That and cable ties.

Everyone has their own methods and techniques so its hard to teach via the internet.
I would say it helps to take your time.

Look for projects with as much board mounted stuff as possible too will help with the look of neatness.

[zenless]

I'm new and having this issue. Everything looks great before boxing, then put it together and wires are just a jumbled mess. Glad it's not just me! This was a good thread to find after having some issues on my second build last night Wires breaking on the PCB, LED causing shorts, I think I need to go to a bigger size box (bigger than 1590B) to get some confidence!

[LaceSensor]

I didnt read the whole thread and its likely been mentioned but use some cardboard and make a template sized to the box

poke pots, jacks, ftsw etc thru the cardboard and then estimate wire lengths that way.

In the end, its best to have a tad of slack than the wire be almost too short. ..