1776 Five O'Clock Fuzz (first Envirotex build)

[das234]

I finished my 5 O'Clock Fuzz (fuzz face) using the Sino transistor set from SmallBear.  At first I wanted to make the enclosure fuzzy like a wookie, but I like to label my controls so I decided to go with a water slide label and try my hand at Envirotex.  The picture came from a google search for 5 O'Clock.  Apparently there's a DJ club in Belgium that used this slogan in its advertising.  While the DJ club isn't really my thing, I dug the poster graphic so I added "FUZZ" to it and used it.

I dove headfirst into the Envirotex pool, coating the whole enclosure.  I used blue tape to try to control the runoff but I still wound up with some rough edges along the bottom.  I cleverly disguised them with a smashing green stripe so all is good.  I will improve my technique and use ET again as it looks great and highly durable.  Here are some pictures:

box - pre ET



ET slathered on.


My dust cover



boxed up

with knobs

AND OF COURSE... GUTS:

[billstein]

Nice build and you enviro'd the sides. You are my new hero. I tried that once and messed it up bad. Any hints on how you did it. Is there a reason you have the painters tape extended from the bottom?

[das234]

Thanks Bill.  I don't know if I have any tricks yet.  I read Juan and Cleggy's tutorial and some other tips on the forum and then jumped in. 

I taped over the holes, then mixed and poured carefully and worked it around with a plastic knife to get it even.  To coat the sides, I poured around the top edge and let it run down the sides.  Breathed on it to pop the bubbles and covered it up.  After an hour or so, I came back and worked it a bit more in the spots that needed touch up.  Then I realized that there was an awful lot of runoff and I might have glued it to the table.  So I very carefully used a couple sticks to lift up the enclosure and move it out of the puddle.  While I was doing that, I tried to think happy thoughts and prepared to swear a lot when I dropped it.  I didn't drop it though.  I breathed on it again to get rid of bubbles (Juansolo is right, that is pretty cool).  After that, I left it alone. 

I put the painters tape on there for two reasons.  First, I wanted to protect the bottom of the enclosure so it didn't get ET in the screw holes and second, I wanted a bit of a 'ramp' for the ET to flow down leaving a nice even coating behind.  It mostly worked.  The bottom stayed clean but I did have a little lip at the bottom that I was trying to avoid.  Next time I will keep the tape more vertical and hopefully it gives me a nice, even coating.  Or I won't do the sides.  I had decals on the sides of this pedal so I wanted to coat over them.  If I didn't have decals on the side I might just ET the top.  Hope that helps.

[midwayfair]

Awesome graphic, made me giggle.

[bcalla]

Great all around.  I am also impressed with the ET on the sides.  I've used ET on 3 enclosures, did the sides on all 3.  They look pretty good.  Yours looks great.

[gtr2]

THATS GREAT!

Josh

[rullywowr]

Bitchin!  I like everything about it. That enviro technique is a great idea and a happy accident.  I suppose you could always run a razor down the bottom lip and have a perfect side pour with this technique.  Sweet.

[alanp]

The epoxy makes the graphics pop nicely

[jimilee]

That's cool all the way around! When I enviroed the sides of one of mine, I Squish the top of an aluminum can and slide it over the top, that way, no lip at the bottom and it's relatively level too.

[lincolnic]

Looks rad! Are those the PIF transistors? If so I'm glad they've been put to such a good use!

[Bret608]

Really nice job on the enclosure! How do you like the fuzz? I've still got some PNP germaniums burning a hole in my parts stash, so this one could be the way to go.

[das234]

Looks rad! Are those the PIF transistors? If so I'm glad they've been put to such a good use!

Those are them, brother.  Thanks again.

[das234]

Thanks for the compliments.  For the first time out I was pleased with how the ET job came out.  And it seemed like the perfect graphic to do it over.

Really nice job on the enclosure! How do you like the fuzz? I've still got some PNP germaniums burning a hole in my parts stash, so this one could be the way to go.

I like it but I'm still in honeymoon mode, playing with the different knobs to see how they interact.  I may even switch out some trannies to see what different sounds I get.  I like the circuit because it's got the built in convertor so I can use my regular pedal board power supply.  I had to add a Road Rage in my Fozzaround to do that.