Troika (chuckbuick 3way (triplewreck) pcb)

[wgc]

Another awesome pcb from chuckbuick!

This one is a triple wreck in smd, which he calls the 3way.  I think he mentioned that he didn't realize what connotations were attached when he picked the name, but regardless it gave me a little creative push to take my graphics in different direction than I normally would.

Really enjoyable build, no issues except one: I had a short that made my power supply shut down.

Not being able to apply power made troubleshooting a little tricky, but after a little while with a mm,  I figured it was a bad op amp.  I have a crapload of smd 4558 chips and decided to just pull all the 4580s. 

And then, wow...  I don't really think I like the 4558 chips after hearing them in a few other circuits but this thing screams and chugs.  I'm going to order some more 4580s and do a swap, this is a keeper!  Love it, can't wait to put it in front of a tube amp.

I'll probably also install a pcb on the switch and clean up the wiring a little bit. (BTW I wire my pedals left to right, just makes more sense to me, not sure why they're usually the other way around.)

As for the finish, its translucent lime green over a sandblasted 1590B.  Pics don't show the sandblasted texture too well, but it looks really cool in person.  Graphics are laser etched and designed from a variety of clip art eyes, then back filled with acrylic paint. 

The astute observer will notice that the pot labels are reversed from the pcb, meaning wrong except for the center pot and switch.  (That's what happens when you do the graphics layout without the box and pcb available and then etch without checking first!)  Learn from my pain.

I think given the name and graphic theme, I'd like to redo anyway but in a translucent hot pink.

When chuckbuick is ready to sell pcbs, he has one customer in line already (me)!

[nzCdog]

woah... that's intricate inside and out!  really nice art
i just built a vero dr boogie, board about 4 times the size of yours lol.

[sonarchotic]

Great looking pedal and that board is hard to believe it's so well laid out.

[wgc]

Thanks guys, man you're fast..!

I've done 3 of his pcb layouts and they were all really well done. Can't say enough about these layouts!

Having done a few layouts myself now, smd has it's own layout challenges since you can't always run a trace or. Two under a part between holes.  I don't know how Mark keeps everything so nice.

[jubal81]

Outstanding work all around. Really impressive build!

[rullywowr]

Wow that takes clean layouts to the next level. Nice build too!

[chuckbuick]

That looks great, Billy.  The artwork and etch are excellent.

Thanks for the kind words about the layouts.  I'm not really planning on selling boards but if there is interest I'd sure be willing to share the OSH Park project.

[wgc]

Thanks Mark-   I fully believe you could be the smd madbean..!

[nmbb]

Nice work!

[LaceSensor]

thats amazing

[wgc]

Thanks much!  Really appreciate your kind words.

More to come...

[derevaun]

Whoah, so tidy.