Clone Theory in a 1590B

[EBK]

I also posted this on DIYSB, but wanted to share it here as well (got some great help from some people here).

This is the Clone Theory in a 1590B that I built for a friend who owns a vintage 70s one.  I was disgusted by how much pedal board space was wasted by that one giant pedal, so I told him I could probably make him one much smaller.






It's based mostly on this layout:
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2014/05/electro-harmonix-clone-theory.html?m=1
But, I had to move a bunch of stuff around to make it all fit, and I had to substitute some parallel combinations of resistors and caps to make up for shortcomings of my inventory.  Also had to file down portions of the lid and jacks.  I'm happy to report that it works after all that.   
It was a very tight squeeze, and I fully expected something to short out disastrously upon closing it up (not shown in the pics is the gaffers tape I added as insulation on the boards and pots), but it worked perfectly when I powered it up.   

Special thanks to Antoy, juansolo, and Kartoffelkopf for sharing graphics from their Clone Theory builds with me. 

And, of course, thanks to IvIark at tagboardeffects for doing the heavy lifting on the Vero layout!

[alanp]

That is TIGHT! Bloody nice work!

[EBK]

Thanks!
I probably wouldn't have attempted this if it weren't for this line on the tagboardeffects site: "It will fit in a 1590B if you want the aggravation, but a 125B would probably be a better choice." Being in a spiteful mood, of course I accepted that challenge.

[BrianS]

Geeezzz how did you get all that in there.  That's a bunch.  Great job. 

[Philthy]

Bravo sir. Bravo.

[Matt]

Wow!!! That's a tight fit

[AntKnee]

Good work. Can't believe you it that.

[selfdestroyer]

Insanity, Pure Insanity!

Cody

[bcalla]

It's hard to see how you even imagined that fitting!!

[mrclean77]

There are friends, then there are those who will help you bury a body, if needed ---- very clear which one applies to you; great work, sir!

[EBK]

Thanks, everyone!

To be honest, I didn't know if this would fit before I started building it. 

Here's a bit more info, for those interested.

I drilled out the enclosure, setting the pots as high as I could (no pun intended) and the switches and jacks as low as I could (almost, anyway -- you can probably see that I could have slid the input/output jacks a tiny bit lower).  I figured I could always put something else in this enclosure if the Clone Theory didn't fit. 

Once I got the two boards mostly populated, I started checking the fit to see which way I would have to orient the main board (determined mainly by the position of that large 470uF cap) and what parts would have to be moved. That cap soldered to the back of the board was interfering with the plugs going into the jacks, for instance. 

I also knew from past builds that there is plenty of aluminum that can be carved out of these boxes to give a bit more room, if needed.  Because that board takes up the whole width and is solder-side-up, I filed off the lap joint flange on the lid along about 75% of the length of the box.

I assumed that if the boards fit comfortably then the wires would too. Once I could get both boards in and still have them rattle around with the lid on, I was fairly confident it would fit.  It was at that point that I worked on the graphics.

[dan.schumaker]

Tagboardeffects:  You probably can't do this.
EBK: Hold my beer....

[alanp]

See the attached file. (Humanity, in scifi, as Team "Hold My Beer I Got This")

[cajone5]

Outstanding work -- amazing what you could fit in that box and great aesthetics on top of it.  Man, I would love something like this for my board.

[jimilee]

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