Dimension-C in a 1590B

[Luke51411]

Just remove the white washer of death. Problem solved! Haha I think blms has metal stomp washers that might be a bit smaller

[wgc]

Wow!

[Boba7]

Awesome!

[EBK]

Yesterday morning, before I had my coffee, I actually found myself wondering what sort of knobs to put on this (I have never made a pedal that didn't need any). 

I kinda think these dress nuts visually stand in for the missing knobs.  Thanks again, Brian, for your input on these.



Everything's in place but the wires.  For graphics, my plan is to laser etch through the powder coat and possibly backfill with white.  I'll need to get my laser working first, though.

I'm a bit torn on whether to go with the traditional style labeling to stick with the professional-line theme, or go with a Twilight Zone theme, taking my inspiration from the dark color of the enclosure and the word "dimension", which made me think of this narration from the TV show:

You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension—a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone.

If I go with this theme, the toggles will be labeled "sound", "sight", and "mind". 

Any thoughts? Opinions?

[Boba7]

Please definitely a Twilight Zone theme!!

It already looks amazing. The "dress nuts" are great. I don't really like the look of the 3 toggle switches, I've been thinking about what I would do if I were to build one. Your solution is fantastic!

[flanagan0718]

Please definitely a Twilight Zone theme!!

It already looks amazing. The "dress nuts" are great. I don't really like the look of the 3 toggle switches, I've been thinking about what I would do if I were to build one. Your solution is fantastic!

You could do slide switches They shouldn't be that hard to find. Drilling would be difficult though you would have to get a dremel and cut the rectangles out of the enclosure.

[BrianS]

Yesterday morning, before I had my coffee, I actually found myself wondering what sort of knobs to put on this (I have never made a pedal that didn't need any). 

I kinda think these dress nuts visually stand in for the missing knobs.  Thanks again, Brian, for your input on these.



.

You're very welcome.  I bought some of the next size down on my last order and I don't believe they would have given you what you were looking for.  They are a third of the size of the ones you got.  I think they finish it nicely.  Great job. 

Still in disbelief that you got all that crammed in there 😂.

[culturejam]

Damn, this is awesome. 

[Luke51411]

Please definitely a Twilight Zone theme!!

It already looks amazing. The "dress nuts" are great. I don't really like the look of the 3 toggle switches, I've been thinking about what I would do if I were to build one. Your solution is fantastic!

You could do slide switches They shouldn't be that hard to find. Drilling would be difficult though you would have to get a dremel and cut the rectangles out of the enclosure.

If you go the rectangle route you could probably do rocker switches, those are bomb. You can buy them from mouser with basically the same dimensions as the standard toggle switches.

[alanp]

Yesterday morning, before I had my coffee, I actually found myself wondering what sort of knobs to put on this (I have never made a pedal that didn't need any). 

Try building a PS-1A. There are no knobs OR switches, just three stomps.

[EBK]

Yesterday morning, before I had my coffee, I actually found myself wondering what sort of knobs to put on this (I have never made a pedal that didn't need any). 

Try building a PS-1A. There are no knobs OR switches, just three stomps.

Maestro pedals are always interesting, and sometimes odd.  Have you built/owned one of those?

[alanp]

http://alanp.info/images/ps1a%20box.JPG
http://alanp.info/images/ps1a%20guts.JPG

Yep.

[somnif]

Are those 6 matched FETs?  I commend you madness sir, and shall now back away slowly in terror.

[EBK]

One more thing I need to show, other than a bunch of wires to eventually prove I've finished this.

My custom sized standoff has been secured in place with JB Weld.  Excellent stuff.  I really didn't want a screw head on the face of this pedal, so I'm glad this worked out.

[EBK]

I finished wiring everything up today, and it works!  I will calibrate it later tonight.

But, I wanted to share one additional observation regarding enclosure size.  A 125B enclosure is slightly wider than a 1590B, and that extra width would definitely make wiring pads I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P easier.  There isn't very much space to run wires between the boards, and I had no space available on top of the larger board, so the most usable wiring space was along the right hand side of the larger board, between its components and the enclosure sidewall.  It's not a lot of room, so if anyone else is thinking about a 1590B build, I'd recommend some closely spaced ribbon cable for that. 

I did, once again, find a way to make this harder for myself by enforcing one of my personal design rules: everything that goes to ground must go directly to the DC jack ground, and its subrule: the enclosure must be grounded at only one point.  This meant I had 5 separate ground wires to run the gauntlet between the boards up to the power jack.  Two of the three I/O jacks are isolated from the enclosure with fiber shoulder washers.  Anyway, it's just personal craziness that I do in all my builds rather than something that is absolutely necessary, but I thought it worth mentioning.

In conclusion (for now), although successful, I'd consider a 1590B2 the smallest practical enclosure for future builds of this circuit (the lid could be used without grinding any portions away), but only if you don't mind difficult wiring. Edit: if you use a 1590B2, but still keep the standoff short, you'll have plenty of room to run the wires over top of the larger board.

This will be my only 1590B build of this, if I end up making more than one.  The recommended 125B is certainly a commercially practical enclosure for this pedal due to its jack clearance and available wiring space.  If I build another, it will be in a 1590B2.

The pedal isn't done yet due to lack of graphics, so you'll see it again sometime in the coming year. 

Slight update:  I've calibrated the circuit with my pocket scope, and I'm extremely happy with this pedal.  Every setting is usable, and it presents a really "refined" chorus feel (I don't know how else to explain it).