neepheid Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 Ahh well, now that I use more than two pedals when I'm out giggling, I decided to sort out a pedalboard. I could buy one, of course, but I found some scrap wood lying around and thought "something to do over the holidays?" So of course I make things more complicated for myself than necessary and make angled side pieces. Just put my power supply on one of the side pieces to mark the height then eyeballed the angle to cut. Used a scrap piece of wood as a guide and got sawing... Then I used the cut piece as a guide to cut a copy... There's a slight generational difference between copies (like less than a mm) but it's close enough for amateur hour/school woodwork class, so I put it together and it actually sits flat, no rocking! I'm not glueing/screwing it together yet - am going to make holes (or slots) in the top for the power leads to come through first. That's enough for one evening. More news when it comes! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 I'm sure it will rock when you're gigging! 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted December 29, 2023 Share Posted December 29, 2023 I've seen pedal boards that are hard to distinguish from palettes. Whatever you build can't be any worse than some of those examples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 29, 2023 Author Share Posted December 29, 2023 3 hours ago, TheGreek said: I've seen pedal boards that are hard to distinguish from palettes. Whatever you build can't be any worse than some of those examples. Thank you for that overwhelming endorsement of my dubious practical talents! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwillett Posted December 29, 2023 Share Posted December 29, 2023 Looks fine to me all that matters is that you are happy with it 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 29, 2023 Author Share Posted December 29, 2023 I effin' hate plunge routers. I hate my cheapo one even more - no soft start so it just goes from zero to finger removal in about half a second and jerks the whole machine so you need to get in position and switch it on before you push it down. Anyway, as usual it took longer to prepare the router (needed oiled as the plunger mechanism was sticking, then inserting and tightening up the cutter, then offering up the piece and setting the depth), and prepare to cut (clamping straight edge as a fence to push the router along, clamping to the workbench, checking with the router off to see everything lines up). Then the cut's done in about a minute. Then tidying up, dismantling, putting stuff away. Slot's a bit wonky, haven't done any routing in ages so the start's a bit bobbly and I hit a knot near the end which also put the router off slightly but TL:DR, it's done... Guess I'm gonna screw and glue the end pieces on now... 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted December 29, 2023 Share Posted December 29, 2023 That looks pretty good to me. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 30, 2023 Author Share Posted December 30, 2023 A little more progress today - the sides are mounted onto the top. I'm sure you don't need walked through how to drill and countersink some holes, but I did come up with some clamping gymnastics to keep the sides in place while I drilled the pilot holes... Used an offcut from when I made the sides to create a flat opposing side for the clamp to grip. Had to slide them along because my clamps aren't big enough to take the full height. Anyway, pilot holes successfully drilled and screws tightened up and... I was going to glue and screw the sides on but honestly with three screws per side it feels plenty solid as is. So next thing is deciding on a finish (probably just blast it with a few coats of clear lacquer that I already have), maybe doing a back panel to hide the gubbins, and getting hold of some low profile feet or something else non slip. Got my velcro tape this afternoon so we're almost there. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 But that looks like it will be showed in some woodworking fair! In other words, one really good looking board. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 Well, I managed to get off my butt and spray a couple of coats of clear lacquer on it today. Also ordered some low profile rubber feet. I contemplated going to have a rake at B&Q but found exactly what I was wanting (18mm diameter, 5mm high, screw in rubber feet) on eBay so I just pounced on them. Pics later when the lacquer's touch dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 (edited) 1 hour ago, neepheid said: I contemplated going to have a rake at B&Q Glad you didn't. Rakes can be problematic. Edited January 2 by SpondonBassed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 Oh, sorry, NE Scotland colloquialism/dialect. A "rake" means a "rummage" or "look around for something". "Can I borrow your compressor pedal?" "Ach, I'm nae sure far I pit it, I'll hae a rake and let you know" 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Welcome to the club 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 Four coats of lacquer on. That'll do, it's not a piano. I'll let it cure for a bit before doing velcro tape. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwillett Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 It looks good and you still have the same number of fingers , thumbs and appendages* so I’d chalk that up as a success Rob (*I am making a certain assumption about fingers, thumbs and appendages) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 3 Author Share Posted January 3 1 minute ago, rwillett said: It looks good and you still have the same number of fingers , thumbs and appendages* so I’d chalk that up as a success Rob (*I am making a certain assumption about fingers, thumbs and appendages) Just counted them now - yup, all twelve fingers are still there. What? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 (edited) Very nice... Need to get my 'aris in to gear and sort something for this 'little' lot... The slot makes all the difference... mine might have to have bit holes for the power plugs and connecting leads as i don't have a router... I think it will look kinda cool with such diddy pedals Edited January 3 by PaulThePlug 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbo Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 26 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said: I think it will look kinda cool with such diddy pedals The Nebulous pedal is just dropping off to sleep, but the Future Chorus pedal is thinking about the lovely board that Mr ThePlug is going to make for them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 Stay Tuned... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 (edited) Well, that's it done, rubber feet arrived so I made a final push today. First step, feet on: Then back inside to get things mounted up... And that's basically it! There are a couple of tweaks I'd like to make - the white interconnect between the comp and the Monomyth is nonsense too long, will get a shorter one at some point. Also have an idea to make a back panel for it, just to hide my wires etc. (although that beam of red light coming out the top of it from the PSU is quite cool also!) There's probably room to add a mini/slimline pedal should I ever need to and the PSU has two spare ports so there is a little scope for future expansion. Got a bag coming for it (ordered last year, before anyone asks). All in all, I'm pretty pleased! Also the Monomyth has a headphone out, so I have even less excuse now not to give my basses a random noodle. Edited January 5 by neepheid 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 As a little Brucey bonus, I made a battery cover for my compressor pedal - to stop it rocking when the footswitch is pressed... Ply, bit of sawing, bit of chiselling, found an M3 machine screw, hacked it down to size, job done! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Lacquer has warmed the wood up a treat... or was that the utterly buttery? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Great work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 Nice work. Mine is half finished, although it has done oodles of gigs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 Heh, found a piece of 5mm hardwood ply in the shed. Back panel is go! Now, about that logo. I thought of doing a cheeky sendup of a famous logo and I decided upon doing something Moog-like. Found a font that someone had created in the sprit of the Moog logo, asked for permission to use it, got it, then got to work using it to create this: How will I get this onto a piece of ply? With another cheapskate move - the old homemade carbon paper technique - scribble f loads of pencil on the back, tape it down then trace over it with a pen... Admittedly, it was super faint so I had to go over it again with the pencil to have a useable guide. Next question - what now? Paint? Sharpie? Scrub this off and create a waterslide decal? In the end I did none of those things and went back to a craft I used to partake of as a child - woodburning. First pass with the big round tip on the iron yielded this: Then moved to the fine tip for the corners and the little musical note thing inside the 'p'. I'm really pleased with how that came out! Time for a wee mockup (some paper straws keeping it up where it will be when attached) That turned out way better than I anticipated. Really pleased with it. All that's left to do is lacquer the back panel then attach it. Will probably use wee panel pins and just nail it on, like the backing panel on an Ikea wardrobe. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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