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| Forum Home > Tips, Tricks and Tutorials! - Builder's Guides for GuitarPCB Boards! > Sticky: How do you Secure Your PCB | ||
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Member Posts: 153 |
Hi folks, just curious,since these boards dont have holes for plastic pcb stand-offs,how do you secure your pcb's inside the pedal?Or do you just let them hang with some foam in there like an old MXR pedal? Or use clear silicone to glue the pcb down? Any suggestions/tips/tricks or photos would be great! | |
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Site Owner Posts: 8781 |
Have a look at the Photo Gallery in the Main Menu Bar and get ideas from all the gut shots. I personally use my Pot Condoms and float the boards over the pots. It works fantastic and when all the wires are hooked up properly the board is not going anywhere! Many others also prefer this method but have a look around. | |
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Member Posts: 12 |
Do you guys secure your boards with the parts side of the PCB or the trace side facing the bottom of the pedal? Since the kits I first started on always had the parts facing the bottom, that's the way I've used so far. It seems like trace down (with some insulation on the pedal base) would allow for shorter wires to the pots though. | |
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Site Owner Posts: 8781 |
I always lay my boards component side up. It is like opening the hood on a 57 Chevy...who wants to see the skid plate? Also an reason why I invented Pot condoms. Provides perfect insulation and a good sticky base that is removable if needed. Plus they look great. Especially my Brand new one which I have yet to unveil. (Very Soon!) Plus if you need access to Trimmers, ICs or Micro switches you wouldn't want to bury them face down. Anyway though to each their own. Just my thoughts. Here are a few examples.
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Member Posts: 22 |
Great advice yet again! | |
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-- "Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first." - Ronald Reagan
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Member Posts: 45 |
So wait a minute....... Are the backs of the pot condoms sticky or does the PCB just float above them with the various wires holding it in place? | |
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Member Posts: 81 |
they're not sticky. but they could be if you used Double sided sticky tape on them. As already pointed out for the most part, your wiring "harness" will hold your PCB in place quite well. The pot condoms just give the solder side of the board something non-conductive to rest against. | |
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Site Owner Posts: 8781 |
Yes a s CP pointed out...1st and foremost they provide proper protection regardless of what you do. So yes you can just float your board using stranded and bonded wire which although it it is 24 Gauge is nice and firm. However if you wish to use a piece of 3M double sided sticky foam tape the Pot Condoms also make an excellent product to stick it to. Add to that if you ever need to pull your board free for a quick inspection you can loosen the Pot Condoms from the back of the pots without losing the adhesive bond to the condom itself and when you are done simply place the condoms back over the pots securely again. Works a Charm either way Trust me! For example in the pictures above the Black Board was the only board I secured with sticky tape the others I just floated. Really either way the boards are not going anywhere especially if you use the right wire! 24 Gauge Stranded and Bonded wire! I carry the Best Wire for Pedals that I could find anywhere right here: http://www.guitarpcb.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2249043 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here are some well planned out builds using the materials I mention above: Courtesy of Jarrod Dr Phybes: ODC: | |
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