Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Any tips for how to get all eight pots, five toggles, and two LEDs into their respective holes at once? Is there a technique I'm missing?

Would there be any reason not to do this step in shifts, a few at a time? (Probably working from the outside in to keep everything level?)

Thanks!

- Rob

I remove all nuts from the 3PDT toggle. Then going in a line I place the pots, soldering only the middle lugs, leaving just a bit of space between the thick part of the lugs and the surface of the board. I go along and do this to all of the pots, making them as evenly mounted as I can. The toggle switches get the same treatment, but I solder those so that there is little to no gap between the body of the switches and the PCB. Then I can guide them into their respective enclosure holes without too much hassle. After all the pots and switches are in their holes, I hand-tighten all the outer nuts, then flip it over and hit the middle lugs with a hot iron. This helps the board 'settle' and relieve any stress. After everything is settled, I finish soldering the rest of the lugs, as well as finally soldering the 3PDT toggle (I leave that for last).

I have done this on about 20 CJs so far, and recommend this method. It helps make sure the lugs are all the way through the board, and helps with the alignment of all the pots/switches.

_________________
The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com

That sounds like a plan! Thanks for the detailed walk-through. Cheers!

Oh, Don't forget to place the LEDs into their holes and allow them to just stay loose until you have everything else secured. It helps if you do this before mounting for the (hopefully) final time. after everything is set, you can then guide the LEDs into their holes and solder them. No need to guess the height or anything since everything will already be in its final mounting position. It also helps to keep the PCB upside down (so the body of the LEDs are resting on the PCB) as you guide the pots into the enclosure.

_________________
The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com