Squishy Octopus (OptoComp)

[Cybercow]

Today’s bench work circuit completion is the simple, yet elegant, “Squishy Octopus”. Or as I call mine – “OptoComp”.

What I like about this specific compressor build is the the plectrum attack is not change very much by the compression action. And while the pedal seems to not have a lot of effect on the attack, it blooms very nicely on the decay. Lots of great sustain.

The knobs I selected are nice, gold-anodized aluminum and not as tall as other aluminum knobs. SO I had to trim about 2mm off the tops of the pot shafts so the knobs would sit closer to the enclosure and expose less of the pot shaft nuts.

The indicator LED is subterranean with just a small hole to let the light bleed thru the waterslide decal; just beneath the blue bubble on the little rocket in the artwork.

The artwork design is complete, but I’m holding off on applying the waterslide till “Decal Day” sometime next week or so.

Meanwhile, here is the photo journal of the build with a finished gutshot.</span></div>

Concept Art:

 

Pe-Decal Front:

The knobs seat much better with 2mmm trimmed off the top of the pot shafts:

Top-mounted jacks:

Gutshot:

Sometimes I like to build on the ceiling:

Thanks for reading this far.

[Barry]

Very nice build as usual. Thank you for sharing. I enjoy this compressor a lot my self. You really notice it a lot more when you turn it off than when you turn it on sometimes and i like that for a lot of things.

BTW if anyone wishes to share pedal art like above to add to my right sidebar just let me know.

[Billy]

Very neat and pro looking

I’ve started removing a wee bit from pot shafts of late too

I’d be interested to know how you do it Mark I’m putting the shaft in a vise and using a junior hacksaw then a little filing if my cuttings a bit wonky

Look forward to seeing the finished beast

[Anonymous]

My solution for pot shafts that are too long is a bit simpler.  Depending on the thickness of the enclosure, I place a washer on the shaft before I insert it into the enclosure.  That usually reduces the amount of shaft protruding so it looks better with most knobs.  As long as there is enough thread showing to grip the nut, this works for me.

[Anonymous]

I love your build discussions, Cybercow!  Beautiful work as usual.

[Cybercow]

Thanks for the kudos guys!

Billy – I use a Dremel with a cut-off wheel. Slow-going is the key. Just a little at a time. Otherwise, the the whole thing heats up too much and destroys the pot. I use a very narrow vise-grip tool. I wrap the shaft in a small piece of leather, grab on to the shaft near the base, and hand-hold the vise-grip tool (with the embraced pot) and Dremel. I usually do a few pots at a time. That way, I can let one cool as I cut a little of the next few. Each one takes about 5 or 6 passes to cut entirely thru. I just want avoid burning them up with the friction heat caused by the cutting wheel spinning at 10,000 RPM. Once the cut-offs are complete, any they’ve all cooled, I use a jeweler’s flat file to clean up any edges or burrs.

[Cybercow]

Wilkie1 – I use the internal added washer method often as well. However, sometimes the washers are too which and then there’s not enough exposed thread for the pot nut to catch well. Only then do I cut the shafts.

And Barry – coincidentally, I do have some artwork I wanted to submit for your side-bar pedal art. I’ll message you when I’ve finished them up in Photoshop.

[Big O]

Hey Cybercrow, how do you get your artwork to appear so nice like it’s painted or silk screened?  Waterslide decals and laser printer?  Or some other method?  Is it a well kept family secret?

[Cybercow]

Robert Paul – the “finished” pedal image is just a Photoshop mock-up. I have actually done the inkjet waterslide for it yet. I usually build about a dozen pedals and then spend a couple days doing just the decals. I use inkjet on standard waterslide decal stock from Amazon, (or SmallBear when they’re open). My typical waterslide decals sendup looking like these on white enclosures . . . .

 

 

 

After I apply the decal and it has dried, I apply a few coats of rattle-can clear (never Rustoleum). After the clear coats have dried, I apply about a dozen thin coats of MinWax “Natural” furniture polish paste and buff between coats. This allows for fingerprints and light scratch to buff out easy. It’s a bit of extra work from Barry’s method (using photopaper and ArmorAll), but I like how the enclosure art edges are less noticeable with waterslides. Here are a couple of finished pedals using Barry’s method . . . .

 

One of Barry’s “Super Drive 70’s” builds with photopaper, glue and ArmorAll . . . .

 

And here’s a spring reverb build that employs one of those little blue plastic reverb tanks (it sounds horrible and I’m going back into it to some switching jacks so I can insert a larger external reverb tank.) Again, using Barry’s photopaper, glue and ArmorAll method . . . . .

[Big O]

Thanks Cybercrow.

I have done the waterslide and photo paper methods myself.  I am going to try some iron on decal paper one of these days that I found on the internet.  I have the decal paper (used for iron on transfers).  Going to try using a heat gun instead of an iron to apply the transfer.

 

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