MM 7-13-12: More information on building the stomp box.

This is a follow-up to my Woodworking for Mere Mortals video on how to build a multi-function stomp box: http://youtu.be/dvXNv4XXlIc

• Category

  Howto & Style

[NormMonkey]

I put rubber feet on my cutting boards. I'm a cheapskate like you, Steve, so I make my own by cutting wood discs from thin wood with a hole saw, then gluing bits of old bike inner tube rubber to those. Trim the excess rubber from the disc with a sharp utility knife, then glue the disc onto the workpiece. Just gotta remember to wash the rubber from the bike tires to get that powder off before gluing. One tube makes lots of feet and they're free if you bike a lot.

[NormMonkey]

I wonder if making a mount for the transducer would help, anything that holds it by the edges so that the middle can vibrate.

[Randy Buss]

Extra tips. If you have an old smoke detector, it's time to get a new one. Take out the large piezo transducer in it &you'll get a more low end sound/kick. In addition, when you glue the piezo transducer onto the wood, try to keep the glue centered as much as possible on the piezo, & as small of a drop of glue as possible (the further out from the center the glue spreads, you'll loose your low end). Has anyone found a way to reduce the piezo signal strength so as not to clip so easily?

[dr70ify]

oi

sou do Brasil e adoro os seu videos

[frost0813]

It's called a phone jack because of the telephone. These are the jacks and plugs used on older (Pre 1960's) telephone switch boards, as well as most military communications aplications prior to the 1970's. Musicians have managed to keep them alive with their "If it aint broke, don't fix it" approach to things.

[Rob Stemple]

And the last thing that I wanted to mention was the rubber feet. By raising the box off the floor, you are allowing the wood or bamboo to vibrate more. It's not being dampened by carpeting or concert. This allows lower frequencies to vibrate better. I think you will find that if you make the lower lid out of thinner material, you will get more bass out of it as well. As it will be able to move easier.

[Rob Stemple]

Plus, I wanted to add, that by using hot glue on the backside of the piezo is also not the best way of mounting the pick up. The glue will act as a dampener. Which will also reduce the amount of bass that you're getting to the amp. Mounting it direct to the bamboo will give you a better bass response. So, put the a glue bead around the edge of the piezo to mount it.

[Rob Stemple]

Hey Steve. I'm a sound engineer, and a hobbyist wood worker. And I also wanted to drop my two cents on the piezo pick ups. As some have pointed out, a piezo is just crystals mounted to a metal plate. There really is nothing else to them. However, this does have an effect on the over all sound. As the crystals are small, and I do mean small, they only transmit in a given frequency range. The translation of that is they really don't pick up bass well.

[BirdOfParadise777]

Ooooooops!... Thank you Chopperboi89:)... see... I can be taught!... hahaha

[chopperboi89]

I'm not Steve... but you're welcome... hahaha