Make a compact MIDI 30 note pedalboard

[mostyndavies]

Not sure if anyone will be interested but I am making a compact 30 note pedalboard and thought the design might be of interest. See it at http://www.pdoa.co.uk/makingapedalboard.html Glad to discuss it here.

Mostyn

[Contratrombone64]

your link didn't work (at least for me)

[Ghekorg7]

Hi Mostyn.

Same here too !
"page not existing ect..."
Can you fix this ?

[mostyndavies]

Sorry about the broken link. It is now working again.

[Ghekorg7]

Hi, Mostyn

IMPRESSIVE !

I'm waiting to see the midi stuff to be added....
Keep up going !

[mostyndavies]

Thanks Kafka Kwoter! I'm using a Largonet reed switch harness and am working on a cunning plan for orientating and fixing the the reeds and magnets. A recommendation is to drill holes near the surface of a block, then plane down the surface to 1mm from the holes so the magnetic field can easily reach the reeds placed in the holes. Sounds good to me, though the guy was fitting them all with hot glue so I don't know how he could easily repair a reed switch, if needed. More when I get there!

"God is working on a less ambitious project .... this one's proving impossible!" Me

[L.Palo]

Hot glue is quite easy to get loose. A little moisture and heat will easily part the pieces. A reed switch isn't really repaired either, you're more likely to exchange them for a new one instead and then it's not so important to have the old switch so intact either. The reed switches from Midi Gadgets Boutique are covered in some kind of rubber tubing that will make it easier also since the glue won't stick to the switch but to the cover instead.

I personally came up with another solution for my pedal. I have the magnets attatched to the pedal key bodies with a screw for easy adjustment and the switches are horizontally directed on a board with a corresponding curve as the keybed have only with a certain distance so that the screws with magnets are going down shortly past the end of the switches.

That said, my switches are not in any holes, but glued in notches so it's very easy to remove any faulty switch.

Kind regards

Lars P

[mostyndavies]

Sounds good to me, and, Yes, I really meant replacing rather than repairing reed switches. Thanks for the ideas.

Mostyn

[mostyndavies]

First test drive by the player was very encouraging and action was very good, she said. Top F (30) will need some spacing adjustment probably and I think I will need to cap the pedals with white oak or beech. The Shorea indents rather; a cosmetic rather than practical problem. Next step is installing the Largonet harness.

[mostyndavies]

updated pictures and text to show how I have fitted the reed switches.

[Diode]

Hi Mostyn,

A very interesting design! Having recently completed building a full-size pedalboard from scratch I can appreciate your unique approach. I particularly like the use of Teflon spacers and the fact that you have achieved a concave pedal surface while maintaining an exactly vertical action for all keys. I also like the way that you have sprung the keys so as to minimize required floor space.

Your design would give more consistent control of sideways pedal movement than in mine which used aluminium tubing guides that were set perpendicular to the toe-end radius. Because in my case adjacent guides are not exactly parallel to each other it was a tedius exercise to customise the associated leather bindings so as to minimize sideways movement at the bottom of the stroke and at the same time catering for the potential pinch-point at the top of the stroke.

Well Done!

Regards,
Diode --|>|--

[mostyndavies]

Thanks for the kind words, Diode. Having spent a fortune on Teflon, it has occurred to me that nylon chopping boards would work just as well, or nearly so, at a tenth the price!
mostyn