Ratatak Build Guide

Thank you for purchasing the Stomp Wizard Ratatak! This is an easy to intermediate build. All the components are through hole for easy building.

If you feel like you can handle it, please proceed! If not, get some help from a friend with experience or purchase a fully built pedal.

Please build according to the BOM, and not these instructions or the pictures alone. Some components may have changed since these were written, or we may not be able to get the exact components in the pictures.

Notes before starting:

1. Tools and supplies necessary for the build: 

- Soldering iron (we recommend an iron with a base station and a fine tip) 

- Solder 

- Snips 

- Mini flat head screwdriver 

- 2mm or 5/64" Allen/hex key

2. Hang onto the masking tape that holds the resistors/caps/etc. At the end of the build, if you aren't using the 9V battery connector, you will need to tape the terminals on it to prevent a short.

Diode

Remember that diodes are polarized components.  Make sure to match the stripe on the diode to the stripe on the PCB.  Turn over to solder then clip the excess leads.

If you are using alternate diodes for the 1N4148 clipping diodes, swap out D7 and D8. If you're using LEDs, put the cathode (short leg) into the side with the stripe. 

Resistors

Resistors are not polarized, so place them in the PCB either way.  Turn over to solder then clip the excess leads.

IC Socket

Next place the IC Socket into place and solder on the back side of the PCB. Make sure you align the notch on the socket with the notch in the PCB silkscreen.  Turn over carefully to solder.

Ceramic Capacitors

Next, populate the ceramic capacitors.  These are not polarized, so insert either way.  Solder, then trim the excess leads.

The transistor is a polarized component.  Align the flat side of the components with the flat silkscreen graphic.  

Carefully turn project over and solder in place.  Trim the excess leads.

Electrolytic Capacitors

Next, populate the electrolytic capacitors by lining up the longer lead (anode) with the '+' marking on the PCB. Solder, then trim the excess leads.

9 Pin Socket

Next, place the 9-pin socket into the PCB; solder one pin and make sure it's both flush with the board and perpendicular to the board (if not, reflow that solder joint and reposition it). 

Once it looks good, solder the rest of the pins.

Audio Jacks

After that, place the stereo and mono jacks into the PCB as shown below.  Solder one pin on each jack and make sure they are flush with the PCB. 

Once they are flush, solder in the remaining pins.

LEDs

Place the two LEDs into the PCB by aligning the flat side of the LED with the flat side of the silk screen. When done correctly, the longer lead will be inserted into 

the hole that has the "+" marking near it. Turn over to solder in place and clip the excess leads.

9V battery snap connector

Thread the red wire through the strain relief hole and connect it to the "+" hole. Do the same for the black "-" wire.  Solder up!

DC Jack

Place the right angle header pins into the PCB as shown below. Solder one pin, then check to make sure the plastic pin housing is flush with the PCB

 (if not, reflow that solder joint and reposition it). Once it looks ok, solder in the other two legs.

Place the DC jack flush into the PCB as shown below.  Solder up!

Now connect the DC jack PCB to the main PCB. Solder in one leg and make sure it's flush with the main board and at a 90 degree angle from the main board 

(if not, reflow that solder joint and reposition it). Solder in the other two legs.

Potentiometers & Switches

Place the potentiometers and switches into the PCB as show below, BUT DO NOT SOLDER JUST YET.

Place the panel over the project and finger-tighten the nuts onto the shafts of the pots. 

Finger-tighten the pot nuts, then solder the pots and switches in place.

Stomp switch PCB header

Place the 9-pin header into the PCB as shown below and solder in place, making sure it is both flush with the board and perpendicular to it.

Insert the 3PDT switch so that it is flush with the PCB as shown below and solder it in.

Stomp Switch Nut

Thread a nut onto the 3PDT switch, most of the way down the shaft. Connect the 3PDT PCB to the main board. Move the nut upwards, against the underside of the panel, 

so that the nut is level with the pots and momentary switches on the main board.

Secure the stomp switch nut over the switch.

IC

Place the IC into the socket on the rear of the project  by aligning the notch on the socket with the notch on the IC.

Optional Tape

To avoid shorting the circuit with the battery snap floating, please add some tape on the exposed connections.

Final Case Assembly

Drop and insert the top of the project carefully into the enclosure

Using a 2mm or 5/64" Allen/hex key, screw the hex-head screw to secure the panel to the enclosure. Add the audio jack nuts and DC jack nut.

Add the knobs and use a small flat head screwdriver to tighten them down (not too tight!)

Congrats! You are now ready to test your pedal!