Advice on making Acrylic Guitar Effects Pedal board!!!

rickster7572 · Post by **rickster7572** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:18 pm

Hi there I am a guitarist, based in Glasgow and just about to make pedalboard for all my guitar effects pedals to be held on it, for carrying around from stage and studio within a padded carrying case.
I was going to use a piece of wood and just cover it in tolex and the top part with velcro to hold the pedals.

But Acrylic boards seems like an interesting adventure.
I don't know much about the make up of these plastics.
But I do know that I would like a Dark flashy Blue colour with maybe texture patterns going through it if that's possible

My pedal board will be around (L) 57cm by (B) 29cm and (W) say 1cm
It has to be a very durable & strong thick plastic that won't snap or shatter as I will be putting my foot down onto the pedals to turn them on & off. There will be around 6 - 8 pedals attached to the plastic board, so I have to consider the weight applied to this board as well.

Also I don't know how Acrylic boards will react to some warm heat from the pedals and Power supply that will be attached to it?

I have looked at a few websites, but it is seemingly becoming a big research project now and that's just for trying to find a decent company
that have great colours of Plastic board that can be cut to size and don't charge to much money.

Anyone with info and advice would be appreciated.
Thank you Rickster

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:04 pm

Acrylic is fairly strong, but it is also brittle and so if it is going to take a lot of hammer it may not be suitable. Having said that 10mm thick Acrylic is very strong.

Here is the link to the Perspex colour chart http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/persp ... _chart.pdf

The only problem is that you are restricted to solid colours, although you can get them with a non reflective surface finish.

Here is a picture of some Blue, double sided frost perspex which is 8mm or 10mm thick-

Here are some shelves that I made from the double sided blue frost-

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/diy/s ... elving.htm

There are some smart looking sparkle effect perspex sheets, but I don't think that they are currently made in thicknesses greater then 5mm-

perspex-sparkle-t3013.html

Do you know what sort of temperatures the perspex will have to withstand?

rickster7572 · Post by **rickster7572** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:20 pm

Hi ultimatehandyman

thanks for reply with links.
Well the pedals and PSU after a few hours get slightly warm
not specific on actual temps, but it was just a consideration
I was keeping in mind. But on the top part where the pedals will go I could
screw down or glue a sort of light material coating sheet before attaching pedals anyway.

So would acrylic or Polycarbonate sheet cut to size be better for strength wise and duriblitity? I feel like I am doing a HND in Plastics now with the amount of websites I have read lol!
One thing is they can cut to my dimensions and I can email certain shops my design. But I am still sorting out the best materials.

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:05 pm

Slightly warm should not be a problem..

I'm not well clued up on polycarbonate and so I'm not sure if it would be better than Perspex or not.

I might have a small offcut in the garage that I can post to you and then you can look at the suitabilty before you buy a piece.

Give me a few days and I'll take a look and let you know