# What are these things called? Velcro Alternative.



## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Getting ready to make my first pedal board and ran into these things as a nice alternative to velcro:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=320095740424&rd=1&rd=1

The auction seems like a rip off but a good idea. I imagine you can buy these little fasteners somewhere for dirt cheap, but what are they called? Anyone used them or something similar?

TG


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I would call it a few screws and a washer for $20.00. Not sure what anyone else would call it.


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## Short Circuit (Mar 25, 2007)

Looks to me like someone took apart a bicycle chain,used one side of the link as a washer and some screws from the hardware store so you can mount your pedals to your board.
Anyone got some extra bicycle chain they don't know what to do with ???:banana: 

Mark


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

I thought the exact same thing. I'm actually going to stop at the bike shop after work to see if they have any of those fig. 8 washers!


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

I just used some tin strapping from Home Depot to make my own little bits of metal that do the same thing. Bike chains look a bit neater and nicer. Either way, much better than Velcro IMO - been doing it this way for years.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Chain links is all. Go to a bike shop and ask for a handfull of master links. And remember to oil your pedalboard frequently.:food-smiley-004:


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## gproud (Mar 2, 2006)

Yeah, chain links. I've done it. Works very well with most pedals, but I found 'booteek' pedals made in the Hammond enclosures (like the ones from BYOC) you can't get the damn screw back in with the link on. And I couldn't find the same screw longer at the any hardware stores around here. I didn't want to cross-thread them, so I now use zip ties instead. Much easier, cleaner if you move stuff around or off your board and a snap to undo/redo.


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

How exactly do you use zip ties to keep everything in place?

TG




gproud said:


> Yeah, chain links. I've done it. Works very well with most pedals, but I found 'booteek' pedals made in the Hammond enclosures (like the ones from BYOC) you can't get the damn screw back in with the link on. And I couldn't find the same screw longer at the any hardware stores around here. I didn't want to cross-thread them, so I now use zip ties instead. Much easier, cleaner if you move stuff around or off your board and a snap to undo/redo.


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## gproud (Mar 2, 2006)

traynor_garnet said:


> How exactly do you use zip ties to keep everything in place?
> 
> TG


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

So you just drill through the board and wrap the zip tie around and through. 

Does this hold the pedals securely in place? I have a handle on one end of my board and don't want the pedals sliding or flapping all over the place when I carry it by the handle.

Thanks for the info and pics
TG





gproud said:


>


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## gproud (Mar 2, 2006)

traynor_garnet said:


> So you just drill through the board and wrap the zip tie around and through.
> 
> Does this hold the pedals securely in place? I have a handle on one end of my board and don't want the pedals sliding or flapping all over the place when I carry it by the handle.
> 
> ...


When I put one on I take a pair of pliers and crank the zip tie on the underside until it's nice and tight. The only possible problem is slight scratching of the enclosure by the tie, but they stay on very tight. Very little movement at all. I put my piece o plywood in an old case and the pedals are sitting upright during trips to and from rehearsal, and they've never moved.


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## Cowinacape (Feb 2, 2006)

Another vote of confidence for the zip tie method, it's the way I do it myself, and have never had a problem holding anything from a Boss pedal, to a wha pedal, or even the little Dano Fish and Chips eq.


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

gproud said:


> Yeah, chain links. I've done it. Works very well with most pedals, but I found 'booteek' pedals made in the Hammond enclosures (like the ones from BYOC) you can't get the damn screw back in with the link on. And I couldn't find the same screw longer at the any hardware stores around here....


This is one of the reasons I used the strapping instead of bike chain links. It's thinner and pliable, easy to bend. The bolt heads just kind of sink into the material when you're driving tho pedal bolts back into the corners. Just cut or bend/break off little pieces an inch or so long with a pliers.


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## Cowinacape (Feb 2, 2006)

The allaround is a great idea, I just may try that on my next board


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## gproud (Mar 2, 2006)

Robboman said:


> This is one of the reasons I used the strapping instead of bike chain links. It's thinner and pliable, easy to bend. The bolt heads just kind of sink into the material when you're driving tho pedal bolts back into the corners. Just cut or bend/break off little pieces an inch or so long with a pliers.


Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we have a winner. I can't believe I never thought of that. D'oh! :bow:


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Does strapping go by any other name? I cannot find it on Canadian Tire or Home Depot's web pages. ???

TG


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

traynor_garnet said:


> Does strapping go by any other name? I cannot find it on Canadian Tire or Home Depot's web pages. ???
> 
> TG


Dunno, but I think it'd be in the plumbing aisle. They use it for holding up PVC pipes, attaching them to studs etc.


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## GP_Hawk (Feb 23, 2007)

Canadian Tire has it. I bought some there not too long ago. Great idea, you should patent it(j/k):food-smiley-015: Seriously, thanks for the tip. I already got some too.


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Just bought some at Home Depot and it works great! You only really need to screw down opposite corners rather than all four.

One problem . . . Digitech pedals don't work with it because their weird screw won't secure with the strapping wrapped around it. I will either have to find new screws to hold the back on or use a twist tie on my Bad Monkey.

Thanks for everyone's help. I'll post a pic once it is completely finished.

TG


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Can you show us a picture of your bord used with strapping like that please ? I wanna figure how you place it ! 
Thank you !


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

traynor_garnet said:


> Just bought some at Home Depot and it works great! You only really need to screw down opposite corners rather than all four.
> 
> One problem . . . Digitech pedals don't work with it because their weird screw won't secure with the strapping wrapped around it. I will either have to find new screws to hold the back on or use a twist tie on my Bad Monkey.
> 
> ...


I mounted my Bad Monkey with strapping by taking off the bottom plate and putting it in-between the plate and the pedal body. Hard to explain with words.. but I kind of pre-bent the strapping to the shape of the bottom plate, so it kinda wrapped around the edge just inside the plate. Then you bolt the whole thing together so the bolts go thru the plate first, then thru the strapping and into the body. 

Wish I had a pic.. couldve saved some confusing typing!

I also mounted my Route66 which has side-facing bolts. Easy enough, just make 90-degree angle bits of strapping. There's always a way!


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Awesome, I just did it!

Thanks very much for the tip. My board is almost ready to go.

TG





Robboman said:


> I mounted my Bad Monkey with strapping by taking off the bottom plate and putting it in-between the plate and the pedal body. There's always a way!


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

*Board Pic*

I made some changes to my board, just thought I'd share a pic.


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

I see you have a real mixture of boutique and mass produced pedals. Funny how the expensive stuff sounds "too good" at times!

I noticed your hot cake pedal. I keep hearing that is awesome with EL 84 amps but don't know what it actually sounds like? Any comments?

I'm thinking of picking up a boutique boost or distortion pedal; perhaps a fulltone fat boost, ocd, or 70s fuzz . . .

TG




Robboman said:


> I made some changes to my board, just thought I'd share a pic.


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## Mike T. (Feb 9, 2007)

allthumbs56 said:


> Chain links is all. Go to a bike shop and ask for a handfull of master links.


Trust me, 4 master chain links (which would give you just 4 plates) would cost you the price of the e-bay stuff that's for sale. That's not the way to go.

What you need is an old bike chain and a chain rivet tool to push the pins out. I've got both and if anyone is interested I can work up a deal for x-links shipped.

The pic of the e-bay kit shows large and small links so these can't be real bike chain links as they only come in one size - 1/2" between the holes.

5-decade home bike mechanic and racer here!


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

traynor_garnet said:


> I noticed your hot cake pedal. I keep hearing that is awesome with EL 84 amps but don't know what it actually sounds like? Any comments?
> 
> TG


The Hot Cake is magical! Amazingly open and natural at lower gain settings. I use it as an almost-clean boost. At lower amp volumes you can just leave it switched on, with just a bit of dirt dialed in. Sounds like cranked amp powertube breakup, but at low volume and sounds better than the Hotplate I used to have. 

At higher gain it starts to fizz and buzz more like a fuzzbox, at least with my 6L6 amps. I haven't used it for any length of time with an el84 amp.


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