Page 1 of 2
benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:33 pm
by 3za
hi guys,
i was just wondering if we got any circuit benders on here. i want to circuit bend my vl-tone but i dont no were to start should i just rip it apart and start moving wires and adding swicths and see what happens, or should i be planning what im going to do, i dont want to kill my little keyboard. any advice i can get would be apreciated and i would or so like to hear and see some of your own projects to.
3za.
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:38 pm
by deadly_habit
yes, the circuit bending books from amazon and such are are good quick reference otherwise have a steady hand, soldering skills, and electronics knowledge and books. nothing is more rewarding than building or bending your own gear

Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:42 pm
by Dimension
For a moment there, the title of the thread had me very worried.

Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:43 pm
by deadly_habit
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:55 pm
by 3za
i did electronics at school so i got some basic electronics knowledge. i just need to know where to start with this bending, i think im going to get a soldering iron and get my hands stuck in to my vl-tone, hopefully i dont just end up killing or my keyboards.
Dimension wrote:For a moment there, the title of the thread had me very worried.


Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:02 pm
by deadly_habit
look for the adjustable components on the board and start there, anything that might result in weird effects with voltage changes etc
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:14 pm
by 3za
thanks for the advice. my plan is to just mess around making connection and when some thing intresting happens im going to add a swicth or a pot there. what have you mod in the past?
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:16 pm
by deadly_habit
cheap voicebox units like the shit in scream etc, sound fx machines, my c64, broken oxygen 8, if it seems like it could be used or made better i try too
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:19 pm
by 3za
c64 that sounds fun i think i got one of them here some where
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:20 pm
by deadly_habit
well more mods than bending for mssiah cart, adding pots and such to serial ports and more advanced outputs
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:21 pm
by deadly_habit
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:21 pm
by deadly_habit
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:32 pm
by 3za
i see what you mean. this reminds me that i want to mod my gameboy.
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:33 pm
by deadly_habit
yea i have the old grey brick somewhere as well
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:37 pm
by 3za
i think ive got bender rage now i just keep thinking of things i could take apart and make better
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:38 pm
by deadly_habit
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:45 pm
by 3za
yeah think i will do some reading up before i take every thing in my room apart, which of them books would you recomend for a beginer?
Re: benders
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:48 pm
by deadly_habit
the first one is pretty good, offers projects you can find at flea markets, pawn shops and goodwill gear, and explains the fundamentals.
Re: benders
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:24 am
by scorcha
just wrote a long ass reply and it didn't show up
just make sure what youre bending is battery powered and not electrical outlet powered (for the obvious reasons)
you'll need a pair of test leads, which you can buy, or make yourself out of an alligator clip and two nails, or all metal precision screw drivers work good. metal to metal in the alligator clasps and you're good to go.
just experiment connecting nodes on the circuit board. stay away from nodes near the power source as this is more often than not what will end up frying your object.
do a search for "circuit bending - build your own alien instrument" it's a pdf and will explain all this highly in depth. also do a search for reed ghazala, as he's the founder of circuit bending
good luck
Re: benders
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:25 am
by scorcha
v tech toys are awesome for bending by the way