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SquishBox Kit Assembly
Contents
Electronics......................................................................................................................................................2
Tools Needed.............................................................................................................................................2
Components...............................................................................................................................................2
Directions...................................................................................................................................................2
Enclosure........................................................................................................................................................7
Materials....................................................................................................................................................7
Directions...................................................................................................................................................8
Installing.......................................................................................................................................................11
Software.......................................................................................................................................................14
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................16
License.........................................................................................................................................................16
Appendix......................................................................................................................................................17
Optional 9V Build...................................................................................................................................17
Schematic.................................................................................................................................................19
PCB Detail...............................................................................................................................................19
This document will guide you through building and assembling your SquishBox. The "Electronics"
section describes how to solder together all the components included in your kit. To complete your
SquishBox, however, you will also need:
•
A Raspberry Pi computer (model 3B+ or 4B)
•
A micro SD card with 4-32GB capacity. Be wary of off-brand SD cards - they may misrepresent
their speed and capacity, and thus cause your Pi to behave very unreliably.
•
A DC power supply (5V or 9V, depending on how you assemble the kit).
You'll also need an enclosure - a sturdy box to hold and protect all the components. The "Enclosure"
section shows you how to prepare a 3D printed case or a Hammond 1590BB die-cast aluminum box for
installing the SquishBox.
Your kit is designed to be powered by a 5V DC supply, which is the supply voltage the Raspberry Pi
requires. With a few minor modifications, the kit can be assembled to run on 9V if desired, for example if
you plan to use your SquishBox in a pedalboard setup with many pedals sharing the same 9V power
supply. See the "Optional 9V Build" section for details.
If you have questions or need support you can find it at geekfunklabs.com/support.
SquishBox Assembly Instructions
1
12. May. 2022
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Summary of Contents for Geek Funk Labs SquishBox
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Page 1: Table Of Contents
With a few minor modifications, the kit can be assembled to run on 9V if desired, for example if you plan to use your SquishBox in a pedalboard setup with many pedals sharing the same 9V power supply. See the “Optional 9V Build” section for details. -
Page 2: Electronics
In order for this to work, the components need to be assembled in the order described below. Some components go on the top and some on the bottom of the PCB – the silkscreen shows the side of the PCB on which the components should sit. SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022... - Page 3 (add a thin coat of solder to) the ends. This makes them stronger and easier to solder in place. ◦ 4 wires for the rotary encoder ◦ 2 wires for the momentary button ◦ 2 wires for the DC jack ◦ 3 wires for the audio card SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022...
- Page 4 6. Break off a six-pin length of male header and solder them it the holes in the narrow end of the sound card. Solder a 3-wire ribbon cable strip to the , and holes on the side of the sound card. Write down which color went where for later. SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022...
- Page 5 PCB as shown. This allows the LCD to fit on top of the Raspberry Pi’s USB ports and Ethernet jack. Solder one pin on each end first and check the fit, then do the rest after re-melting and adjusting if necessary. SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022...
- Page 6 This makes it easier to keep them in one spot while you solder, and less likely you’ll rip wires when screwing things into the enclosure. Read on! SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022...
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Page 7: Enclosure
Enclosure The SquishBox needs an enclosure to protect the electronics, and as a support to mount the buttons, encoder, and jacks. You can 3D-print the official PLA case shown below by downloading the model files from thingiverse.com/thing:5338973. The lid screws on with four #4 size screws. -
Page 8: Directions
3. Line up the stencil with the top of the enclosure, and use tape to stick it in place. Fold the flaps down over the sides of the enclosure. Use a pencil to transfer the cut lines and drill centers onto the enclosure. Note that the stencil shows you what size holes to drill. SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022... - Page 9 Check the fit of your LCD and file to adjust the size of the opening if necessary. 7. Use a piece of scrap wood to clamp the enclosure securely while you drill and cut the side openings. SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022...
- Page 10 8. Screw the hex standoffs onto the bottom of the Raspberry Pi, and plug the SquishBox PCB into the Pi. Place the assembly into the body of the enclosure, with the LCD seated in its opening. Mix some two-part epoxy and apply a blob to the bottom of each standoff. Put the lid on the enclosure, then flip the whole thing over while holding the lid.
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Page 11: Installing
You can make the button the same height as the encoder knob, or whatever you prefer. Lastly, mount the DC jack in the single small hole on the side. Tighten all the metal nuts enough so they won’t come loose after you close up the unit. SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022... - Page 12 (as shown by the red lines and the middle image). Then connect the , and wires from the sound card to the left jack’s , and respectively (shown by the blue lines and right-hand image). SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022...
- Page 13 6. To plug in the Raspberry Pi, lift the SquishBox PCB assembly out of the enclosure a bit so you can line up the holes in the 2×20 header with the pins on the Pi. Re-seat the LCD in its opening, line up the posts on the lid with the mounting holes on the Pi, and screw the lid into place.
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Page 14: Software
Install/update FluidPatcher version 0.7.2? ([y]/n) This installs the base code that runs the SquishBox. You can also use this script to reconfigure some of the later options, so if you want to do that without changing your code, reply no here. - Page 15 Once finished, the software will ask if you would like to reboot. If you haven’t installed the Pi in the SquishBox yet, you can reply no and then enter to safely shut down.
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Page 16: Conclusion
Conclusion Once you’ve assembled your SquishBox and installed the software, you should be ready to plug in and play! The User Manual can be found at geekfunklabs.com/downloads/squishbox-user-manual, and if you need any further assistance visit geekfunklabs.com/support. We hope you enjoy making music with the... -
Page 17: Appendix
Pi will lose power. The most practical way to keep the regulator cool without adding a fan or bulky heatsink that wouldn’t fit inside the SquishBox is to build it in a metal enclosure and use that as the heatsink. The steps below explain how to modify the directions in the “Electronics”... - Page 18 Add a couple blobs of epoxy the the edges of the regulator to hold it in place, then close up the unit and leave it alone for 24 hours so the epoxy can dry and cure. SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022...
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Page 19: Schematic
The pads along the top edge of the PCB are connected to unused pins on the Raspberry Pi’s GPIO header, and are available to add LEDs, additional buttons, or any other expansions you wish. SquishBox Assembly Instructions 12. May. 2022...
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