I needed a volume pedal for a record that I’m working on, but don’t own one. I don’t normally use one, so didn’t want to spend the money on a good one, and rather than get a cheap piece of junk and have to wait for it to be delivered, I decided to try to make one.
I didn’t look up how others have done it, or how commercial ones function, just tried to solve the problems using stuff that I found in my basement. Everything I used I already had, except for the volume pot. I did have a few, I think they were from an old stereo, but they didn’t seem to turn the volume completely off for some reason. The new one cost about $5 at my local music store. Oh, and the rubber, which is a piece of a doormat from the dollar store.
The bottom tube (I think it’s a part from a lamp) fits over the shaft of the volume pot and turns when the pedal pulls the cord. I drilled a hole in the tube and tapped it for a screw that is tightened against the volume pot shaft, to make sure it doesn’t slip.
 |
 |
It’s not the prettiest thing ever, and I wouldn’t take it on tour, but it works. I made this to demonstrate it: