You're ready to put it all together once you've bought a eurorack case and the first few modules. A little preparation will help to make sure the build goes smoothly. Hiccups can not be avoided entirely but - with a bit of prep and luck - won't be show stoppers hopefully.
When ordering the power adapter for my own rig I mistakenly bought one that did not have enough milliamperes and the wrong sized plug to go into the eurorack case. Luckily I had a set of plug adapters and did not plan to fill my case up with modules just yet.
Here's a list of tools for a smooth rig build:
- Small to medium sized Philips screw driver for mounting the modules to the rails
- Sufficient number of screws and square nuts (for rails using sliding nuts)
- An iPhone SIM card pusher pin or paper clip AKA "Nut Mover". Handy for manoeuvring the square nuts into place on the rails
- A flash light or mobile phone with LED light to provide sufficient illumination inside the case to make proper power connections
It's also a good idea to quickly review the installation instructions for your power boards, modules and add on modules to make sure there are no gotchas down the road. The major thing to watch out for is the polarity of the power going from power board to eurorack module.
MAKE SURE THAT THE -12V PIN INDICATED ON THE POWER BOARD IS GOING TO THE -12V PIN INDICATED ON THE MODULE.
In most cases the plugs on either end only fit one way. But please double check by following the red wire on the cable. Lastly, reading the quick start guides for the modules will also enable you to jam on your rig as soon as it's complete!
Other tutorial posts in this series:
Build Your Own Synth - Step 1: Selecting A Case
Build Your Own Synth - Step 2: Establish A Starting Point
Build Your Own Synth - Step 3: Module Selection
Build Your Own Synth - Step 4: Layout
Build Your Own Synth - Step 6: Mutant Drums Boat