19 posts
yep, that's all good stuff. I'll put up some more when I get a chance. There's TONS of good stuff out there... Geo, DIY, Muzique, etc...
(p.s. Drop resistor on the LED ;))
Oooppps ::). there had to be something ;D
I'll modify the drawing and repost.
Sorry Howie, can you remove that previous post.
This is how it should be.
hey man, I'm no expert. If there were errors, I might not even catch them, unless I was comparing it to a schematic or layout pic. Just noticed the resistor missing on the LED.
Speaking of tools, what physical tools do you think are required to get started building stuff?
I mean, drills, bits, soldering iron (temps/wattages/tips), solder, wire, etc. What have you found useful and good to have on hand? My buddy and I have a bunch of "build your own" 1176 circuit boards coming in, so we're going to be doing some building soon.
off the top of my head, and there will be more as I have more time to think about this....
A quality soldering iron. Depending on what type projects you will do, an pencil type with pointed tip, between 25-45 watts. An adjustable watt station is better. I use a Weller station. And some flux, just in case you need it. (note, if you solder a tone cap in your guitar, you WILL need flux and a higher watt iron).
Good solder. Kester 60/40 is a solid all around recommendation. Choose the diameter by the project. .31 is best for pedals, .50 or such might be better for larger parts builds (tube amps etc).
A clean wet solder sponge to keep your tip clean. Also, remember to ALWAYS tin your iron before you start and keep it tinned.
A good clean, well lit work space.
A magnifying glass. I use one of the ones that clamps to your table and has a light built in
A "helping hands" device if you are using any smaller circuit boards that can be held in them
A good desoldering gun OR desolder braid (I have both, each is better for certain things)
A multi meter. The biggest problem in DIY is trouble shooting. A lot of guys can "paint by the numbers" and install parts in a board as easy as BYOC makes it, for example. But what if it doesn't work? Most guys freak out at the prospect of trouble shooting a circuit. Unless you are Dar, it is no fun! ;) I test every cap and resistor BEFORE I put them in the board, then I know all the parts work, and if I have a problem I can go straight to looking for bad solder joints, improper connections etc.
A "pick" (like a dental pick for reopening holes with solder in them, Tweezers, needle nose, hemo's etc, for holding parts in tight spots.
Snips for clipping off your leads after soldering
Technique... most people use too much solder, and leave the iron on the part too long. In small parts 2 seconds is usually all you should need to make a good joint. And, (I didn't know this when I started years ago) you don't put the iron on the solder, you put it on the parts, and touch the solder too them. When the solder flows into the joint, immediately pull the iron and solder away. Again, about 2 seconds. If it takes longer, your iron isn't hot enough. Most people let irons warm up around 20 minutes before use.
more as I think of stuff...
read this... by my buddy Stephen, who helped me with my High Octane.
http://www.buildyourownclone.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6401
EErrrmm, Howie......I asked you to remove one post, NOT the whole point of the thread ::). Any way you can restore all the previous posts that tell people why this subject is here? ;)
Good, comprehensive list Howie. Can't think of much to add except that I do find my Dremel kit comes in very handy quite often for various things.
If you do a search on the BOYC forum Charger, there was a whole thread dedicated to this that listed tools I've never even heard of or seen before that would be useful. I'll see if I can find it and post a link.
I like to print out a table with the values of the components on it if there are a lot of them. I then use a pin to punch holes to hold the components in place in an organized fashion after I have confirmed the value of them.
Heat shrink tubing is good to have around as well. A vise or clamps to hold the enclosure (if used) helps when you are drilling the holes for the switches, pots, etc. I use regular metal drill bits but some people use a multi-size type bit with several incrementally larger sizes according to how far you drill in to the enclosure. A Dremmel tool mounted to a drill press adapter also works well.
I use a 2'x2'x1/2" plank of wood as my workstation surface. A fan to blow away soldering fumes is nice on the respiratory system.
PATIENCE. It is easy to want to finish a project to hear the fruits of your labor but it is much better to take your time. Check, recheck, and triple check before you solder. Plan ahead to have an idea how things should go and also if you think you might want to add a modification later on.
And finally, enjoy the process. Put some good music on and have a cold beverage of choice close at hand.
Charger, what do you have in mind for those 1176 boards?
spud — Sep 03, 2008EErrrmm, Howie......I asked you to remove one post, NOT the whole point of the thread ::). Any way you can restore all the previous posts that tell people why this subject is here? ;)
Dang, my first rolleyes as a mod... well... I clicked on "remove" on the post you asked me to remove. Sorry, Andy. We'd have to ask Charger what can be restored. What do you want back?
Better to restore the lot and leave me looking like a pratt then having half a thread and the second half at that ;D.
AFAIK, we're screwed. I clicked "remove" on that one post and I guess it took out everything before it. ??? Next time, just delete picture on your end! LOL That was all you wanted out anyway, right?
Charger, is there an "undo" button? :)
Eek. Nope, you can restore an entire deleted thread, but not individual posts.
Ok. I'll start a new thread. When we get to where at now, we'll just delete this one. Give until tomorrow as it's way past bedtime now.
Charger, FYI and that of the other mods, what I did was go to the post Andy asked me to delete because he put up a revised pic. I clicked on REMOVE on THAT post, and it removed that one and everything else above it.
I now see a different option at the bottom, "remove selected" and perhaps that's what I should have used.