[sdiy] beginner

[Magnus Danielson]

From: matti <matti at devo.com>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] beginner
Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2001 21:30:03 -0500 (EST)

> On Tue, 25 Dec 2001, Scott Gravenhorst wrote:
> *snip*
> 
> > Maybe we need a web page for that, a collection of kit maker
> > URLs that represents the people on SDIY.  That way, this question
> *snip*
> 
> how's this?
> http://www.devo.com/~matti/synth-diy/kits.html

Missing:

The SAS-modular! ;O)

On the ASM-1:

Change

- PCBs available from Gene Stopp, at 60 usd per 

into

- PCBs available from Gene Stopp, at 60 USD per PCB

Other than that I think it is great that we (finally) put up a webpage
with a basic comparision of the options at least. This is indeed a
somewhat messy FAQ question really and I think our answers tend to
vary from time to time, all with a personal flavour.

There's really a few questions that should be answered by the person
attempting it:

How good am I on soldering?
5 - I solder alot at work, even do SMD and big capacitors.
4 - I solder or soldered alot, some even professionally.
3 - I am fairly good, have done several repairs, kits etc.
2 - I do not solder often, I mostly fix cables.
1 - Solder-iron? Is that the thing those techs are using to fix things
    with?

How much work am I prepared to do myself?
5 - I do the full bounty - design, schematics, PCB, frontpanel, box
    (fiddeling with the electromechanic stuff).
4 - I do schematics (often nicks and adapt constructions), PCB,
    frontpanel, box.
3 - I do PCB, frontpanel and box stuff.
2 - Give me a PCB and components and I slam things together.
1 - I have no idea of what needs to be done.

How good am I at finding errors in something?
5 - I call the designers and point out there missing or incorrect
    2-degree compensation. I do it for a living.
4 - I amuse myself in finding error which is "impossible" or non-obvious.
3 - I usually fix them, some are a bit annoying, but if I can't figure
    them out I ask friends (as Synth-DIY one can presume).
2 - I check the fuse and I check for black dots around components,
    sometimes I also find shorts and breaks. I try to find the error
    by replacing components by chance. I don't really understand
    schematics, I just see how things interconnect.
1 - If it's broken it's broken and I can't do anything about it.

How much am I ready to pay?
XXXXX SEK (everyone but a few has to do exchangerates ;O)

After these questions have been answered I think we could have come up
with rougth ratings of required level for the various possibilities.

A missing possibility is to just nick schematics of the web. We can
rate that possibility too, and we should recall that it is really one
that is being persued by quite some people. I know that many people
look at the ASM-1 stuff and then build their own stuff with the ASM-1
as a basis. Some for instance take the schematic and design their own
PCB (most common) but there also exists those that modify the
schematic more or less before they go on. This helps to display the
levels you can play with. In the end it comes down to which level you
are at in Synth-DIY abilities.

Please don't ask what I would consider to be my ratings, I am to
modest to say where I consider myself to be. ;O)
(Here you see that I am more European than "American" ;O)

Cheers,
Magnus - that crazy Swede