[sdiy] Where is the DIY spirit? Right HERE! was: Filters

[Dave Krooshof]

>Hello everybody,
>
>I'm asking myself if we can't offer better advice to novices as where to
>buy the kits.
I value the kits a lot.
I've been mucking about with perf boards a lot, and looking for the
mistakes I always seem to make pisses me of bigtime. Using a nice
print at least makes me finish things.
At my work I had to make 12 stereo amps to certain special specs.
I didn't go through the bother of making the power amps. I bought
modules for that that look like cooling ribs with connector pins.
Fine. 160 watt each, and unbreakable.
For the preamp, we had our own prints made, with numberd parts
painted on top. That costs money, but saves *a lot* of time.
I just know they should work when all the right parts are in place.
And then too, I have to stick the scope's probes in to find the bugs.

So in my spare hours, of which I have virtually none, I'm working
on my voice+'crackle' controlled bass-synth. And I yes, even going
through the bother of trying to get a few pounds over to the
United Kingdom* is more hopeful then translating a 2D schematic
in to 3D reality. I learned a lot about electronics in a course, except
for one thing: debugging.

To make a long story short: If going through the experience
of going through hours of error searching on a messy breadboard is
your favourite learning experience, go ahead an serve some
raw schematics. But a newbie asking basic questions and schematics
and expressing the wish to actually use the stuff, will -like myself- be
helped with kits, rather then with schematics.


The DIY level in kits is that you build things to your own specs.
You'll choose your own set of modules, build them in your own
preferred variants. From the musical point of view that is
very very DIY.


Dave



* Ever tried to convince someone that there's no "Union Bank" that
exchanges their cheques whithin a 3 hour drive from Penrith UK,
and that thus the conclusion should be drawn that the money will not
arrive at the person who needs to receive it? And then tried to
convince that the United Kingdom's currency is not the $ nor
the Euro? And? Did YOU succeed? DIY involves many disciplines,
even if you decided to use kits.

PS I consider altering existing electronic circuits to be DIY as well.
And that is a job in which you learn al lot about electronics, and about
why a circuit is designed the way it was.
That realy made me see electronics is a close to philosofy
and art as it is to techniques and nerdyness. My compliments for
the designers in this place. It made me a happier person finding
out the designers are sharing here.
A kit is practical sharing of this knowledge.

THANKS!


so far for my weekly contribution in diy spelling mistakes.