[sdiy] Newbie Bragging

[Magnus Danielson]

From: harrybissell <harrybissell at prodigy.net>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Newbie Bragging
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 21:51:00 -0800
Message-ID: <41D63A43.D73BBCB6 at prodigy.net>

Harry,

> There is no shame in building something simple and having it work... even the
> experts can get screwed up with simple circuits.  I had one yesterday... the
> original
> prototype worked, the new copy didn't. Then I found a piece of wire that 'might'
> have
> been shorting out... but I really don't believe it was. I added a component...
> and it started
> working. Perplexed, I removed the component and it STILL worked, just like the
> original !
> 
> So go figure. Was it a bad solder joint ??? who knows

As you know, the *REAL* pros doesn't make mistakes ever! Now we only need to
find someone fitting the definition of a real pro :P

> Congrats on your new synth !!!

Indeed!

Actually, it is refreshing how many people are still learning to
DO IT YOURSELF. People are still willing to learn the crafts of soldering and
electronics. They know they are getting in over their heads, but they don't
care, since they know they will learn more anyway.

Starting off with kits like Joe here is a good idea. A little less to confuse
things the first time around. A friend of mine, also a mathematician BTW,
borrowed his fathers soldering iron, rob the stock of components, borrowed a
small powersupply and set himself to build a digital clock (showing time in
binary) for his father to have as a christmaspresent! I helped him out a little
(like getting the 32,768 kHz oscillator ticking) and also helped him out about
the design, borrowed him the Don Lancaster "TTL Cookbook" etc. I didn't have
the time to *really* help him, which I felt a little bad about, but anyway.
This was really his first project beyond soldering a cable. Brave! But then,
I blame it on his age... darn, I remember things from the year before he was
born!

Cheers,
Magnus

> H^) harry
> 
> Joe Franko wrote:
> 
> > Okay, I realize this isn't much for most of you, but this is the only place
> > I can brag about this!
> >
> > I decided a few months ago that I really would like eventually to build my
> > own analogue synth. My soldering skills were rusty (like 30 years since I
> > soldered anything), and I don't know much about practical electronics,
> > except theoretically (I'm a mathematician). So I decided that the PAIA
> > Theramax was a good place to start, but that even that was beyond me a few
> > months ago. I decided that before tackling that I would get some of the
> > small Velleman kits to hone my soldering skills. Over the last two months
> > I've had lots of fun building 8 small Velleman kits. After building the last
> > kit I decided I was ready to tackle the Theramax.
> >
> > A week ago I began putting the kit together. Finished it yesterday and tried
> > to tune it. Tuning the pitch oscillators went very well, but I couldn't tune
> > the volume oscillators. I was suspicious when I put the kit together that
> > one of the volume oscillators was faulty because it didn't respond the way
> > the others had to conductivity tests (I test every solder joint after it's
> > soldered in because I still don't trust my soldering skills). Luckily when I
> > realized I might need a replacement as I was putting the kit together I
> > ordered a couple of replacements from Mouser. I'm still a little
> > disappointed with PAIA over this, as I couldn't raise them by phone and
> > there has been no response to three emails (I know, though, this is
> > Christmas vacation and hope they eventually respond at least to one of my
> > emails). In any event, I desoldered what I thought was the bad oscillator,
> > and soldered in the replacement from Mouser. Fired the Theramax up again,
> > and was able to tune both sets of oscillators. Did all of the diagnostic
> > tests outlined in the directions, and everything is working well.
> >
> > I'm so proud of putting this first piece of analogue equipment together
> > myself. I know that this is a pretty easy kit for most of you, but it's my
> > first and hopefully not my last.
> >
> > Looking forward to more DIY stuff this new year.
> >
> > Happy New Year to you all...
> >
> > Joe
> >
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