[sdiy] Future SYNTH-DIY/breadboard

[Tim Daugard]

From: "The Old Crow" <oldcrow at oldcrows.net>

>   I have to agree with Tony.  I've been into SMT since
2001 and I find
> more and more of my one-off projects going that route
simply because it is

>   The only remaining stumbling block for many is the cost
of re-tooling
> their workbench for SMT.  Right now, it is not as cheap
for the ideal
> tools as for TH, but those prices will drop as more and
more folks turn to
> SMT-DIY.

The biggest problem I see is that you have to layout and
etch a PCB for SMT (or pay someone to.) If some one wants to
develop a SMT prototype board at a reasonable price it would
be great. Something that would sell for a dollar or so, 1/2
inch square or maybe 1/2 x 1 and with edge holes to line up
with a .1 grid.

I thought of doing this, but haven't yet. If I went to SMT,
I could install the entire circuit on my front panel circuit
boards (that are required to hold the pots and connectors.)
I may have to layout a module as a single board with SMT
just for the heck of it.

The problem is the parts keep getting smaller and my eyes
weaker. I just got a box of samples from National? I forgot
who. It had 30 different amplifiers in a plastic box the
size the used to send one or two DIPs in. I can see the
chips, I can't count the pins without magnification, I'm
coning to have to pay for a board to mount any I use on.

Tim Daugard
AG4GZ 30.4078N 86.6227W Alt: 3.7 M
http://home.sprintmail.com/~daugard/synth.htm