[sdiy] Electronics class for kids

[Barry Klein]

Something a bit more complex but very rewarding if you get it to work is the
Surf PI metal detector kit from here:
http://www.silverdog.co.uk/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=36
Depending on your success in building it and what you move the coil over, it
makes some of the same sounds as your suggestion but maybe there is a
diamond ring under it that is going to help pay for the kit...
It actually is a very elegant design if you take a look at the schematic. It
has you thinking about negative voltage conversion (ICL7660), oscillators
(NE555), analog switches (CD4066) and integrators, preamps (NE5534P),
threshold detection (LM358), speaker driving with a transistor,
calibration/tweaking with trimpots, coil winding, switching coils and
generating high voltages (650V but transient that diodes suppress).  You
would need to get in front of a scope to tweak it for best final tweak.
This circuit has so much going on with so few parts!  The circuit is
actually the same circuit used in the Whites Surfmaster PI - and with a
little extra work - the Surfmaster PI Pro commercial detectors.  Get it
working and it can sense stuff to 10" or better and is an awesome beach
detector (even in wet sand).  It gets kids thinking of circuits in sections
and if you get it working both parents and kids will be proud of their
efforts.

Build/use this and then start to think about iron (trash) discrimination
with pulse detectors (hard), coil designs of your own, pinpointers, binaural
sound headphones (Terry S.)...  
Read on www.geotech1.com about this and the other designs sold on the above
site.  Or if all you care about is synth design, wear a ring and convert
detected signal amplitude to VCO or whatever control voltage... and you have
a new controller design. (build two - one for vco another for vcf, or... oh
now I got myself going too :-(    )

Barry

-----Original Message-----
From: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl
[mailto:synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of Martin Klang
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 07:06
To: Monse Lozano
Cc: Synth DIY
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Electronics class for kids


I'll second the Atari/Vibrati Punk Console - great little project, self
contained, easy enough to do in a group, and everyone loves a bit of noise
right!

http://lushprojects.com/vpc/

I built one with my 13yr nephew, he loved it and immediately came up with
ideas to extend it.

/m

On 22 May 2013, at 00:07, Monse Lozano wrote:

> Thanks for the good info, sure I'll keep you posted on how it goes, I plan
on posting some of the projects and videos online.
> 

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