MOTM

It would be great and I'd be all for it but I wouldn't be surprised if the
partially finished Euro board would cost us almost as much as a finished
euro module since:

There would probably be an additional setup fee at the assembly plant

The number of half finished modules would be a lot less than finished
modules so that run may cost more per board set

There is additional time and handling involved of handling two different
version of the same product

One thought I had to make it much simpler to convert fully completed euros
to 5U would be to design new modules (probably too late to change existing)
with all the jack, pot and switch traces and the related circuit traces meet
up at jumper rows. Assuming that the automated assembler can place the
jumpers, there should be no additional manual assembly time added. Then, to
convert to 5U:

Remove the knobz and nutz 

Remove the front panel

Remove all the jumpers

Make MTA .100 cables to go between the jacks, pots and switches on your 5U
Front Panel Express/BrideChamber/Re:Synthesis/Home brew panel and half the
jumper points on the PCB

Mount the PSC set BACKWARDS to your 5U panel so all the now disconnected
jacks, pots and switches are out of the way

The plus' are:
Reduced cost my making only one module the "fits all"
Soldering is minimal: No surface mount soldering/desoldering, just to lugs
on panel controls
Conversion is Non-destructive: convert back to euro just by remounting PCB
to euro panel and put jumpers back on

Yes, there are downsides:
Increased overall cost of the module 
Maybe increased PCB size to accommodate all those jumpers
Paul more hairless due to pulling last ones out ;-)


Or, maybe it's time DIYers step up their game and just buy good desoldering
tools and maybe better soldering equipment and magnifiers??? :-)


John


> -----Original Message-----
> From: motm@yahoogroups.com [mailto:motm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of J.D.
> McEachin
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 11:54 AM
> To: motm@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: RE: [motm] Re: 5xx series in a MOTM format
> 
> If it's possible to run the Euro PCBs without the pots, jacks, and
> switches installed, then it would save you the time and expense of
> having to design and manufacture a 5U-specific PCB.  It would save us
> the years of waiting for you to design and manufacture a 5U module,
> or alternately, the time and extra expense of having to buy your
> assembled Euro modules, remove the front panel, desolder the pots,
> jacks, and switches, and discard the front panel and jacks (currently
> the only way to get your new modules in 5U).  It's not difficult to
> run wires from the PCB holes to the pots, jacks, and switches -
> everyone who's built an MOTM kit has already done it.  Scott could
> sell kits, parts, and assembled modules.  It'd be full of win for
everyone.
> 
> Jeffrey
> 
> 
> 
> At 11:34 AM 8/16/2012, Paul Schreiber wrote:
> >The newer SMT boards are 100% soldered with all pots, jacks and switches.
> >There cannot be a "kit" as there is nothing to do except screw it to a
panel
> >and attach knobs. I suppose Scott could offer that but.......why?
> >
> >Paul S.
> >
> >
> >Without objecting anything to what Paul is saying, since no one can know
> >better than himself what is right to do with motm things, I remember that
> >Blacet used to sell partial kits were modules came without panels pots
and
> >jacks in order to second a different format, Scott Deyo might add the
rest
> >so we can have 5U 500 series as well.
> >Enrico (Italy)
> >
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------
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