MOTM

In the FAQ posted on the website, there's a list of recommended tools,
including a set of nut drivers.  It lists 1/4", 3/8", 5/8", and 1/2".
Five-eighths?  That seems awfully large to me, at least for working one
synths.  Maybe for cars.  (Are you secretly a car enthusiast, Paul?)  Of
course, I don't have any of my instruction sheets or parts in front of me,
so I can't actually check.  Is 5/8" correct, or is that a typo for 5/16"?

--PBr, grumbling about not finding a lead-bending tool at Home Desperate.
Radio Snack next...

>
> --PBr, grumbling about not finding a lead-bending tool at Home Desperate.
> Radio Snack next...

i use a pair of pliers (not needle nose) to bend the leads.  put the
resistor or diode or whatever in the jaws and bend the leads down.  they go
in a tad tight, but this works to your advantage.

-steve

Brousseau, Paul E (Paul) (10:21 AM 12/16/1999) wrote:

 >In the FAQ posted on the website, there's a list of recommended tools,
 >including a set of nut drivers.  It lists 1/4", 3/8", 5/8", and 1/2".
 >Five-eighths?  That seems awfully large to me, at least for working one
 >synths.

I think 5/8" is the size of the nut on a 1/4" jack and/or a pot.


Mark

________________________________________________________________
Stuff: http://www.midiwall.com

A large nutdriver is needed to tighten down the nuts securing pots to the
front panel. Although I thought I was using 3/4", not 5/8" for that...

As for lead-bending tools, a manly man has been known to just use needle
nose pliers and a good eye.

Dave Bradley
Principal Software Engineer
Engineering Animation, Inc.
daveb@...

> From: "Brousseau, Paul E (Paul)" <PaulBr@...>
>
> In the FAQ posted on the website, there's a list of recommended tools,
> including a set of nut drivers.  It lists 1/4", 3/8", 5/8", and 1/2".
> Five-eighths?  That seems awfully large to me, at least for working one
> synths.  Maybe for cars.  (Are you secretly a car enthusiast, Paul?)  Of
> course, I don't have any of my instruction sheets or parts in front of me,
> so I can't actually check.  Is 5/8" correct, or is that a typo for 5/16"?
>
> --PBr, grumbling about not finding a lead-bending tool at Home Desperate.
> Radio Snack next...
>

1) that should be 5/16"

2) Hex nuts are 1/2"

Paul S.

----- Original Message -----

From: Brousseau, Paul E (Paul) <PaulBr@...>
To: <motm@onelist.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 1999 12:21 PM
Subject: [motm] Stupid tool question...


> From: "Brousseau, Paul E (Paul)" <PaulBr@...>
>
> In the FAQ posted on the website, there's a list of recommended tools,
> including a set of nut drivers.  It lists 1/4", 3/8", 5/8", and 1/2".
> Five-eighths?  That seems awfully large to me, at least for working one
> synths.  Maybe for cars.  (Are you secretly a car enthusiast, Paul?)  Of
> course, I don't have any of my instruction sheets or parts in front of me,
> so I can't actually check.  Is 5/8" correct, or is that a typo for 5/16"?
>
> --PBr, grumbling about not finding a lead-bending tool at Home Desperate.
> Radio Snack next...
>
> >

>
> > --PBr, grumbling about not finding a lead-bending tool at Home 
> Desperate.
> > Radio Snack next...

Noooooooo, not Rat Shack!

Moe

Mouser has these, same day shipment. 1-800-346-6873.

MOTM requirement: get mouser & Digikey catalogs! (1-800-digikey)

Paul S.

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Dave Bradley <daveb@...>
To: <motm@onelist.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 1999 12:47 PM
Subject: RE: [motm] Stupid tool question...


> From: "Dave Bradley" <daveb@...>
> 
> >
> > > --PBr, grumbling about not finding a lead-bending tool at Home 
> > Desperate.
> > > Radio Snack next...
> 
> Noooooooo, not Rat Shack!
> 
> Moe 
> 
> >

> From: Dave Bradley <daveb@...>
> A large nutdriver is needed to tighten down
> the nuts securing pots to the front panel.

Pot retaining and switchcraft 1/4 jack require 1/2" nutdriver.  All keeper
nuts require 5/16".  These two nutdrivers stay with my MOTM assembly tool
tray.  The rest of the $19.95 Craftsman set stays in the tool box.
 
> As for lead-bending tools, a manly man has been known to just use needle
> nose pliers and a good eye.

I have never used a jig either.  I find it plenty quick to bend them with
my fingers and a good eye as Dave said.

Stooge Larry

I have the Craftsman set and love it!  I bought it specifically when I
started building MOTM kits.  I believe I have ONLY used the 1/2" and 5/16"
for MOTM kits.  An excellent value/investment.  This isn't something that
will break or wear out building MOTM kits.  And Craftsman does come with
life time warranties.  There is some other Craftsman equipment I don't care
for though.

Tool quality priority:
1.  Undisturbed, uncluttered, smooth, flat work area
    (I don't have this one yet.)
2.  Soldering iron--go Weller workstation!
3.  Excellent lighting (I don't have this one either yet.)
4.  PCB vise
5.  Diagonal cutter (dikes)
6.  Needlenose pliers
7.  Solder sucker (I still haven't got the hang of wicking.)
8.  1/2" and 5/16" hollow shaft nutdrivers
9.  1/16" Allen wrench
10. Heat gun
11. Fingernail brush

I don't know if a magnifying glass would help or not since I don't have one
yet, but I am sure it can't hurt (except for my wallet)!

Come to think of it, I had a hell of a time finding a 5/8" nut driver too!

> From: "J. Larry Hendry" <jlarryh@...>
> > From: Dave Bradley <daveb@...>
> > A large nutdriver is needed to tighten down
> > the nuts securing pots to the front panel.
> Pot retaining and switchcraft 1/4 jack require 1/2" nutdriver.  All keeper
> nuts require 5/16".  These two nutdrivers stay with my MOTM assembly tool
> tray.  The rest of the $19.95 Craftsman set stays in the tool box.

So far, my "workstation" includes:

1) A space in front of my computer moniter where my keyboard usually is.
About the same size as the keyboard.
2) Soldering iton-- ancient Archer model borrowed from my father.
3) OK lighting... need to plug in a lamp.
4) Fingers / knees.
5) Weller diagonal cutters.
6) Needlenose pliers.
7) No solder sucker.
8) 7-piece hollow nut driver set from a company which makes crappy drill
bits (forgot the name).
9) 7-piece allen wrench set.
10) The same soldering iron.
11) I'm sure I can dig up a brush somewhere... ;)
12) DVM also borrowed from my father (also likely an Archer model!)
13) Stanley #1 and #2 screwdrivers

I'm going to keep a close eye on the tools... I can't imagine they'll wear
out any time soon.  On the other hand, I only paid something like $40 for
the stuff I have purchsed so far.  The fingers / knees were free.  ;)

--PBr

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Tentochi [SMTP:tentochi@...]
> Sent:	Friday, December 17, 1999 5:08 PM
> To:	motm@onelist.com
> Subject:	RE: [motm] Stupid tool question...
> 
> From: "Tentochi" <tentochi@...>
> 
> I have the Craftsman set and love it!  I bought it specifically when I
> started building MOTM kits.  I believe I have ONLY used the 1/2" and 5/16"
> for MOTM kits.  An excellent value/investment.  This isn't something that
> will break or wear out building MOTM kits.  And Craftsman does come with
> life time warranties.  There is some other Craftsman equipment I don't
> care
> for though.
> 
> Tool quality priority:
> 1.  Undisturbed, uncluttered, smooth, flat work area
>     (I don't have this one yet.)
> 2.  Soldering iron--go Weller workstation!
> 3.  Excellent lighting (I don't have this one either yet.)
> 4.  PCB vise
> 5.  Diagonal cutter (dikes)
> 6.  Needlenose pliers
> 7.  Solder sucker (I still haven't got the hang of wicking.)
> 8.  1/2" and 5/16" hollow shaft nutdrivers
> 9.  1/16" Allen wrench
> 10. Heat gun
> 11. Fingernail brush
> 
> I don't know if a magnifying glass would help or not since I don't have
> one
> yet, but I am sure it can't hurt (except for my wallet)!
> 
> Come to think of it, I had a hell of a time finding a 5/8" nut driver too!
>

At 08:08 PM 12/17/99 -0500, "Tentochi" <tentochi@...> wrote:
>Tool quality priority:
>1.  Undisturbed, uncluttered, smooth, flat work area
>    (I don't have this one yet.)
>3.  Excellent lighting (I don't have this one either yet.)
Ah yes, the kinds of things you forget are useful until you try to do
without them.  Actually, I can sort of do without number one for the
soldering phase since everything fits in the tray the PCB vise is attached
to.  I wind up carrying the finished circuit boards out to the dining room
table for panel/bracket/knobs/jacks assembly.

>2.  Soldering iron--go Weller workstation!
I'll second that specific nomination (WTCPT) entirely.  Well worth the $$.

>4.  PCB vise
There's no way I could have built any MOTM without one! (at least not until
I grow a third arm)

>7.  Solder sucker (I still haven't got the hang of wicking.)
Thoroughly indispensible when you put in those IC's backwards (oops!)

And, I suppose I should open myself up to abuse for ridiculous
substitutions ...
>10. Heat gun
Bic lighter (the trick, of course, is to not let the flame actually touch
the heatshrink)

>11. Fingernail brush
Used toothbrush - seems to work OK; none of my modules have developed
bizarre shorts or DC offsets from flux residue AFAIK ...

>I don't know if a magnifying glass would help or not since I don't have one
>yet, but I am sure it can't hurt (except for my wallet)!

I haven't felt the need for one yet, but I'd think it wouldn't be too
expensive (especially relative to solder station/vise costs).

>Come to think of it, I had a hell of a time finding a 5/8" nut driver too!

I just buy new sizes at Ace Hardware as I need 'em.

	-Doug
	 ceres@...

my setup is simple:

a soldering iron, a voltmeter, a diag cutter, and a pair or regular pliers.

i usually put a towel over the k5000 and solder there.

i have hacked many synths and 606's with this style.  it comes from being
used to working in tight places as a field tech.

woohoo.  i write minimal music after i use my minimal tools rig.  less
tools, more modules!

-steve

ps don't tell paul ;)

> 1.  Undisturbed, uncluttered, smooth, flat work area

This makes a huge difference.  I find my kitchen table to be about the best
spot.  I have lots of other choices, but this one works for me.  I only
bring it up because most people probably don't have an area they can
dedicate to MOTM construction.  How I make this temporary work location
work for me is keeping everything I need for MOTM work in a well organized
tote tray.  I can drop it down and be ready to work as soon as my iron
heats up.  And, I am right close to the sink for washing.  When I reach the
end of my work period, I can pack up my tray and be out of the way in 1/2
minute after the soldering iron cools a bit.

If you don't have a nice Weller work station (like me), I highly recommend
one of those nice $5 soldering iron holders.  I have a iron that I like
quite well and will probably not get one of those Wellers until mine plays
out.  The holders keep your iron safe when not in your hands.

When I wash my boards, I use a toothbrush.  They seem to work fine and I
have a good supply as I seem to wear one out from their intended use about
every 3 months.  Since they are smaller than a fingernail brush, I feel
like I have a little more control.

A vice is great.  Even if you can't afford a nice Panavise or something,
one of those little $5 jobbies with the alligator clips really work fine
too when you REALLY need that 3rd hand.

As far as magnifying glasses, I have one of those little glasses like the
jewelers use to look at diamonds.  You can really see the numbers and do a
good job of inspecting all solder joints.  I think they are relatively
cheap.  I have no idea where I even got mine.

I may be anal about this, but I check every resistor with my Fluke before
soldering them in.  Even in good light, the colors are just not all that
clear at times.  Red and orange are very different on some, yet almost
identical on others.  Same for brown and violet.  Hell, maybe I'm just
getting old and blind.  NOT !!.

Stooge Larry