Dale J Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 i also love the PC solder kits, being a ham and messing with electronic stuff most of my life, like Jeff said its a relaxing and fun time, then its even better when you fire that board up you just build and see what it does its a fantastic feeling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 My office, when working from home, is also my hobby room, aka, as my family knows it "the robot room".Problem today is..I have a LOR board to my right waiting to have triacs installed, and then fired up and tested, and instead, I have to work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisquit476 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I build all my boards, it doesn't save that much cash, but I enjoy the building, so that's why I do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Saul Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I wish I had the time.I buy kit with the complete board and the wires with the ends already on them. I can assemble them while watching TV with the Misses.I'd love to get back into the soldering and being an electronic tech, but the cost savings vrs the time it would take me to do it just doesn't pay.I save more and not have to worry about screwing up if I go to work for the 2-3 hours it would take me to solder it.Now if I was not self employed with lots of work queued up, where I can choose to work more hours or not, then things would be different, but right now in my life, my time is worth more than the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Jim Saul wrote: I wish I had the time.I buy kit with the complete board and the wires with the ends already on them. I can assemble them while watching TV with the Misses.I'd love to get back into the soldering and being an electronic tech, but the cost savings vrs the time it would take me to do it just doesn't pay.I save more and not have to worry about screwing up if I go to work for the 2-3 hours it would take me to solder it.Now if I was not self employed with lots of work queued up, where I can choose to work more hours or not, then things would be different, but right now in my life, my time is worth more than the money.I hear you, but self-employed or not is not a factor for getting back the hours. I'm not self-employed, and have no control over the hours, about the only thing to give up at this point is sleep..it's scary when the only time I can catch up on emails is at 3 AM on a red-eye flight from west coast to east coast... Difference is, which i understand is, you have that direct control over dollars versus hours. (I think that made sense..?...:shock:)It is still, for me, a sanity escape, and a much needed one..the beauty of it all is, we have that choice of how much, or how little, we want to do as far as the build piece, Dan obviously knows he needs to offer multiple sizes to fit all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I usually work in the electronic/mechanical assembly arena, so after 8-10+ hours a day soldering and assembling who knows what, I wouldn't want to come home and do it for another several hours.And is yet another reason I just prefer the pre-built units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan.a Posted April 6, 2011 Author Share Posted April 6, 2011 Thanks all for your thoughts and ideas. going to buy a prekit and think I'm going to try and see if I can solder.besides a solder iron, solder and heat clamps. what else should I spend more money on what I need to try it. I know case and dongle cords.some how in my move in 2009, all my clips, grips, resisters, mr15s, and tools are all gone. them b@sters even lost my glue gun. so I got to start from scrath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Amedee Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Solder wick or a desoldering tool is a must when assembling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan.a Posted April 6, 2011 Author Share Posted April 6, 2011 had that. what else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Have never tried one, are they essentially steel wool?I still just use an old damp washcloth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Amedee Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I still use a Weller EC2000 solder station and all i use is a wet sponge (included) to clean the tip.http://www.arcade-electronics.com/cooper/page0035.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBullard Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 This is the one I use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Ok, ok..you talked me into it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VetteNut72 Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I agree with Jeff on the controller. I have only one however it is a CTB16PC and was a pleasure to build. BTW, Hello all. I have not posted here for a very long time!!Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMaris Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I just finished my first build. It went well with one mistake: I soldered one of the opto's in upside down.(late night, tired, error)I went to radio shack (really don't like that place)and bought a 40w de-soldering iron for 8 dollars.It worked great!So I would highly recommend having one of these over de-soldering braid.Or just don't make any dumb mistakes like I did.:shock:Board works great after a 2 hour in home "show" To add my 2 cents to the original question:It is not worth the money to build your own board.It is worth it if you like to build things, and like the feeling of accomplishment when you are done. :cool:I will be putting together all my future boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 I'm the opposite..de-soldering braid all the way...Though..having the vacuum tool, a squeeze bulb, the desoldering tool you mentioned, and the braid would probably cover it all.Out of the 4 boards I've built, with 3 more sitting waiting to be built (and likely more after that, the way things are going..), the one build error I made was on an opto...I was sure gremlins had crept into the room while I was out, as I was sure I had put it in right during assembly.Your assessment is spot on-building them is not a money saver in most ways you look at it, its purely about the enjoyment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMaris Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 An opto gremlin huh? That must have been it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisquit476 Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Would highly recommend this to hold the circuit board. It's a Panavise model 324, I use it and it makes boards much simpler to solder. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VetteNut72 Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Jeff Millard wrote: VetteNut72 wrote: BTW, Hello all. I have not posted here for a very long time!!CraigHi Craig! Welcome back to the asylum!JeffThanks Jeff,I had some health issues that I have been dealing with for a few years but have a good handle on those now. I have a feeling I will be visiting here more often in the future Have a great day everyone!!Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Yes, welcome back Craig from one jus' north of you, good to hear you're on the mend. My first of ten cntrollers was a fully prebuilt -16PC.. wanted a "pattern" to build others from.. Second was assembled card, add pigtails.. cost was the factor,Third thru tenth controllers were complete I-build, cards only, used my own cases (YourBroadbandStore), pigtails from HD/Lowes.. cost definately was the factor there.. each controller I built cost almost a third of assembled kits.. less $$, more controllers..I've been a ham radio op/into electroncs for a long time, so soldering never scared me (scarred me, but never scared me).... usually if I can see something once, I can usually replicate it, so the kits were a joy to build.. like everyone has said.. plug it in, see it blink, and test ok the first time.. and I'm doing Snoopy's Happy Dance!TJ, NS2E Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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