DIY kit builders

[Guest guest]

One thing that I've noticed. These kits go together very easy UNTILL ........

Your 8 year old tries to help:laughing:

Yup it happened. He tried to help and I had to get more parts from LOR. They mysteriously dissappeared. I guess its all my fault though I got him interested taking stuff apart. He started with our old pc and now if he sees "micro chips" he just has to check them out. I'm hoping he'll soon be able to put things back together:shock:

The good thing is he might actually start programming some sequences this year.

Is this considered child labor???

[cenote]

Yes, another dope here. On 3rd PC board this weekend, and got rushed and soldered the IC chip backwards. For some strange reason, did not check it twice. For all those you make a mistake like this, put down the soldering gun, go get a glass of wine and chill for a while. It is not worth throwing the board of gun, or both accross the room.

The reason I am writing, is to let you all know I found a way of unsoldering a multi pin part that works pretty good. I used a can of compresed gas duster to blow out the solder after I re-heated it. Worked pretty good.

Now I just need to finish the tri-acs and try it out. Hoping I did not damage the board when re-heating alot.

[geogecko]

Jeff Millard wrote:

cenote wrote:

The reason I am writing, is to let you all know I found a way of unsoldering a multi pin part that works pretty good. I used a can of compresed gas duster to blow out the solder after I re-heated it. Worked pretty good.

Great idea! I had some parts that needed to be desoldered and had been contemplating (rather procrastinating) a way to do it. I got a can from work and gave it a shot and it works like a charm! Thanks for a very good tip. I was considering buying a desoldering station with vacuum, but this works better than the ones I've used before.

Jeff

Sounds like a good idea, only one thing I can see being a problem. What happens to the solder that gets blown all over the place. If you do this in a highly populated area of the board (not that LOR boards have that many parts on them), you could create a solder bridge where you don't want one, with the expelled solder...just a thought. Solder suckers sound like a better idea, although sometimes are a little tricky to get working. They are cheap though. I'm talking about the kind that look like a big needle, not the bulb type. With the needle type, you click the top down, then when you are ready to suck the solder up, you push a button on the side. Works pretty well, and I think most Radio Shacks carry them.

[JeffF]

Agreed, the syringe type desoldering tool is excellent. This is similar to the one I have except I think mine is 40W...
http://www.amazon.com/30-Watt-Electric-Desoldering-Tool/dp/B0002KR9CK/

I've had it for ~10yrs and have only replaced the tip a couple times. Works great imho. :cool:

[Bob VandenBoom]

A little late weighing in on the subject. I find desoldering braid is easy to use and removes more of the solder than the vacuum type desolder tools. It is copper braid that you hold against the solder joint with a hot solder iron. When the solder reflows, it is wicked up the braid. The surface tension of the solder is enough to pull just about all the solder out of the throught hole. Nice clean pad and hole to work with. It is cheap and available at radio shack or any other place soldering equipment is sold.

[geogecko]

Jeffrey wrote:

Agreed, the syringe type desoldering tool is excellent. This is similar to the one I have except I think mine is 40W...
http://www.amazon.com/30-Watt-Electric-Desoldering-Tool/dp/B0002KR9CK/

I've had it for ~10yrs and have only replaced the tip a couple times. Works great imho. :cool:

Didn't know they had something like that, for that cheap. I was referring to these:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062745&cp=&sr=1&origkw=desoldering&kw=desoldering&parentPage=search

http://www.amazon.com/Paladin-Tools-1704-Anti-static-Tip/dp/B000X2GO8M/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1200000666&sr=1-1

[morningsidemustangs]

Sequence Dr. wrote:

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/8186/controlleroh2.jpg

Great idea to move the fuse to a easy service location!

[geogecko]

Thought I'd come back here after I had assembled my first two kits, and post some useful information.

1. For me, instead of using tape to hold down chips and other components, I just put solder in one of the end pin vias in the board, then insert say, a chip, and of course, the via with the solder in it keeps that one pin (and maybe two others) from going all the way in, then hold the IC (or whatever) from the opposite side, and touch the via with the iron, letting the pin slide in place, remove the iron and wait a couple seconds, and your part is now tacked down for you to solder the rest of the pins. A couple warnings when doing this: Make sure and touch up that first pin, as it may not have enough solder on it, secondly, if using this method for the headers, make darn sure you aren't holding the one pin you are tacking down with your other hand, or you will be reminded quickly. I'm not sure why I like this method, maybe sometimes it is because the tape doesn't always work, then you get a crooked chip.

2. If you are like me, then you ended up with at least one component that has multiple pins, with only one pin soldered down. Now I understand the importance of checking out the board before installing the high power heat sinks, but it just seemed like a lot of work to me. I ended up with one of the resistor packs not being soldered down, next to the RS485 transceiver. Instead of removing the heat sink, I just bent it over about 20 degrees, and soldered it from the top side of the board. This should work for most components, at least, the ones you can access the pins on, from the top side.

Well, I guess there weren't that many things I was going to share. I also ended up using Arctic Silver 5 for my heat sink compound, as I had a lot of it lying around, not being used, and I figured it was better than the stuff in the kit...not that they will be getting that hot, with LED lights on most channels...but oh, well.

I also found a tool that I will be trying out on the next 3 boards, called a Double Sided, Lead Bending Gauge. It allows you to make repeatable bends for those through-hole components.

http://www.stanleysupplyservices.com/product-group.aspx?id=832

Not sure how useful it would be, of course, it would have helped if all the resistor footprints on the layout were the same size, but I think the general size can be determined by eyeballing it. It should be either 0.400", 0.500", or maybe even 0.600", or maybe even half sizes in between.

Good luck on your kits!

[stanward]

The CTB16PC instructions says the resistor networks do not go in a specific direction.

The instructions state the following (page 14):

NOTE:

The orientation of resistor networks R1, R15, R16, R18 & R19 is NOT important.



jeffmill wrote:

markm wrote:

snip...My biggest problem: mounting the resister packs correctly (got one backwards). De-soldering an 8 pin pack is NOT FUN.

I soldered R2 in backwards and caused the board to fail. This is a very good tip! I've noticed the instructions now have a highlight about getting the orientation right on the resistor networks. Please take your time and make sure you get the parts placed in the right direction. You'll be glad you did!

jeff

[stanward]

I can't find an R2 on the board.

[LightORamaJohn]

stanward wrote:

I can't find an R2 on the board.

R2 is part of the Unit ID switch circuit on the CTB16D, its orientation is important. Orientation is not important for the other resistor SIPs. The CTB16PC does not have Unit ID switches so R2 is not present.

[stanward]

Thanks for the clarification!

I have the PC version without the unit ID switch, as the reason my instructions said the direction does not matter.

[Shanta]

In the "I won't make that mistake again" department... buy the cordsets from LOR, they are a bargain! I thought shoot, I have lots of indoor extension cords I can rig my own cordsets and save a buck. These cords are about a buck a piece, so $16 right there (forget tax since tax and shipping will pretty much cancel each other out). Then the spade connectors, they are $3 for a 10 pack at Home Depot (which sells boxes of all female, Lowes and RadioShack only sell pairs), or 60¢ per cord, or another $9.60. And ya know what, most of my extension cords that will go out into the lawn are grounded, so I get to either use an adapter or twist the grounding prong off! So, for $25.60 you can have 16 non-grounded, indoor rated cords and a sore crimping hand, or for $30 you can have pre-made, grounded, outdoor rated cords. Hmmmm? I won't make that mistake again!

[chris mashburn]

I could'nt agree more!! That's the best $30 I've spent.

[Steven]

Don't build your own to save money, but there are other reasons.

Here's a case I built. It was actually pretty cheap (box from the $1 store, 8 sockets at about $0.39 each, and some connectors from a box of 100), but the real reason was I didn't want those big, bulky, black pigtails on this box (because of where it was located).

This disadvantage was that this took forever to build.



Another DIY example was the version where I ran 8 channels to a 9-pin Molex connector, which then plugged into a harness that went to my mega arch. That reduced the bulk and weight.

[darrel schweissinger]

circus4u wrote:

After positioning the Light Duty Heat Sinks and screwing the head of each Triac to the heat sink, solder all the Triac center leads first. After the center leads are soldered, use the wire nippers to cut the center leads. This will give you much more room and maneuverability to solder the two rear leads of each Triac since the Light Duty Heat Sinks limit access to the rear leads.

Yes, great idea and can use futher on what I do. I flip the light duty sinks over and this makes for a level platform over the capasitors and transformer. I now have a nice and level work space and removing the center lead will make the job much easier. Thanks!

[vkjohnson]

With the possibility of not having CTB 16 cards in my hands by Thanksgiving, I was considering buying the kits instead and putting them together for this year. The problem is I need 6 of them. If I devote all my evenings after work to assembly, how long might this take to complete 6 boards? Or how many man hours does it take for just one board?

[vkjohnson]

vkjohnson wrote:

With the possibility of not having CTB 16 cards in my hands by Thanksgiving, I was considering buying the kits instead and putting them together for this year. The problem is I need 6 of them. If I devote all my evenings after work to assembly, how long might this take to complete 6 boards? Or how many man hours does it take for just one board?

Never mind, found the posts that answer this...still interested in your experiences though.

[TJ Hvasta]

VK, it seems it takes the average new builder abt 4hrs/each for the first couple boards.. the third to fourth board, you tend to knock an hour off as the placement becomes more familiar to you.. by the last set of two (boards 5 and 6) you would probably be down to abt 2hr build time each.. thats about the standard time per board now..

If you buy the kits in bulk, PLEASE remember to inventory every kit and the value of each component.. I cant state enough how important a BRIGHT light and magnifying glass are!!

TJ