Electronics cause

Just had the giant bag of capacitors arrive, so I can finally fill the shelves of the component racks.
We also have more solid core hookup wire and stripboards in stock!
As a bonus, the cause still has a pile of money to play with, so we can start getting more interesting stuff.

I’ve had @nogthree on my back asking for some terminals and connector kits to get in, so that is definitely first thing on the list. A handful of through-hole inductors would be nice, one of each order of magnitude. handy for making simple oscillators. We can also start looking at stocking SMD components. I have a huge pile of boxes to use for this already, just need to standardise what size to stock. (0805’s fit nicely on stripboard traces apparently).
We may also be getting one of the mechanical vending machines to use for vending components, we could channel some money into stocking esp8266s and arduino nanos, depending on how configurable the vending machine is.

Or we could put some cash into a 405nm (blue/violet) laser etcher to do direct photoresist activating for making PCB’s at the space. should reach 0.05mm> dot size and be very fast/low effort. One of these and some basic chemicals should allow us to churn out some nice single or double sided boards. Combine that with some solder paste, smd components and the reflow oven and we have a super fast way of making suuuuper skookum boards.

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Are you still out of bootlaces?

What happened to that big box of them?

Still missing and I’ve poked around everywhere.

I’ll order another of the good packs from china but we might want to start marking things as ‘Cause consumables, please don’t take.’.

Found this logic16 clone on aliexpress that is compatible with the official software for $30usd instead of $600usd. Clearly as none of us have ever used an Arduino or a Jhead hotend clone, we are above such trivialities and would never consider such a thing.

Also, poking round in the server room, it looks like we have a bunch of Arduino clone learn to solder kits with the marking $25/kit. Does anyone know where these came from as I am keen to run a how2solder class using them.

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Those were bought in Lemmings presidency as a learn to solder class. So long as the profits go to the space for them, thats exactly what they’re for.

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It’s aliiiive.

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Electronics cause may be getting a laser etcher with a 300mw 405nm blue-purple laser for making those super nice boards. This will most likely be heading to the science lab to sit with the chemicals required.

However, the laser is not enclosed and the cutter only comes with one pair of safety glasses.
As such, I’ll be sticking it in a black perspex box to stop any leakage of laser light. I’ll probably add a switch on the panel to get at it so the laser only turns on when the door is closed. silicon that down to a bit of MDF and job done. If anyone has info on a material that would block the laser light but still be mostly transparent, that’d be super.

Any suggestions?

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My only suggestion is, make it pretty.

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What size PCB’s can we do in it?

80x80mm area, The reason I say maybe is that it’s been purchased by a non-member to test an idea he has. After that though, He said he will donate it. If not, I’ll probably buy one myself for the space.

Hmmm, kinda small. Still, useful esp. for SMD stuff.

New soldering pencils and tips are on the way to replace the current potato tier ones we have and to also make our spare soldering stations useful. We actually have 2-3 soldering stations and 2 power supplies that can be taken and used around the space, just need to figure out how to display them properly.

However, the main event has been restocking the capacitors!
Next up is to get some more electrolytic ones, inductors of each magnitude for oscillators and some new connector sets.




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I’ve ended up buying (in part) this laser etcher with a 500mw laser and a 21*17cm bed to be kept at the space. It will be able to essentially print a design onto a pcb with photoresist, as well as cutting out kapton sheets to use as stencils for SMD work.

Essentially, going from schematic to a physical board at the space is now possible. Only step missing is to have trays for the chemicals, as well as a proper stereo microscope for soldering with.

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Let me be the first to say, hellz yeah!

I’d like to add a request for items that kinda need stocking up

  • crimp connector kit
  • heatshrink kit

Both these are partially depleted and missing quite an assortment of stuff.

Keep up the great work!

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bootlaces! Ill see if I can get a deal somewhere

the bootlace kit was found in the red box in the doom shelf (which is now empty again). It’s now sitting above the soldering bench.

New crimps and heatshrink will come in as soon as I stop being broke from buying that laser etcher.

Shall we have a electronic cause meeting and vote to purchase it off you?

Could do if you want, but we’re a bit broke after I spent $90 on capacitors, we have around $60-$90 available last time I checked.

$3.75 Arduino uno