Sold SaV64 - Round 3
- Thread starter SkydivinGirl
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Thanks! I had just finished up repairing the board that is inside the box that your boards are sitting on (a Fanuc robot Purge Controller that had its relays replaced), so I had a bit of time before I had to leave for Dyersburg. It took longer to figure out which resistor was which than it took to nail them down.:roll:
@TheRestOfY'all:
This is a very nicely built kit, easily on par with my Elecraft K2 kit. I highly recommend it. The board, enclosure, and parts are all of top notch quality. But if you don't have SMD/SMT experience, then let Heather do that part for you. And if you do have surface mount experience, then you already know enough to let Heather do that for you. (some of us are slow learners though).
SkydivinGirl
Retro Girl
The resistors can be a little difficult to figure out but most of them have codes that are listed in the parts list on the SaV64 assembly page. I wrote the first number of the resistor value on the two of the resistors that don't have any markings. Still, it's a small area so they are difficult to write them clearly. 
Thanks for the kind comments on the kit! A high quality device was a top goal of the project design. It's great to hear that people think we achieved that goal.
I worked on assembling eleven SaV64s yesterday! All that's left on those is building and attaching the output cable then testing. I hope I can get them done over the holiday to ship the first week of December.
Only two devices are left for sale from this run.
Heather
Thanks for the kind comments on the kit! A high quality device was a top goal of the project design. It's great to hear that people think we achieved that goal.
I worked on assembling eleven SaV64s yesterday! All that's left on those is building and attaching the output cable then testing. I hope I can get them done over the holiday to ship the first week of December.
Only two devices are left for sale from this run.
Heather
The resistors can be a little difficult to figure out but most of them have codes that are listed in the parts list on the SaV64 assembly page. I wrote the first number of the resistor value on the two of the resistors that don't have any markings. Still, it's a small area so they are difficult to write them clearly.
No complaints here. I knew what I was getting into.
SkydivinGirl
Retro Girl
All the fully assembled SaV64 orders should be shipped this week. I have assembled and tested all the boards. All that's left to do is attach the output cables, mount them in cases, do a final test, then package them to ship. Look for a PM and a post in this thread when your unit ships.
I still have two devices left in this batch. I can ship kits right away but fully assembled units may take a bit of time as the Final Expansion 3 project will be taking up a lot of my time.
Thanks!
Heather
I still have two devices left in this batch. I can ship kits right away but fully assembled units may take a bit of time as the Final Expansion 3 project will be taking up a lot of my time.
Thanks!
Heather
Finished my two builds! It's funny how easy and quick the second one was after I finished and suffered the first one, haha.
Not only this is some top quality stuff, Heather was so patient with me and helped me a lot along the way with my stupid mistakes (there were less than I thought!). Thanks so much, you're a top person!
I think the hardest parts to build are mounting the daughterboard on the main board, and dealing with the cable because it's super thick.
For the daughterboard I came up with a couple of tricks, main one being using a little piece of bent resistor or diode leg as a "pin" to hold the daughterboard in place, which then I just solder through, helps the solder flow through like with any other component, otherwise it's a bit hard. I also used a very thin screwdriver tip to put solder through to the bit you scratch on the board which has a blob of solder.
Anyway, really enjoyed building this and I learned a damn lot, and best thing, now my C64 is protected and whenever I travel I can just take a couple of wart plugs! Gotta buy those soon.
If you are ever going to revise the design, I would do maybe two things, one, make a hole where we have to scratch the motherboard, for the ground, and then maybe enlarge a bit the holes for the power cable, or even use a screw-in terminal so we can easily change the cable in case it gets damaged.
Thanks for making this kit, Heather!
Here's a pic of my two units.
(oh yeah, I chopped up the stickers to actually put them where they belong on the case, I thought it looks nicer and it's more helpful!)
Not only this is some top quality stuff, Heather was so patient with me and helped me a lot along the way with my stupid mistakes (there were less than I thought!). Thanks so much, you're a top person!
I think the hardest parts to build are mounting the daughterboard on the main board, and dealing with the cable because it's super thick.
For the daughterboard I came up with a couple of tricks, main one being using a little piece of bent resistor or diode leg as a "pin" to hold the daughterboard in place, which then I just solder through, helps the solder flow through like with any other component, otherwise it's a bit hard. I also used a very thin screwdriver tip to put solder through to the bit you scratch on the board which has a blob of solder.
Anyway, really enjoyed building this and I learned a damn lot, and best thing, now my C64 is protected and whenever I travel I can just take a couple of wart plugs! Gotta buy those soon.
If you are ever going to revise the design, I would do maybe two things, one, make a hole where we have to scratch the motherboard, for the ground, and then maybe enlarge a bit the holes for the power cable, or even use a screw-in terminal so we can easily change the cable in case it gets damaged.
Thanks for making this kit, Heather!
Here's a pic of my two units.
(oh yeah, I chopped up the stickers to actually put them where they belong on the case, I thought it looks nicer and it's more helpful!)
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SkydivinGirl
Retro Girl
@Akira
I'm always happy to help out and I'm extremely happy that you learned a lot from the experience. It's funny how you learn the most when something goes wrong.
Thanks for the tricks you used on your second build. I actually had started using a bit of resistor leg through the one hole connecting the daughter board to the main board when I started on this batch. It definitely makes that part a little easier. I still use the larger pin to hold it in place but then I take that our and put in the resistor leg once the ground solder point is soldered.
If there's a new design done, it will not have a daughter board. The daughter board was done because of a design issue that had to be fixed after the PCBs had already been made. I didn't want to throw away an expensive bunch of PCBs so the daugther board was done. In a new version the wire holes will be slightly larger. I wouldn't want to use screw terminals simply because you can get a poor connection or loosening over time. Plus, you should never have to remove the wires anyways.
I hope they give you many years of protection!
Heather
I'm always happy to help out and I'm extremely happy that you learned a lot from the experience. It's funny how you learn the most when something goes wrong.
Thanks for the tricks you used on your second build. I actually had started using a bit of resistor leg through the one hole connecting the daughter board to the main board when I started on this batch. It definitely makes that part a little easier. I still use the larger pin to hold it in place but then I take that our and put in the resistor leg once the ground solder point is soldered.
If there's a new design done, it will not have a daughter board. The daughter board was done because of a design issue that had to be fixed after the PCBs had already been made. I didn't want to throw away an expensive bunch of PCBs so the daugther board was done. In a new version the wire holes will be slightly larger. I wouldn't want to use screw terminals simply because you can get a poor connection or loosening over time. Plus, you should never have to remove the wires anyways.
I hope they give you many years of protection!
Heather
The only case where I see a cable needing to be removed, is if the cable gets damaged, which granted, with a lot of tear and wear, it could happen! In that case, screw terminals would come handy.
Then again this is an extreme case. I understand the reasons why you don't have those, so larger holes would be a great solution
Again, thanks for making this happen, I'm really happy about it.
Then again this is an extreme case. I understand the reasons why you don't have those, so larger holes would be a great solution
Again, thanks for making this happen, I'm really happy about it.
SkydivinGirl
Retro Girl
Thanks MindWalker! I'll leave feedback shortly.
Package shipped to deladrevoc today and customs information sent via PM.
The only person whose package has not yet been shipped is Fugu. Both his devices are ready to ship once his Final Expansion 3 is ready.
Thanks!
Heather
*EDIT* Feedback left for MindWalker.
Package shipped to deladrevoc today and customs information sent via PM.
The only person whose package has not yet been shipped is Fugu. Both his devices are ready to ship once his Final Expansion 3 is ready.
Thanks!
Heather
*EDIT* Feedback left for MindWalker.
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Positive feedback left for you, too.
I assembled the kit today. I have done very little SMD work so I was a bit worried but at the end it was easier than I had feared. The only part where I had troubles was getting that thick cable stripped and soldered into that accursed DIN plug! Both the cable and the plug were very high quality but taming the combination took some time... Finally got everything done and was happy to see it worked from the first go. Also a good excuse to dig up my C64 to play! Also tested the C8D switcher, nice add-on.
Thanks!
p.s: Loved the text at the bottom of the daughter board
I assembled the kit today. I have done very little SMD work so I was a bit worried but at the end it was easier than I had feared. The only part where I had troubles was getting that thick cable stripped and soldered into that accursed DIN plug! Both the cable and the plug were very high quality but taming the combination took some time... Finally got everything done and was happy to see it worked from the first go. Also a good excuse to dig up my C64 to play! Also tested the C8D switcher, nice add-on.
Thanks!
p.s: Loved the text at the bottom of the daughter board
SkydivinGirl
Retro Girl
@MindWalker
Glad you got everything together. It's nice that you noticed the text on the bottom of the daughter board. I wanted to do something funny since the daughter board was to fix a small PCB error.
The DIN connector is one of the more difficult parts of the build. Thanks for letting me know how it all turned out! I'm glad you like the joystick switcher as well.
Heather
Glad you got everything together. It's nice that you noticed the text on the bottom of the daughter board. I wanted to do something funny since the daughter board was to fix a small PCB error.
The DIN connector is one of the more difficult parts of the build. Thanks for letting me know how it all turned out! I'm glad you like the joystick switcher as well.
Heather
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