I know that I should breadboard more but I don't so I have alot of circuits that I built just sitting in a box. do you guys throw them away, give them away, etc... I don't really like the idea of tryin to recycle much because parts are so inexpensive.
maybe we could start a thread were we trade unwanted circuits.
keep'em sooner or later you'll run out of that particular, inexpensive component and cannot wait for a new order! (like 510k, in my case!)
Widlarize them.
Look it up. :icon_biggrin:
From a book called 'Circuit Design'
'Now, when I have finished my inspection, and I am still mad as hell because I have wasted a lot of time being fooled by a bad component -- what do I do? I usually Widlarize it, and it makes me feel a lot better. How do you Widlarize something? You take it over to the anvil part of the vice, and you beat on it with a hammer, until it is all crunched down to tiny little pieces, so small that you don't even have to sweep it off the floor. It sure makes you feel better. And you know that that component will never vex you again.'
:icon_lol: Sounds like a good book.
You could also consider selling the circuit on here, or boxing it up and selling it on here or on ebay or something.
Mine just go into a pile that I call the "circuit graveyard". Sometimes I'll exhume the circuit boards and rob them of parts.
we should definitely start a thread like that, i know i've got a circuit that's in perfect condition that i just dont like, it's a yellow humper (bass specific purple peaker) all it needs done is to be stuffed in an enclosure, all i need to do is fix a solder bridge on it, i think someone definitely needs to start a trade thread for just circuits
Like this?
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=84844.0
I have a bag of random circuits, some of them I don't like and some I'm just too lazy to box up. I am a lazy lazy man!!
Anything from a simple fix, which comprises about 2% of the enourmous boxloads of salvaged CRT/__ boards, to complete destruction about 2% of total [''not known to work circuits, from the 'boardpile box'].
Complicated circuits recieve only attention fostered by vulturous intent, the rest of the count is just 96% rediculous, capacitors missing, unknown origins.
Todays heavy duty [round hole] old switch install and the power supply coupling workpieces came from such a pile, very handy for the amplifier tested to be further readied for continued use.
I re-use wires and all, generally new resistors if <220k is needed.
What do you guys do with circuits that you didn't like?
I don't build it.
Quote from: DougH on June 10, 2010, 08:32:59 PM
What do you guys do with circuits that you didn't like?
I don't build it.
Correct answer. The end.
haha, i wish i could've just not built that yellow humper, it was a pain to debug, and then once i got it fixed, it colored my bass really badly, i didnt think it was going to color it as much as it did
...I remove the components from the breadboard and put them back in their storage bins.
Quote from: B Tremblay on June 10, 2010, 08:53:15 PM
Quote from: DougH on June 10, 2010, 08:32:59 PM
What do you guys do with circuits that you didn't like?
I don't build it.
Correct answer. The end.
Dummies like me sometimes can't tell if they are going to like it until they have built it, and only then do they find out that it doesn't suit their style.
Quote from: earthtonesaudio on June 10, 2010, 08:59:18 PM
...I remove the components from the breadboard and put them back in their storage bins.
I do this with ones I like, too. Switches and enclosures are expensive!
I generally perf things rather than make PCB-builds, unless it is something I know I am going to like, or that someone else is going to like (i.e., if I don't like it, at least I can sell it).
In anticipation of that I make a point of observing some policies with respect to perf construction. One of these is that when I have to choose which component lead becomes the tie-point and which gets wrapped around the tie point (and how many times), the cheaper component is the tie-point. So, say we have a bipolar transistor, with a resistor from collector to V+ and another from emitter to ground. The leads from those resistors become the tie points, and the leads from the transistor is bent to reach those tie points and wrapped around them a couple of times.
Why do this? Because if I really don't like it, or have thought of a better way to make it, I can desolder the components, and the pricier ones stand a decent chance of being re-usable. Resistors are pennies at most, and transistors can range up to 50 cents a pop or more. The exception would be when the resistor is a particularly hard to get or otherwise nonstandard value (I'm not making an order or making a special trip for two 200k resistors), and the transistor is something easily replaceable.
Caps can also be pricey, and sometimes scoring caps that perfectly fit the space available can be tricky, to I am mindful not to damage their leads too much either.
I have a couple of bins of boards that are either awaiting a few final components to fully populate, or a suitable chassis, or another order of pots/switches, or debugging, or some reason to find them more sonically appealing than I did initially (I still don't see the appeal to the Marshall Bluesbreaker). Given that the "meh"-evoking boards have plenty of company, I am content to just let them sit there, unless there is something particularly precious onboard.
Breadboard was my first though, of course, but that's been covered.
If you never bread boarded it, and still don't want to, you can still mod the crap out of it until you (may) like it far more. Or, you can still grab a breadboard to re-build it and figure out what you'd want to mod, and then mod the board.
Lastly, along Paul's (edit: I mean Mark's) lines - I started realizing that at all points, I'm going to 'up the ante' and find another circuit or a mod I like more at some point. Or maybe I will just go OCD about my layout and want to do it over so it looks more aesthetically pleasing inside. ;)
So it takes some advanced planning but I'm designing and soldering my builds so that most components can be removed easily, and have long enough leads remaining to be used after snipping / desoldering. Oftentimes they go into the stash for breadboarding rather than another build, but it's still going to get used. You'd build a collection for breadboarding quite quickly you started snipping and desoldering your graveyard of circuits.
Yeah, breadboarding stuff seems more sensible. I'm learning to use mine more these days. But I haven't been motivated to do anything DIY lately, it all seems pointless when I have much more important things to be concerned with at the moment.
Parts are inexpensive but I don't care, I still recycle. Not that I would deliberately take apart everything but basically the stuff makes up great spares when I run out of something or happen to look for that particular part (or a decent substitute) that just happens to be located on one of the old, scrapped builds.
Heck, it's a lot easier to desolder a part in a matter of minutes than to take a 45 min trip to the store.
I still usually steer away from using the "cheapies" (smallest resistors, caps and transistors) if they don't have long enough legs left to reused easily.
I leave them in a pile on my work bench... That way I can show my wife how much money I have wasted cause I don't have a large enough breadboard or a multimeter yet lol. August is my birthday... Crossing my fingers
I carry on not liking them!!
I robbed eight or so but now I save them all.
Klon, Dr. Boogey, and a Tube Works Real Tube sucked on my fender tube 100w, Marshall 50w tube, and various SS amps so they sat on the shelf. I recently acquired and rebuilt a Guild Thunderstar 40W tube and on that those three pedals sound absolutely amazing! Funny my favorite tube Screamer sounds lame on the Guild.
I shall never judge a pedal before its time
Quote from: TimWaldvogel on June 11, 2010, 12:36:00 PM
I leave them in a pile on my work bench... That way I can show my wife how much money I have wasted cause I don't have a large enough breadboard or a multimeter yet lol. August is my birthday... Crossing my fingers
Big breadboards let you do some complex circuits. I made this big one from a bunch of breadboards that were given to me like 7 years ago.
(http://www.diyguitarist.com/Images/Breadboard1.jpg)
Quote from: Paul Marossy on June 11, 2010, 03:22:24 PM
Big breadboards let you do some complex circuits. I made this big one from a bunch of breadboards that were given to me like 7 years ago.
(http://www.diyguitarist.com/Images/Breadboard1.jpg)
I want one!!! ;D
Quote from: Mark Hammer on June 11, 2010, 10:14:06 AM
One of these is that when I have to choose which component lead becomes the tie-point and which gets wrapped around the tie point (and how many times), the cheaper component is the tie-point. So, say we have a bipolar transistor, with a resistor from collector to V+ and another from emitter to ground. The leads from those resistors become the tie points, and the leads from the transistor is bent to reach those tie points and wrapped around them a couple of times.
I never heard of perf'ing like that before. That's not how I perf.
Well then how do you do it? I'm always interested to learn other methods.
Paul: Are those pots, and their values, selected for the particular circuit on the breadboard, or do you have so many because you have a "universal" assortment of pot values? And how do you connect the pots to the breadboard?
Quote from: Mark Hammer on June 11, 2010, 10:14:06 AM
One of these is that when I have to choose which component lead becomes the tie-point and which gets wrapped around the tie point (and how many times), the cheaper component is the tie-point.
Mark, this seems backwards to me. I don't have much experience, so maybe I'm missing something. Why would you rather bend the leads on the component you're more likely to want to use again?
More germane to your example,why not socket the transistor?
i don't believe that i've ever built a circuit that i didn't like
They go in a Fail-Box full of other stuff that isn't worth messing with but I'd hate to throw out.
Quote from: Mark Hammer on June 11, 2010, 04:52:38 PM
Well then how do you do it? I'm always interested to learn other methods.
I just realised - we are talking pad-per-hole (and not padless) are we not? My method for pad-per-hole is to bend the component leads over to form traces, and allow them to just meet up over a pad without twisting them together, using solder to make the connection. I hole the leads in place with my asbestos fingers while I solder. I understand why twisting would be neccesary if it were padless board, but it seems to me extra work for pad-per-hole. I guess we all have our little preferences and peccadilloes........ ;)
Quote from: stringsthings on June 11, 2010, 10:47:32 PM
i don't believe that i've ever built a circuit that i didn't like
give it time.......lol. :icon_biggrin:
mine go into a time space continuum and disappear never to return to my ears again............ :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted:
Quote from: frequencycentral on June 12, 2010, 04:47:14 AM
Quote from: Mark Hammer on June 11, 2010, 04:52:38 PM
Well then how do you do it? I'm always interested to learn other methods.
. I hold the leads in place with my asbestos fingers while I solder.
oh yeah, your famous finges !! :D
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=36392.msg683930#msg683930
Quote from: frequencycentral on June 12, 2010, 04:47:14 AM
Quote from: Mark Hammer on June 11, 2010, 04:52:38 PM
Well then how do you do it? I'm always interested to learn other methods.
I just realised - we are talking pad-per-hole (and not padless) are we not? My method for pad-per-hole is to bend the component leads over to form traces, and allow them to just meet up over a pad without twisting them together, using solder to make the connection. I hole the leads in place with my asbestos fingers while I solder. I understand why twisting would be neccesary if it were padless board, but it seems to me extra work for pad-per-hole. I guess we all have our little preferences and peccadilloes........ ;)
I was talking "naked" perfboard. Although some of the non-SmallBear pad per hole stuff I have is often missing pads, or too tarnished to use the way you describe. The "good stuff" I was able to get from Steve a few years ago, and some nice little boards I get from a place in Toronto more recently DO permit the technique you ascribe to.
These days, a lot of my perfing involves pieces of naked perfboard chopped off a larger board. Of course, once you remove the parts from a project you didn't like, or that was so badly laid-out it required rebuilding, you end up looking at these small boards and thinking "Hmmm, what could I make with THAT?".
....and that's where the 2-transistor fuzzes come in handy. :icon_mrgreen:
"Naked perfboard"- yup. That's the way to go IMO. I don't bother with trying to build them to allow disassembly later though. Most electronic parts are a dime a dozen as AFAIC. I always socket IC's and those are the only parts I worry about saving.
I have a small circuit graveyard in a drawer but I haven't added to it in years. I always breadboard stuff first, and have proto-ed many more circuits than I have ever built. (I only had one circuit not transition from the breadboard to the perfboard properly. I never could figure it out and decided it wasn't worth it.) Also, I'm losing interest in building stuff anyway, getting back into making music instead. So I don't build near as much as I used to.
Quote from: DougH on June 10, 2010, 08:32:59 PM
What do you guys do with circuits that you didn't like?
I don't build it.
Reminds me of trying to get my kids to eat carrots.
"Eat up."
>No, don't like them.
You've never tried them. How can you not like them when you don't know what they taste like?
>I don't like them.
How do you know until it's built?
That's what the breadboard is for. Prototype it before you build it.
Let me compare pedals with girls (or boys, depending on your genre or taste).
One wild night you meet a nice blonde and you think "wow, she is hot!", but after a couple of weeks you get bored, she does not sound so sweet as in the beginning, but you keep her number in your cell phone just in case of need. ;)
And one day at a party you see the girl of your dreams, Florence Flanders... black deep eyes, round sweet face and red long hair... you take a drink and ask her out, and after a few dates suddenly you are in love with her. You merry her for life...Or so you thought. One day at the office you meet Ana Flange, she radiates joy, you can't take your eyes off her! You invite her to lunch... and begin cheating your wife. You live in the edge, but life has more surprises for you. One day while you are walking your dog, you see a lovely nieghbour at the park, you draw some courage and ask her name: Uma Vickers. Monogamy is not for you! You are very happy with your little harem!
mac
Quote from: mac on June 14, 2010, 12:27:49 PM
Let me compare pedals with girls (or boys, depending on your genre or taste).
One wild night you meet a nice blonde and you think "wow, she is hot!", but after a couple of weeks you get bored, she does not sound so sweet as in the beginning, but you keep her number in your cell phone just in case of need. ;)
And one day at a party you see the girl of your dreams, Florence Flanders... black deep eyes, round sweet face and red long hair... you take a drink and ask her out, and after a few dates suddenly you are in love with her. You merry her for life...Or so you thought. One day at the office you meet Ana Flange, she radiates joy, you can't take your eyes off her! You invite her to lunch... and begin cheating your wife. You live in the edge, but life has more surprises for you. One day while you are walking your dog, you see a lovely nieghbour at the park, you draw some courage and ask her name: Uma Vickers. Monogamy is not for you! You are very happy with your little harem!
mac
do you enjoy living in a fantasy world?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/TheToneGod/office-space-copier.jpg)
Andrew
QuoteI robbed eight or so but now I save them all.
Klon, Dr. Boogey, and a Tube Works Real Tube sucked on my fender tube 100w, Marshall 50w tube, and various SS amps so they sat on the shelf. I recently acquired and rebuilt a Guild Thunderstar 40W tube and on that those three pedals sound absolutely amazing! Funny my favorite tube Screamer sounds lame on the Guild.
I shall never judge a pedal before its time
I agree.
I have a Red Fuzz which I used a lot to push my Laney until I built a Rangemaster. Even though they are different creatures I put the Red Fuzz in the closet. Do not get me wrong, it sounds fine but the Rangemaster has the touch I like. I also tried to sell it.
When I bought a Valve Jr I was needing a booster with treble cut. I remembered the Red Fuzz which turned out to be perfect for the job.
I use the breadboard to try things a lot before building. Fortunately the clean chn of my Laney loves pedals so I'd say that a particular circuit does not suit my style instead of saying it sounds bad.
mac
If I build something that I don't like, I just throw it on Craigslist or sell it to a friend and use the money to fund more parts for more builds.
I dress up in a disguise and try to pawn them off on my arch nemesis.
Depending upon the build quality, I throw them up on eBay so I can at least get back like 1/4 of what I put into it.
For the ones that didn't work, I hold onto them for parts. If they sit on the bench long enough without being cannibalized and make my eyes sore enough, I generally take another stab at them. If that stab doesn't work, depending on my mood I either a) Smash them to bits with a hammer b) dose them in WD-40 and set them on fire or c) just throw them away.
Quote from: thedefog on June 15, 2010, 10:11:09 AM
Depending upon the build quality, I throw them up on eBay so I can at least get back like 1/4 of what I put into it.
For the ones that didn't work, I hold onto them for parts. If they sit on the bench long enough without being cannibalized and make my eyes sore enough, I generally take another stab at them. If that stab doesn't work, depending on my mood I either a) Smash them to bits with a hammer b) dose them in WD-40 and set them on fire or c) just throw them away.
how sore do your eyes get?
Quote from: Mark Hammer on June 11, 2010, 04:52:38 PM
Paul: Are those pots, and their values, selected for the particular circuit on the breadboard, or do you have so many because you have a "universal" assortment of pot values? And how do you connect the pots to the breadboard?
It's more of a universal assortment. There are 3-wire ribbon cables soldered to each pot which are connected to the breadboard.
I actually play through my breadboard,
I have 5 pedals on it right now,I just switch which is hooked up depending.This lets me see how the ciruit works in real use before boxing it up,and allows for easier tweaking ,of course I cant or wouldnt take my breadboard to my drummers house or elsewhere.
I have found that alot of times like Mac so eloquently put it.
At first something new and strange is fun,different exciting,makes you think about things you forgot you could do...
Then the magic wears off after awhile and I am glad I didnt "commit" ,at that point the components go back in the bins,if I cant tweak it to make it lovable.(my BMP,and GEO 7band EQ are still borderline as being boxed or parts put back in the bins)
For me the fun is in the learning and expirementing as much as having a final build to take to jams and such.
But yeah I de-solder everything I can save and say few words,then try to go on with my life best I can. :icon_cry:
I actually sometimes leave my leads just a little longer than I need to on new builds,just in case...