All,
First – all parts for Weller iron repair should arrive tomorrow.
I am proposing a vote for $1,459.32 to upgrade our electronics lab. Yes, there is a spreadsheet at the bottom, and yes, Greg will make fun of me for being “over-kill” and “compulsive” at the meeting. However, this is detailed work, so it is needed.
I realize this is a lot of money, especially if you’re used to spending $10 here and there on arduinos, and using a $40 soldering iron.I am estimating on the high-side and anticipate coming in under budget. Still, though, we need to commit to having a functioning electronics lab with comparable tooling to our other facilities. I am including a link and itemized estimate below.
As you may know, most of the equipment we have is donated equipment (mostly Dave, John, and myself, and Dave {lot’s of stuff from dave}). We are really behind in electronics area, and losing ground as things break (most breakage has just been simply due too the age of the equipment).
Proposal includes:
Bench upgrades:
Pro Soldering Iron
Fume extraction / venting
Needed bench equipment
Needed SAFETY equipment
PCB Production:
Photo etching setup (this is what I use)
Setting up shapeoko as a PCB mill (it can do it down to 0604, even 04)
SMD Reflow:
Reflow toaster needs an overhaul
Various stocked parts:
Asst wire 18-24ga
Common parts: buttons, micros, pots, trimmers, R, C, L
Replacement of some expendables
Storage solutions (parts drawers, etc)
More here in itemized spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yIgh209Li_DrxsmB1-WPnB_XZiu790BEPY-r4RC8VzE/edit?usp=sharing
The hive needs to own electronics tools. If Dave, John, and I reclaimed our stuff, we’d have almost no electronics tools!
We need pro-quality tools. That’s why we’re here, right?
We need to use & teach in this area.
Individually, all these things are cheap, but small stuff adds up. We need a lot. After this, we can keep ahead of expendables and breakage with warden budget for a while.
Lorin