Mechaduino servo - group-build?

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/100-pcs-NdFeB-Magnet-Disc-Dia-6x2-5-mm-0-236-Diametrically-Magnetized-Strong-Magnet-Neodymium/32639986878.html

Also just a note, the packaging on the magnetic sensor is a 14 pin tssop with 0.65mm pin spacing (read really fricken small). I’ve hand soldered a couple before (years ago before I had much experience, there was a lot of cleaup with solder wick and an exacto). Its doable but tricky depending on your level of surface mount soldering experience, and its also 8 bucks, so don’t screw it up.

The processor is a little easier with a 48 pin with 0.8mm spacing, but there are also a bunch of 0402 (imperial fortunately, 1.0 mm × 0.5 mm equiv) sized passives, which are fricken tiny. I usually like staying above 0603, but hey challenges are fun (and at least its not 0402 metric).

TL:DR - wouldn’t recommend this as a first surface mount soldering kit.

Yeah, Luke and I talked about that yesterday, and I do not enjoy soldering
0402.

Fortunately, at least three people on the list have reflow ovens or hot
plates :wink:

Is it possible to get a stencil for the paste?
This tends to way better than trying to apply it by hand when you have such small parts

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I picked up a stencil from OSH Stencil for the FadeCandy board that worked really well. If there is enough interest I could order one that could be shared for anyone who is interested in reflow oven work.

Mark

That would have been a good idea but it’s too late to order with the pcbs.

The PCBs are on a truck somewhere in the GVR so I should get them this afternoon. My total order cost was $US83.90 of which the PCBs were $US22.26, $CA95.57 on my credit card makes the PCBs $CA25.33.

The duty/bribe/ripoff from DHL was $CA19.57, the portion for the PCBs was $5.20.

So we’re at $CA30.50 or so for n pcbs. I’ll update this post when I get them.

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Tilt Campaign

https://www.tilt.com/tilts/mechaduino-group-build-vhs

To claim a kit you must pledge for it on Tilt (simply participating in this thread doesn’t get you one).

Price breakdown

  • Board: $1 USD
  • Fancy components: $20.70 USD
  • Passive components: $2.14 USD (we’ll order plenty of extras for VHS)
  • Magnet: $0.50 USD
  • ~10% margin for unforeseen expenses: $2.43 USD (to be donated to VHS if unused)
  • TOTAL: $34 CAD

Reality Check: This is a difficult build

I have spent quite a bit of time double- and triple-checking the components, and roped @Jarrett and @TomKeddie in to help me. However there is a risk that a part might be wrong or missing, or that something won’t work quite right. It’s open-source hardware, not a professional kit.

Also know that this will be very difficult to solder and assemble, since some components are tiny. Are you game for a challenge?!

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Signed on.

We could laser cut stencils, many people have done that before. I don’t
know how well it works.

If we’re missing some components, we can definitely find/bodge together
passives from somewhere, or make another Digikey order for the missing
stuff.

Should be fun!

We got 40.

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Tilt is up to $918. Only 8 Units left as of Fri June 24th 10:30pm

Just took one, thinking it might be great addition to the pcb milling cnc I’m building.

Oh FINE I’m in. Hopefully someone will make a solder mask and coach me through the SMD parts. Otherwise I guess it can sit on my dresser for a few years like the last SMD group build project I bought into. :wink:

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Yayyyy Alex coming to the space. I also just joined in.

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There are only 5 units left! The tilt closes tonight, so tomorrow I’ll put in the DigiKey order.

I’ve also ordered some nice stainless steel solder stencils to help with the SMD soldering.

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Just grabbed an eighth. I realized that 7 is a pretty dumb number. :wink:

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Any idea when the group build event thingie will be? I have a summer vacation coming up. :slight_smile:

Dammit I missed the tilt. Can someone add my name to that list

All parts have been ordered. We are making 37 boards. I got exactly the right number of high-priced components, a few spares of medium-priced components, and plenty of extras of the tiny cheap ones. One part was slightly backordered but should still ship in a week.

I will post once the parts arrive. We should be able to start making some test boards the week of July 11th.

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Hi all! I just thought I’d let you know that we’ve launched a Kickstarter for assembled Mechaduinos:

Mechaduino Kickstarter

Best of luck with your build!

-Joe

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Glad to see you made it to Kickstarter, great work!