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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : June SC Projects
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| Phil23 Guru  Joined: 27/03/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1667 |
I actually found the article quite interesting. Along with December's article on Supercritical Steam Power Plants. Not interested in starting a Pro/Anti-Neuc debate, I'm neutral on that front, seeing merits either way. Output figures are impressive. Solar, Wind & others all have their merit, but probably haven't developed to the stage where they can sustain our base load. Does make you wonder what we'll see in the future though. Will my 2kV (1700W really), Honda Genny, be replaced by a 5kV device the size of a brick at some stage. I don't think the problem is the technology, but the Maturity of our infrastructure management & their ability to do things right. Cheers. |
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| Phil23 Guru Joined: 27/03/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1667 |
Thanks for pointing this out, it's very interesting. Take Peters Ultimate backpack for example... I wouldn't consider giving it a go at this stage. Inexperience with SMD, But way more put off by potential failure. It would be hugely disappointing to complete it & have it fail. The practice board sound like a great idea in this respect. I'm curious, does it do something in the end, or is just a paper weight. It would be interesting if there was a variation available that contained a totally non-functional area, along with a working space that could be completed last & gave feedback on any faults in the workmanship of components placed in that area. Cheers. |
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TassyJim Guru Joined: 07/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 6269 |
The 3D vision from the stereo microscope is very nice. I prefer it over the flat USB microscope for board work. The advantage of having the image on screen is the ability to leave my reading glasses on, not something I can do with the stereo microscope. Jim VK7JH MMedit |
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centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
Matherp wrote Unfortunately with increasing age the hands arent as steady as they used to be. Looking at the hot end of a soldering iron waving around under high magnification is a little daunting. 1206 size and some soic devices are not to bad anything smaller becomes very frustrating. I look fwd to some of the more exotic mites with the multi multi pin chips already soldered in place. Cliff |
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brucepython Regular Member  Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 64 |
That's very kind of you Paul, and you have my sincere thanks for the offer. While I'm not engaged in anything requiring tiny parts at present (I've been away from home for the past six weeks and am likely to be on the road again over the next three or four) I'll keep that in mind should the necessity arise. It's also yet another reminder of the cooperation and generosity typical of people on this excellent forum. |
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palcal Guru Joined: 12/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1982 |
You sound like you are doing the Grey Nomad thing. If you ever pass through Townsville give me a yell. Paul. "It is better to be ignorant and ask a stupid question than to be plain Stupid and not ask at all" |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9590 |
It's a paper weight. 
Even with shaky hands, so long as the chip was correctly aligned and taped firmly down so it can't move, the iron won't care and the solder will still reflow fine. You will be surprised by the surface-tension of the solder. It will stick to the pins and the pads, and not bridge the pins - if you have the right amount of solder on the tip of your iron. It certainly helps if you have a steady hand though. Having said that, I don't want anyone with gentle tremors to think that SMD is beyond them because of that - it all depends on how much you want to do it. There is always the solder-paste and stencil approach, and then the parts can actually be aligned quite badly, and when that solder-paste reflows, the aforementioned surface-tension just pulls the parts into alignment - it's really quite sexy. Have a look at this video. Note how some parts are completely out of alignment, but the reflow process causes the component to auto-align itself. Surface-tension is magic in action. 
Reflow ovens are quite easy and cheap to make. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Phil23 Guru Joined: 27/03/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1667 |
Found these, and ordered a couple. Dirt cheap at a Buck each, and they give a little confirmation that the job was successful. It's description raises a couple of questions about my gear though. I've got a 170 Amp Inverter Welder, GP & Low Hydrogen Rod. Will that suit & which rods? Or should I grab a Handpiece & gas & use it in TIG mode. Just want to make sure I start on the right foot when I "Practice my Welding". Cheers. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9590 |
The gas should do it. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| 5bar Newbie  Joined: 10/07/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 16 |
Yeah, I'd go with the TIG that 60/40 filler wire can be messy though I can count to 31 on one hand |
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Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5116 |
I see in the July edition Leo has once again used his position as a publisher of a electronics hobby magazine to promote his personal views on politics and fossil fuels. Well timed just before an election. Its good the way Silicon Chip include the Publisher Letter on their web site, makes it easier for me to decide if I will buy that edition or not. Whats annoying is his views of green supporters are totally off the mark. I live a green lifestyle, I've voted green, but also voted left and right, it depends on the policies at the time and what idiot they have in charge. For a start, most of the "green" voters that I've spoken to DO NOT want to stop all mining. Like me, most sensible green voters only want to stop new coal power stations been built, but we dont want to shut down existing coal stations, rather let them complete their life until they are no longer financially viable to maintain, and hopefully migrating to cleaner technology and training their employees in the process. I have no interest in shutting down any existing mine, we need the resources, including coking coal. Any idiot knows we need coking coal to make steel, and always will. And the "windmills are made from steel" argument is just silly. But while we have existing coal mines loosing money and laying off workers, its seams dumb opening a new coal mine. The same with oil, we need oil for transportation while we migrate to cleaner alternatives. We also need oil for plastics and just about every other material we use. Drill away, but lets not waste it, think about the following generations in 100 or 1000 years time. And yes, despite what has been said in Silicon Chip, it is practical to live off grid using existing battery technology. I've been doing it for 4 years, and my electricity supply is much more reliable than anyone else in my neighborhood. My power isn't free, I still need to replace batteries, but once you do the maths, my electricity cost about 20% of regular grid power. Yes, its worth while. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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mikeb Senior Member  Joined: 10/04/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 174 |
@Glenn, Well said. My sentiments exactly. There are 10 kinds of people in the world. Those that understand binary and those that don't. |
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| Benzol Regular Member Joined: 07/01/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 64 |
In defense of the Silicon Chip magazine, I would be running out of ideas and having stale thought processes after so long in the business. There is a lot of expertise out there so maybe some practical suggestions that would interest beginners and experts alike would help. I've been thinking of using a micromite as a weather station. Home built hall effect anemometer with the humidity and temperature sensor. I just don't know how to calibrate to wind speed. Maybe add in wireless later as a secondary project. |
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| Phil23 Guru Joined: 27/03/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1667 |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9590 |
I had to read that after your post Gizmo, and have to admit it's a bit of a loaded column this month. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| paceman Guru Joined: 07/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1329 |
You're spot on Glenn - the first thing I do when SC arrives for the month is read his Editorial to see what rubbish he's spouting this time. This month was a hum-dinger! Greg |
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| robert.rozee Guru Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 2431 |
i'm pleased that at least one other person in the world is aware of this - for years i've been telling anyone who will listen of how the real worry about running out of oil is: no more plastic! oil is an incredibly valuable resource that will, one day, be scarce. it is something far too important to (today) be burning for electricity or transportation. in our future, be it 10, 100, or 1000 years from now, i personally see PV cells printed onto the roofing iron that covers our houses, and that source of electricity used to (a) heat water used to provide warmth at night, and, (b) used to charge a liquid salt battery stashed away at the end of the garden. i see liquid fuels used to power vehicles, in the form of biodiesel or methanol. i also see many more products made out of wood, ceramic, and metal, as plastics will be far too valuable to waste on ballpoint pens and shopping bags. alas, i do not see electric cars and windmills. i feel both have quite practical engineering issues that will see other paths followed. cheers, rob :-) btw, is there not any alternative to 'coking coal' for the making of steel? given a (hypothetical) unlimited supply of cheap electrical energy, can one not manufacture an alternative material? |
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| centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
Of course Glenn is not biased is he!
If you don't like the mag don't buy it, at least we have an electronics mag in Aus. I often wonder what happens to the statement you see on this forum "I have this great idea in mind" and that is the last you ever hear of it. I read this forum and Silicon Chip because I enjoy the posts and articles I may not agree with everything but that is life. Cliff |
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| Phil23 Guru Joined: 27/03/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1667 |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5116 |
In what way? I've already said I've voted for most major parties at some time. I lean left, voted green once, and voted for little Johnny twice, if you need to know. Depending on the editorial, sometimes I dont buy it. I do miss the days when we had several electronics magazines. Seams like the one we have left is determined to alienate half its reader base. lost me there. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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