Gaussmeter Kit Group-Buy

[RedHouse]

While all the info we need is in the thread http://music-electronics-forum.com/t13187/ it can be a bit of a hastle strolling through it when trying to build (or operate) the meter.

So for the sake of all of us that will be building this project, I whipped up this PDF that has the basic information needed so we can easily print out some, or all, of it as needed.

Here is the PDF: http://classicamplification.net/Gaus...ssMeter_v2.pdf
(right-click the link and select "save target as")

Elepro, please review it for errors.

[spy]

Hey Brad, what a great job! Words are worthless.... THANKS!

[mickmutante]

Excellent..!! Nice job Brad..!

[Bruce Johnson]

Are the standoffs mentioned in the instructions included in the kit? If not, tell me the specs, and I'll make up enough for everyone, no charge. I used to make up all kinds of custom standoffs for the electronics lab on a small turret lathe that I have.

Likewise, is there any need for a machined metal or plastic sleeve to encase the probe? If we can figure out what it should be, I'll make up a batch of them. I'm willing to donate some time to this project.

[RedHouse]

UPDATE:

--- The gauss meter group-buy is now closed ---

Parts will be ordered Monday August 3rd

19 Participants:
Redhouse
David Schwab
JasonG
spy
firewire
Bruce Johnson
Arndawg56
LtKojak
mkat
automan
Dave Kerr
JohnH
defaced
David King
StarryNight
mickmutante
paulgarstki
Jeff Callahan
52Bill
Joe Gwinn

We did well, we only lost one participant.

[RedHouse]

...Are the standoffs mentioned in the instructions included in the kit?...

No, only the items on the parts list are included in this parts kit. http://music-electronics-forum.com/t14121-7/#post114168

[-Elepro-]

Here is the PDF: http://classicamplification.net/Gaus...ssMeter_v2.pdf
(right-click the link and select "save target as")

Elepro, please review it for errors.

perfect

[Bruce Johnson]

No, only the items on the parts list are included in this parts kit. http://music-electronics-forum.com/t14121-7/#post114168

If you tell me the specs on the standoffs (OD, length, thread size), I'll whip up 20 sets quickly and get them to you, so you can distribute them with the kits.

The most common for board spacing are 1/4" OD aluminum with 4-40 threads. For the electronics lab, I often had to make up special length standoffs for just this reason; to get proper engagement between connectors on matching boards.

[automan]

You guys kick so much ass! I'm glad I found this forum when I did. It has been a world of help to me. The kindness you guys share is amazing as well. Redhouse build PCBs. Bruce Johnson building standoffs. I look forward to the day I can return the kindness on this forum.

[dpm]

EDIT: Was reading the forum in hybrid mode and missed the last posts. Looks like I missed the group buy too lol

Looking forward to seeing some of these completed, good luck to all!

[RedHouse]

If you tell me the specs on the standoffs (OD, length, thread size), I'll whip up 20 sets quickly and get them to you, so you can distribute them with the kits.

The most common for board spacing are 1/4" OD aluminum with 4-40 threads. For the electronics lab, I often had to make up special length standoffs for just this reason; to get proper engagement between connectors on matching boards.

Looks like just proud of 11mm or 7/16.

The down side of including these in the parts kit are that threading forces an early decision....Metric or SAE.

The holes in the PCB I'm making allow for 4-40 screws ...but... the holes in the LCD display are slightly smaller and I had to "ream" them out to get a 4-40 through.

The spec sheet on the LCD module indicates the hole is for a "4" but I'm sure it's a #4 metric as all the other measurements on the spec sheet are metric.

We don't know that skill levels everyone in this group-buy have so if we went 4-40 we'd force everyone to ream the LCD module mounting holes, someone may goof and bugger their module.

On the other hand if we pre-choose metric others might have trouble finding the screws locally. Like me for instance, I went down to the local Ace hardware because they have a huge nut-n-bolt section and I can usually find whatever I need but they didn't have any suitable #4 metric machine screw. That is when I decided to go 4-40 but had to ream the holes in the LCD module to fit.

I'm thinking each person should decide for themselves which way would be best for them, that is why I didn't bother adding the nut-n-bolts into this group-buy.

Perhaps you could offerer this directly with everyone like you offered to build enclosures in an earlier thread? That way no one is forced to decide before they get their stuff.

[Dave Kerr]

Anything that reduces the # of shipping hops is a good thing, IMVHO. If Bruce is willing to throw this together as a lagniappe I'd be happy to receive whatever he produces, the caveat is pretty clear whichever thread is chosen.

[RedHouse]

UPDATE:

This group-buy was closed 8-1-2009

There has been a new development dealing with the international currency exchange. When I went to Paypal Elepro the funds we didn't get the same Dollar-to-Euro currency exchange rate as we would have got a month ago when this first started. Apparently it has gone up (for us) so our $27 PIC is now $30 and since we have to pay the Paypal (15euro) that went up too.

So... we all need to ante-up another $3.06.
(David Schwab and Bruce Johnson will have PM's)

I covered the difference with my Visa card for now, but we'll need to get this settled before I ship out the packages.

Three parts from Mouser are on back-order so we will have an additional 1-week (estimated) wait for the Mouser stuff. I'm sure Elepro will post when he ships our PIC's.

Those who have sent their $3.00 Currency/Exchange rate adjustment
Redhouse
David Schwab
JasonG
spy
firewire
Bruce Johnson
Arndawg56
LtKojak
mkat
automan
Dave Kerr
JohnH
defaced
David King
StarryNight
mickmutante
Jeff Callahan
52Bill
Joe Gwinn

[RedHouse]

Anything that reduces the # of shipping hops is a good thing, IMVHO. If Bruce is willing to throw this together as a lagniappe I'd be happy to receive whatever he produces, the caveat is pretty clear whichever thread is chosen.

Bruce, can you make the standoff AND send screws? or is that getting out of parameter.

[Joe Gwinn]

Looks like just proud of 11mm or 7/16.

The down side of including these in the parts kit are that threading forces an early decision....Metric or SAE.

The holes in the PCB I'm making allow for 4-40 screws ...but... the holes in the LCD display are slightly smaller and I had to "ream" them out to get a 4-40 through.

The spec sheet on the LCD module indicates the hole is for a "4" but I'm sure it's a #4 metric as all the other measurements on the spec sheet are metric.

We don't know that skill levels everyone in this group-buy have so if we went 4-40 we'd force everyone to ream the LCD module mounting holes, someone may goof and bugger their module.

On the other hand if we pre-choose metric others might have trouble finding the screws locally. Like me for instance, I went down to the local Ace hardware because they have a huge nut-n-bolt section and I can usually find whatever I need but they didn't have any suitable #4 metric machine screw. That is when I decided to go 4-40 but had to ream the holes in the LCD module to fit.

I'm thinking each person should decide for themselves which way would be best for them, that is why I didn't bother adding the nut-n-bolts into this group-buy.

A box of 100 screws costs almost nothing, so the simplest solution is to choose metric and provide the screws. If the posts are threaded, then two threads per post will allow one to mount to a plate. Throw a few extras in the box as insurance against lost or malformed screws.

This is $0.14 per screw. MSC Item Detail

Some of my local hardware stores do carry M4 hardware, the Ace Hardware chain does in fact sell over the web (although they don't make a lot of noise about it), and MSC has an infinite supply.