Hey everyone! Long time no see! I was casually soldering a couple of extra boards (regular 5.2) with spare components and i came across a kinda big problem: no MCP4561 are to be found on the market, for the next year or so. Does anyone have a couple spare and is willing to sell them to me?
Thank you for the firmware update Iwanushka! Will you share the source code also? It would be awesome to have it on a Git repository, so that i can link it in my documentation repo
[quote author="MadBekon"]For those that are going to solder this project, basic helper, helping find elements on PCB. BOM is related on elements I used, is not exactly the same as original BOM. This is just to help locating components on the boards.
Hope this will be usefull... PS. Please don't browse the code. I'm totally not a JS / HTML programmer. Code is not optimal or well organized. But should work.
[quote author="afedorov"] But the top pins are hanging in the breeze.[/quote] Yes, my mistake. The bigger pockets aren't there.
[quote author="afedorov"] And entrance should be chamfered - it will greatly improve insertion experience.[/quote] Yes it will. I've not put it in the design as front plate chamfering, for the screw and the entrance, will be done by hand with a drill press.
[quote author="minkok"] I wouldn't suggested that, the PCB board will be under pressure each time you insert the handle, just use plain hole and the rubber of the handle will be the desired stop, as deep it goes until the end, as stabile it will be.[/quote]
[quote author="afedorov"]ì Oh, yes, you're right, I didn't think about this. Stress on the PCB is generally bad. Though, original JBC holders have a stop. I feel that if the rubber is touching the holder it may cumber pickup.[/quote]
That's true, but the pcb will be against the holder's plastic, so there won't be any big bending or stress that isn't transfered to the plastic
[quote author="Swiety"] According to my tests the hole should be @ 11,9+0,05. I have machined it, and it worked perfectly. Prototype was made from PP.[/quote]
Is it a functional prototype made of polypropylene? Does it withstand the temperature? Or was it made just for size reference?
[quote author="afedorov"] It's too much, I think. On the earlier photo where I explained cartridge shank deviation - the hole diameter is 12.2[sup:]+0.03[/sup:] mm, and you can see the deviation angle. Actual diameter of the ring on my handle is 11.8mm (it's exactly 11.8, so I suppose all the handles pretty much the same), so the gap is 0.4mm and it feels pretty loose, I never had any problems with pickup and insertion. [/quote] Thank you, i'll fix that!
[quote author="afedorov"] And another suggestion. If you use 7mm separator + 1.5mm cover = 8.5mm of overall height, it is the same as length of the ring on T245, so you may use PCB as a stop. Just make PCB central hole diameter of 10mm. [/quote] I'm not sure about this, i'd prefer to not use a cover, just a single piece. Although, admittedly, the chamfered edge looks good
[quote author="afedorov"] Yep, I also thinking of that, but decided to go TH, as receiver is big and bulky, it may tear off the pads if holder takes some shock. When using CNC machine another handful of slots/half-holes should not be a problem.[/quote] I see, but i could also start form a thicker plate and left out a couple pins that i can the fit into the pcb to avoid sliding in case of shocks
[quote author="afedorov"] There is no reason :) You may use one spacer and the cover. Thickness should be 5-6mm, so it shows that it could be done using several spacers of available thickness, i.e. 1.5mm as the cover plate. ... If using side-emitting LED (also reversed) outer diameter might be reduced to 35mm, I think. [/quote] I'm actually using 35mm OD and a 3mm led should fit. I'm using a slightly bigger Inner diameter of 13mm, i don't know if this could cause problems. Thickness is 7mm just to be on the safe side. I was thinking of bending the legs and surface soldering them, to avoid exposed copper on the pcb side that will be in contact with the aluminum. [quote author="afedorov"]
I designed it to DIY (not so easy but quite possible), If you have access to a CNC machine, it is better and a less hassle to do it all as a single part + suitable PCB cover. [/quote] If someone wants to follow the project i can machine half a dozen plates and send them out.
[quote author="afedorov"]And some crazy thoughts :) plus maybe a PCB protective cover.[/quote]
To be honest, i quite like this solution, I hadn't thought about reversing the ir receiver mount. And you're certanly more skilled than me in 3D designing. That design certanly adresses many issues you've anticipated.
However, why using two plates?
I was thinking of using a single plate, CNCed on one face with the requisite slots, hand cutting the chamfers for the screws on the other plate.
Your design would be more suitable for metal laser cutting, but probably a cnc cutter is more reachable for most people. I was hoping of doing a single face processing. I'll pick up your crazy idea and get back to you with something!
I was thinking to something like this for soldering iron detection. Something similar to what sparky did, but adapted to this shape of my holder and with an ATtiny instead of a pic (because i can't program PICs :/ )
[quote author="afedorov"] Sorry, I didn't save it. It was just a "sketch" based on your model appearance, nothing special really, you can rebuild it easily. I can share the T245/C245 models, if you like.[/quote]
Hi guys, Finally, you can welcome me in the unisolder club. It took almost a year (mostly because of lack of time) to complete, but it finally works.
As i've said quite some months ago, i was working on the 3D printable enclosure. Some of you pointed out that it was quite big, however i've found that with all the connectors and everything, the size was right to mount everything easily. It's a two part 3D printed piece, with some lasercutted acrylic, plus one small piece for the buttons. The base took 27 hours to print with 0.2mm layers. It's quite a long print, but the result looks very good to me. I don't know when i'll be able to release the full project files (i need to clean them up a bit), if you want to preview and/or beta test it, PM me. The part was made using Rhino.
Also, i can make myself available to make the laser parts if someone wants to replicate the case and don't have access to a laser cut machine.
I do want to rethink the stand. I quite like the solution that afedorov proposed on page 115: [quote author="afedorov"]I mean something like this. Aluminum plate will take some effort to made, but it'll give more robustness and may be used as a touch sensor.
Also, there long cartridges exists, the original holder's tub have cutout for this. [/quote]
Afedorov, would you share the files and, if you want, work with me to make the holder from that idea?
I'm also still working on the github "unisolder-notes" repo. At the moment i'm around page 100 of the thread, but the time is missing. It would be very helpfull if someone would contribute, even with 10 pages. Also, sparky, would you link it in the first post, so that maybe people will not need anymore to ask the same questions? Here is the repo: http://https://github.com/5N44P/unisolder-notes
[quote author="minkok"] I will try to express my opinion. If you have transformer and boards dimensions, you can align them more accurate to save a space, filament and printing time. [/quote] [quote author="Mihrz"] Valerionew, I also notice that there are a lot of unused free space thats why station become very big. [/quote] Okay guys, i see your point here. I started with a size that was just looking good to me, but i'll work to reduce it. The main thing is that if i put the transformer in vertical, i'll need two vertical elements, which would be weak (due to the layer direction) and would not take even small transformer size variation. So is more strong and flexible to keep the transformer horizontal. But i still can reduce the size, there's plenty of free space in there. [quote author="minkok"] Choosing of method of sensing depends of the iron you have, if you are going to use JBC, you have 2 options, touch sensing from me and sparkybg's optos, for the other irons, it depends from shape and I don't have experience to advice. Do it, as is best convenient to you, it is hard to make both sensing at one iron holder. If you choose JBC is good idea to have also tip exchange plate mounted somewhere, you don't want to remove the tip with bare hands still hot, sample design, one post upper. Now you are at designing state and I know is hard to decide. I wish you get more ideas to get the proper decision. Good luck. [/quote] Yes i'm planning to use JBC's T245, what do you mean by touch sensing? Could it be connected to the holder's metal part?
[quote author="minkok"] p.s. forgot to mention, I added convenient grounding connector at the front of the box, as many of other soldering tools have. [/quote] I'm guessing that it is the ESD grounding connection. I'm not planning to go with that level of ESD safety anytime soon, but it could be useful to someone. I'm not sure i'll be adding it in the first release
[quote author="Mihrz"] What is the purpose of the holes on top of iron holder? [/quote] The holes are there to dissipate the heat and stop it from reaching the plastic. PLA softens at 50-60°C, so it's critical to prevent any heat from the iron to reach the rest of the holder. They work in the same way as the metal pan handles: having a small cross section reduces the heat transfer. Plus, the iron will be held in place by the outer metal ring, which i hope doesn't get as hot as the tip. If i can get it into sleep when inserted in the holder, everything should be fine Plus i like that shape :D
BTW thank you guys for the feedback, i'm looking forward to get more ideas and suggestions
Hey everyone, I just wanted to give you an update on the 3D printable case i'm designing. It is still a work in progress, the first release will be available for download no earlier than a couple of weeks.
The holder will be made of two parts: the top one will be laser cutted or machined metal. The best option would be making it with wire erosion, but seems that it's a pretty rare technique. So i'm thinking to slice it into 4-6 parts (so it's easy to machine or lasercut) and weld them together later.
The station will be made of two main parts: the orange one, on which everything will be mounted, and the green one, that is just a cover that slides on and off.
The front connector it's just random, i'll be using an M16 connector. The protruding front panel will be made of transparent PMMA. I'm missing also a power switch next to the front connector, but it will be there, on the left.
360° (don't look at the old front interface)
The new front interface and the holder:
For now it would be nice to get some feedback, so let me know what you think I still have no idea on how to detect the iron insertion in the holder, any ideas are welcome
