GroupdDIY 511 Racks: round 5.5 available

[mulletchuck]

yikes!  well that is awesome that they are arriving soon!   

 

[rob_gould]

Hi Sahib,

I'm in the UK so I'm ordering from you.  Can you please confirm my maths is ok?

I will probably go for the 'everything' package.  So,

511 rack kit  200 gbp

Power connector set  20 gbp

Psu case plus wiring  176 gbp

Psu pcb  20gbp

Toroidal transformer 38 gbp

Heatsink kit 30 gbp

Components for the psu  60gbp

Have I got everything here?

And after I total the above amounts, I then add 20% VAT and shipping?  How much is shipping for that order within the UK?

Cheers,

Rob

 

[1sound]

Hello all!

I know you've said that you're not selling the backplane pcb separately but...  I have a 511 chassis here that somehow lost the backplane.  Any possibility that there are any prototypes around?

Oh... And please count me in for a rack kit as well!

 

[jsteiger]

That is odd. Where did this rack come from?

Shoot me an email jsteiger1965 @ yahoo and we can get together on another rack. I only have enough backplanes for the metal on hand.

 

[1sound]

Got it from JBVries.  I've emailed you on the purchase front...

After trolling through this and other 511 threads, I'm sure there are quite a few people that would need just the backplane here.  Wish you guys did somethig about having that separately available.  I know it's a pain to have extras lying around but, just saying... 

 

[[silent:arts]]

mhm,

I don't know why we should add extra stock (and costs for this) on separated backplanes.
[due to request I did this for PM PSU PCBs - but nobody ever ordered one]

and why should a few people just need backplanes?
why should anybody sell a 511 Kit without the backplane?

I'm lost here, please explain.

it is already hard enough to have PSU PCBs / transformers / part kits / cases in separated lots in stock.
at the moment I'm sold out with PSU cases - Cemal and Jeff still have some.
I have 15 511 Racks in stock.
does it make sense to order (and finance) 100 PSU cases?
to adjust the price for a 15 pieces order (= way more expensive), and I might haven't sold 10 of them while the cases are gone?

rant over
but I still would like to know the reason why there are separated backplanes needed / you have a whole kit but no backplane

 

[1sound]

Sorry all, but I feel a rant coming on too... But, before I do, just want to say this is a pretty cool project and the value's really there.  Might have done some things a bit differently but, well I didn't do it and this works very nicely thank you...  I'm waiting in line for a 2nd one off the new run.  Saw a buddy's and had to have one of my own.  Well, 2.  And thus my dilemma and original query...

Now...  Without further ado... I offer some plausible "explanations" and not necessarily in order..

<tongue in cheek response to rant - don't be upset - not trying to be mean here>

First, you should ask yourself how it might be possible that a kit gets put on a shelf somewhere and then when you come back, some of the parts aren't there any more...  Ever had that happen?  Anyone here?  Got a 5 spot says I can find someone, even a lurker...  You have any cats?

And then ask yourself how or why, someone would buy that kit from the first person (without a "backplane" for example) when it should be pretty easy in a DIY environs to get one because common sense tells them there's a new run of them coming out and there should be a few spare parts lying around, Common sense to them because, having mass produced items before, that's what they'd do.  And in the worst case, they'd have to DIY that part.  Gotta be a gerber somewhere around here for it, even if you have to pay for that and sign your first born away or something...  Get to that if they strike out getting the replacement...

Then, tug back on your favorite beverage, and ask yourself how that person would, after searching for that gerber, be left with the prospect of having to take an unknown number (well not exactly but) of hours to create the gerbers (in case of the example here).  Then, either send those out to be made, or cook the board themselves, possibly go through some trial and error to get it right and possibly deal with a defective run.  And in the wake of those prospects, that person would want to actually just buy (even at a premium), a replacement part from the person that made it possible to be able to undertake the project to begin with, thereby rewarding the designer with a few more bucks/euros/etc.  And, have a perfect replacement because the person who they gave money to, took the time to get it right.  Beer is not free after all.  At least not the good kind.  Now, who'd have thought that was a good idea?  Oh, so not DIY?  Uh... right..  Still have to suck back on solder fumes...  The essence of DIY here...

Now imagine that person being told, they're out of luck because you didn't think that should ever happen to anyone so it's impossible that it ever would in any numbers to be concerned with.  So, no spare parts ever. At least not the ones they couldn't get from Mouser or the likes to begin with.  Gee too bad.  Guess they can pass it on to the next guy in exchange for a few karma points.  Nice $300+ expenditure there...  Either that or it's OK though because they might have have a few extra hours of ever shortening life expectancy to kill, performing a task that's already been expertly done by someone who did it right already (uh, that would be you),  because they've only done a few hundred complex and successful board designs already in this life and they just need more practice.  Or, they have a printing press... Like the Gov't....  And as a result, can just pay someone else to do it (mess it up) for them.  DIY comes in all forms...  Soldering, printing, engraving, forging, whining, hell...

Is the scenario clear yet?  Or possibly the several thousand permutations there of?

OK.  So. in case there are a few of us out there who are not "perfect" in keeping track of things or caring for them, it does kind of make sense to have a few extra parts around.  There are actually some folks out there that don't always get to building right away after opening the box.  As a result, things sometimes get lost.  Things get broken (stupid cat ate my caps).  People also sometimes mess up while building (even with a reasonably simple project like this one), and want to start again as opposed to debugging. How often have you seen people ordering one or 2 extra of something just in case here?  And not just in case it "sells out".  Or in case, despite herculean quality control efforts,  there was a problem with one item...  The one that makes the whole thing really kind of work as a unit and can't get from any other source....

If you can't see the possible value there (if even for goodwill), then, well, OK.  It was a suggestion after all.  Guess you just get out your smelter and cast another part when that faucet in your sink dies too...  You, you, you member of the bauxite club you    Or sell the sink to someone else leaving the smelting to them...  It is a DIY faucet after all.  But it was from a kit so that's OK that they don't sell spare valve stems...

Hey,  I'm grousing for sure.  Rants are only worth reading if they go from sublime to absurd after all.  But to my defense, I got my PDA in a kit.  You know the one.  3 bags of sand, 4 strips of gold, and some polycarbonate that could be hacked into a case (splurged for the option there - left my petrochem plant on the other side of the planet)...  8.2M later, volia... Also adjusted for maximum smoke because, just like all tube guitar amps, my PDA only sounds best right at the moment before self destruction.  (I'm a card carrying member of that bauxite club btw - and proud of it too).  Built a trailer to house it too... White list offering of that kit to follow soon...  Just kidding...

In your defense though, that backplane in question costs more than most other parts you might want to keep around (since it's so darn massive - cool - won't flex like crazy) and is a more expensive "spare"  to keep around just on the not so odd chance that some bozo like me wants one...  Not to mention you just don't know if there's going to be a problem....  I thoroughly agree, splitting up your complete kits is a silly idea as well.  People who ask you to do that with a straight face should get more than the fly swatter...  These are extra parts, not full kits I'm talking about.  As for adjusting the total price because you had to order spares, well, you'd be charging a premium for the replacement (like all the car parts places do for example) so that statement there just didn't make too much sense. That should more than make up for any differential there if you do your initial numbers right.

I don't know how you're getting the components but normally, I get a discount by ordering quantities.  Even custom ones (like the caps I use in my amps for example). If I have some spares, well, that's what happens and if I did my math wrong, it does eat into the production cost provided they're not usable for anything else.  Or perhaps you could even put a feeler out for spares before you order full sets and then just do an additional minimal number after that.  That way people have a chance to voice up before there's a real limited availability.  Or like some, do around here, they'd pick up one or two in icase someone else needed it.  But, what do I know?  I just spent more than 20 minutes of my life ranting here.... 

Nevertheless I'm not the only one who's asked about them since this project began offering kits.  Not to mention that backplane would be pretty cool for a few applications that you possibly didn't anticipate it being used for.  Not just your rack.  Perhaps not just for 5xx either...  Could generate more sales...  I'd even be inclined to get an extra for a project I'm thinking of...

But alas, I just seem to be the latest on the receiving end of the flyswatter this time ;-)  As is the guy I bought the darn thing from now too (hide JB, hide)...

Oh, is this can of worms resealable?  Not that it matters.  I like worms...

</response to rant>

Actually... I vote for having all rants and responses shoved in the brewery under a separate threads where we can all slug it out in good sport!  2nd and 3rd anyone?  After all, there's some good diying to be done and builders don't really need this kind of stuff in the threads, now do they?  Perhaps a weekly slug fest?  Anyone want go through threads and do the honors?

Don't expect any response to a response here.  I've said my peace..  Well... sort of...

And hope someone gets a good chuckle from this.  Including you silent:arts...

 

[[silent:arts]]

we do have some spare parts, but to take care for our customers spare parts we really look out shipping to somebody who didn't bought from us directly.

1sound, your problem is solved I guess.

 

[jsteiger]

Hey guys

Plenty of 511 rack kits left here in the USA. I am nearly out of the awesome PSU cases, toroids and PSU component kits but rack kits themselves I have.

I know that my fine colleagues Volker and Cemal have stock for the rest of the world as well! 

kitorder [at] 51xAudio [dot] com!!

Cheers, Jeff

 

[bkbirge]

Very tempted to get a second one of these.

Hey guys

Plenty of 511 rack kits left here in the USA. I am nearly out of the awesome PSU cases, toroids and PSU component kits but rack kits themselves I have.

I know that my fine colleagues Volker and Cemal have stock for the rest of the world as well! 

kitorder [at] 51xAudio [dot] com!!

Cheers, Jeff

 

[[silent:arts]]

nothing from us, but since it is 511 related
[you should know the format was collins idea]

http://www.audiomaintenance.com/acatalog/blank_pcbs.html

 

[john12ax7]

Plenty of 511 rack kits left here in the USA. I am nearly out of the awesome PSU cases, toroids and PSU component kits but rack kits themselves I have.

Jeff do you have these on your website? Haven't been able to find them.

 

[jsteiger]

No, I haven't put them on the site yet. When the dust settles from the pre-orders I will. It is a little bit of a PIA though as they are best shipped with UPS and I currently only have the store set up for USPS. UPS is not quite as easy to automate like USPS.

If you want one, just send me an email at the address 2 posts above. 

 

[johnnyscotch]

Hey guys

Plenty of 511 rack kits left here in the USA. I am nearly out of the awesome PSU cases, toroids and PSU component kits but rack kits themselves I have.

I know that my fine colleagues Volker and Cemal have stock for the rest of the world as well! 

kitorder [at] 51xAudio [dot] com!!

Cheers, Jeff

Hey Jeff
Are you going to re-stock the torroids and parts kits? PSU PCBs?

cheers

 

[Winetree]

Hey, Mr UPS man, Brought my racks to me.
It's raining out and there ain't no place I'm going to.
I've got my soldering iron to keep me warm.

 

[[silent:arts]]

Winetree, you know what a man has to to do at a rainy day ;D

 

[1sound]

Thanks Volker and Jeff!

I'm squared away now!

Best regards,

1sound / Eric

 

[toolboxmuziq]

where can I purchase a kit in the US? I'm in Mississippi!!!!

 

[jsteiger]

where can I purchase a kit in the US? I'm in Mississippi!!!!

That would be me! Send me a an email with your requirements along with your full ship to for UPS and we will get the ball rolling. I currently have 3 of PSU cases remaining in stock. Plenty of 511 rack kits though.

jsteiger1965 [at] yahoo [dot] com

Cheers, Jeff

 

[mitsos]

hey wait, are the USA racks arrive?