Survey what you like - (or don't like) about DIY

[Bonsaimaster]

I am not sure where to put this but was wondering if anyone did a survey of our DIY community. Couple of questions to see how we all operate and if we can give feedback to kit makers.

1. What components do you LEAST like to solder?
2. What components are your FAVORITE to solder?
3. What component do you most often mistakenly place incorrectly when building a kit? How would you design or do differently to avoid this in the future?
4. What company or individual makes the best DIY kit?
5. What company or individual has the best instructions with their kit? and why?
6. Who has the worst instructions in their kit?
7. What would you want DIY designers to do differently to make the products easier to build or avoid mistakes?

Thanks in advance!

 

[emrr]

I will not buy kits lacking schematics

 

[JohnRoberts]

I shut down my kit business and stopped selling audio kits back in the 80s. Automated assembly and large scale manufacturing could sell finished goods cheaper then I could purchase parts for my low volume kit business (one example was a DBX tape NR made in Japan at the time that was cheaper finished than my NR kit BOM). The vast majority of my kit customers were buying kits to save money vs buying already assembled SKUs. Only a tiny fraction buy kits for the fun/education***.

JR

*** I discovered that a number of my customers were buying my kits for college courses that required that they modify some existing circuit. I not only published kit schematics, but I also published design equations. Not cheating but I made meeting their course requirements easier.

 

[soapfoot]

I don’t find one type of component more difficult (or more enjoyable) to solder than another, but here are things that matter to me:

• Flexibility to purchase partial or complete kits a la carte. Sometimes you just need the metal parts. Sometimes you're okay with the small passive components, but would prefer to source crucial elements like transformers, tubes, and mic capsules yourself. Weber guitar amp kits offer this flexibility, and it's brilliant
• As Doug said, comprehensive documentation is a must. Bonus if it comes with explanations of the circuit and principles of operation, so you can learn something if you want. Many will like simple step-by-step instructions, so the more comprehensive the documentation, the better.
• Packaging each value of resistor (especially small 1/4 watt parts) in individual, labeled bags will protect a lot of inexperienced kit-builders from themselves. They should measure each resistor before installing, but many will attempt to read the color codes (and will make at least a few mistakes in the process). I like small paper envelopes, a la Surplus Sales of Nebraska, best (due to recyclability)
• Chassis grounds often require a specialized tool--a big iron, or at least a broad chisel tip. Many newer kit-builders won't be set up to do this, and there's usually a way to design around it (typically mechanical connections/bolts)
• A big one: proper fit and finish of metal work is a big determinant of frustration-versus-success. Like a lot of electronics DIY people, I don't have a large array of tools for mechanical metal work (punches, etc). Make sure the BOM (there should be a BOM in the documentation!) contains only parts that fit the metal chassis well. This is especially important with non-circular chassis cutouts for meters, IEC inlets, etc (which aren't easily enlarged with standard drilling tools). Make sure the tolerances are sensible, lest the "perfectly-sized" hole become too small after powder coating.
• Keep the BOM up-to-date. This can be a bit like "tending the garden" as components go EOL more often than we might like, but many new kit-builders will not know how to properly source alternatives if they load up the included Mouser cart and 50% of the components are discontinued or out-of-stock.
• Allowing a certain degree of "choose your own adventure" (typically "vintage correct" versus "modern/improved") is generally welcome. A big draw of DIY is being able to make your own informed choices about your gear down to the component level
• Finally--very important to me (and many others) is that the front panels look incredible... something you'd be proud to have in your rack alongside high-end commercial gear. Forum member @rainton is among the best in this regard right now (aka analogvibes.com)

Hope that helps!

 

[JMan]

I am not sure where to put this but was wondering if anyone did a survey of our DIY community. Couple of questions to see how we all operate and if we can give feedback to kit makers.

1. What components do you LEAST like to solder?
2. What components are your FAVORITE to solder?
3. What component do you most often mistakenly place incorrectly when building a kit? How would you design or do differently to avoid this in the future?
4. What company or individual makes the best DIY kit?
5. What company or individual has the best instructions with their kit? and why?
6. Who has the worst instructions in their kit?
7. What would you want DIY designers to do differently to make the products easier to build or avoid mistakes?

Thanks in advance!

1. Anything surface mount. Doing it by hand is just not a skill I've developed, and I definitely will never have the automated equipment to save me from doing it manually.
2. On pcbs, I find quarter watt resistors particularly easy and relaxing. Off board, anything with solder cups or decent sized lugs (basically nothing fiddly that requires six hands and a gyroscope to keep a good mechanical connection or a sewing needle of a soldering iron tip just to access).
3. I'm pretty meticulous about checking my components before placing them. That's not to say that I don't make mistakes, but I don't really make consistent errors with one component type. However, I bet that resistors are the most common offender here, so I'd say that one good way to help builders avoid misplacing such components is to have a clean and clear silkscreen, ideally with values displayed.
4. My feeling is that anyone who offers a "kit" needs to make sure that the way it is presented is organized, clear, and comprehensive. This goes for complete or partial kits. If I'm buying a kit, it's likely because I want someone else to have done the heavy lifting on the project (there are plenty of non-kit builds available that satisfy the desire for a deeper "DIY" experience). Companies such as Hairball, CAPI, Link Audio, Sound Skulptor, AML, etcetera come to mind.
5. All of the companies mentioned above have great instructions. I am also extremely impressed with what @rainton is doing with Analog Vibes' documentation -- they are making an effort to give not only a build guide and a BOM, but also some clear theory of operation as well as options for certain alternative parts (especially vintage vs non-vintage), all with a tone and writing style that conveys genuine enthusiasm and makes the builder feel encouraged, which is something that not many instruction sets manage.
6. Dr*p. I know they don't technically sell kits, but good lord, with the untrustworthy documentation (if there even is any for the boards you bought) and the notorious lack of support, these boards mostly just amount to pretty shelf decorations. In the kit world, I've heard a lot about issues with DIY-Racked, but can't say for sure since I don't have firsthand experience -- it is a shame, though, since they offer some appealing units.
7. Spend time. On your design, on your layout, on your documentation. I think some DIY designers are so excited to get a project out there that they put it out before it's 100% ready, and once that happens, there's less energy put into tying up the loose ends. Designers may think certain errors/solutions are obvious (because they are intimately familiar with the circuit), where an average builder may be completely flummoxed when they encounter it. Get the documentation as complete and accurate as possible before releasing the project, and if errors are found after release, I think it is better to amend the main build docs and publish that update rather than put out separate errata sheets (or god forbid, multiple versions on errata sheets -- looking at you again, Dr*p).
Lastly, if you are going to include a front panel, for the love of god, PLEASE make sure it's attractive. It seems like some projects are worked out by engineer types (good thing), and then the front panel graphics are designed by the same engineer type (bad thing). Obviously we all have different aesthetic preferences, but honestly, just some of the fonts I see people choose...I'd think I was looking at an ad for some "Xtreme" kids' toy from the 90s. I think that if you are going to offer a front panel with anything other than a very classic appearance, you should also offer a basic fpd file or drill template so that people who want to design their own can do so with the appropriate hole spacing.

Just my two cents, for whatever it's worth.