Recently I got a SID kit from Cedar Tech.. I put it together, and took notes on what I did. This is because the (token)notes supplied in the kit are LACKING for Mr. Joe Average. So here are some dos and don’ts and advice in general.
Here is a list of Tools I feel you need:
1 - Solder Sucker.
1 - Soldering Pencil.
1 - Diagonal Cutters.
1 - Round-nose Long-nose pliers(I got mine at Sears, they’re designed to bend leads cleanly).
2 - Bic disposible pens(I used black) this is to hold the board flat while soldering.
1 - Ohm meter
some extra - Thin solder
1 - Large surface in a quiet place.
Lots of lights - to ENSURE SUFFIENT LIGHTING. This is very important if you don’t want to go blind.
Assembly recomendations
I find it is difficult to read the parst(all of them), as a result I did something to make it easier on myself. I cut up some paper in 2 inch squarse. Then I wrote the values of each part and its quantity on a paper. After which I eather skewer the paper with the part leads or laid the part on top. This will aid in making sure they sent you all the parts to the kit, it will also help you find the parts quicker while assembling the SID.
Do - READ THE INSTRUCTION THAT CAME WITH THE KIT. It has some very important information in it.
Do - TAKE BREAKS EVERY HOUR. You may find this to be to long/short, adjust it to best suit yourself. This is IMPORTANT it is very difficult to do this kind of work. And as such you need all you facualties, you won’t have them if you are tired.
Do - Insert the “shortest” components FIRST. Why? It aids in stablizing the board while soldering, and it also makes it easier to “get around” on the board while working with it(appendix 1 explains the way I suggest to insert the parts)
Do - Use the thin solder provided. I needed about twice the amount supplied.
Do - When placing/bending resisters, bend the same lead for all of the different resisters, and insert them the same general direction. I bent the lead opposite the tolerance band. I also inserted the bent lead pointing to the back of the board or to the right of the board, depending on its orientation. This is purely an astetic move that will give it a more proffesional look(of course if you put it in an enclosure it doesn’t matter what it looks like as long as it works).
Don’t - Confuse the 10 KΩ and the 10.0 KΩ resistors. The difference is seemingly minimal, but don’t think they are interchangable. The 10.0 KΩ resistors are BLUE Not the sort of tan color.
Don’t - Use thick solder on the small components. Using thick solder will make the job astronomically more difficult. However, do keep the thick solder around(if you have it). When soldering the board mounted 8 pin DIN, it will be a good idea to use the thick solder on the tabs. You will need enough to connect the tab to the ground plane(the metel thing you will be soldering to, also refered to as a pad), you don’t have to fill the hole(that is just a waste of solder). Just make sure the tab is connected well with the ground plane. You can also use the thick solder to desolder any holes. To do this you add some thick solder to the hole to be cleaned to make it easier to clean out(reason being, if you can’t heat it, you can’t suck it).
Don’t - Try to move a capacitor once it is soldered in. If you try to you will most likely end up breaking the capacitor(they get real soft when heated(wouldn’t you?)).
Don’t - Break any parts they only supply enough to do it right the first time. And remember...
If you break it, you buy it!
Don’t - Have the capacitor/resister cases sitting in the solder. This is a quick way to a bad joint. If you have one of these parts in the solder try ohming the connection, to the side with the part in the joint. Odds are it will be good. However it will otherwise be impossible to find the bad joint(if you get a bad one) once the board is compleated.
Don’t - Let the parts rests on the board, reason being that you don’t want the parts conducting their heat to the board(or to each other for that matter). When they do the heat adds board stress... and therefore joint stress. For IC’s I remend placing a well cut peace of paper untill it is soldered in, once it is soldered in pull the paper out. Sockets don’t count for this.
It’s ok if you have to - Since the leads are not bent that well, you may find that it will be easier to solder one lead in then bend the leads to seat the capacitor in strait. It would probably be better to straiten them out before soldering them in. But the best thing is not to mess with them at all. Why? The more you bend them, the more you break them!
Remeber - When in doubt OHM it OUT.
**** Special note the version of the board I got came with a two special notes
1. Replace R36, R38 with wire(waste lead from a component).
2. R41 (listed as 4.7K) should be 22K(red, red, orange).
This is board revision 1of SID II. If you have this board but did not receive this note its up to your discretion on weather you would like to add this update. If it is working, why bother! They don’t site the reason why they made this change but it probably improved performance a LITTLE. Figure it will take an hour to make the change and judge for yourself if it would be worth it****
On the parts placement sheet there are 2 “DD” sites marked. Inspection of the board does not coincide. Studing the scheamatic I found that MY circuit board was correct. On the board the first “DD”, “DD1” is parallel to “CC”. The second “DD”, “DD2” is perpendicular to “CC + DD1”.
DD1 is actually BB the 12pF capacitor.
DD2 is actually DD the 47µF capacitor.
For visual reference open the MacPaint document that came with this stuff it file
Capacitors CC and EE are to close to each other your not doing anything wrong. So do the best job you can, remember you can only solder one in at a time(theoretically)
You don’t HAVE to fill in the feed threws(the holes that don’t get parts placed into them(there is 5 of them)). The call on what you do here is purely asstetic.
Appenix A
My recomended insertion order. Inserting the “shortest” components first makes the job easier.
Wire jumpers(see specail note above)
Any non-socketed ICs(they supply 1 socket, I socketed all of mine)
100 nF capacitors 16
10 nF capacitors 1
12 pF Capacitors 2
S1 switch 1
IC Sockets - the socket for U3 and any others you feel you need to add.
Diodes all
Capacitors - all except the 47 µF Capacitors
R19 - the potentiometer(volume control)
Transistors
U6,7
Mic
Resistors - all
LED 1
47 µF Capacitors
Y1 crystal
J3 8 pin DIN
J1, J2 Mike and line connectors
If I missed one sorry.
Final Notes + Credits + Disclamer:
Fore warned - is fore armed.
Fright Night
I spent time preparing this and hope that it is comprehensible to everyone, as well as informitive. If it is not and something goes wrong “because it says so in my hints here”. I am sorry. But I am not responcible!
Guns don’t shoot people - People shoot people
I don’t know who origanated this.
Just remember(I know it is hard) to THINK before you do this project.
Time takes all.
Maxwell Edison
Remember if you do something wrong with it today and fix it, tomorrow you WILL forget about it.
I hope this will help anyone at all. From the person with lots of experience to the person with no experience.
Who am I?
Xoanon - Face of Evil - Doctor Who
Thomas Walsh
I went to Drexel University for Electrical Engineering for 3 years. I also worked in various electronics companies making different devices from military to medical applications. I am 24, and currently working at a tediusly easy job of Print Operator(I recomend it for anyone who would like an easy, fairly well paying job).
address
Thomasw4
American Online
Comment, gramatical corrections– anything would be appreciated.
