Pebble (Arduino shield) status and partial-assembly for attendees

[andyg (geekscape)]

hi All,

A brief update ...

- Jon ordered and received 100 Pebble Arduino PCBs (designed by Luke).
Took just under 2 weeks from PCBCart.

- Luke built the first one, which took him approximately 1.5 hours
(much easier than the hand-build prototype PCB) ... and it worked
first time. I'd estimate that a beginner would take 3 to 5 hours.

Here it is ... http://twitpic.com/sztkt ... looking very nice.
The LCD is connected to just the top headers, so you can see the
PCB.
Everything works well. I've had 3 Pebbles talking over Zigbee to an
Aiko-Gateway.

- Mitch has ordered 60 sets of parts.

- A proposed break-down is ...
- 20 Partial-assembled (see below) Pebble PCBs for LCA2010.
- 25 Fully-assembled Pebble PCBs for LCA2010.
- 15 Pebble PCB and Parts self-assemble kits for CCHS members.
- 40 Pebble PCBs only (can be purchased, if so desired).

- Once the 60 sets of parts arrive (early next week), some build day
(s) will need to be organized.

- Aiko-Node software runs most of the board, more work required to get
everything integrated.

- Jon is looking into getting a pre-registration web form on-line.
This is becoming urgent.
We'll need to know how many people are willing to pre-purchase
Arduinos, USB cables
and Zigbee modules.

- Time to start preparing Arduino / Open-Hardware presentations !
Note: Think of some ideas for the Pebble PCB proto-typing area :)

- Need to organize soldering irons and other assembly tools for around
20 to 25 attendees.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -

I'd suggest that we determine a small selection of non-critical board
parts for the LCA2010 mini-conference attendees to tackle.

Prior to leaving for New Zealand ... we pre-assemble ...

- Arduino headers, power, 4094 for LCD, ZigBee, etc.
Important stuff that we don't want to diagnose and
is needed to get the board up-and-running (short of
actually doing the LCD headers, I/O or sensors).

Attendees complete assembly on the day (only 1.5 hours
available !) ...

- Start with the mechanical-fitting-only (bottom) LCD header, so that
we can gauge their skill
/ quality / progress on a completely non-electrical piece.

- Complete the LCD headers and aim to get the LCD running first.
This is to give them a big win early !

- Do some discrete components, IC sockets, etc.

- Do some buttons, potentiometer, sensors, etc.

What do you think ?

cheers andyg (@geekscape)

[Mitch Davis]

On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 12:52 PM, andyg (geekscape) <an...@geekscape.org> wrote:
>
> - Jon ordered and received 100 Pebble Arduino PCBs (designed by Luke).
>  Took just under 2 weeks from PCBCart.

Nice.

>  Here it is ... http://twitpic.com/sztkt ... looking very nice.

Time for truth now Andy: You just picked that board colour because it
goes well with your carpet :-)

> - Mitch has ordered 60 sets of parts.

Status update: All parts arrived except for:

- Some headers from Clint's Components (we have enough for pre-LCA)
- 4094s and right angle connectors are yet to leave Futurlec but
should do so today.

> - Need to organize soldering irons and other assembly tools for around
> 20 to 25 attendees.

Plus solder, solder wick and side-cutters.

> - Start with the mechanical-fitting-only (bottom) LCD header, so that
> we can gauge their skill
> / quality / progress on a completely non-electrical piece.
>
> - Complete the LCD headers and aim to get the LCD running first.
>  This is to give them a big win early !

I like it.

>
> - Do some discrete components, IC sockets, etc.
>
> - Do some buttons, potentiometer, sensors, etc.
>
> What do you think ?

I like it that it gives a staged approach rather than a big bang.

As I mentioned, I would be interested in making a video presentation
which walks people through this, as some attendees may want to
familiarise themselves with it beforehand, plus, it will be useful for
Pebble's lifespan post-LCA.

Mitch.

[Jonathan Oxer]

On Fri, 2009-12-11 at 14:28 +1100, Mitch Davis wrote:

> > - Need to organize soldering irons and other assembly tools for around
> > 20 to 25 attendees.
>
> Plus solder, solder wick and side-cutters.

There was a Chinese supplier referenced by Vik (IIRC) some time ago that
listed things like soldering irons for something in the vicinity of $4
each.

> As I mentioned, I would be interested in making a video presentation
> which walks people through this, as some attendees may want to
> familiarise themselves with it beforehand, plus, it will be useful for
> Pebble's lifespan post-LCA.

Great idea. If it's any help I've set up a large workbench at IVT with:

* Studio lighting (softboxes on tripods)
* High-def video camera on a tripod, + wide angle lens adaptor
* Pro-grade digital radio mic
* 6m black and green screens (in case you want to do chroma-key
extraction)

I'm planning to do a couple of videos soon covering things like use of
prototyping shields and showing how to use garden tools for SMD
soldering, so if you want to use the facilities we can make some
arrangements.

Cheers :-)
--
Jonathan Oxer
Ph +61 4 3851 6600
* Internet Vision Technologies (www.ivt.com.au)
* Practical Arduino (www.practicalarduino.com)
* SuperHouse Automation (www.superhouse.tv)
* Geek My Ride! (www.geekmyride.org)

[Mitch Davis]

On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 2:56 PM, Jonathan Oxer <j...@oxer.com.au> wrote:
> On Fri, 2009-12-11 at 14:28 +1100, Mitch Davis wrote:
>
> There was a Chinese supplier referenced by Vik (IIRC) some time ago that
> listed things like soldering irons for something in the vicinity of $4
> each.

<laughing> We may end up with $4 irons... :-)

Seriously, for a workshop, hard to go wrong for the money.

> Great idea. If it's any help I've set up a large workbench at IVT with:

Honestly, WOW!

I would definitely like to come along and observe and/or help you do
that. Lots of learning ops there!

> I'm planning to do a couple of videos soon covering things like use of

Can I help you do your stuff first? How early in the process can I
get involved?

Mitch.

[Vik Olliver]

Mitch Davis wrote:
> <laughing> We may end up with $4 irons... :-)
>
> Seriously, for a workshop, hard to go wrong for the money.

If serious, we'd need to HTFU with the order. Takes about 10-14 days and
that's when we're not in the silly season. Real cheapo irons include:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.22252 (US$3.73 in quantity)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.22252
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25657 (US$3.79 in quantity)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25651

I'd recommend the 3.79 as it (according to specs) is a 40W pencil-tip
iron rather than the 30W of the cheapest, and has the longest cable.

I'm quite happy bringing them along to LCA as I'll be driving there. Can
even do a "Mr. Rusty" with the credit card :)

We also have from the same supplier very long nosed pliers:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7024 (US$3.42)

and flat-nosed wire nippers:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7038 (US$3.35)

Are we going to need any other tools? Real solder? Desolder braid? That
kinda stuff.

Vik :v)

[Mitch Davis]

On Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 7:58 AM, Vik Olliver <vikol...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Mitch Davis wrote:
>> <laughing> We may end up with $4 irons... :-)
>

> If serious, we'd need to HTFU with the order. Takes about 10-14 days and
> that's when we're not in the silly season. Real cheapo irons include:

How about the power plug? How will we get them to fit into a Type I
socket? If it was me, I'd encourage the pins with some pliers, but I
don't think that would be acceptable from a health and safety point of
view. They don't have a ground lead. We don't know if they are
double insulated.

What are the regulations in NZ? What are our health and safety obligations?

Mitch.

[Vik Olliver]

Mitch Davis wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 7:58 AM, Vik Olliver <vikol...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Mitch Davis wrote:
>>> <laughing> We may end up with $4 irons... :-)
>> If serious, we'd need to HTFU with the order. Takes about 10-14 days and
>> that's when we're not in the silly season. Real cheapo irons include:
>
> How about the power plug? How will we get them to fit into a Type I
> socket? If it was me, I'd encourage the pins with some pliers, but I
> don't think that would be acceptable from a health and safety point of
> view. They don't have a ground lead. We don't know if they are
> double insulated.

The "Rubber handle" kinda smacks of insulation...

Good point about the plugs. I use international sockets in my workshop.
Ironic innit that an NZ plug will cost NZ$5. A universal travel adaptor
costs NZ$4.45 from DX - still mroe than the iron itself.

Cheapest NZ-plugged iron is a 25W for NZ$13.30 in bulk (I get trade):
http://jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID=TS1465

Dinky tubes of real rosin-cored solder here for those who think
lead-free sucks (pack of 3x1m):
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1692

Goot braid is NZ$2 a 1.5m roll:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6211

> What are the regulations in NZ? What are our health and safety obligations?

Standard OSH rules. "Bring your own US -> kiwi adaptor" :)

Vik :v)

[Mitch Davis]

On Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 9:03 AM, Vik Olliver <vikol...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The "Rubber handle" kinda smacks of insulation...
>

> Cheapest NZ-plugged iron is a 25W for NZ$13.30 in bulk (I get trade):
> http://jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID=TS1465
>

>> What are the regulations in NZ?  What are our health and safety obligations?
>
> Standard OSH rules. "Bring your own US -> kiwi adaptor" :)

Without wanting to be a wet blanket on all the technical ins and outs
of how to get soldering irons working in NZ, I am interested in two
aspects:

- Taking reasonable care to avoid risk of injury to any attendees.
- In the event of injury (and possibly litigation), we can
demonstrate we performed our duty of care.

Anyone going who has a first aid (burns and electrocution) rating?

Mitch.

[Vik Olliver]

I'm a fully-trained First Responder (BAS cert.) with the Fire Brigade
and even have a valid OSH Workplace First-Aid certificate to make it all
official.

We'd only need to be specific in our precautions about electrical burns
if we were using high voltages or currents. As we're running off USB
ports and fused (hopefully RCD'd) power supplies that ain't necessary.
But I'm trained for it anyway :)

Vik :v)

[Luke Weston]

I'd recommend the 3.79 as it (according to specs) is a 40W pencil-tip
iron rather than the 30W of the cheapest, and has the longest cable.

When discussing cheap non-temperature-controlled soldering irons, choosing the one with the highest power rating because higher power must mean better is not always a sound decision... unless you're making leadlights or plumbing or something. 25-30W would be fine. But 40W would probably be fine too.

I don't think pliers are especially important... but if the local people who are helping to organise the miniconf bring a few pairs of their own along, that should be fine.
I don't think it's necessary to supply n pairs where n is the number of people assembling their hardware on the day. A few pairs can be shared among the group... they're not something which every participant needs to use all the time if at all.

As for solder... would it be cheaper to get a 1 kg roll and divide it up... those "mini tube packs" are quite a small amount of solder and are probably relatively expensive for a given amount of solder provided.

Solder wick... similar story. It won't be needed much if at all, so you don't need to buy one for every participant. Bring one pack and give it to participants as needed.

They don't have a ground lead.  We don't know if they are
double insulated.

There's no such thing as a double insulated soldering iron since of course all soldering irons have an exposed metal barrel and tip.
In Australia, I have never, ever seen a soldering iron which did not have a 3-pin plug with the barrel and tip connected to mains earth... to be honest, I'm not sure if these things with 2-pin plugs would meet Australian standards (or NZ for that matter, which is probably similar.)
Then again, you don't usually touch a soldering iron's barrel when it is plugged in.

I have a slightly off topic question for Vik or anyone else who knows...
Where do you go in NZ to buy electronic components? I know there is Jaycar in NZ, but who else would be the well-known names for sourcing electronics?

[Mitch Davis]

On Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 1:49 PM, Luke Weston <reindeer...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> They don't have a ground lead.  We don't know if they are
>> double insulated.
>
> There's no such thing as a double insulated soldering iron since of course
> all soldering irons have an exposed metal barrel and tip.

[off topic] It is possible to have a double insulated device with
exposed metal: It just means that the failure of a single layer of
insulation couldn't render any exposed metal "live". An insulated
soldering iron (double or not) is a good thing, as you are much less
likely to run dangerous currents through you and/or the thing you're
soldering.

> Then again, you don't usually touch a soldering iron's barrel when it is
> plugged in.

I am more concerned about the other end of the iron: people
electrocuting themselves as they plug the irons in, or of two pin
plugs coming free of sloppy travel adaptors, and presenting live
terminals which could touch something else in the vicinity or have
something metallic touch it.

I don't want to be a party pooper, I just hope we have the bases
covered, as far as liability goes, and for the safety of the
attendees.

Mitch.

[Vik Olliver]

There used to be electronics at Dick Smith Electronics, but now they
seem to be box-shifters. In Auckland there's Surplustronics as well. For
steppers, Arduinos and so forth it's mail order from Mindkits.

Vik :v)

[Luke Weston]

 http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6996
 http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.19908

Hmm, so hard to decide....

The latter comes with helpful instructions... "it is suitable in the cutting tiny electric wire... please do avoid in the charged situation operating."

However, the former is "KING OF THE TOOL"; and it's hard to argue with that.

[Jonathan Oxer]

On Tue, 2009-12-22 at 03:18 +1100, Luke Weston wrote:

> The latter comes with helpful instructions... "it is suitable in the
> cutting tiny electric wire... please do avoid in the charged situation
> operating."
>
> However, the former is "KING OF THE TOOL"; and it's hard to argue with
> that.

The latter also seems to be undergoing an identity crisis. Its name is
proudly proclaimed as the "K-Brand Stainless Steel Cable Cutter", and
item 3 of the Application Method says "Do not cut the iron wire or steel
wire."

I wonder if any of the soldering irons they sell specify "Not to be used
for melting alloy containing tin or lead."

[Thomas Sprinkmeier]

2009/12/22 Jonathan Oxer <j...@oxer.com.au>:

> On Tue, 2009-12-22 at 03:18 +1100, Luke Weston wrote:
>
>> The latter comes with helpful instructions... "it is suitable in the
>> cutting tiny electric wire... please do avoid in the charged situation
>> operating."
>>
>> However, the former is "KING OF THE TOOL"; and it's hard to argue with
>> that.
>
> The latter also seems to be undergoing an identity crisis. Its name is
> proudly proclaimed as the "K-Brand Stainless Steel Cable Cutter", and
> item 3 of the Application Method says "Do not cut the iron wire or steel
> wire."

I'm guessing "K-Brand Stainless Steel Cable Cutter" is like "baby
food", only the other way around (i.e. made FOR vs made OUT OF )

I could be wrong though (about the cutters, not the baby food!)

Thomas

[Jonathan Oxer]

On Tue, 2009-12-22 at 11:04 +1030, Thomas Sprinkmeier wrote:

> I'm guessing "K-Brand Stainless Steel Cable Cutter" is like "baby
> food", only the other way around (i.e. made FOR vs made OUT OF )

Yes, I suspect you're right. My version of the story is more
entertaining though!

Just as a heads-up, Mitch and I decided to go ahead and order 20 of the
King Of Tools cutters from Deal Extreme in the hope that they'll arrive
before the last one of us jumps on a plane to NZ. We figure that the
worst-case scenario is they don't arrive in time and we end up with a
bunch of cutters to use at the Hackerspace, and I have to go to Jaycar
or somewhere and buy a few for NZ at a higher price. No biggie.

So we should be covered either way.

[Mitch Davis]

On Tue, Dec 22, 2009 at 12:20 PM, Jonathan Oxer <j...@oxer.com.au> >

>
> Just as a heads-up, Mitch and I decided to go ahead and order 20 of the
> King Of Tools cutters from Deal Extreme

They have been ordered.

Mitch.

[Mitch Davis]

As some of you know, I now have the cutters and soldering irons.

I have also constructed some 30 LED dongles for the relay port. I
hope I got the wiring correct!

I am concerned I'm going to have too much stuff to take on (under) the
plane. I haven't done a weight check yet, just flagging that we may
need to meet for a rearrange.

Mitch.

[Thomas Sprinkmeier]

> I am concerned I'm going to have too much stuff to take on (under) the
> plane.  I haven't done a weight check yet, just flagging that we may
> need to meet for a rearrange.

Happy to help carry stuff, trouble is I'm not stopping over in Melb.
Jon, you need a mule?

[Jonathan Oxer]

On Fri, 2010-01-15 at 10:38 +1030, Thomas Sprinkmeier wrote:

> Happy to help carry stuff, trouble is I'm not stopping over in Melb.
> Jon, you need a mule?

Thanks for the offer, but I think we'll be OK. I have 3 of my staff
travelling over with me so I'll offload a little bit to them.