fr333zin’s budget no effort wasted website

UPDATED 7 May 2018. But read the thing in date order… I’d do this differently if I had time.   This page is a jump-off for the suggested bill of materials – UK sourced - I put together for the S+T Geotronics Open DSKY project.  Some slight amendments lately thanks to comments from Jochen who has created a similar BOM for DSKY enthusiasts based in Germany.  Jochen has also done some useful testing on LED 7 segment displays if the 525nm versions aren’t in stock.  See his posts in the Open DSKY Kickstarter comments thread – very professional work. Here’s my updated list: Open DSKY Suggested BOM

Also, my updates now include suppliers for all the components apart from the AA batteries and the tantalum bead capacitors, well there has to be a little mystery remaining…

Recently I’ve completed building Wermy’s MintyPi, if you don’t know what that is, look at www.sudomod.com.  I picked up two very useful things there which I’ve suggested for DSKY – one is 3M VHB tape and the other is self-adhesive kapton tape.  VHB stands for Very High Bond, it’s a thin foam carrier with a strong adhesive both sides.  This double-sided tape may be just the thing to secure the battery box in the enclosure.  Word of caution: go careful with this stuff as its more likely that the printed plastic will break than the tape will let go, once it is in place it is as good as permanent. Next, the kapton tape takes the place of conformal coating once all the soldering is done.  Just tape over all bare metal to avoid the risk of shorts from stray swarf or contact with metal cased components and so on.

The final thing suggested is some decent electronic solder.  You can readily find lead-free solder at the DIY shops, boys and girls, but honestly you would only be using that stuff out of some masochistic tendency – save your pennies.  It does not melt cleanly, it corrodes the soldering iron bit, and it makes dry joints all too easily.  I have no connection to Savbit but I can recommend it wholeheartedly, it is what I used for the 3 years I worked in electronics repair, and it will treat you right.  The key things are that a) it’s cheaper than the stuff in DIY shops and b) it wets the joints better so your work is finer quality and there’s less risk of damage from overheating.

12 March 2018.  I've backed the Open DSKY project on Kickstarter, and I'm pleased to say it was successfully funded!  You can read more about Open DSKY here:  Open DSKY

I pledged for the case and other parts that are being manufactured by S&T Geotronics.  I reckoned I could find the open source parts readily enough in UK.

S&T Geotronics have made the Bill of Materials available as a download on their website (kudos, guys).  Hmm, looking at the BOM there are no specifications and the descriptions don't translate well to stuff that can be found on these shores.  I didn't fancy paying shipping from US for parts that are made in China/Italy and then shipped to US....

So I've hunted around and used the pictures from the BOM and some background knowledge to find UK or European sources for the parts.  Hey, I used to earn a living finding alternative parts for avionics kit, might as well use those skills! And then I thought that I may as well share just in case it helps others.  I only suggest these items, you understand - the Open DSKY kit is not due here before August 2018 so I have not had the opportunity to prove anything works.  Although it turns out that some things are only available from suppliers in China, so this will be a truly global project.