Re: Re: conversion of glue machine

>
> From: Bertho Boman <boman@...>
>
> Marc,
> Depending on your PC goals, your own available time and the
> application, you might want to think about some commercial
> PC board houses as an alternative.

> Now I use "Alberta Printed Circuits" in Canada. (http://www.apcircuits.com/)
> I email the gerbers and two days later the finished boards are at my door!
> It costs about $100 for 2 regular sized boards and their service has been
> excellent.

This is more for personal reasons.
The parts I use are not that demanding, they too are older surplus types,
almost all thru hole dip type parts.

If it was just a financial situation, none of what I do except what is
billed to a customer would be worthwhile on a financial basis.

One of my current projects is getting a pair of 3 phase generators running.

They are late '60s military units.
I got a pair mounted on a trailer for $250.00

Since them I have "spent" about $8,000.00 of time getting one
engine running, and building a bearing, shaft, and end plate to
convert the one with a toasted engine to allow an external drive.

For that kind of money I could have easily just gone and bought one.

The point was learning, it gave me a REAL project to learn on in class.

I have a hard time really giving a crap if an assignment is off 2 thousandts
in one dimension or another. I made 4 drive shafts until I got the surface
of the shaft to press the bearing onto the way I wanted it.
That was a lot more critical that 2 thou.

Then we need to take the class itself into account, there is no REAL
reason to be taking the classes, I never be a machinist as a job, for
starters, I make 2-3 times what I would doing that.

It's for kicks, and experience in and of itself.

Granted 50 bucks a board is not expensive, but I have a hard time spending
50 bucks for a board to install 5 bucks worth of components on for an
automation project that is probably not worth the 5 bucks.

IE. who cares if I can automate the sprinkler system to take into account
weather and different needs for plants and variations in water pressure,
that at times is too low to run the heads correctly.
I pay a flat rate for my irrigation water, $100.00/Yr.
It is unmetered, the only real reason to automate it is because I can.
The second reason is because I can get a kick out of doing it dirt cheap.

It is as much the tinkering as the result to be honest.

To be honest, if I was faced with spending 5 grand to get my lathe running,
I'd scrap it. I DON'T Need 5 grand worth of lathe, and that is probably
1/2 what It would run if I just called GE, and said I have X sell me a cheap
controller.

I'll spend too much time and too much effort, but I'll enjoy it, just like
all the other hobies I have. With all the problems, sometimes It's a
masochistic type of pleasure, but if it's too un-fun, I'll stop.


I fully understand your point, the issue is my reason do doing it.
More because I can, not because I need to, not becasue it is easy, and
not because it make sense financial or otherwise.

If my reasons were different, your solution would clearly be the right one.

Marc