EEVblog #555 - 555 Timer Kit

[Stonent]

finally a tribally exiting assembly+soldering video    damn I watched it all through....

Wondering if Dave has no fear of the leaded smoke...

What's this leaded smoke you speak of?

[BravoV]

Wondering if Dave has no fear of the leaded smoke...

There is no lead in the smoke, that's the rosin flux.

+1

Just fyi, although pure lead (Pb) melting point is at about 320 C, which is considered quite low and easily reached at solder tip, but the "boiling" point  is at about 1700 C which is way too far for it to even turned into vapor/gas state.

Even its mixed with other other metal like Tin which may lower those points, still it wont get near within solder tip's temperature range, unless your solder tip can get into +1000C range, then you can start to worry about that.

[c4757p]

The current mirror works by matching Vbe at one current in one transistor to Vbe at the same current in another transistor. A PN diode will not have the same threshold voltage. The two devices should ideally be identical (as in, not just both 2N3904, but both measured and matched from a bunch).

[84GKSIG]

As the 555 is an important device in electronics I feel it would appropriate to say happy 555th official video blog video  keep them coming Dave

didnt mind the assembly video 
I love the 555 and I must say, if that little chip didnt exist right now, sure they would of been other ways to get the job done no doubt but it opened up a whole new world in electronics I feel and I still enjoy messing with them and a I do agree, there a great place to start for any one with an interest in electronics.

[TheWelly888]

Damn! I was hoping that the 555 board would not work first time! 

Still, perfect perfect for the 555th video! 

As to lead solder vapourising - of course it doesn't, but Health & Safety told my pregnant colleague to leave the workshop when one of us needed to do some soldering on the workshop's soldering station! I remember asking if it was to do with the flux fumes but I was told that it was to do with the lead vapour!!! 

Think I'll get myself a kit too! Edited post to add: Went as far as the Checkout and entered my address etc - cheapest shipping to UK is $42 - No way Jose!!

[Six_Shooter]

If I didn't already have dozens of 555s and 1455s kicking around, I'd grab one of these kits, but it would really just end up be a wall hanging. 

[Frost]

cheapest shipping to UK is $42 - No way Jose!!

Same here in Germany, the shipping costs more than the kit itself.

But I but i think if I should send a mail to them and ask if they
plan to add these kit to their Web store.
Watterrott sells parts from Evil Mad Scientist and ship within Europe.

[Gath]

I liked the video! Nice tribute to the famous triple five ^^

After this, I feel like it would be really cool to have a fundamental Friday on BJT (or a couple)

Damn! I was hoping that the 555 board would not work first time! 

+1 Where is Murphy when you need him ?

[zapta]

Watched the first video and loved it. Will watch the rest later today. I learned for example about the layering by height approach.  I also noticed that Dave is using a large tip solder iron (much larger than the pads) and don't clean up the tip that often. More than one way to skin a cat...

Dave, if you run out of words while soldering, a joke or two would do. Just not that 'An Australian, an American and a French walk into the bar...' one.

[trackman44]

I loved the video. It means anybody could build the circuit themselves, or build parts of the circuit for their own projects, with common parts that are easily accessible. Great job Dave. I didn't find the video boring at all, quite relaxing though. Keep them coming!

Will

[opablo]

Six_Shooter: ... my favorite programming language is Solder ...

   

[Jon86]

Anyone notice the the unintended pun? Lead free solder, it's not worth the HASL.

[Frantone]

A discrete kit was on my list of PCB projects -  but this kit looks like fun and I really like the legs!   I will have to check out what else they make.  Looks like you had fun too Dave!

[opablo]

fyi... I'm planning on doing this as my next woodworking project...

anyone interested in sharing the project ? (sharing plans, meassurements, materials, paintjob ideas, etc)

the size of the one on this pictures look ok for my couch...

[firehopper]

fyi... I'm planning on doing this as my next woodworking project...

anyone interested in sharing the project ? (sharing plans, meassurements, materials, paintjob ideas, etc)

the size of the one on this pictures look ok for my couch...

make it functional too

[eV1Te]

Great idea with the 555 kit! You really hit the nail on the head this time 

By the way, the lead in the solder does actually vaporize when you are soldering, but it is not visible and the flux is more toxic (since you have much higher concentration of the flux vapors), the lead concentration in the air at soldering temperatures is around or below 1 ppm.

[Frantone]

By the way, the lead in the solder does actually vaporize when you are soldering, but it is not visible and the flux is more toxic (since you have much higher concentration of the flux vapors), the lead concentration in the air at soldering temperatures is around or below 1 ppm.

There is a little bit of lead in everything - a little won't hurt you.  But lead boils at over 3000°F so I am pretty sure lead does not vaporize at all at 650-700°F at sea level, even in an alloy.   Any contamination you get is certainly going to be from handling the solder with your bare hands rather than flux fumes.  I knew a guy once who ended up detoxing in the hospital because he was holding the solder wire in his mouth to free up his hands while working..     

[electronics man]

that isnt cheep, plees Dave could you do stuff which is more open to the average amature hobbiest whith no income who thinks twice before spending £20

[JOERGG]

I am only familiar with analog scopes so far where you on a fast signal does not see the vertikal part of the line. In this video i noticed that the vertikal part of the square wave on channel 3 is drawn higher than the signal temporary. Can somebody explain this for me please. Is this so on all digital scopes?

[Excavatoree]

Dave's transistor outline story brought back a memory.  I hadn't been working as a repair tech for long when I had the dreaded amplifier on the bench.  I was doing some checks, when it began to make a horrible noise.  The boss yelled at me to cut the power, but I got fumble fingered and couldn't do it in time - there were flames.

I cleaned the (not badly damaged) board, checked all the transistors and replaced the bad ones.  I checked everything I could, but the thing wouldn't work.  It was a direct coupled amp, and I had an offset voltage on the speaker outputs.  Finally, the boss had to look at it, and I had put a transistor in according to the silk screen, and not as it should have been.   I learned that lesson the hard way.  That's all it was, I had indeed found all the bad parts - it was my poor re-installation.

[ben_r_]

Ha, I forgot I wanted to buy one of these! Thanks for the reminder, just ordered one! $40 shipped.?

I went the cheap route and spend about $2.00 on the transistors and resistors and ordered some tinned protoboard. 

Ha yea that is the cheap route! I already have all the parts laying around as it was and I could have a circuit board made custom for myself for less as well. However I didnt buy it to use it for anything other than a conversation piece on my desk at work. I think its really cool looking and the fact that its functional makes it even better!

I am somewhat hoping someone makes another board from the schematic and releases it.

I noticed the terminal screws look almost exactly like VESA monitor mount thumb screws.

And if someone were to remake another 555 discrete component board like this ideally cheaper, what would you imagine it having on it, featuring or looking like exactly?

[Stonent]

Ha, I forgot I wanted to buy one of these! Thanks for the reminder, just ordered one! $40 shipped.?

I went the cheap route and spend about $2.00 on the transistors and resistors and ordered some tinned protoboard. 

Ha yea that is the cheap route! I already have all the parts laying around as it was and I could have a circuit board made custom for myself for less as well. However I didnt buy it to use it for anything other than a conversation piece on my desk at work. I think its really cool looking and the fact that its functional makes it even better!

I am somewhat hoping someone makes another board from the schematic and releases it.

I noticed the terminal screws look almost exactly like VESA monitor mount thumb screws.

And if someone were to remake another 555 discrete component board like this ideally cheaper, what would you imagine it having on it, featuring or looking like exactly?

More or less a similar board, minus threaded holes, foam legs or parts.

Basically I really like this, but I can't justify $35 for it. If someone were to offer a functional equivalent bare board that I could use my own components, thumb screws and legs for under $10 I'd most likely buy it.

[ben_r_]

Ha, I forgot I wanted to buy one of these! Thanks for the reminder, just ordered one! $40 shipped.?

I went the cheap route and spend about $2.00 on the transistors and resistors and ordered some tinned protoboard. 

Ha yea that is the cheap route! I already have all the parts laying around as it was and I could have a circuit board made custom for myself for less as well. However I didnt buy it to use it for anything other than a conversation piece on my desk at work. I think its really cool looking and the fact that its functional makes it even better!

I am somewhat hoping someone makes another board from the schematic and releases it.

I noticed the terminal screws look almost exactly like VESA monitor mount thumb screws.

And if someone were to remake another 555 discrete component board like this ideally cheaper, what would you imagine it having on it, featuring or looking like exactly?

More or less a similar board, minus threaded holes, foam legs or parts.

Basically I really like this, but I can't justify $35 for it. If someone were to offer a functional equivalent bare board that I could use my own components, thumb screws and legs for under $10 I'd most likely buy it.

Gotcha. Be kinda nice to have a few extra holes for pin headers at some key places to use as test points as Dave mentioned in his video right after he completed it. Obviously have to decide on those going into the design though.

[Six_Shooter]

Ha, I forgot I wanted to buy one of these! Thanks for the reminder, just ordered one! $40 shipped.?

I went the cheap route and spend about $2.00 on the transistors and resistors and ordered some tinned protoboard. 

Ha yea that is the cheap route! I already have all the parts laying around as it was and I could have a circuit board made custom for myself for less as well. However I didnt buy it to use it for anything other than a conversation piece on my desk at work. I think its really cool looking and the fact that its functional makes it even better!

I am somewhat hoping someone makes another board from the schematic and releases it.

I noticed the terminal screws look almost exactly like VESA monitor mount thumb screws.

And if someone were to remake another 555 discrete component board like this ideally cheaper, what would you imagine it having on it, featuring or looking like exactly?

More or less a similar board, minus threaded holes, foam legs or parts.

Basically I really like this, but I can't justify $35 for it. If someone were to offer a functional equivalent bare board that I could use my own components, thumb screws and legs for under $10 I'd most likely buy it.

At that point I'd just use a bona fide 555.

The only reason to buy this kit is because of the novelty. To have it look like an overgrown IC, and to use discrete parts to make it functional, is what makes it interesting to some of us nerds. It's not bought because it's economical or has any real use.

[Stonent]

Ha, I forgot I wanted to buy one of these! Thanks for the reminder, just ordered one! $40 shipped.?

I went the cheap route and spend about $2.00 on the transistors and resistors and ordered some tinned protoboard. 

Ha yea that is the cheap route! I already have all the parts laying around as it was and I could have a circuit board made custom for myself for less as well. However I didnt buy it to use it for anything other than a conversation piece on my desk at work. I think its really cool looking and the fact that its functional makes it even better!

I am somewhat hoping someone makes another board from the schematic and releases it.

I noticed the terminal screws look almost exactly like VESA monitor mount thumb screws.

And if someone were to remake another 555 discrete component board like this ideally cheaper, what would you imagine it having on it, featuring or looking like exactly?

More or less a similar board, minus threaded holes, foam legs or parts.

Basically I really like this, but I can't justify $35 for it. If someone were to offer a functional equivalent bare board that I could use my own components, thumb screws and legs for under $10 I'd most likely buy it.

At that point I'd just use a bona fide 555.

The only reason to buy this kit is because of the novelty. To have it look like an overgrown IC, and to use discrete parts to make it functional, is what makes it interesting to some of us nerds. It's not bought because it's economical or has any real use.

Oh I would plan on recreating the IC look.

Perhaps offer more than one way to attach wire. Or have the spots drilled and tinned ready to go for other methods.