We're giving away a Bioloid Expert Kit ($3500)
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(ends Nov. 21st, current odds: 1/33)
Curious Inventor - HowTo Guides, Tools, Parts and Kits for DIY'ers - Make your own technology.
by scott about 15 hours ago
Who knows how this will last, but IPC (a trade organization that publishes solder and electronics standards) has demos of thousands of dollars of all their training material available. This includes picture books of good and bad joints for both lead and lead-free solder (dull and grainy OK for lead-free!) as well as low-res versions of their DVDs, which cover everything from hand soldering techniques, to ESD safety and even PCB manufacturing.

The through-hole and SMT picture books are great references, in particular. The DVDs have great up-close video (and cheesy music).

These standards were the primary source for our soldering guides and videos.

by scott 2 days ago

We just received a TGIMBOEJ in the mail, that's a The-Great-Internet-Migratory-Box-Of-Electronics-Junk in long form. Our box included a huge, old LCD panel, a mini 6GB hard drive, a GPS something or other, some super old style capacitor can, a power supply, an old relay and a bunch of other little odds and ends. The box started in Canada at ogi lumen (the prettiest nixie pictures on the net), and then went to uCHobby.com. We'll be sending it to moderndevice.com next.

The idea is that you take what you want out, put in what you want from your own junk pile, and then pass it on. We're going to nab the power supply. The rest of this entry has more pics.


by scott 8 days ago

Each Stribe1 has a touch strip and double column of LEDs that can display and control music and video programs. Multiple Stribe1's can be daisy-chained together to form a low-res, multi-touch display. Use with Max/MSP or other software to adjust track volumes with VU meters, make a sequencer, control synth params and pitch, "scratch" through sounds, etc.

Designed by Josh Boughey as a modular version of his original 8 strip Stribe (which won two editor's choice awards at the Austin maker faire!).

The Stribe1 kit page


Stribe1: Touchstrip + LED Bargraph Display from CuriousInventor on Vimeo.
by scott 13 days ago
If you're in Atlanta, we'll be demoing some kits at the launch event for Georgia Tech's new Center for Music Technology. We'll have all the music related kits, including the Voice of Saturn line, MIDIATOR and a soon to be released Stribe.

There will also be some other interesting technology, including a robotic drummer and marimba player, some other modular synths, and some computer assisted / generated performances. The event goes from 4 to 6:30pm.
free stuff for links!
Generate a link to anything on our site from a page with a Google pagerank of 2 or higher and we'll send you a free PanaVise Junior Clamp. (outside the 48 states we'll give you a $25 gift certificate to our store, but you'll have to cover the shipping). Links from lower page ranks get $5 coupons. Let us know about your link by emailing feedback[ a t ]CuriousInventor.com
from the guides: Is 63/37 better than 60/40 solder?
63/37 refers to the weight ratio (tin / lead) and is a eutectic mix as opposed to 60/40 solder. A decade or so ago, most of the manufacturers paid an increase of about 5% in cost to switch over to 63/37 (more tin is more expensive). We've been told that the switch was done mainly to achieve better yields with mass-scale surface mount soldering, but is it any more effective for hand soldering? Chime in on our forum thread.

phase diagram of tin lead solder eutectic mix
What is a eutectic mix? One where the entire mixture solidifies at the same temperature. Unlike water, 60/40 solder solidifies over a range of temperatures where it becomes a "pasty" mix of solids and liquid. This can lead to a longer freezing time when it's important to keep a joint from moving to avoid leaving cracks. Is the increase in freezing time significant for hand soldering? Even in a freezing cup of eutectic water, there is a mixture of solids and liquids as the colder portions freeze first.

more info in our intro soldering guide (click expand at alloy).
about:

A group of electrical and mechanical engineers from Georgia Tech... starting a company to help hobbyists, researchers and anyone else making a prototype or one-off project... (expand for a little more)

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