Society of Robots - Robot Forum
Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: DMonkey on August 29, 2008, 09:21:05 AM
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I decided to build the $50 robot as my first electronics project, and failed spectacularly. I was actually doing pretty good until it came to soldering the connections, but after that I screwed up so much I just gave up on that board. I don't think I'd be able to solder it from scratch, but I might be able to solder a printed circuit board. I need a good, cheap alternative to creating a microcontroller from scratch. Any suggestions?
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How much do you want to spend?
I'd recommend Admin's Axon board. Thats my favorite board right now and I use it to prototype EVERYTHING!
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I wish I could get the Axon, but it's way out of my price range. I was hoping for something <$50. That's maybe a bit to low, but I need a cheap one over a quality one.
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You could always look at pre-made boards like the Baby Orangutan that comes prebuilt with micro-controller, ISP connector and an H-Bridge for driving DC motors. The other alternative - if you want to avoid soldering is to just use a breadboard - where its plug'n'play. The Baby Orangutan comes with header pins sticking out the bottom - so its very easy to plug into a bread board and get going. I use it quite a lot for prototyping.
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I have the baby orangutan, and I wouldn't recommend it in your case. The H bridge is very weak, and you still need a breadboard (or something to solder it to). Just learn to solder. I know it's hard, esspecially if someone else doesn't show you how it's done. I know, because I couldn't solder right until I've been shown.
For a veroboard (stripboard, the one used for the $50 robot), put the board on a firm surface (i still have knee burns) like a 3d arm stand, put the solder's "tube' on one hole, gently touch it with the soldering iron, add a bit more solder, by pushing with the solder string, remove the solder, and then remove the iron.
Do the same for the immediate orthogonal hole (no diagonal). That means the nearest hole. Not two holes away, three doesn't even count. Wait for both to dry. They should look shiny. If not, touch them gently with the soldering iron's tip, until they melt.
Now, put the soldering iron tip between the two blobs of solder - they should both melt. Add a tiny drop of solder, by carefully adding and removing the "tip" of the solder string. That's how soldering on vero should be done. Or how I've been taught to do it. I can't do diagonals, though. With some practice (I've done it on a piece of vero 20x50 with a whole bunch of logic gates - 'cause they're cheap) you'll learn how to do it quickly.
Learn to solder, really, you'll need it for most real electronics.
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http://www.societyofrobots.com/robot_parts_list_microcontrollers.shtml