I built my first Eggtimer device and it was a blast.

[JeffBigg]

Haha, a blast. I never post much on here, so I hope this is the correct forum.

I have been waiting for a long time to build all of the Eggtimer devices that I have purchased over the last two years. I’ll admit that I was worried that I would mess it up. I decided that this past weekend was going to be the time to build.

I went on the website to print out the most recent instructions for the Eggtimer Apogee. After waiting by my printer for what seemed like a 10 minutes for the instructions to print duplex. (trying to save paper) I was ready to get started. Unfortunately, I dropped the instructions on the way to my bench. It was like I walked though a tornado. Papers everywhere and all out of order. So this time, printing seemed to take 15 minutes. (Easier to print again than to risk a step out of order) I made sure to keep a tight grip on the papers this time.

After carefully walking back to my bench, I started to read the instructions. It took a lot of restraint to not just jump in and put iron to board and solder. I’m glad I read the instructions first, I’m sure the people at Eggtimer have built a couple of these and already have the build process perfected. The instructions were very detailed and walked me though step by step. I’m glad I started with this kit because the through the hole components made assembly easy and I got into a grove before I had to mount the one surface mount. The surface mount was also easy and I had the whole kit completed soon after.

The big test was plugging in the battery and turning the apogee on with the screw switch. I got all the expected beeps so I think the build is good.

The total time beginning to end was about 2 1/2 hours. Some of that time was spent waiting on the printer and picking up papers. Tonight I’ll build another Apogee and I’m sure the time will be much better. So if you have been waiting to build an Eggtimer, just get started. I wish I hadn’t waited so long myself.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[cerving]

Printing hint: NEVER print duplex. All it does is make your printer jam... trust me, I've been working with printers for 45 years, back from the days when they had drum printers (look it up...). In my Day Job, I got the reputation as being "The Printer Guy"... honestly, not a title you want.

 

[waltr]

Good going Jeff. The Eggtimers are not hard to build. Its the GPS modules that are the hardest but not bad if you take your time and use a magnifier while soldering.

 

[JeffBigg]

Well, the Apogee tonight took an hour and twenty minutes. I think I’ll build the Wi-Fi Switch next. Anyone have an estimated amount of time I should set aside for that build? Thanks!

 

[waltr]

If you did Apogee in1:20 then set aside 2 hours mainly due to new instructions and parts.

 

[cerving]

Good going Jeff. The Eggtimers are not hard to build. Its the GPS modules that are the hardest but not bad if you take your time and use a magnifier while soldering.

BTW, the latest version of the TX and Mini transmitters have the GPS modules pre-mounted for you. It makes building them MUCH easier... and saves us a lot of support time, too.

 

[JeffBigg]

If you did Apogee in1:20 then set aside 2 hours mainly due to new instructions and parts.

Thanks,

BTW, the latest version of the TX and Mini transmitters have the GPS modules pre-mounted for you. It makes building them MUCH easier... and saves us a lot of support time, too.

I picked up a Mini and receiver used that someone else built. If they don’t work, I’ll look to pick up some new ones.

 

[bobbyg23]

Printing hint: NEVER print duplex. All it does is make your printer jam... trust me, I've been working with printers for 45 years, back from the days when they had drum printers (look it up...). In my Day Job, I got the reputation as being "The Printer Guy"... honestly, not a title you want.

My job is fixing printers and copiers.

 

[cerving]

My job is fixing printers and copiers.

A thankless job... you have my respect and condolences.

 

[OverTheTop]

Printing hint: NEVER print duplex. All it does is make your printer jam... trust me, I've been working with printers for 45 years, back from the days when they had drum printers (look it up...). In my Day Job, I got the reputation as being "The Printer Guy"... honestly, not a title you want.

Back in the early days the moisture content of the paper was critical for the paper path handling. The first time around the drum and fuser dried the paper out and made the task of the mechanism more difficult. Ahh, the good old days. Not.

 

[Cape Byron]

Back in the early days the moisture content of the paper was critical for the paper path handling. The first time around the drum and fuser dried the paper out and made the task of the mechanism more difficult. Ahh, the good old days. Not.

I used to sell Kyocera stuff 100 years ago. Never had a problem in five years of sales, but my God they weren’t cheap. The big six tray A3 beasties were lovely.

We also sold HP, for a while, and Canon. Dropped HP when the ink became a thousand times more expensive than blood .*

*Possible exaggeration.

 

[jahall4]

Printing hint: NEVER print duplex. All it does is make your printer jam... trust me, I've been working with printers for 45 years, back from the days when they had drum printers (look it up...). In my Day Job, I got the reputation as being "The Printer Guy"... honestly, not a title you want.

Cris, I don't know that it is such a bad thing, maybe now, but back in the 90s I was exactly that. Led to a promotion that made me responsible for everything technical and service related in a $12 million contract providing printers to the State of Tennessee. The presentation and project management experience opened the door to Microsoft systems engineering, development, certification, training etc... where I continue to work as consultant, architect, and developer.

Jeff, Yes, building Cris's kits are lots of fun. Dedicating space, using paste, rework station, having all the tools and supplies that are need... makes it so.

 

[ksaves2]

Printing hint: NEVER print duplex. All it does is make your printer jam... trust me, I've been working with printers for 45 years, back from the days when they had drum printers (look it up...). In my Day Job, I got the reputation as being "The Printer Guy"... honestly, not a title you want.

Really? I have an HP MFP M428fdw copier, printer, fax combo. Print duplex all the time and have never had it jam. Admittedly, it's a home machine and I don't do high volume jobs. Kids are grown up so no school work needs to be printed anymore. It works in duplex for me just fine........ Oh "chit" I might have just jinxed myself!! Oh well, stay tuned. Kurt

 

[waltr]

BTW, the latest version of the TX and Mini transmitters have the GPS modules pre-mounted for you. It makes building them MUCH easier... and saves us a lot of support time, too.

Forgot you have the GPS modules soldered on.
Yes, that would make it easier and a lot less trouble for you in support.

 

[John Kemker]

Really? I have an HP MFP M428fdw copier, printer, fax combo. Print duplex all the time and have never had it jam. Admittedly, it's a home machine and I don't do high volume jobs. Kids are grown up so no school work needs to be printed anymore. It works in duplex for me just fine........ Oh "chit" I might have just jinxed myself!! Oh well, stay tuned. Kurt

Similar experience with over 20 years using Brother duplex printers.

 

[DeltaVee]

If you did Apogee in1:20 then set aside 2 hours mainly due to new instructions and parts.

I'd say that's about right... I just built the mini-switch since continuity check is done by my Stratologger. Of course mine took that much time plus an extra two days to miraculously find the 805 led that I managed to launch out of its packaging!

 

[waltr]

Oh, those tiny LEDs. Built three GPS mini TXs and had the LED flip away on two of them. One I found on my shirt the other is just gone.

Great that you found your LED and the board works.

 

[cerving]

We think that 1206-sized LED's will fit on those pads... if they will, we'll start shipping the larger LED's. Along with the little SI2302 FET's that driver the buzzer on the Quantum/Proton, those are the hardest parts to deal with.

 

[DeltaVee]

We think that 1206-sized LED's will fit on those pads... if they will, we'll start shipping the larger LED's. Along with the little SI2302 FET's that driver the buzzer on the Quantum/Proton, those are the hardest parts to deal with.

FWIW now that I'm prepared for just how small those items are, I am pretty sure I can cope! And another thing... These kits are GRRRRREEEEEAAAAATTTT!!!!

 

[LithosphereRocketry]

I used to sell Kyocera stuff 100 years ago. Never had a problem in five years of sales, but my God they weren’t cheap. The big six tray A3 beasties were lovely.

We also sold HP, for a while, and Canon. Dropped HP when the ink became a thousand times more expensive than blood .*

*Possible exaggeration.

Ok now I'm curious...

Google says a standard ink cartridge is around 10mL, and HP sells those for around $20. That's $2000/L. Random googling gives varied estimates for the cost of blood, given that it's donated so most of the cost is processing and sterilizing, but estimates seem to hover around $300-400/L. So maybe not 1000x, but 5x more expensive is about right.

 

[b.wieting]

Just finished Eggfinder TX and LCD-GPS. Works!! Actually relatively easy, tho I don't have the steadiest hands... An illuminated magnifier and good loupe made it a lot easier.
Most of all, Cris's tips and illustrated instructions are excellent.

Far & away most tedious was cutting the window in the plastic LCD-GPS box (don't have a router...).

 

[Scott_650]

Printing hint: NEVER print duplex. All it does is make your printer jam... trust me, I've been working with printers for 45 years, back from the days when they had drum printers (look it up...). In my Day Job, I got the reputation as being "The Printer Guy"... honestly, not a title you want.

Eh, try doing two-sided with an offset press in a non-climate controlled building using low-bid government supplies…with the aircrew sitting in the aircraft on the tarmac waiting on their ammended NATO and TDY travel orders…

Now back to your regularly scheduled Eggtimer thread…

 

[DeltaVee]

Just finished Eggfinder TX and LCD-GPS. Works!! Actually relatively easy, tho I don't have the steadiest hands... An illuminated magnifier and good loop made it a lot easier.
Most of all, Cris's tips and illustrated instructions are excellent.

Far & away most tedious was cutting the window in the plastic LCD-GPS box (don't have a router...).

My Quantum arrived in the mail today... just a few days after I ordered it. Very thrilled to have it in hand. These are so totally fun to build! Not so sure how well I'd do with a Proton or TRS (difficulty 4/5 & 5/5 respectively). The 3/5 difficulty level kits are within my reach (built a couple of miniswitches to see how I'd do!) Just the most awesome stuff you can get... and Cris's customer service is (IMHO) the *gold standard*!! He answered all my newbie questions fast! At some point I'll be getting some Eggfinder kit(s)...

I can say I am a very satisfied customer.

 

[JeffBigg]

Just finished Eggfinder TX and LCD-GPS. Works!! Actually relatively easy, tho I don't have the steadiest hands... An illuminated magnifier and good loop made it a lot easier.
Most of all, Cris's tips and illustrated instructions are excellent.

Far & away most tedious was cutting the window in the plastic LCD-GPS box (don't have a router...).

Congrats on the successful build. It have built about 6 or 7 kits now. I always love hearing the correct test beeps on power up. Just ordered a couple of the mini switches. I’ll probably build those tomorrow.

 

[John Kemker]

Eh, try doing two-sided with an offset press in a non-climate controlled building using low-bid government supplies…with the aircrew sitting in the aircraft on the tarmac waiting on their ammended NATO and TDY travel orders…

Now back to your regularly scheduled Eggtimer thread…

Two factors for successful duplex printing with an offset press:
1) Air
2) Powder

Worked in a print shop back in the 80s. I was the counter clerk, but learned alot from the owner. A/C went out in August in Atlanta one week. Humid as a sauna. Owner made sure to use air to separate the feed pile before being picked up by the vacuum feed and blew powder on the delivery. Kept the ink from offsetting and smearing on the other sheets. Guess who got to clean up the excess powder?

 

[waltr]

My Quantum arrived in the mail today... just a few days after I ordered it. Very thrilled to have it in hand. These are so totally fun to build! Not so sure how well I'd do with a Proton or TRS (difficulty 4/5 & 5/5 respectively). The 3/5 difficulty level kits are within my reach (built a couple of miniswitches to see how I'd do!) Just the most awesome stuff you can get... and Cris's customer service is (IMHO) the *gold standard*!! He answered all my newbie questions fast! At some point I'll be getting some Eggfinder kit(s)...

I can say I am a very satisfied customer.

Yes, I do like Cris' kits. Have built 3-4 Quarks. Great DD in smaller rockets and I sometimes put one in a capped couple tied to the shock cord just as an altimeter (put 470 Ohm resistors on the outputs), 3 Quantums, 3 GPS mini plus the LCD receiver.
Just build the first Proton yesterday. If you can build a Quantum then a Proton or TRS is not harder, they just have more parts.

 

[DeltaVee]

BTW here is an interesting (but very minor) thing I tried when soldering the wifi module to the board. As per the instructions, it is suggested to leave around a 1/32" gap between the board and the module to prevent solder flow from shorting out the pins... I found that the center disc popped out of the Estes Super Bertha (29mm version) is .04" thick, or just a bit over the recommended spacing. I would think any of the current Estes 29mm Pro Series II kits that use cardboard centering rings would fit the bill...

After trimming the disc so that it would form a strip just under 1/2" wide, I placed that under the wifi module, and soldered the module in place. This ensured the module was neatly attached to the circuit board, and it was easy to remove the cardboard strip afterwards. I did this on the second wifi switch I built... as the first one I built has the wifi module in kind of cock-eyed and I had a hard time finding a suitable spacer material... but I happened to have these left over discs lying about...

 

[JeffBigg]

Thanks for the tip! I’m about to build a couple of mini Wi-Fi switches, so I may give this a try.

 

[waltr]

Good hint DeltaVee to get even spacing under the RF module.
I'm sure that almost any piece of cardboard, from motor pack, cereal box, etc, would work. If not thick enough then use two or three layers.

 

[DeltaVee]

I've got another one... I didn't have a small pair of diagonal cutters... mine being rather biggish made snipping the extra lead off a bit of a challenge. I found a cheap-o pair of fingernail clippers from the local CVS worked pretty well!