Interest check: beginner electronics classes

Hey folks,

New guy here so don’t beat on me too bad for asking silly questions. :smile:

I run Arcadecomponents.com and do a lot of arcade game board repairs and make heavy use of my logic probe and soldering station. I also use an ESR meter, multimeter, oscilloscope, and other test equipment.

Would anyone be interested in classes on:

  • Soldering Basics: Temps, solder types, how to solder, and how to do surface mount rework using basic tools
  • How to: Test Equipment Basics: Using a multimeter, ESR meter, oscilloscope, frequency counter, and logic probe.
  • Digital Logic Basics: AND, NAND, OR, NOR, Exclusive-OR, buffers, inverters, and commonly seen logic chips such as the 74LS138/139 and 74LS244/245. Using a logic probe and oscilloscope for troubleshooting

These would require you bringing in your test equipment and soldering gear so you could learn on your own stuff. I can bring some of mine too, but the idea is for you to learn how to use your own gear.

It would also mean that you either use space items or bring your own such as power supplies and breadboards, jumper wires, digital logic ICs, etc. I would post a list of items that would be required.

I have some scrap boards here that I can bring in for some of the SMT rework stuff. Don’t bring anything you wouldn’t want to work on without practice. :wink:

Any interest?

Thanks!

Raymond

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Absolutely. Would definitely be interested.

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I am interested. I have a Radio Shack soldering iron but keep reading that is important to have something better. An explanation of why would be helpful.

I also have some electronics that need to be repaired, any help on that would be appreciated.

I don’t think I have a need for the digital logic basics, but maybe you could use the class to let me (us) know how that could be helpful.

While I’m not personally interested my oldest son definitely is. This translates to two attendees! Huzzah! :smiley:

@Raymond, we would appreciate whatever type/level of classes you would like to put forward. PM me if you would like help getting this organized. As a committee we are working on determining what gear is needed and the classes we want to offer interested members.

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Thanks @Lampy! I’m putting together a list of items that I would show people how to use and that they may want to pick up for their own use. This would include liquid rosin flux, small duck billed pliers, tiny dikes (and using cuticle nippers as a cheaper substitute for $75 dikes), and other small items.

The bigger items would be a hot air station ($100 at Fry’s) and an ESR meter (anatekcorp.com’s kit is what I use.) and those would be some cool items for the space to have if it’s not already available.

The ESR meter is an amazing tool for diagnosing power supply and monitor problems and the hot air station helps greatly when doing harvesting of components for rework. Not everyone can afford a Pace setup like I have with Thermotweeze and other hot iron tools for pulling chips, but a cheap Ayoue hot air station is within reason and very usable.

For the classes I would want people to bring their own gear to learn on and if they don’t have it, I’ll bring mine for hands-on plus use what the space has so they can be more familiar with what’s available for use.

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I would be interested in attending. I have been to a few of Raymond’s arcade repair sessions and learned how to do a few things that I had never really been shown before.

I recently picked up several hot air rework stations and want to learn how to properly use them and also how to better use my ESR meter.

FWIW, I have two basic electronics classes scheduled. I’m covering resistors on February 7, and inductors on February 14.

Bummer on Feb. 14th. I’m out for New Zealand but would love to learn more on inductors as that’s one area I’m weak. :frowning:

I don’t think we’ll overlap but would love to have a chat with you about that topic.

I’m wondering how many people are going to show up to either of my classes that I’m teaching on February 14? Hopefully, at least three…

Is there a way to track signups or is that manually done by the instructor?

I posted a link to this on the KLOV forums and there’s a member down in Houston that may come up for some of the stuff I’m proposing here.

People usually don’t sign up prior to classes. If you want to get an idea how many people might show up for a class, you would do what you did; post a thread to this forum, and see how many people “Like” or reply to your post.

If you want to collect honorarium, you need to have a sign-in sheet at your presentation.

I would love to go to your class on inductors to at least show support. But as a married guy I’m not really going to be able to justify going to DMS over a romantic dinner.

Bum chicka bow wow.

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Yeah, I know.

My hope is, we either have a lot more socially-awkward people who don’t have romantic partners, or we have a lot of people who think inductors are sexy.

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You may have an additional conflict. ConDFW is that weekend here in Dallas. Lots of geeky types will be there, although I don’t have a good feel yet for the Venn diagram on that particular bunch of geeks and the DMS crowd.

I’m scheduled to attend the class on the 7th. Would definitely be interested in a beginners electronics class to improve my crappy soldering skills.

Is it on the calendar for the 14th?

I’m still waiting for it to show.

I don’t have anything on the calendar yet. I’m gauging interest and looks like there are enough folks interested to do the soldering basics. :slight_smile:

I’ll work with @Lampy to get it on the calendar for March. I still have a work trip to NZ this month so Feb is out for me.

I usually get my info from the calendar, evendo it seems to change 20 times
a day sometimes. I just started following the email list again, but look
forward to some good elwctronics classes. It was the original reason I
changed DMS many years ago.