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From: scott449 on 26 May 2010 15:22
I need an electronics guy or gal.
My son has a school project and I need someone to help

We have all the parts and a schematic, just need help putting it
together and explaining it.

Will pay for your gas and time if you can come over to mill creek and
help us with this. or we will come to you, or if you fell more
comfortable we will beet you in a public place. we just need help with
this project.

Hell I will even ask my wife to make you dinner.
Really need help with this.

http://www.casperelectronics.com/images/finishedpieces/speak-n-spell/Speak-n-Xbending/LFO%20schematic2.jpg
From: mike on 26 May 2010 17:18
scott449 wrote:
> I need an electronics guy or gal.
> My son has a school project and I need someone to help
>
> We have all the parts and a schematic, just need help putting it
> together and explaining it.
>
> Will pay for your gas and time if you can come over to mill creek and
> help us with this. or we will come to you, or if you fell more
> comfortable we will beet you in a public place. we just need help with
> this project.
>
> Hell I will even ask my wife to make you dinner.
> Really need help with this.
>
> http://www.casperelectronics.com/images/finishedpieces/speak-n-spell/Speak-n-Xbending/LFO%20schematic2.jpg

The reason schools have school projects is so the kids can learn how to
do projects.
Paying someone else to do it is a serious dis-service to your kid.
Leads to a society of people who know nothing more than how to pick up
their iphone and call someone to do everything for them. You gotta
encourage
kids to take stuff apart even when there's no chance in hell they'll be
able to put it back together.

This is a poor choice for a first project.
You want your first few projects to be extremely simple and be easy to
tell if it's working.
This thing is a simple circuit, but it ties into a speak-N-spell that's
totally unknown. You run the risk of a mis-connection or a short or
static electricity busting the SNS and not have any idea what's broke.
If you can't describe how a 555 works, you surely won't be able to
diagnose a problem with a SNS.

If you had no choice in the project, you gotta move ahead.
If it's a common class project, buy a pizza and host a work party for
the kids. If you have a webcam and a microphone you can videoconference
the kids together so they can share ideas. I like the freeware CQphone
because it's very easy to use and has all the features you'll need in
one simple
program. Only hard part to using it is configuring your network router
to forward the port to the right machine. And it's only good for two
people. Most of the multi-way VC programs aren't free.

If you're stuck with the project...
Learn how to solder.
Take four resistors with full-length leads and solder them together to
make a square. Take it apart and do it again...and again until you
get proficient at getting the heat right. Then practice soldering three
resistors to the same point. Learn that by offsetting the joints
slightly, it's easier to make the third connection without melting the
first joint. This improves your skill at getting the heat and time right.

If you can hook your garden hose between the faucet and the sprinkler,
you can follow the picture you linked. Hook it up just the way it
shows. Make sure the wires don't touch where they're not supposed to.
When hanging parts in the air, it's helpful to have two sets of hands.

As for the explanation, the 555 is a tough one because it requires
some basic understanding you don't have. After you learn a few
basics, it becomes trivial. Reaching that "ahah moment" is the goal.

Google 555 data
Download several datasheets. Some of the older original datasheets have
better
explanations of the basics.
There are probably 10,000 web pages that explain exactly how a 555 works.
Your problem will be sorting them out of the zillion hits you're
gonna get.
Most any basic electronics book you check out of the library
will have some info on a 555.
From: John Nagle on 27 May 2010 01:04
mike wrote:
> scott449 wrote:
>> I need an electronics guy or gal.
>> My son has a school project and I need someone to help
>>
>> We have all the parts and a schematic, just need help putting it
>> together and explaining it.
>>
>> Will pay for your gas and time if you can come over to mill creek and
>> help us with this. or we will come to you, or if you fell more
>> comfortable we will beet you in a public place. we just need help with
>> this project.
>>
>> Hell I will even ask my wife to make you dinner.
>> Really need help with this.
>>
>> http://www.casperelectronics.com/images/finishedpieces/speak-n-spell/Speak-n-Xbending/LFO%20schematic2.jpg
>>
>
> The reason schools have school projects is so the kids can learn how to
> do projects.

It's also a somewhat lame project to take a Texas Instruments Speak and
Spell, which is a rather clever device, and make it into a weak excuse for
an effects pedal.

Consider a kit like this one:

http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/audi/ck1208.htm

You get a circuit board, so you just have to put in the components
and solder.

John Nagle
From: Herman on 27 May 2010 08:27
"mike" <spamme0(a)go.com> wrote in message
news:htk3am$20s$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
> scott449 wrote:
>> I need an electronics guy or gal.
>> My son has a school project and I need someone to help
>>
>> We have all the parts and a schematic, just need help putting it
>> together and explaining it.
>>
>> Will pay for your gas and time if you can come over to mill creek and
>> help us with this. or we will come to you, or if you fell more
>> comfortable we will beet you in a public place. we just need help with
>> this project.
>>
>> Hell I will even ask my wife to make you dinner.
>> Really need help with this.
>>
>> http://www.casperelectronics.com/images/finishedpieces/speak-n-spell/Speak-n-Xbending/LFO%20schematic2.jpg
>
> The reason schools have school projects is so the kids can learn how to do
> projects.
> Paying someone else to do it is a serious dis-service to your kid.
> Leads to a society of people who know nothing more than how to pick up
> their iphone and call someone to do everything for them. You gotta
> encourage
> kids to take stuff apart even when there's no chance in hell they'll be
> able to put it back together.
>
> This is a poor choice for a first project.
> You want your first few projects to be extremely simple and be easy to
> tell if it's working.
> This thing is a simple circuit, but it ties into a speak-N-spell that's
> totally unknown. You run the risk of a mis-connection or a short or
> static electricity busting the SNS and not have any idea what's broke.
> If you can't describe how a 555 works, you surely won't be able to
> diagnose a problem with a SNS.
>
> If you had no choice in the project, you gotta move ahead.
> If it's a common class project, buy a pizza and host a work party for the
> kids. If you have a webcam and a microphone you can videoconference
> the kids together so they can share ideas. I like the freeware CQphone
> because it's very easy to use and has all the features you'll need in one
> simple
> program. Only hard part to using it is configuring your network router
> to forward the port to the right machine. And it's only good for two
> people. Most of the multi-way VC programs aren't free.
>
> If you're stuck with the project...
> Learn how to solder.
> Take four resistors with full-length leads and solder them together to
> make a square. Take it apart and do it again...and again until you
> get proficient at getting the heat right. Then practice soldering three
> resistors to the same point. Learn that by offsetting the joints
> slightly, it's easier to make the third connection without melting the
> first joint. This improves your skill at getting the heat and time right.
>
> If you can hook your garden hose between the faucet and the sprinkler,
> you can follow the picture you linked. Hook it up just the way it shows.
> Make sure the wires don't touch where they're not supposed to.
> When hanging parts in the air, it's helpful to have two sets of hands.
>
> As for the explanation, the 555 is a tough one because it requires
> some basic understanding you don't have. After you learn a few
> basics, it becomes trivial. Reaching that "ahah moment" is the goal.
>
> Google 555 data
> Download several datasheets. Some of the older original datasheets have
> better
> explanations of the basics.
> There are probably 10,000 web pages that explain exactly how a 555 works.
> Your problem will be sorting them out of the zillion hits you're
> gonna get.
> Most any basic electronics book you check out of the library
> will have some info on a 555.

It will not work too well; the LED is drawn in wrong!


From: D Yuniskis on 28 May 2010 01:44
Hi Scott (?),

scott449 wrote:
> I need an electronics guy or gal.
> My son has a school project and I need someone to help
>
> We have all the parts and a schematic, just need help putting it
> together and explaining it.
>
> Will pay for your gas and time if you can come over to mill creek and
> help us with this. or we will come to you, or if you fell more
> comfortable we will beet you in a public place. we just need help with

Hmmm... I don't think ^^^^ I'm too *keen* on that, thankyouverymuch!

> this project.
>
> Hell I will even ask my wife to make you dinner.
> Really need help with this.
>
> http://www.casperelectronics.com/images/finishedpieces/speak-n-spell/Speak-n-Xbending/LFO%20schematic2.jpg

I'm not sure what help someone could give you in person -- short
of teaching you/your son how to solder.

If you have *all* of the components (and the components came in
*that* kit), then you should be able to arrange them according
to the "drawing" in the center left.

I.e., the "555" is a black, 8 legged device ("chip") about
half an inch long and 3/8" wide (across the legs). There
will be a half-moon shaped section missing in the top of
the black plastic towards one end of the device (as shown
in the drawing). This indicates which end of the device
has pin 1 (since you've got to start counting from
*someplace*!). For example, the pin numbers on the device
as shown in the drawing would be:

8 7 6 5
+----------+
| |
) |
| |
+----------+
1 2 3 4

If you trace the "wires" in the drawing, you can see, for
example, that pin 1 on the 555 has a wire running off to "B";
another wire connecting to one end of a 150 ohm resistor;
and a third connection to the "-" side of a 10uF capacitor
(the *other* side of the capacitor is shown as "+"!)

You can look at the *schematic* at the top left (above the
drawing) and see the 555 dhown with pin 1 connected to
"Ground" (looks like an arrowhead made up of three small
lines getting shorter and shorter "pointing down"). This is
labeled "B" in the schematic -- which corresponds with the
"B" point in the earlier drawing. I.e., "B" is "ground" so
anything shown with this funny arrowhead is the same point,
electrically -- B.

With that in mind, the schematic shows the "-" side of a
10uF capacitor also connected to ground (B). And, one side of
a 150 ohm resistor (squiggly line /\/\/\/ ). Again, these
correspond to their counterparts in the previous drawing.

[N.B. The "A" point in the drawing is the "power supply"
for the circuit. Like B, anything in the schematic that
is labeled as "A" represents the same point, electrically]

You should be able to *literally* arrange the components
as shown in the drawing and connect them with lengths
of wire as shown.

[The artist failed to show "wires" connected to all
three pins of each of two of the larger potentiometers
as is shown in the schematic :< Also, the LED is
drawn backwards in the schematic -- it should look
like a triangle pointing *down*. And, it should be
connected to pin 3 on the 555 -- note that pin 5
has no connection made to it!]

The only components that you might have a little trouble
with are the LED and the capacitors. The capacitors
will have a black stripe along one side of the "can".
This is the "-" side (if you examine the drawing, you
will see that the capacitors *are* shown with this long
black stripe!), The LED typically has one *flat* side
near one of the two "legs". This indicates the "cathode"
leg; the other leg is the "anode" (loosely speaking,
cathode = "-", anode = "+"). The anode leg will also
typically be *longer* than the cathode leg (though if
the legs have been cut/trimmed, you can't rely on
this indication, obviously!). You should be able to
verify *both* indications: cathode is flat side and
shorter leg.

The tricky part comes in trying to connect this assembly
(once it is all wired together) to the Speak n Spell.
The drawing at the right shows the insides of a speak n spell.
You'll have to locate the points to which the A, B and C
wires from your circuit tie in to the marked points on
the speak n spell drawing.

Here, you'll need to be careful with the soldering iron
not to end up shorting two adjacent pins (by putting too
large a blob of solder *or* having the wire that you
are affixing "accidentally" bridge two adjacent pins.

Be sure to remove the batteries from the Speak n Spell
before tinkering with it! Set all the potentiometers
to roughly their center positions to start off. Don't
connect "C", intially...

Install the S'n'S's batteries.

The first sign of life should the LED flashing. The
rate at which it flashes will vary with the setting
of the "rate" potentiometer -- turning it one way will
speed it up; the other, slow it down.

The S'n'S should continue to operate normally! All you
have done, so far, is to steal power from it (via the
A and B connections)

If the LED doesn't flash, you've connected something wrong.
Remove batteries and double check all of your connections.

Once the LED flashes and you have verified that you can
alter it's blink rate, you can remove batteries and
connect "C" to the S'n'S.

With the batteries reconnected, you will find that the
audio from the S'n'S will vary as you tweek the other
potentiometers ("pots"). These adjust the extent that
the "effect" alters the audio output.

Once things *seem* like they are working, set the
rate potentiometer so the LED is flashing at a
slow enough rate that you can listen *carefully*
to the S'n'S and correlate how the sound is
*changing* when the LED is "on" vs. how the
sound changes when the LED is *off*. You may
have to experiment with different S'n'S sound
selections to best hear the difference!

Be a "good dad" -- if he ends up frying the Speak n Spell,
don't make a big deal out of it. Instead, challenge him
to figure out what he did wrong -- what did he short
out, etc. You should probably be able to undo any damage
and still get it all working, again (though you may end up
killing the batteries in the S'n'S while you are chasing down
the problem -- so, have a fresh set available once you
think you've fixed it!

(Half the fun of electronics is the "cursing" that
accompanies your discovery of *YOUR* mistakes! :> )

No offense to your wife's cooking skills... :-/

HTH,
--don
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