I feel like a fraud!

SteveQSFX

New member
OK.. I have been tinkering around with electronics for 38 yrs. Started with my Ladybird book of electronics, and built a crystal radio on a piece of wood.
Built many stupid and useless projects over the years, but 'usually' enjoyed the process.

But, it bothers me that my level of knowledge regarding the technical side of electronics is just totally lacking. I never calculate anything... ever.
I am totally ashamed to admit I don't 100% understand the basics of current and voltage. How the heck have I managed to get this far?

However, I know that if I stick a TIP120 on my Picaxe with a 10k resistor to the base, it will highly probably work fine.
If it doesn't, then try a different resistor value!
My method of circuit design is based around 'try it and see'. I never just buy one of anything.

99.5% of my base circuitry is something I found on Google and I then adapted, or I lift the part of the circuit/code I need.

Don't get me wrong... I browse the datasheets, and try to get my head around the subject. And I nearly always achieve what I require.
Some of my projects are madly complicated.

I have this sitting in my garage at the moment.... Starship X-582

I bought a book on electronics to teach me the maths..... and my brain fried. at 50yrs old, NOTHING went in.

Am I alone?
 

The bear

Senior Member
Alone, you cannot be serious.
Welcome to the forum, lots of help here, even for you youngsters.
bear..
 

eclectic

Moderator
OK.. I have been tinkering around with electronics for 38 yrs. Started with my Ladybird book of electronics, and built a crystal radio on a piece of wood.
Built many stupid and useless projects over the years, but 'usually' enjoyed the process.
.

I have this sitting in my garage at the moment.... Starship X-582

I bought a book on electronics to teach me the maths..... and my brain fried. at 50yrs old, NOTHING went in.

Am I alone?
You designed and built that project
and you are asking US questions? : -)

Perhaps wander round here:
https://electronicsclub.info/study.htm
e
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
Started with my Ladybird book of electronics
Same here, and one of those Philips electronic circuit pegboards. And I've not learned much more about analogue circuitry beyond V=IR, P=IV and T=RC since, and that last one probably isn't quite right. I had to lookup what "TIP120" was and I still have to consult with Google to know whether "arrow pointing out on emitter" is NPN or PNP.

I don't know about "10K to the base"; I thought it was 10K for everything.

Except when it isn't. Then it's probably 1K :-)

Those who have formal electronics training, or have made it their career, are possibly horrified by the laissez faire approach taken but most time it works, and we're probably not actually as reckless as we may think, and you're definitely not alone.

Keep on being 'a fraud'. You're doing absolutely fine by me. Mighty impressive. And it would be even if it didn't work.
 
Last edited:

premelec

Senior Member
@SteveQSFX - do you have any questions? I've been working with electronics for over 70 years and still there are mysteries as well as successes . IR=E and Q=CV=IT are pretty simple and help a whole lot for a variety of guesstimates getting stuff to work. Empiricism sometimes substitutes for understanding... ;-0 have fun and discard feelings of fraud... I've never seen an electron yet I think I know how to make them dance...
 

oracacle

Senior Member
Well it might the case today of working everything out, but not that long ago they did exactly what we all do.
A video about designing the BBC micro has some key pointer of the "try and see" philosophy.
an engineers finger and "identical" chips that did not work. and no one knows why from about 8:45
 

tommo_NZ

New Member
"YOU ARE NOT ALONE" was never more applicable Steve. I have a big issue with memory, so by the time I get to the end of the page I forget what the point was at start of page, however I make heaps of notes and just experiment until it works.
Do not let lack of knowledge get in the way of your work, politicians don't and look how far they go!
 

techElder

Well-known member
I am totally ashamed to admit I don't 100% understand the basics of current and voltage.
Did you just come back from the meeting at the "Church of the Holy Smoke?" :D

After watching your video, I only have this to say, "Where's the PICAXE?" :D
 
Last edited:

erco

Senior Member
Un. Bee. Lee. Va. Bull.

WOW, incredible! At first I thought it was a motion control flight sim on hydraulics, but it's a kid's bed? EVEN BETTER! WOW! Any kid (or adult) would love that. Could never sleep, but who cares! Are you surprising your son with that for Christmas? Does he never look in your garage? :)

Well done! No math required, you are the student who has become the master.
 

SteveQSFX

New member
Thanks all.

I learnt a long time ago... never just buy one.

I surprisingly, don't blow much up. Must try harder!

Spaceship? 08m2 in the self destruct controller. 18m2 controlling the bluetooth receiver and console lowering/raising. 40x2 controls some of the lighting.
Arduinos controls the SFX and touchscreen.. Picaxe not fast enough.
 

techElder

Well-known member
I really want to show your project to my 4 year old grandson, but, at the same time, I really DO NOT want to show this to him! :D

Good job getting all that wiring coordinated and hidden. That’s tough to do.
 

Dartmoor

Member
My method of circuit design is based around 'try it and see'. I never just buy one of anything.
That quote would be perfect on my headstone!
You are most definitely not alone & I have an HNC in electronics.
Holy/magic smoke is a fault finding aid. Tip - use a kitchen smoke detector in the workshop, they are less sensitive!
As for the Starship X-582 - we all need one of those?
If everyone only used known theories & calculations, probably very little would get invented/created?
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
If everyone only used known theories & calculations, probably very little would get invented/created?
Not sure about that. Most things are probably done intuitively or from subconscious memory; that "10K is probably right" etc, and the calculations then come in to prove it is roughly right and not catastrophically wrong.

Us amateurs might tend to go to the calculations when we have a gut feeling we're treading dangerously, a professional would probably check if they are by rote. Smoke and fire, and having to shake the wallet again, illustrates why that's usually a good idea ;-)

So I don't think 'doing it by the book' really holds anyone back or stifles things; more avoids things going wrong and the delays and cost that causes when it's turned on.
 

erco

Senior Member
SteveQSFX: I hope it's OK that I shared your fantastic video on Facebook. It's too great not to shame all the other dads with. :)
 

SteveQSFX

New member
Share away. It is already up on Youtube. Along with a few other stupid things I have built over the years...

This used a basic stamp, a butchered MP3 player from Woolworths, Ikea cutlery holders, and Aluminium from B&Q. 10 years old! OMG

This blocked the door to my workshop for a year

Just built this for 2018 Christmas

And now, I have finally managed to get a job working for a special effects company... fits me perfectly

Mad thing is.... I don't have any kids at home. My neighbours want to know why I built a spaceship bed. BECAUSE I CAN!
 

inglewoodpete

Senior Member
Mad thing is.... I don't have any kids at home. My neighbours want to know why I built a spaceship bed. BECAUSE I CAN!
That reminds me of a novel I read when I was in lower secondary school (a long, long time ago) - the title was "Have Space Suit, Will Travel". My memory is a bit rusty on this one but the protagonist wins a (surplus?) space suit in a competition and ends up travelling in space. Now that you have a spaceship bed, you just never know what the future will bring you!
 

inglewoodpete

Senior Member
While I don't have a resistance wheel, I have found that starting high and (roughly) halving the resistance in steps gets me a similar result. Eg 220k, 100k, 47k, 22k, 10k etc
 

premelec

Senior Member
I've got Heathkit R sub boxes I built decades ago - 20 megs down to 15 ohms I think - the wheel design is nice. I also have Dekapots 10T pots .... strange that a component that only dissipates energy is so useful... ;-0
 

darb1972

Senior Member
Although this is primarily a microcontroller and code forum, never hesitate to post a circuit and/or question regarding hardware. Plenty of folks on here with enough experience to assist where needed. I'm better at hardware than I am with code. We all have our strengths, weaknesses and specialities.

Asking for help/assistance is never frowned upon nor criticised here. I would expect swift action from moderators if someone was to be anything but helpful and assistive.

Please fire away with the questions!!!

PS: plus 1 for Derek's suggestion regarding All About Circuits. There's a number of others too. One that comes to mind is the tutorials on the magazine, Nuts & Volts.
 

johnlong

Senior Member
If you dont get smoke its a bonus
best thing is to have fun and keep the grey matter stirred up
learning curves are the best curves
welcome and enjoy the forum
 
Top