Itching to Build...

[Kearns892]

... but there's no way I could get away with (or have room for) a soldering iron in my dorm. Doubt I would have time to complete a build anyways... Suggestions of smaller scale stuff I could do? I've been messing with PCB design lately, haven't gotten to test out any of my layouts though. Other ideas?

[R.G.]

I built effects in my dorm back in the early 70s, but it depend on the dorm I guess.

If you're on a campus, as living in a dorm implies, there is almost certainly an EE lab somewhere on campus that for the right brib... er, inducement  you could get access to in some way. It is likely that there are soldering irons, tools, and maybe helpful people there as well. Maybe there's a new friend you need to make.

[Nasse]

I have been planning to build a big wooden suitcase for the job, I really think plywood is fantastic material. There was a report years ago some real hero had buit a hinged table on a door (hope no one goes trough the door when on a bigger project). I had three kids and wife and perhaps few extra rooms and space might have been nice to have back then... Now kids mostly gone out more or less successfully)... Had my portion of a suitcase life many times for sure

Funny how carefully you clean the floor under the table, sometimes the wifey does report that she found a component almost pierced trough her foot, or there was a solder blob found with poisonous lead metal that kids could have eaten...

Later I had some job success and had my portable gas iron. I had some back problems those days but not so bad, I could be on my back under tha table soldering the wires

[Kearns892]

I built effects in my dorm back in the early 70s, but it depend on the dorm I guess.

If you're on a campus, as living in a dorm implies, there is almost certainly an EE lab somewhere on campus that for the right brib... er, inducement  you could get access to in some way. It is likely that there are soldering irons, tools, and maybe helpful people there as well. Maybe there's a new friend you need to make.

I may try to sneak my soldering iron back after the break; I could probably get away with it in my dorm. The biggest problem though is storage for parts and other tools and finding the time to actually devote to a project.

We do have a circuits lab, and I hope to be taking classes there start of next year. I know quite a few of the professors in the physics and engineering departments, I may have to try and work something out... Heck, I could probably try to justify it as an independent study...  Anyways just some thoughts. Looking into the other aspects of this hobby that I haven't gotten into before (i.e. the theory I have too oft neglected just so I could build something) thought this might be a good time to start exploring that aspect.

I have been planning to build a big wooden suitcase for the job

A giant mobile soldering station had crossed my mind  I never went that far (again space and time), but I already have a reputation that if people need to borrow tools they look to find me....

[trjones1]

You could get a breadboard and start experimenting with circuits.  Breadboard time is time well spent.

[Kearns892]

Ah, but in a lot of ways a breadboard requires more space to store all the different parts you need to experiment with. Something else I thought about, but had to reject. I plan to bring in just the parts I need to complete a few pre-planned builds a semester without having to store many parts, but for now I think I need to go a different way.

[phector2004]

If it helps at all,

I use minimal space to solder by building my stuff in a plastic tub. Funny that I have enough space to throw a multi-kegger in my basement, yet choose to solder in a 2.5ft x 2ft bin... might have something to do with the wall-to-wall carpeting and the women yelling every time I burn stuff 

The plastic doubles as a stinky "your iron isn't on the stand" alarm. Good for absent minded people like me

Also, I don't know how small your dorm is, but I've managed to fit 1000s of components in this nifty shop organizer I got from Wal-Mart. HxWxD ~ 2'x1.5'x0.5'... my setup could probably fit somewhere in your dorm, with tools in the bin under your bed and components in a corner or something

As for time, cross your fingers and hope you pick the right classes during registration... I've been blessed with 2.5 weeks "free" of midterms and papers and assignments starting thursday... Itching to get a new soldering tip and finish some of the many projects i've started!

Good luck!

[smallbearelec]

I had to deal with this in college days when I was writing articles for the hobby magazines...managed to cram practically a whole shop into my closet. So I know it can be done. The experience stayed with me when I moved to New York City, where space is tight and expensive. I translated some of what I learned about storage in those days to products and ideas now that I run a store.

Please check out my breadboarding How-Tos:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/HowTos.html

The tools and materials occupy almost no space, and the little soldering needed to create the connectors can be done elsewhere if absolutely necessary.

For organizers of various sorts, see this section of my Stock List:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Categories.bok?category=Consummables%2C+Supplies+And+Storage

Do you need a tool rack that fits in minimum space like in a jeweler's shop:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=400

Happy construction! and let us know how it goes.

Regards
SD

[Kearns892]

Thanks for the input guys. I have a few of the bins for organizing components at home and the tools to assemble boards do not take up much space as you have said. However, a lot of the tools for building and finishing a pedal in nice home do, and right now most of my under the bed storage space is taken up by my backpacking gear and my two guitars.  I am making some PCBs right now and I ordered the specific parts I need to populate them that way I don't have all the space taken up with bins and I will move the boards into permanent homes over breaks. In the spring I am taking a design class and will be spending a lot of time in the machining lab, may be able to work some personal projects in...