Facilities

Audio Visual

Bluetooth-enabled Stereo

How to use

1. Turn on the power switch connected to the stereo to the right of the double-doors.
2. Press "VIDEO/AUX" on the stereo input dial (in the middle) to connect it to the Bluetooth receiver.
3. On your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or laptop device, go into your Bluetooth preferences and search for devices. You will see "Belkin HD" as one of the available devices. Pair it with your device and start playing music/podcasts/Internet streams.
4. If you do not see "Belkin HD" then power cycle the Belkin device and search again.

CAD - Computer aided design

Laser cutter

Laser Cutter

Privately owned Laser cutter (60W) can be used periodically for prototyping.

Has it's own page here

Please do not use the laser cutter until you have received induction

3D printing

We have several 3D printers that can be used to print downloaded models or rapidly prototype your designs.

Some basics on 3D printing here

Our Printers:

Flashforge adventurer 3

Flashforge's page

Geeetech I3 pro B

here

Zombie Printer

A machine so modified it got a new name

• Dedicated page here

3D printer

CNC Machines

CNC Mill

N.B. This is currently not operational

CNC machine

CNC Mill - OpenBuilds C-Beam CNC Router In the cloakroom

Please do not use the CNC Mill until you have received induction

• Instructions on use from Leo here and Nick here (Internet Archive)

CNC Metal Mill

N.B. This is not yet operational

Denford MicroMill

CNC Lathe

Denford MicroMill N.B. This is not yet operational

Denford Microturn

Crafts

Sewing machine

There is a mini sewing machine from John Lewis on loan from Andres. Feel free to use when ever. It is kept in its box on the gray shelves next to the kitchen. Follow this video for threading and first steps!

Electronics workbench

Electronics Bench

Electronics Bench in use

See our Electronics page for notes, tutorial links, etc.

General

• Various hand tools, test equipment, wiring, connectors, resistors, capacitors, LEDs and other assorted components
• UV exposure box
• Magnifying lamp
• 'Helping Hands'
  • Two positionable clips to hold wires, components and small assemblies
  • Magnifier
• Tiltable plastic jawed vice
  • for holding small to medium PCBs and small assemblies
  • Do *NOT* use for assembling IDC cables or forcing a fit - grab a drill press vice from the engineering bench for that!

Soldering/Desoldering

• Weller WS80 temperature controlled soldering station
  • with WSP80 iron (24V, 80W)
  • takes LT series tips
  • Operating Instructions - Controls/Connections layout on pages 2 & 3, English instructions start at page 23
• Maplin (Precision Gold) temperature controlled soldering station - U/S as of 5/10/2022
  • with 24V, 48W iron - element failed
  • Chinese OEM: Zongdi ZD-937
  • UK source for spares: Duratool D00675 @Farnell
• Power+ 8000 series SMD Rework Station
  • A 'knockoff' of a Yihua 852D+ - 852D+ Manual
  • Variable temperature and flow hot air tool - Missing its hot air nozzles apart from the 6 mm one fitted.
  • 50W temperature controlled soldering iron - Takes HAKKO 900 series tips.
    • The iron is a Yihua 907A clone, five pin GX16 connector, male on the station, female on the iron, Yihua pinout. The iron has an A1322 clone element nom. 24V 50W. Tips should be 6 - 6.5 mm OD, and nom. 4 mm ID.

N.B. Tips must be a good close fit on the ceramic element, but not excessively tight. Many clone tips are too loose and will need a sleeve to function. If the tip is too tight there is a high risk of breaking the element.

Yihua knockoffs are not known for their electrical safety. A test sticker indicates it passed in 2018 (probably PAT testing) and the hot air nozzle is grounded, but we should check if there is a reliable ground at the soldering iron socket. See 852D topic @EEVblog

• BGA re-balling station - YouTube demo
  • Uses same Yihua 907A type iron as the SMD rework station.
• Solder sucker station - see: HOW TO DESOLDER THROUGH HOLE COMPONENTS, CONNECTORS & CHIPS?

Bench Power Supply

• Thurlby PL320 Bench Power Supply
  • dual channel 0-30V, 2A
  • PL series instruction Manual

Pulse Generator

• AIM & THURLBY THANDAR INSTRUMENTS TGP110 10Mhz Pulse Generator
  • datasheet

Oscilloscope

• Rigol DS1104Z
  • 4 channel 50MHz Digital Oscilloscope
  • Manual

Multimeters

• Fluke 77 DMM (grey, in brown rubber bumper)
  • N.B. Rotary mode switch detent is very weak, so carefully align pointer with desired mode indication before use.
• Fluke 77 III DMM (grey/yellow)
• Various cheap small DMMs - See Big Clive's video review/tutorial
  • CAUTION: Do *NOT* use the cheap DMMs on live mains circuits

Please carefully check the red test lead is *NOT* plugged in the 300mA or 10A (current) sockets before making voltage measurements, as the Fluke current range fuses are expensive to replace!

PC/Mac hosted tools

• LTspice XVII circuit simulator is installed on the all-in-one Mac next to the electronics bench. (PC version running under WineBottler)
• Arduino IDE (v1.8.19) is installed on the same Mac.
• An eight channel USB logic analyser (Salae Logic 8 clone) is available (bin on the electronics shelves at the end over the wood store), and the Sigrok software to support it is installed on the Mac.

Makers Equipment

• Arduino Starter kit
• Funduino kit with loads of sensors
• Raspberry Pi (with Pi Camera)

Engineering/ Woodwork

Bench drill press

• Silverline 262212 Drill press
  • Chuck Capacity 13mm
  • 350W

See our Drill press page for general instructions and its Manual for specifics.

Lathe

Lathe

In the kitchen.

Marked as a CJ18A Mini-Lathe from [Amadeal] [Manual]

Induction Document

Possible upgrades:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwT-JQLbNPA

Please do not use the lathe until you have received induction

IanM has written some more detailed notes on using the RML Lathe.

Bandsaw

N B This is out of action and in need of replacement

• Nutool HBS230 230mm Two Wheel Bandsaw
  • 230W
  • Similar Manual
• Replacement parts:
  • Got some tyres from [www.Solenttools.co.uk solent tools]
  • Ian got a new blade from ???

Jigsaw

Bosch PST 700E 500W Jigsaw Manual

Mitresaw

Erbauer ERB255GS 2000W 10" Sliding compound mitre saw with laser

Router (handheld)

Black & Decker KW850E 1100W
here Manual

Planer (handheld)

Ryobi EPN-6082 600W
Manual

Bench Grinder

Clarke Metalworker CBG 6RZ
Manual

Belt Sander

N.B. We no longer have this as the motor broke. Kept as a reminder we need one and for safety warning

• KOBE KBE2714140K
• Manual and here
  • Safety: Please don't use the dust extraction when sanding metal - hot sparks, wood chippings and lots of air equals fire

Compressor

Compressor

Mains-powered air compressor with a long air pipe and a few tools, including paint sprayer.

• Ratchet tap handles
• 0 - 10 BA tap & die set (imperial)
• Broken bolt extractor set (Easy Outs)

General purpose

• Ultrasonic cleaner (6.5L) - Tank internal dimension: 300 (L) x 150 (D) x 150 (H) mm
• Small screw driver set with prying tool for mobile phone disassembly
• Spanner set 6mm to 26mm - In cloakroom, on bathroom door
• Hot glue gun
• Dremel 200 rotary Multi-Tool (two speed - 15K/35K RPM no load) - Instructions
  • Flexible shaft
  • 3rd party sets of bits and accessories

The green box bits & accessories set is the most complete. The other one is overspill + half worn-out bits. The flexible shaft is now kept off the tool as its rarely used. Please try not to loose the little shaft coupling nut from the tool end of the flexible shaft! The Dremel and its attachments and accessories live in the large translucent plastic crate on the grey shelves next to the cloakroom door.

• RS Pro Mini Drill - 12V drill (max. 17K RPM no load) & Variable speed PSU
  • with 3.2 mm (1/8") capacity 3 jaw chuck
  • uses Dremel bits, but not fixed accessories

Lives with the Dremel in the large translucent plastic crate on the grey shelves next to the cloakroom door. Chuck key is taped to its 12V power cord. A better choice than the Dremel for precision drilling.

• Set of files (round, square, triangular, flat, half round) - On side wall next to Woodworking bench
• TORX screwdriver set - behind Electronics bench, opposite Woodworking
• Hex key set - Metric & Imperial/US, boxed - behind Electronics bench, opposite Woodworking
• Hacksaws: Junior (6") and full size (12") - Hanging up behind the Woodworking bench

A full size hacksaw is an effective means to cut metal from 3 mm to over 50 mm thickness. Also useful for hard plastics.

Our Amtech 12" hacksaw needs four full turns after taking up the slack to tension the blade. Spare 12" 18 TPI and 24 TPI blades are hanging with the hacksaws. The spare 6" blades are in the spare drills box on the power-tool shelves the other side of the window.

There's more to using a hacksaw than you might think - incorrect blade tension or wrong choice of blade for work thickness, can ruin a blade in minutes and make your job much harder and slower. See How to use a Hacksaw - a 26 m video series covering basics, cutting straight, and how to cut thin metal without damaging the blade - by 'Course You Can' (Jim Garratty).

Equipment and Tool Defect List

Stuff that's usually available, but is currently broken, (or recently fixed) should be on our Equipment and Tool Defect List.

This is not a 'live' defect list, and tools/equipment may fail unexpectedly between its update and your intended visit.

Computers

Printers and Scanners

Printers_and_scanners

Desktop computers

• Windows PC in the office/Laser Cutter room. See Laserpc
• 2 Linux PCs under 3D Printing bench
• All-in-one Apple Mac next to Electronics bench,

Other

Hard drive duplication station [[1]]

• SIM card cutter (micro and nano)
• Assorted old laptops and old workstations
• Laser printer (mono)

Other facilities

The Round Table

Possible our most important area; a place where people have a cup of tea, chat or do some work

Bathroom

Yes we have one of those. Wheel chair accessible.

Kitchen

Kitchen

Kettle, sink, cups a plenty, ...