Absolutely new to electronics. Help with where to start? Jaycar kit...

Hi All,

My name is Charlotte (this is my first post!), and I recently purchased a Jaycar theremin kit. I have no idea where to even start! Can someone put me on the right track, as the instructions are so complicated (seeming anyway). Even if someone has a colour photo of the finished circuit board! Also any soldering tips would be greatly appreciated too!

Many thanks in advance!

Hi Charlotte,

Welcome to Theremin World.

ThereminWorlder Tom Farrell has some useful links to some stuff about the Jaycar kit on TW on his website, here (http://theremin.tomfarrell.org/buyTheremin.html) (scroll down a bit) and some notes about constructing the kit, here (http://theremin.tomfarrell.org/jaycar.html).

(Tom - are you still around? Haven't noticed any postings for a couple of months.)

Thanks for the welcome and links Gordon!

Just before I try to get started..if i was to screw it up, is it hard to get rid of/take off the solder so I could fix it? Sorry if I sound silly, but this is the very first electrical project Ive done, so I am a little paranoid!

:)

Hi Charlotte,

another "welcome" from France!

It wasn't a very good idea to take the Jaycar Kit as a beginners project. There are parts, such as the coils which may easily be damaged by too much heat when soldering without some experience.

I recommend you to do some soldering exercises before attacking the Jaycar Kit or to find someone who solders the circuit board for you in order to protect your investment... Installing all in the case and soldering/wiring the peripheral parts is still a challenging task which you may accomplish with less risk and which will give you still the satisfaction to have "built" a theremin.

[i]Just before I try to get started..if i was to screw it up, is it hard to get rid of/take off the solder so I could fix it?[/i]
Unsoldering parts is a second risk to overheat them...

Hi Charlotte

Practice soldering before you start the kit, there are plenty of guides on the net, but its a skill that can be learnt quite easily.

The idea is to heat both the joint, that is the "pad" and the component leg/wire then let the solder flow.
Also triple check each component before you solder it into the board.

If you stuck, post back here.
If you get really stuck, there hasn't been one yet I couldn't fix.

MarkT

[i]Sorry if I sound silly, but this is the very first electrical project Ive done, so I am a little paranoid![/i]

It doesn't sound silly to me. It's natural to feel daunted at the start of a journey.

Be confident! One step at a time, with lots of common sense and a healthy measure of determination is the order of the day.

It's a journey worth undertaking. At its best the theremin is one of this world's very few truly magical devices. Building your first theremin is a bold start.

[img]http://b1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01296/11/65/1296415611_l.gif[/img]

Thanks all for the words of encouragement! Ive been practising soldering (i found some videos on youtube), but Im still trying to work out where all the components go! I shall report back when Ive made more/less progress!