(no subject)
Dec. 21st, 2005 12:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ewtI'd really like to see this trilogy of films. I've heard about it from various people, watched a small amount during a class last year, want to see more. I wonder if the DVDs are available from the Trinity library.
What Gaelan said about generators from old box fans.
I would like to learn more electronics. I know very, very little and what I do know was learned in grade school and I forget it easily. I can just about keep voltage, wattage and amperage clear in my head. I know what an electromagnet is. I know a circuit has to be closed to work. I can wire a plug, just. I know, in a very rough way, how fuses and circuit breakers work, but had to have an RCD explained (and can't remember what the acronym stands for now) to me last night. Every time I want to do anything like the project above, though, I have to get someone else to help, or look everything up from scratch. I can't read a circuit diagram. I don't even have a soldering iron, and when I do use one it is messy. I always forget what transistors, capacitors, resistors, diodes do (um, diodes make the electricity only go one direction _I think_). I had an electronics kit when I was a child but all I did was make flashlights.
Who will teach me? Where should I start learning? I do not have much money to spend on this, so loan or donation of tools/books/materials would be great.
Are you self-employed? Discuss your experiences.
What work can you do from home/remotely? Brainstorm/discuss.
What Gaelan said about generators from old box fans.
I would like to learn more electronics. I know very, very little and what I do know was learned in grade school and I forget it easily. I can just about keep voltage, wattage and amperage clear in my head. I know what an electromagnet is. I know a circuit has to be closed to work. I can wire a plug, just. I know, in a very rough way, how fuses and circuit breakers work, but had to have an RCD explained (and can't remember what the acronym stands for now) to me last night. Every time I want to do anything like the project above, though, I have to get someone else to help, or look everything up from scratch. I can't read a circuit diagram. I don't even have a soldering iron, and when I do use one it is messy. I always forget what transistors, capacitors, resistors, diodes do (um, diodes make the electricity only go one direction _I think_). I had an electronics kit when I was a child but all I did was make flashlights.
Who will teach me? Where should I start learning? I do not have much money to spend on this, so loan or donation of tools/books/materials would be great.
Are you self-employed? Discuss your experiences.
What work can you do from home/remotely? Brainstorm/discuss.
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no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 12:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 01:02 pm (UTC)My dad taught me electronics from the age of 6½ and I've since taught many others ... personal opinion is that it is best to learn by doing rather than from books (Maplin do various little kits, etc. for practical options.) Soldering is something one gets better at with practice, practice, practice.
I have been mostly self-employed/self-unemployed since 1984; mostly it is ok but it depends on how good you are at getting new customers, it isn't just about doing the task that you want to do.
"home/remotely" depends upon what you actually mean. One job - where I worked for someone else - I only had to go into my office one or two days each month. Two weeks a month I'd be in other countries, and the rest of the time I'd work from home. Similarly when I worked as an electrician - mostly doing rehab work for housing associations - I was in different places each week - which is sort of 'remote' - so depends on whether you are just looking to *not* work in a single place or *to* work in a given place (ie home)
*sings the male bass part*:
Date: 2005-12-21 02:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 01:12 pm (UTC)Very little 'office' work is available from home unless you have sucessfully developed an office-based career, and maintain a network of work contacts whom you see on a regular basis.
That leaves crafts-based work, and it is notable that all the people who make a successful living from it put in a great deal of work exhibiting and being seen at meets, exhibitions and craft fairs, as well as really pushing the boat out on cultivating an online profile in relevant communities.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 01:36 pm (UTC)And I would really enjoy teaching you some electronics, as I think I've mentioned before. There are a few good books that I could help you work through (The Art of Electronics by Horowitz & Hill is the classic one - pricey new but there are a lot of old copies arond) if you want, or I could just improvise.
Where are you for the next days, and what are you up to? I'm heading down south tonight, leaving for Berlin early 27th, no plans in particular except on the 25th - would be lovely to see you.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 01:57 pm (UTC)Are you stopping by London on your way back from Berlin?
no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 02:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 02:30 pm (UTC)Monday may be difficult for transport if you're taking the train, because there aren't any.
I should also ask
no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 02:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 02:44 pm (UTC)I could stay the night tomorrow, if that's helpful for timing (allows evening for film watching perhaps?) and okay with
no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 02:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 03:08 pm (UTC):))
Let me know when you have some idea of travel plans and I can meet you at the station and so on.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-22 03:21 am (UTC)So, er, if I get a decent few hours sleep now, I can get a 9:30am train from here and be in Bath at noon. Let me know if that suits you? I'll check this thread in the morning, or text me.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-22 09:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-22 10:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 02:30 pm (UTC)I am self-employed, my experiences involve lots of stressful chasing of people who I am supposed to be working for, and watching lots of awful films.
KOYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANIS-QAT-SI
It's ok, but a little pretentious and a little dull. To be fair, I havenae watched the whole thing.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 02:33 pm (UTC)Also, do you have a library card? There's lots of books on basic electronics out there, and a basic soldering iron is only £6 or so.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 02:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 02:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 08:54 pm (UTC)I will teach you the bits and pieces I know, and I have a soldering iron and various other things you can borrow.
Maplin are a reasonable source for electronic parts and gizmos. They have an annoying habit of never quite holding enough stock, but IIRC they will order in anything they don't have in stock so you can pick it up later.
A few words of advice: you can get el-cheapo soldering irons for a few quid on market stalls and at most electronics shops. However, I find they have a tendency to stop working after a while. It's probably better to spend a few quid extra to get a decent-quality one that won't break so easily. You will also be able to get useful things like replacement tips for the decent-quality brands. The 'Antex' branded ones are worth buying, and I think they even sell a basic beginner's soldering kit with things like an iron, a stand, and a desoldering tool.
resistors
Date: 2005-12-21 09:16 pm (UTC)A resistor resists. A capacitor stores. A diode "directs" (one way transmission of energy). DC circuits are a good place to start. AC circuits have "impedance" which is much harder to understand.
Good Luck,
Love,
ADa
electronics training
Date: 2005-12-21 09:25 pm (UTC)I found a web site that has an online book here:
http://science-ebooks.com/electronics/table_of_contents.htm
This should get you started :)
Love,
Dad
no subject
Date: 2005-12-22 12:44 am (UTC)We did try to start a small business at one point. I learned a lot from that experience. The biggest thing is to research what you want to do, what your competition would be, demand, what you should price (for example, we discovered that our prices would barely cover our travel costs), and then research it all again.