New to electronics ... is this the right place?

[RobAinscough]

I'm relatively new to electronics, my professional degree is in Computer Science, have been designing, coding, deploying software for about 34 years in a variety of stand alone applications and web applications.

I'm shifting my focus to something I've always enjoyed at a hobby level. I've started my company (of one) and learning about USB HID devices (primarily around Arduino PCBs) with the goal of building HID devices for various uses (simulations, gaming, etc.). I'll be investing in a good laser cutter/engraver also to help produce my parts. Eventually, if my products prove to be successfully, I'll probably have to outsource some of the process but not the design.

I'm reading as much as I can as quickly as I can to get the basics down, I've purchased some equipment to get me started but don't have a "shop" yet ... gotta get the prototypes working and sold first. This is one of the rooms in our house that the wife and I decided will be our "hobby" room, so it will have to suffice for now ... the laser cutter/engraver will be out in the garage along with air filtration system.

I've done electrical work before, on my old race car (Lotus) stripped all the wiring out and used mil-spec wire and relays, etc. My focus now is more "electronics" work.

So my question, am I in the right place or is this website more for the advanced electronics person that operates professionally?

Cheers, Rob.

 

[wwfeldman]

you're in the right place
newbie through expert

 

[betwixt]

I've been in the business more than 50 years and have to say your 'workshop' puts mine to shame!

Brian.

 

[schmitt trigger]

I also congratulate you on your workshop. For a newbie, it is very complete and tidy.

But I don't see in the photo a crucial piece of equipment: a DMM.
Anyone dabbling in electronics professionally or as a hobby, should have at least one.

Fortunately, full fledged, high performance DMMs have decreased significantly in price. There are options galore.

My advice: Purchase the best one you can afford. A DMM will rapidly become your best friend, and like all the best friends you should fully trust what they are telling you! Even in rough times.

Note that I said "at least one". There will be times when you require to monitor two parameters simultaneously. i.e voltage and current.
Serious hobbysts have a cheaper, secondary DMM for such tasks.

NOTE; where did you get the digital microscope with the base? I need something identical to that.

 

[unbuildpain]

NOTE; where did you get the digital microscope with the base? I need something identical to that.

They are available on Amazon.

 

[ads-ee]

The only issue I have with their workshop is the carpeted floor, not a very ESD friendly environment. If I was working with parts in that room most of them would end up dead from ESD.

--- Updated Aug 21, 2020 ---

NOTE; where did you get the digital microscope with the base? I need something identical to that.

Type "digital microscope" in Amazon search and a bunch of them show up including one that is $109 USD that looks very similar to the one in the workshop photo.

--- Updated Aug 21, 2020 ---

Looks like the brand is Koolertron, they seem to have a number of different products at various price points.

 

[unbuildpain]

Does gravity work differently in the OP's room? Or is the OP trying to convey any profound message with the upside down photo?

--- Updated Aug 21, 2020 ---

To answer the question of the OP, is this(forum) the right place.

I'd have to answer yes, if you go through the Forum home page, you'll see different sections meant for different segments of electronics, and also for different experience levels. Like this section is meant for beginners who just started in electronics.

You can pretty much ask about anything related to electronics here, except signal jamming and EMP. The forum is quite active, and you'll definitely get an answer within a day or so. Many of the people here exhibit knowledge possible only by years of experience in real world electronics market. So you should be able to improve your electronics knowledge here and obtain advice and guidance on any electronics projects you might work on.

 

[dick_freebird]

They are available on Amazon.

I got mine off eBay, same deal. There are many similar
and some lower resolution than you'd like. Here's my
item's listing info (note 12MP camera, a key difference
between the many variants; also, get the ones with
battery):

w/Battery MUSTOOL G1200 12MP 7'' HD Digital Microscope 1-1200X
Zoom C (352978022838)

I went and enhanced mine for what I do; bought
a 1'x1'x1/4" steel plate and drilled / countersunk to
mount the microscope head on a larger magnetic
base, and had the steel place cut me six "pucks"
to which I attached magnets in every-other polarity
to serve as sample and micromanipulator pedestals
(also bringing a thin die up to max zoom range).

The die pic below was taken on this rig, with image
area to spare on a roughly 50x50 mil National LM158
die. Minimum feature 4um or so. This little microscope
is probably adequate for most people. Though for
reverse engineering I always end up back at my
"real" optical microscope with its X-Y stage and an
8MP eyepiece camera, which I scan and stitch images
at higher pixels per micron.

For decent image quality you will want to take delayed
shots to let the mechanical shake from button-press
to damp out.

 

[schmitt trigger]

Dick:
Thank you very much for your scope suggestion.
I had obviously seen these scopes on Ebay, Bangood, even Amazon.
But an acquaintance of mine had purchased another highly-rated (ha!) unit and frankly it was a PoS.

Product reviews may be manipulated.
Nothing beats receiving a recommendation from someone one trusts.

Your battery-powered suggestion is also brilliant, as the last thing one needs in a crowded workbench is yet another plugpack and a cable.

Lastly, the time delay option is priceless. At high magnifications the slightest vibration will result in a blurry image.