I'm not completely sure, but this may be the coolest tool I ever saw.

[frankie5fingers]

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5336713463&toolid=10001&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FELENCO-K-38-Capacitor-Substitution-Box-Kit-NEW-%2F230982414369%3Fpt%3DLH_DefaultDomain_0%26hash%3Ditem35c79ff021%23ht_386wt_1313
Am I the only one that hasn't hooked the clips to two cap legs to sub different values on the fly?

[Scruffie]

Nope, I never have either.

I thought it was cool at first until I read 'soldering required' and then went... it's a plastic box with two sets of 12 caps and two 12T1P Rotaries a toggle and some clips for $20 and the parts could be bought expensively for $10

[jkokura]

Not to mention, alligator clip leads are not as helpful as having a couple breadboard jumper leads. If I'm going to make a substitution box like that, I'm going to want it in my circuit, not attached to another part or lead. That's too flimsy a connection.

I think i'm going to go after making one or two of these things. I've been meaning to get to some breadboarding tutorials, so that would be the sort of tool to lead towards that.

Jacob

[frankie5fingers]

The world's filled with plastic boxes, heresy I say!!
If I'll pay $40 and wait three weeks for a matched set of OC76s from GB, but not spring another $10 for a real box with actual dials, then I don't have my Mojo bone engaged.
This falls into the "I'll buy anything for $20.00" category.  A couple of sturdy cap legs and it's try one, "next", try another, "next", etc.
Nah, easy enough to make, even easier to buy.  If I want to add something to it or beef it up, I stll have the official box and cool dials.  C'mon... live a little.

[culturejam]

I think i'm going to go after making one or two of these things.

This is a threat I've made on several occasions. 

I think it would be cool to do up a PCB with board-mounted rotaries.

[selfdestroyer]

You could make one really easily. Here is their build doc and they show how simple the PCB is.

Resist:
http://www.elenco.com/admin_data/pdffiles/RS400.pdf

Caps:
http://www.elenco.com/admin_data/pdffiles/cs440.pdf

[pickdropper]

I think i'm going to go after making one or two of these things.

This is a threat I've made on several occasions. 

I think it would be cool to do up a PCB with board-mounted rotaries.

I've been actively planning to make one of these, but haven't gotten around to it yet.  I use these all the time at work and want them for use at home.  I keep an eye out for the old General Radio versions on eBay.  They usually go for a decent bit of money, but sometimes you can find deals.

There is a DIY decade resistor kit out there already that uses 1206 (or 1210) resistors.  I have one on my desk at work, but I don't like the particular rotary switches they use (they mount from the back and reach through the board with no thread, so it isn't as easy to mount in a box).  As far as resistance, it works just fine.

[lincolnic]

So...how does this thing work, exactly?

[selfdestroyer]

So...how does this thing work, exactly?

If you open up the PDF I linked you will see.. its pretty straight forward. Think of the clips as the leads to any of the capacitors you select with the 12 position switch. What I did was made a single knob version with all the common caps for tone stacks so I can test a different cap on the fly.

[lincolnic]

Ah, gotcha. Neat!