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 wr0x2
 |  |  | DIY night vision
< on 10/21/2005 3:10 AM >
|  | | | Inspired by this, my friend and I decided to build a night vision monocular, since it could aid in nighttime exploration. We have everything we need, with the possible exception of soldering skills. I ripped apart the driver circuit tonight (was originally done with wires connecting all the components) and began to lay it out on a small PCB I got from radio shack. Well, my god. My soldering skills suck, or maybe it's my solder, but for the life of me I couldn't get the solder to stick to the copper leads on the pcb. I guess I'll have to make an attempt again tomorrow.
Has anyone here built something like this? Post pics!
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Grey_Fox
Location: London, ON, Canada
Gender: Male
I love me...
| | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 1 on 10/21/2005 3:42 AM >
| | | | Stay away from night vision. If you have ever used nightvision (i have used the helmet monocular nvg up in petawawa, canada for my armour soldier training.) it is really disorienting. It adds about 5" to your P.O.V. so you will be bumping into stuff in an urban environment. Personally, I would stay away from nvg's but by all means build it and test it out, see if you like it. You might...
"good old bunny and hand soup... just like mom used to make" |
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maxt
  
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Gender: Male
RAR!
| | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 2 on 10/21/2005 3:56 AM >
| | | | on soldering.....
There are three secrets to get it to "stick". The first is to apply the iron to the connection, not the solder. The two leads must be at a high enough temperature to melt the solder. With your typical radio shack iron, this will take a while, and you'll definately not want to hold the leads with your bare hands as the thermal transfer on those irons heats up the wires way more than a good iron would. But it's still doable.
The second is, you probably are using too much solder. You want to be able to still make out the individual wires that you are attempting to connect together. A good way to get a feel for it is to solder two stranded (as in, not solid...but the wire with thousands of little copper wires twisted together) wires together. On a good joint, you should still be able to make out each little wire, covered with silvery lead solder. To make this easier, you need the third secret....
FLUX. Flux is what most people new to soldering don't use, but it makes it a hell of a lot easier. What flux does is, it melts at a lower temp than the solder, and when it melts and burns off, it cleans oxidation and other crap from the connection, and makes the solder flow to where you placed the flux. You put this on before you heat the connect, heat it up til it start sizzling and popping, then apply a bit of solder. You will be amazed at how this helps improve your soldering skills!!!!! I recommend the paste flux... and make sure you get the electronics rosin flux and not the plumbing style flux!
Anyways, thats just about all there is to it. If you need to remove solder, copper braid (aka a solder wick) can be used with some practice. The secret, once again, is flux. USE IT!
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Conundrum
   
Criticón
Location: GTA
Gender: Male
Now Entering The Bling Chamber
| | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 3 on 10/21/2005 4:03 AM >
| | | | Posted by Grey_Fox
Stay away from night vision. If you have ever used nightvision (i have used the helmet monocular nvg up in petawawa, canada for my armour soldier training.) it is really disorienting. It adds about 5" to your P.O.V. so you will be bumping into stuff in an urban environment. Personally, I would stay away from nvg's but by all means build it and test it out, see if you like it. You might...
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I agree, when we first got to use the NVG they were a pain in the ass, they take a lot of practice to get used to. I have used them for a while now on training exercises, and i still have the occasional problem with them.
Grey_Fox, which regiment are you with?
Conundrum
[last edit 10/21/2005 4:03 AM by Conundrum - edited 1 times]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Carpe Noctem
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Mark
 
Very Noble Donor
Location: South Carolina
Gender: Male
What is a lion, king of the savannah, when hes at the south pole?
| | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 4 on 10/21/2005 8:03 AM >
| | | | There not that freaking hard to deal with. THey can be as useful as a flashlight. The whole idea is using as you would a binocular or flashlight, instead of like the military.
If you stick it on your head and try to play Sam Fisher your going to at least bash your face. Worse case scenario you get tied up with it instead of looking around, and get hurt caught.
Basiclly all the "DONT USE IT" is nothing more then a suggestion from individuals who have found no use for night vision. Maybe even havent used one much. They can be a great help and have been for me. However use can also be limited, or a hinderance if you dont use common sense.
"If the threat level goes up its probably because of me." "I am looking for a girl who enjoys headbutting beltbuckles" |
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Grey_Fox
Location: London, ON, Canada
Gender: Male
I love me...
| | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 5 on 10/21/2005 1:40 PM >
| | | | Conundrum; I am with the 1st Hussars Armour Rcce (reserve for. we used to be in MBTs but before I joined.) regiment out of london (31 CBG). Oh and Mark, I HAVE used NVGs quite a bit, and it is a question of opinion, you jackass, I just said I don't like them, and that he could try them to see how he likes them. you can say yours without getting all pissy. I am sure.
"good old bunny and hand soup... just like mom used to make" |
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Jonsered
Location: Back in New Mexico where I belong
Gender: Male
Dressed for a scarecrow ball.........
| |  | | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 6 on 10/21/2005 2:52 PM >
| | | | I have nothing to contribute on manufacturing NVG's, but I used them quite a bit in the service. The can be really disorienting, things look very strange in green, the heat starts to get to your eyes after awhile, and your depth perception is whacked. All that being said, once you get used to them they are a wonderful tool. Especially handy if you think security is in the building with you and you have to shut off your lights. You can motor right by Mr. Guard without him having any idea where you are.
I have changed my personal exploring ethics code. From now on it will be: "Take only aimed shots, leave only hobo corpses." Copper scrappers, meth heads and homeless beware. The Jonsered cometh among you, bringing fear and dread.
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Mark
Very Noble Donor
Location: South Carolina
Gender: Male
What is a lion, king of the savannah, when hes at the south pole?
| | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 7 on 10/21/2005 3:09 PM >
| | | | Posted by Grey_Fox
Conundrum; I am with the 1st Hussars Armour Rcce (reserve for. we used to be in MBTs but before I joined.) regiment out of london (31 CBG). Oh and Mark, I HAVE used NVGs quite a bit, and it is a question of opinion, you jackass, I just said I don't like them, and that he could try them to see how he likes them. you can say yours without getting all pissy. I am sure.
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Stop getting so defensive I already had figured it out when you said armor. I thought you would have understood it wasnt directed toward you. We have alot of people comment on NV who have never used it. Much like lockpicks, boots etc.
I to dont like to use NV. However you have been trained to live with them on your head I assume.
Last night they became invaluable for my friend and I when we went to a large wooded complex. It helped determine the absence of people etc. I was merely trying to point out that they arent that bad if used right.
"If the threat level goes up its probably because of me." "I am looking for a girl who enjoys headbutting beltbuckles" |
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Prussik
Location: Winnipeg
Gender: Male
Without the aid of a safety net
| | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 8 on 10/21/2005 4:41 PM >
| | | | During Vietnam, soldiers were given vitamin A tablets to improve night vision.
Not sure if they still do it, or whether it works, but I always make a point to eat like a skrillion carrots before I go exploring.
Too poor for a pair of NVGs, and not mechanically-abled enough to fashion my own, but I can go into the garden and pull a couple out of the ground.
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Grey_Fox
Location: London, ON, Canada
Gender: Male
I love me...
| | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 9 on 10/21/2005 6:14 PM >
| | | | Well that is exactly what I was saying Mark, If you like them use them. It is a matter of personal preference
"good old bunny and hand soup... just like mom used to make" |
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DriverDan
Location: Austin, TX
Gender: Male
| | |  | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 10 on 10/22/2005 3:23 PM >
| | | | The comments maxt made about soldering are good, but I have a few more things to add. My Dad taught me how to solder when I was quite young, probably 7 or 8. I think I've only used flux a few times in my entire life.
Here's how I solder:
1. Heat up iron. You want to keep a small amount of solder on the tip. If it looks like it will drip off it is way too much.
2. Apply the iron to the objects. The sole purpose of the iron is to heat the objects up.
3. Give it a few seconds and then apply the solder TO THE WIRE. Do not apply the solder to the iron. When the wire is hot enough the solder will flow into the connection. You do not need a lot of solder. Look at a machine soldered PCB to get an idea of what the connection should look like. When done the solder should not be bubble or ball. It should be the opposite, with the wire being the top point and the solder getting wider at the base.
I'm sure there are plenty of soldering tutorials on the net. Try searching and good luck!
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atomx
Location: Brighton, ON
Gender: Male
| | | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 11 on 10/23/2005 2:13 PM >
| | | | I'd teach ya how to solder (it's my job), but you're a little far away.
The idaea is to get your solder to look like this:
I wasn't going to even post this (i'm being really lazy today)
btw here:
http://www.robotst...ow_to_solder_1.pdf
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Richard Cook |
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wr0x2
| | | Re: DIY night vision
<Reply # 12 on 10/23/2005 4:00 PM >
| | | | Thanks for all the help guys. Hopefully I'll have it assembled soon.
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