Full clock kit build and setting guide.

[@michaelclayton632]

I was in the RCAF as a Comm/Radar Systems technician and I took the High Reliability Soldering course developed by NASA. We were taught to put a small dab of liquid flux on the connection, and put a little solder on the tip. That solder then acts as a heat bridge as it comes in contact with the lead and the pad. This heats up the connection quickly so that you can apply solder to the opposite side of the work and minimize the possibility of heat damage to components and board. With 2 sided boards and plated through holes you must ensure to dwell long enough for the solder to flow to the other side. Also, on the subject of bending leads, leads are bent to be in centre of holes so they don't stick to the sides when trying to remove them. Not a big worry for most hobbyists however. Love your channel. Don't let the smoke out.

[@groovejet33]

And remember NOT to turn it upside down or all the Electrons will fall out. He he he

[@satibel]

I've seen a bunch of commercial boards which have short leads (like the ones on buttons.) bent on opposite ways, so like 1 up 1 down on a capacitor, or up down up for transistors, it's still fairly easy to remove (either bend the leads straight with a screwdriver or the soldering iron, or twist the component out), but holds well when soldering.

[@YbborUberAlles]

At the term "very very quiet" my heart ached. May your beloved mother continue to rest in peace. Please keep posting

[@Really2u]

Bigclive I thank you for your channel. I find your voice relaxes me. Helps me calm down when stressed out. Then since my mind is calm. I’m learning the things you are showing me. Learning them with high retention. You have made my life better. This is an older video. I have watched many. I try to like each one I watch so I know if I have seen it before. Keep doing what you are doing. Here in the states. We are all stressed out. You are helping those that have found you. Thank you so much!

[@smada36]

I love these kit building uploads. I bought a load of the last clock you did and I build them whilst watching the video. It's kinda like painting along with Bob Ross. Very therapeutic.

[@patchvonbraun]

I've been close-cropping soldered components on boards for over 50 years. NEVER had a problem with solder cracking as a result.

[@bizzlemedia]

I experience unhealthy levels of catharsis and satisfaction from watching you work. Please don't ever stop making these videos.

[@casimirkonrad9590]

Display shows 15 31. Clive: "This must be the date." - 31th of Trizember or how do you call the 15th month?

[@muimasmacho]

Casimir Konrad : Here in the South US, we call that _"extended duck hunting season."_ Twelve months just ain't enough.

[@draketungsten74]

February 31 even.

[@blogtodeath4736]

@@muimasmacho It is for the poor Ducks

[@gorillaau]

@@blogtodeath4736 It's not long enough for the rabbits. Rabbit season comes after duck season.

[@highpath4776]

Actually extended months or days can be useful for shift work, or time operations where the job starts at 20:00 Day 1 , for calculating pay or resource avaliblity to have job finish at 27:00 Day 1 can be simpler than have 04:00 Day 2- less calculation and easier to mentally check

[@johndii2194]

The scissors comment was very good. The nicks in the blade would snag on the cloth mom was cutting. 1st and last time I did that.

[@crimsun7186]

You should also never use scissors that are cutting cloth to cut paper, as the cellulose in the paper dulls the blade.

[@johndii2194]

@@crimsun7186 I heard that speech too, Never understood that one. Sewing scissors for sewing or life and death situations only. CHECK.

[@TRS-Tech]

It must be my age but as a kid I found that destroying mums best scissors directly correlated with a sudden increase in backside temperature :-D

[@piratetv1]

I got in so much trouble for that as akid

[@TRS-Tech]

@@piratetv1 That's half the fun. Running away from Mum's slipper LOL. You learn so much in those years. After picking bits of glass out of my forehead I learnt that neon's need a current limiting resistor - I was lucky really as I had nothing protecting my eyes. It could have been a life changing event !!!!!!

[@spicy110]

I wonder if the reports of bad timekeeping come down to people not putting the memory battery in it at all?

[@damedaE90]

Ummmm no.. Mine just didn't count properly at all... See kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZvNq2RsmJybqKM

[@bdf2718]

If it was gaining or losing time, the battery should make no difference.

[@spicy110]

@@bdf2718 what I meant was people leaving on standby or something and not realising that it was resetting the time everytime and thought it was just losing time I don't know lol

[@bdf2718]

@@spicy110 I got the impression, from what Clive said, that it was crappy timekeeping rather than resetting to random crap every time they unplugged the power source. But I wasn't giving sufficient allowance to how stupid people describe technical problems. I've listened to enough stupid people describe technical problems that I know how far wide of the mark they can be. I think I was taking it at face value because Clive said it. Then again, if they can manage to solder one of those things together with no instructions, surely they can't be *that* stupid. Can they?

[@spicy110]

@@bdf2718 hmmm interesting! I used to sell TVs and hi-fi and 99% of the time the problem was the knob holding a controller! 😂 but you make a very good point about them being able to put it together! The plot thickens! 👍

[@Kineth1]

19:50 it's not burnt fingers, it's digital heat-sinking.

[@SpydersByte]

lol. nice one

[@letsgocamping88]

Just finished a similar clock kit. Instructions were available as a pdf from the listing. My first attempt at hand soldering tiny SMD resistors and LEDs. I’m pleased to say it works nicely

[@andrewkieran8942]

We don't get many videos where Clive makes something, instead of destroying something. Either way, you're both entertaining and informative as hell.

[@MidKn1ghtNate]

Bought this clock kit after watching your video. Mine gained 1 minute per hour lol. I pulled the crystal and the RTC out and put a DS3231SN chip for arduino on the back. Keeps perfect time now. I really liked the display so wanted to make it accurate.

[@electron-1979]

That's a more accurate chip, for sure! Great mod!

[@anlumo1]

I'm always amazed by your prestidigitation. You're soldering that PCB in thin air, while most PCBs tend to travel away from me during soldering while they lie on the table.

[@TheFoodnipple]

I need 5 hands fukin on a board and he uses four fingers, wtf

[@petehiggins33]

I think it's an excellent word.

[@olavl8827]

I know! Since I started watching Big Clive I have tried on a few occasions to solder like him with only two hands, but that just resulted in burning my fingers and, shall we say, less than pretty solder joints. He makes it look so easy but it's not.

[@neilt]

It's lovely to see Clive manipulating and soldering just the way I did when I started work in the electronics industry 44 years ago!

[@ricknelson947]

anlumo1 As a field technician, you very rarely have ideal conditions for proper soldering. So you have to learn adapt and overcome. Clive demonstrates this expertly. You don’t need me to point that out. Keep working at it. Eventually you will stop burning your fingers all of the time. However, I don’t ever recall a demonstration from Clive, holding the project in one hand, soldering iron in the other and a piece of solder between the lips. The key for me is having a long enough piece of solder and a great pair of readers to see well enough to be accurate.

[@daviddevillers6790]

i am always impressed by your finger dexterity - holding parts with a few digits while holding the solder with the other. Well done. And I think everyone's preferred soldering methods are their own. Use other people's ideas for yourself as needed - no need to "correct" another's work when the circuit works.

[@NOWThatsRichy]

That was strangely relaxing, watching Clive putting something together rather than taking something apart!

[@JerryEricsson]

Kits are a lot of fun, I just finished, perhaps the hardest kit I have seen on Ebay, finished her yesterday, installed the 5 required 1220 cells and pressed the button, and to my absolute amazement, she came to life and I have a working digital watch, all SM construction, the processor had such fine legs on it that I thought I would never get them separated as the solder refused to come away, it was bridges of Perkins County (where I live, not Clint,) and I pumped enough heat into that ST micro device that I figured it would never have survived the torture. Well took me a full day, I believed I was saved by ordering one of those little brass shavings thing for my soldering iron (ordered a new one of those to so I had some better equipment to finish the project. I did manage to break one of the holes away on the clear plastic frame but some glue fixed that. I wore her now for a couple of days, but she is rather fragile and I don't see her as an everyday watch, but one to wear when I am visiting others of the geek religion. Here she is, order one, they are only 10 bucks and tons of SMD practice for your price! They even tossed in 1 extra resistor and cap, I needed one as I got carried away with the resistors and had to remove one to replace it with a more powerful one, screwed it up, thank god for the exxtra. Here is where I got her: www.ebay.com/itm/SCM-Transparent-LED-Watch-DIY-LED-Digital-Tube-Electronic-Watch-DIY-Kit/362388419401?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649 Oh and I don't think I would even wear her outdoors if it looked like heavy fog or rain because there is no way in hell she is water proof. Hope the batteries last a long time, man 5 friggin batteries for one little watch!

[@SkeletonSyskey]

0:30 "As with many Chinese-y kits, This one comes from the UK!" MindBlown!

[@patchvonbraun]

Speaking of "spares". I once owned a TekTronix 512 oscilloscope, back in the 1970s (around 1976). It was already an "antique" at that point. One day, the 2nd-channel pre-amp failed. So, I open up the case, and it was beautifully built inside. But, to my astonishment and delight, there was a rack of spare tubes inside the cabinet. Replaced the blown tube from the pre-amp, and it ran for many many more years...

[@Cadwaladr]

I recently bought one of the other clock kits that you built before and I've got it on my side table. I read a lot of reviews of it, and people complained that it only has 24 hour time, which is what I prefer, and it only displays the temperature in Celsius, and I guess this is America, but it's still not a big deal to me. Additionally, it comes with a QR code that points you to a website with build instructions that are all in Chinese, but it was easy to figure out with the pictures. The only thing I really didn't like about it was the beeper, so I "adjusted" it by jamming a pointy object inside it and wiggling it around until it became much quieter. Good times.

[@hene193]

Cadwaladr Best way to make those beepers quieter is to put a tape on it.

[@gregorythomas333]

I just remove the beeper since the clock is just for time not alarm.

[@muimasmacho]

Cadwaladr : I did an ebay search for _"Jamming Pointy Object"_ ... and i can't even begin to imagine how you toggled the beeping component into silence mode without dicking up the whole project. Those thingies are HUGE!!! It appears the black ones offer the most bang for the buck. Just sayin'

[@pfeerick]

I use the pointy cutty things to silence them... they make no noise at all after that! xD

[@gregorythomas333]

@Mui MasMacho Just get the Asian ones...they fit better :)

[@LakeNipissing]

For those looking for one of these, search: DIY Black Digital LED Desktop Alarm Clock Electronic Learning Kit Module K0T0 on eBay

[@bdf2718]

Not found (on .co.uk version of ebay). Others (which appear to be the same thing or very similar) came up, but with a different module ID (or no ID at all). Removing the module ID also resulted in some interesting alternatives. Various sellers offering something similar to Clive's but with a ring of LEDs around it (which might indicate seconds or might just be disco lights, the photos indicate disco lights but that could be a test mode or something). The description of one of them implies it is programmable via the USB interface (maybe Clive's is too) or maybe it just infects your computer with a virus when you try to program it. The description of one of the ring o' LEDs jobbies had this jem (amongst others): "In the previous version, many children's shoes said that the alarm time was too long, but many children's shoes said that the alarm time was too short. When the boss was in a dilemma, he decided to make the alarm time adjustable!" Search for "Rotating DIY DS1302 LED Electronic Digital Clock Kit 51 SCM Learning Board 5V"

[@TheSpotify95]

Found some at just over the £7 mark. Interestingly they also do one with a 6 digit display, for about £10, which has seconds as well, so that might definitely be worth getting to see how it fares up against the 4 digit variant.

[@Inspector_callahan]

aliexpress is cheaper

[@joshuabest100]

Search dot matrix clock diy you will fond them

[@scottmarshall6766]

Thanks Lake! - 6 Green ones left after I got mine. 9.97usd

[@lordshaxx1604]

These videos help me sleep cuz his voice is so calming

[@stuc.6592]

When you mention how cold your house is, you always remind me of the classic Goon Show episode "Treasure of Loch Lomond". "You must be cold, come in and sit by this roaring candle".

[@wimwiddershins]

Shenanigans ensues when the enthusiastic starter solders the displays on first.

[@CharlieFlemingOriginal]

I like the home cold too. 18c right now with the dehumidifier on. I don't feel the cold till it gets about 5c and even then I prefer it cold. I dislike heat and summer. It is always easier to warm up than cool down.

[@simontay4851]

Yes, just put more layers on to keep warm. Keeping cool in summer is not so easy.

[@JerryEricsson]

Ok here I go again rambling on; I watched part of this yesterday, fell asleep in the middle. So I started over again, just woke up and missed a bunch of it once more! How many times must I watch this great video before I can see it all? Guess my age of 67 years is catching up to me.

[@sofa-lofa4241]

Came here for the flashing L.E.D.'s..... Stayed for the expanding colon! Thanks Clive, I was halfway through my dinner when that one hit

[@emailfilters]

20:32 - Sounds like something I'd be happy wearing. Do you have a source for Tough Duck?

[@bigclivedotcom]

They're made in Canada. You should be able to find an online stockist.

[@uwezimmermann5427]

the DS1307 is a good chip and keeps time perfectly if it runs from a good 32kHz crystal - limited only by the behavior of the quartz, such as its temperature coefficient which is normally optimized for 25°C operation in a wrist watch. That said I once got a batch of 20 counterfeit DS1307 from eBay which I wanted to use in a student lab. The chips were mostly not running at all, some of them went red hot after a short while. Yes, there are more advanced alternatives which now even have the crystal embedded and also correct for the temperature coefficient by adding extra timer ticks when needed (the crystal is slow when running at higher and lower temperatures). The quartz crystals also come with specifications for different load capacitances when bought from reputable manufacturers - the ones off ebay are usually unspecified, but normally the frequency deviation caused by the capacitive mismatch is negligible.

[@RavenLuni]

I always use a wee bit of masking tape to hold components in when soldering - works well (can even reuse the same bit of tape a few times)

[@spamletspamley672]

I bought one of the big new analogue clocks that goes whizzing smoothly round without looking like it's stopped every time you glance at it. It's brilliant: I've lost track of the number of white plastic gears that have totally vanished in my kitchen while trying to keep the ticky kind working both uphill and downhill! :)

[@mcgyver272000]

Square pads are typically pin 1 on IC packages. I think they are positive for electrolytic caps. Yes, printed or even copper screened labels on the solder side are best.

[@beefcakeandgravy]

30:32 - It's called *Planned Obsolesence* ! And when tightening the frame screws follow AvE's advice. Tighten it up until you hear it crack, then back it off 1/4 turn.

[@bigclivedotcom]

I sometimes do that with cheap plastic electrical fitment faceplates.

[@wpherigo1]

Nice work as always. Looking forward to seeing some “Big Clive” electronics kits! “Fun builds from the isle of Mann!” I’d buy some.

[@17070dave]

I love the way that you usw both hands to solder the way that you do Clive.. i do it the same way .....ambidextorous..

[@leearft8605]

If you use an external flux, the carry-over method works quite well. Using that method really depends on the situation like soldering inside a guitar where a third hand would be great. External flux was a revelation for me.

[@LakeNipissing]

I think once this arrives on the slow boat to Canada sometime in March, I shall build it _without_ installing the piezo buzzer. Don't really need another alarm clock... and the device won't beep like a microwave oven every time a button is pushed. I guess it would also be possible to add extension wires for the buttons and install them on the rear of a wood case.

[@jochem_m]

a particularly sickly microwave oven at that...

[@phils4634]

Interesting that that crystal doesn't have the usual 2 x 10pF ceramics? Does that plated "screen" replace them??

[@bigclivedotcom]

The chip has internal capacitors. But the timekeeping when powered is terrible. Lots of noise getting to the clock chip.

[@randynovick7972]

I just built a clock kit last night... my 2nd. I do so enjoy kits. I can't wait to build more.

[@swanningabout]

Don't wait then. But ten thousand kits and build constantly

[@Cadwaladr]

@@swanningabout Kits Georg is an outlier and shouldn't be counted.

[@randynovick7972]

Aye, Strawberry. I have a similar kit to Clive's on the bench right now, and it's all surface-mount stuff (my first surface-mount kit!) and I'll probably dig into it over the weekend.

[@RFC3514]

26:09 - One nice thing about the TS100 is it will work with anything from 10 to 24 volts (specs say 12 to 24, but it actually works down to 8.7 or so - although it heats up very slowly). That means you can use just three lithium cells in series and have a very portable kit (it will draw about 1.2A at that voltage, so cheap 14500s might not work; you'll probably need 18650s). It heats up noticeably faster with four (~14.8V), though. And at 24V it goes from room temperature (~15 ºC) to 300 ºC in about six seconds (and you can get really cheap boost regulators to get 24V out of three or four cells). Another nice thing is that the base of the tip (is that an oxymoron? or a cock joke?) doesn't get hot, so you can hold it about 5cm away from the tip, which is great for -fiddly- -frittery- precision work. For what you do on the channel, you'll probably want a BC2 tip, and then maybe a C4 and / or D24 for larger stuff. P.S. - If / when you decide to try out the one you have, don't be surprised if the "calibration" instructions don't match the manual. They seem to have been written for an older firmware. The current (OEM) firmware sequence to do calibration is: 1. Power off. 2. Let the tip cool down to room temperature (and don't hold it - the handle should be at the same temperature as the tip). 3. Power up. 4. Press B once to show temperature and voltage (if you don't see the voltage, you have an older firmware; upgrade or follow the manual). 5. Hold A *_or_* B (not both at the same time like the manual says) for about 3 seconds (the iron should then show "Cal_V"; if it shows "Cal_X", either the tip is defective or the handle and the tip were at very different temperatures). 6. Hold *_both_* buttons at the same time (not a single one like the manual says) to go back to standby mode (or click one of the buttons to go to other set-up options - holding down both exits the menu from any "page"). If you're using the Ralim firmware, ignore all that, of course, and just follow the instructions on the website (the current version is bugged and always displays ambient temperature as 0 ºC, though).

[@JerryEricsson]

Had to watch this one again, my wife has passed on and the brightness is a complaint of the past. My daughter loves this clock so I am going to take the gel paper off to return the brightness to it. We like the auto holiday display on it since it displays both US and China celebrations, the one that gets me is tomb sweeping day I head to the cemetery to clean my wife's headstone and whipe down my side as well since the undertaker put my name next to her for future reference. Sort of pisses me off though now I am listed as dying in 2020 on different grave finding websites. Some researcher's simply suck at their job.

[@iamdarkyoshi]

Clive, you've still got to do the one with the audio visualizer mode It is much simpler to program and only does the time and temp, and the temp is displayed much less often than the time. Use the flat LEDs on it, spraypaint the whole front, and then sand the front off the LEDs, it'll make it much more readable

[@morelenmir]

Many, many thanks for doing another kit-build video. I think they are my favourites! I seem to have a bit of a passion for clock kits, so I will have to get hold of this one! I wonder should you socket the micro-controller if you can then reprogramme it--get rid of some of the annoying behaviour in the process? However from the looks you would need to dremmel out holes for the higher-standing IC if you did. As it happens I just got from China a 100% SMT clock kit where the whole display matrix is made from something like 340 discrete LEDs. They will be a true pleasure to solder down I am sure! I think I might wait until I can get a TS80 with its finer bit specifically for the job. Those little irons seem to have an excellent reputation and sit just at the extreme top end of pocket-money prices. The difference from the TS100 is that it will run from a 'QuickCharge 3' compliant USB power supply, which is handy. Sadly, on looking I cannot seem to find this specific kit on eBay--would you mind putting in a generic link to it?

[@TheJimbr]

www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=DIY+Black+Digital+LED+Desktop+Alarm+Clock+Electronic+Learning+Kit+Module+K0T0&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=DIY+Black+Digital+LED+Desktop+Alarm+Clock+Electronic+Learning+Kit&_sacat=0

[@Chris-tx9ou]

Clive any update on how yours kept time ? mines runs fast and gains 1 hour per day. Be interesting to see how yours worked out and if or a fix is available >?

[@bigclivedotcom]

Mine runs fast when powered and slightly less fast when not powered. I've been trying various things with it.

[@Chris-tx9ou]

bigclivedotcom I have ordered another crystal to see if this helps. Will report back with some results. It’s actually a nice clock other than the time keeping issue...

[@pauldawson4162]

On some of the older PCB software packages, the square component pad indicated pin number one (1). It could be changed to a round if desired, left as is or made into a rounded rectangle. Sort of dates back to Circuitmaker, (32 bit). I left them square and made the remaining pads on ICs rounded rectangles to ensure they were installed the right way round.

[@schwartzenheimer1]

In most PCB/SCH design packages, the square pad just means 'pin 1' of the component for purposes of netlisting and is usually pre-set in the supplied libraries. Since there appears to be a transistor driving the sounder, it would depend on whether it's NPN or PNP to determine the polarity (if any). Most likely, in this case, it's NPN, and the square pin should be negative.

[@singeslayer8367]

0:63 on the 31st of the 15th month, fascinating

[@koditv551]

for the PB switch opposite the battery holder, insert into PCB, trim the leads, then solder the component in place adding enough solder to just fill the hole. this makes it easier to produce a solder joint that is flush with the the PCB.

[@akatizzle1585]

I found that the last one you did with the clear acrylic tends to drift also, the alarm was set to go off 15:03 every day and drifted to 15:08 over 6 months, I thought I was going mad but I verified it on every other clock I have

[@jkobain]

I can recall those days I was hating mini-USB connectors. After a short while micro-USB jumped in, and I started loving the mini ones.

[@allancopland1768]

Hi Clive. The DS1307 is a good clock clip but it's normally let down in cheap kits by the poor quality crystals supplied, which I suspect in most cases are production rejects. The DS3231 clocks with a compensated resonator on the chip are far more accurate. I've built a few Home made Arduino based clocks with the DS3231 and they keep very accurate time. I have one on GMT in my radio room with a coin cell providing backup that has never had the time adjusted since I buit it a few years ago.

[@tazz1669]

My mum used to work in a knitwear factory may years ago and spent about half a weeks wages on a pair of scissors. She still comments on the time my father cut a bit of carpet with them, weren't quite the same after that. Mother bought another pair but they were not the same quality am surprised they had us kids after that incident lol

[@MiniLuv-1984]

Is there are kit that connects to home wifi and gets time from a time server? Analog would be wonderful and if it fitted into the standard clock module (1 x AA) used in wall clocks, that would be a bonus.

[@chickencaronline6362]

Its so nice to hear someone say 'solder' ... compared to the American sodder !

[@KnHawke]

If you ever get into the market for a new Soldering Iron Setup, I personally and highly recommend the Hakko FX-880D. Works a treat and replacement tips are inexpensive as hell :)

[@jamesdenney9653]

That's my gripe about the default Pad and Trace sizes for KiCad. Early on, I spent 3 days tweaking KiCad to define a whole set of "hobbyist" size footprints for all common components and increasing the default trace sizes. Well worth the time when etching your own boards. That skinny crap is fine when you're sending the Gerbers off, but doesn't even begin to cut it when you're laser-print transferring.

[@brianwild4640]

clive's fingers are precision bending devices

[@scottmarshall6766]

Mine came a couple days ago - in the US. (Now 2-20-29) - I ordered 2 greens (if I wanted any - green was it) - put them together without video.(because I was too lazy to look it up) notable is the fact the displays are flippable - can go either way round. Another catch is the switches need 2 of the pins trimmed to clear the battery holder - solder from topside. Keep the parts (Q1 and Electro) below the buzzer height so they don't interfere with the smoke plastic bezel. The thermistors are within 2deg C of each other. Sorry to see it doesn't do deg F (for us here in the US) Need to figure out backup battery (thought I ordered some, but they may have come and got put up in my parts bins). Work well, going to put one in my truck. neat clocks They're too simple. I didn't get much fun out of the building, built both in about 20min. All together, recommended! 4 out of 5 Anybody know what battery fits it?? I'm thinking CR-1220?? Thanks Clive - cool "kit".

[@Mikeydude001]

Yes, CR1220. And it does do Fahrenheit.

[@f2.8vidz4]

It’s 2:00am the wind is howling around 50-75hm and the temp is -39c or -38.2f not including the windchill.. welcome to northern 🇨🇦 where we Canadians know a thing or two about starting & running frozen generators so I can watch BigClive soldering up a clock in his toasty warm house😡 Cheers from HudsonBay Ontario Canada.. I stockpile electronic kits during the summer months ..so after my responsibilities are done(plowing/chopping/de-icing frozen bits) I can build kits during long cold winter-nights..some of the kits I build now end up as gifts for my family members during 2019 yr😂

[@decem_unosquattro9538]

35:05 "Colon expanding in the middle here." 😂😆 random Clive jk. Expanding your colon.😆👌 Thats a nice looking green. I might build that kit. 🤔

[@nonchip]

21:03 be extra careful when flowing solder to the shielding of usb connectors, i flooded my fair share that way, they tend to suck solder to the inside surface of the shielding. "standby current is 50mA or less" _looks angrily at her 8x8 WS2812 matrix panel drawing 4A_

[@Darieee]

Clive, you have to try the ts80... I have the same soldering station you have ... and just bough the ts80 ... it’s literally unbelievable ... Would allow you to use quite a bit lower of a temperature too ... NICE! You seem to mention it too ... the ts80 has a much better tip design though, people showed how it outperformed the ts100

[@activexp]

Looking forward to seeing the results of your time-keeping tests. Mine gains about 1 minute an hour using an USB phone charger and still gains to a lesser extent when left on the backup battery.

[@philchadwick9470]

I often avoid trimming the leads after soldering by trimming them first. Requires spongypressypadything under board to hold the thingumybobs in place.

[@spamletspamley672]

Why do so many soldering irons come with spings to put them down in that are mounted in plastic too light to hold them down? The ceramic heater rods are very cheap, but I have to keep buying another soldering iron to mend the first one. I have my current stand stuffed with lead, but the spring still tipped the iron straight on the kitchen tiles. While waiting for a new heater rod from China for £2, I bought another almost identical iron, except this one had an on off switch in the handle,and the handle got hotter than the heater! Have you looked into the construction of soldering tips by the way? I had no idea they were so complicated, and that I had ruined many a one by trying to file it clean! :)

[@Rottidog68]

I call BS! Clive said it was 8 C there & his brand new, professionally fabricated digital clock with temperature display shows 21 C. Helluva space heater to get a room from 8 to 21 Celsius. 36:13 Good video Clive!!!

[@bigclivedotcom]

I think it was residual heat from soldering and my hot hands. It soon settled down to 9C.

[@Rottidog68]

@@bigclivedotcom Haha, yeah I saw it had 'dipped' lower to 18C I think, later on. The board, components being soldered, hands, lighting all can lend heat to the board & the TR was picking up on that. As it should, actually. Depending where the space heater was, if it's facing towards the table & not too far off you'll have thermal heat trapped almost. Rising from under the table as well.

[@geekycow]

And later on to 12°C.

[@kewakl8891]

...and he could not 'calibrate' the temperature sensor

[@lochinvar00465]

I much prefer around 80 F.

[@unperrier5998]

Where's the follow-up video with the time measurement?

[@lochinvar00465]

I've always used 63/37 solder because I'm picky. It also works better because it goes from liquid to solid faster resulting in cold solder joints being almost non-existent.

[@waldevv]

So what's a good way to get good quality leaded solder these days as stores are no longer allowed to sell items containing lead for personal use? Might be a thing for the entire EU but I definitely know it's not allowed here anymore The lead free solder I got a while back from a store is honestly just trash, and I have some flux core leaded solder I got from eBay but I have nothing to compare it to so I have no idea if it's any good but it definitely beats the lead free stuff

[@bigclivedotcom]

It may be a case of trying various online sources until you find good stuff.

[@JCGver]

Try the newer lead free stuff (don't forget to turn up the heat a bit), it has improved immensely from the old stuff. Still smell horrible compaired to the leaded stuff though.

[@Karreth]

I haven't tried myself yet (you can still get leaded soldier in specialty online stores here), but I'm guessing the best bet would be searching for a known good brand, like multicore, and hoping you get the genuine thing.

[@waldevv]

@@Karreth ah yes it never occurred to me that there would still be loads of european sellers on ebay that have it, for some reason I had in mind that I would have to order from the US or something which would make shipping costs pretty insane

[@philchadwick9470]

Solder, where I get mine. The ban is on manufacturers, not DIY bods. There are exceptions for manufacturers too, where lead free is not possible they still can use lead. uk.rs-online.com/mobile/c/tools/soldering-desoldering-tools/solders/?searchTerm=Solder

[@dashcamandy2242]

12:00 - "I'm just going to place this on momentarily..." AutoCaptions: "I'm just going to place this on Mormon Charlie..."

[@johnholland5017]

Great,thanks,is there away to make a zero show up before the hour one through nine

[@bigclivedotcom]

Not without a software change.

[@ryanmacewen511]

Clive, I've been guilty of carrying solder with an iron, but I always butter my joints and components with flux. I guess I have developed this technique do to bad experiences in my younger years of lifting traces and pads. I've found that if I carry solder over to a buttered joint, it reduces the chance of damage to the PCB, as I allow the wet tip of iron and solder to heat the joint via the solder, and the flux keeps joint clean. Of course, cleaning flux off after is a thing.. Also, this would only work if you add additional flux, which I never solder without using. Am I wrong?

[@americanrebel413]

This was really cool! Thank you for sharing this, I want to do stuff like this! Can you recommend a good soldering iron that would be good for this type of work? I have a soldering iron but it is a piece of blank!

[@bigclivedotcom]

As long as your iron has a fine enough tip and is clean and shiny when hot and the tip is wiped then it should be OK. For most of my career I've used a dumb 240V 25W iron with no electronic control.

[@americanrebel413]

@@bigclivedotcom thank you!

[@chrisg6597]

I'd love to know how they are driving the displays... I'm assuming they are using some sort of Charlieplexing to reduce the pin count, but I just can't envisage how it's done with pre-defined 5x7 matrix displays and 6 resistors.

[@bigclivedotcom]

It's worse. There are no resistors in series with the display at all. They're relying on output impedance of the MPU.

[@geraldgepes]

Clive, you've gotta try Walls insulated coveralls, the arc flash rated ones can be had on Amazon for $75 US. They aren't much for looks but they're very cozy, rather water resistant and 40cal iirc? They made working in an unheated, dilapidated shop in the hood bearable.

[@bigclivedotcom]

Alas, I'm in the UK so shipping would probably be astronomical.

[@geraldgepes]

@@bigclivedotcom Sadly yes, there is that. Perhaps it is time to start an international smuggling ring after all. We'll trade you durable goods for real booze and snacks.

[@Alasdair-Morrison]

Good to see you placed all the passive components on the board first :)

[@bigclivedotcom]

I should have mentioned about leaving active components to last.

[@C4mpblor]

I've made a lot of these and they have all lost their time keeping after a week or two I've got a nice one with a LCD, have to set it back every other week.

[@christollefson]

Did they go slow or fast?

[@karoma7898]

my uncle Abed loves you clock kit guides :D for home automation... Americans, don't worry, he doesn't have a pilots license

[@njjeff201]

Wish Heathkit was still around

[@DIYDaveOK]

Me, too. As a kid, I read a magazine article about someone who built a Heathkit dot-matrix printer, and I **so** wanted to build it. Hoped I might get it for a birthday present,but my dad hated my interest in computing and electronics, so that didn't happen, and I learned to just read the article several times. Heathkit was great.

[@njjeff201]

@@DIYDaveOK Oh that’s horrible!! Instead of promoting you he held you back. Electronics was my first love but I also loved cars. Went to school 3 years & ended up @a local Ford dealer on the lube rack!!! Seventeen years later I’m going to night school & a divorce but lucky to get hired by Sony

[@DIYDaveOK]

@@njjeff201 Yeah my dad was/is an odd duck. Honestly, he probably shouldn't have been a parent. But I through God's grace in Christ overcame him. I am a 30-year software developer, (very small) KZbin creator, and now self-teaching/learning electronics and soldering. I have been working on a scoreboard project with LOTS of really clumsy soldering and about sixteen seven-segment LEDs and a couple of MAX 7225 drivers. I should have printed out a PCB LOL. But it's a fun project and I've learned so much, just wish I'd known about Clive's channel before I started LOL!! My project "kinda" works but I have waaay too many finicky solders and faulty grounds.

[@HappilyHomicidalHooligan]

19:40 & 22:47 You may want to try and find (or make) a heat resistant silicon-rubber thimble to protect your fingers when holding small metal components during soldering... Even just a small square of the material that you put between your finger and the component should work...

[@AureliusR]

The square pin is almost certainly either a) an automatic feature of the PCB layout software when creating footprints or b) a leftover from converting another component

[@AureliusR]

Those sounders, and piezos as well, are not polarity sensitive.

[@bardenegri21]

I designed one of these for my first pcb project, mine had an atmega328p and DS3231. Had same problem with ghosting due to driving the display straight from the microcontroller. Seems the transistors on the gpio aren't fast enough for good multiplexing that many leds at the same time. For next version I just used a display driver IC and it was obviously perfect and had brightness control etc.

[@kcrose8607]

Hey clive, any videos on your lighting setup? Techmoan recently did a video on a LED studio lighting setup that cost about a hundred pounds. Can you offer similar lighting on a budget?

[@SkigBiggler]

I seem to remember he salvaged an emergency LED lamp to use for lighting.

In my experience, cropping leads very short doesn't matter when using quality leaded solder. I used to do it all the time and never had any problem until i went for high temp lead-free solder, as it's all they wanted to sell here for a very long time. It cracks very easily, especially if there's vibration and wide temperature variations. The DC-DC step-down converter i made 2 years ago for my car had cracked solder joints on most of the cropped leads in about 6 months. Cracks were aligned with the direction i cropped the lead in, so i guess compression too close to lead-free solder joint create tension, while leaded solder is soft enough to just displace. It's my hypothesis anyway.

[@beware_the_moose]

A serious question though Clive if I may. With the British weather being as it is, how do you stop damp and it's associated damage eg. rust if you don't heat your house to well above 8c? I've had massive issues with rusty tools (ooer) by leaving them in sub 10c environments

[@bigclivedotcom]

I use desiccant drum dehumidifiers in winter. A drum of desiccant that rotates through high airflow and a heated section with condenser.

[@beware_the_moose]

@@bigclivedotcom I don't think I've seen a video on that...any chance of one? :)

[@jjppmm29]

the "Bruh" feature looks particularly interesting

[@kensik]

I love these videos I want to learn to solder do you recommend these kits for a person who knows nothing? I bought a aoyue 936 kit as a starter soldering iron and a set of tips should I just but a bunch of these kits off aliexpress.

[@bigclivedotcom]

I'd recommend starting with the cheaper and simpler kits that just flash LEDs initially. Then you can work your way up to more complex kits. Here's a handy search link for eBay to get some cheap practice kits. Buy a few and also get some proper tin/lead solder with flux core from a local source. www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=flash+led+kit+suite+diy&_sacat=0&LH_BIN=1&_sop=15

[@piratetv1]

I made the battery mistake too on the other clock you made with the 7 segment leds and clear case. It lost a few seconds an hour

[@3v1Bunny]

these pad sizes... I remember the lead bending bridges. Do not get me started. Some people really like it all aligned , flush and colour coordinated!

[@williegillie5712]

Those kits are a lot of fun thanks for sharing Clyde

[@SigEpBlue]

14:42 "Magnetic peeper"? LoL I have a new favorite descriptor. :D

[@sameuinton]

Bought one and found it had TINY surface mount resistors etc. Surprisingly, even with my 66 year old eyes, it works!

[@patricksweetman3285]

"Just squish them down with your fingers and ram them in." Yeah, right, Clive.

[@Bobtubeau]

I have had this kit in my house for 1 year! I should make it.

[@lochinvar00465]

I've even heard of a soldering iron that used the heating element AS the temp sensor. One way of doing it is to drive the iron with a bridge circuit, another is to sample the resistance of the element while skipping a power cycle. trying to figure out exactly how to do it makes my little brain hurt.

[@AttilaAsztalos]

21:00 Careful there - the rule is that every time one anchors a component to the PCB in a bombproof manner it immediately reveals itself as having been soldered the wrong way around / on the wrong side / etc. needing prompt de-soldering...

[@AlienKWG]

I built 1 off these. I brought it because I love building kits and I really liked the clock display. But it too wont keep time it drifts out off sinc really quickly. After a few days it already an hour or 2 out off sync. Which is a shame, because I really liked the kit otherwise. I wondered if I damaged the crystal with too high a temperature on My soldering iron?

[@bigclivedotcom]

This one is already drifting. I'll be experimenting with it.

[@wegmandan]

Have you done any work on the vaccum tube clocks? I have one and has trouble with lighting some numbers. Can't seem to find other replacements. Or may be the board.

[@TheFlacker99]

Clive, have you checked out the NIXT VFD tube clock on Ebay? Its a great kit to assemble and its so unique. I've made two so far (broke one by dropping it). It looks like Nixie tubes but its a vacuum florescent display.

[@Ni5ei]

I hate that the midpoint is so close to the "2". Does that change when you set it to 12 hour mode instead of 24? (No need for the hours to display a "2" for 8, 9, 10 and 11 o' clock so the digit for hours can shift to the left).