DistoX Board Production ??

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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby Martin Sluka » Feb 24, 2012 2:31 am

Just few practical experience:

Don't make shots too fast. Short delay will increase the utilizable capacity of ZnCl batteries.
First sign off batteries are empty is that DistoX will off itself. One may do several measurements more with longer delay, but not many. DistoX memory will be still OK.

Martin
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby kdxn » Mar 1, 2012 1:50 pm

The first two boards have passed so I have given the goahead for the main production run of DistoX boards for the Disto A3.

Expect to ship boards the week starting 26th March when I will take purchase orders and money.

Those who have already expressed interest will be given the first opportunity to buy.

Thanks,
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby jacrispim » Mar 6, 2012 4:58 am

I need 2 boards. Is it Possible?
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby 6fingers » Mar 10, 2012 12:54 am

I would like to purchase the board for a Disto X. Is this still possible?
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby kdxn » Mar 12, 2012 4:28 am

Getting closer to having the full production run of boards available for programming and testing.

The interest list has now reached 109 boards.
I do not expect everyone to buy so please contact me if you are interested and I will add you to the list.

Boards will be offered to the people who expressed interest first.
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby jacrispim » Mar 12, 2012 1:30 pm

I repeat I'm interested in two boards. I'd appreciate your confirmation. If positive I should then buy two A3...
Thanks
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby kdxn » Mar 17, 2012 4:49 pm

The interest list has now gone above 100 boards.

I can not make a commitment to sell until the boards have been fully tested.

Boards will then be offered to those who expressed interest first and if they do not take up the offer then those boards will be offered to people further down the list.

Please be patient. Everyone will be contacted directly.

Thanks,
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby kdxn » Mar 29, 2012 4:40 pm

One week extra for programming and testing. Want to make sure every board that ships out is working.

Will contact everyone first week of April about availability and payment.

Thanks,
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby kdxn » Apr 4, 2012 2:26 pm

DistoX boards now ready.

Have kept the cost as low as I can go.

Started contacting everyone to let you place an order.

Disto A3's continue to appear on ebay.co.uk.
There are four available right now.

Thanks.
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby WVCaver2011 » Apr 4, 2012 3:37 pm

Unfortunately it seems that none of them will ship to the US....
There's nothing that makes me more excited than finding a place underground that no one has ever seen or been in!

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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby driggs » Apr 4, 2012 3:53 pm

kdxn wrote:DistoX boards now ready.

Have kept the cost as low as I can go.


Thanks for going through the gigantic hassle (and cost) of having the boards fabbed and tested! :thanks:

What is the final price? Since the majority of CaveChat users are US-based, can you specifically let us know what the price in USD and approximate shipping will be?
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby driggs » Apr 6, 2012 11:44 am

driggs wrote:What is the final price? Since the majority of CaveChat users are US-based, can you specifically let us know what the price in USD and approximate shipping will be?


I finally got my confirmation email; answering my own question for others' reference, the price for a single A3 DistoX board from Kevin Dixon is:

$238.08 + $23.81 shipping = $261.90

This is the price for a US order given the 2012-04-06 conversion rate for USD to British Pounds, and payment via PayPal rather than direct international bank transfer, as the latter typically incurs an international wire fee which will likely be greater than the PayPal fee unless you're ordering multiple units.
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby kdxn » Apr 6, 2012 2:49 pm

Dave answered his question before I saw it !!

The obsolete parts were more expensive than normal and I was concerned about the board fabrication success rate. Still have a few boards to finish testing but every board tested has so far checked out good and 97 have been successfully programmed, still awaiting 3 boards from the manufacturer. They lost some parts in the fabrication process and I have had to pay extra to get replacements and rework some boards to fit them. I had to make my own programming and test fixture with an open Disto A3 hooked up so that I can see everything working.

Have been inundated with email orders over the last two days and now working through these.

I have kept the board cost as low as I can go. The last batch of boards some years ago were Euro180 each, I paid about £160 back then.
Cost per board is £140($222.32) each with bank transfer in GB Pounds Sterling all charges paid, or £150($238.20) with paypal. Difference in price is because I have to pay fees on paypal. Shipping to USA is £15($23.82) irrespective of how many you buy.

Cheapest option is if people club together to make one shipment with one bank transfer. Import duties may be payable and you will need to take care of that.

Will be out co-ordinating cave entrances over the next two days. Those in the top 100 of the interest list have already received an email about ordering and I will shortly be confirming payment details to the people that have confirmed orders.

Still adding people to the interest list.

Disto A3 still appear for sale on ebay.co.uk
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby kdxn » May 1, 2012 4:09 pm

Most of the DistoX boards for the Disto A3/Stabila LE50 have now been sold and shipped out to:

Australia
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Netherlands
Poland
Russia
Spain
UK
USA

A few are still with me pending payments and commitments but I will not wait for ever on this.

Everyone who expressed an interest has been contacted.

Thanks to everyone who followed through on their initial interest by buying.
It was a big risk for me with the obsolete components and the amount of money and time required.
My costs have been covered although my hourly rate has definitely not been !

Hopefully we will see the DistoX2 soon.
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Re: DistoX Board Production ??

Postby driggs » May 8, 2012 10:00 pm

Before...

Image

After...

Image

Kevin includes a helpful PDF of photos from each step of the build, but note that you should be following along Beat's original Assembly Manual or you'll do something dumb like remove both board screws at the same time, potentially knocking your laser hopelessly out of alignment (oops!). Note also that if you don't bother reading the instructions prior to the day you plan on building it, you likely won't have a Torx T10 and a Torx T7 handy (oops!).

Assembly was quick and easy, with just four tiny solder connections; if you're not adept with an iron, you should probably find someone who is, or practice before accidentally bridging some of the small pads on the board. I had previously read that the Stabila LE50 was a "tighter fit" than the Disto A3, but I had no problems reassembling mine.

Now to set aside a few hours for the godawful calibration routine...

Kevin, if you ever make it over here to the States, I owe you a beer! :clap:
Last edited by driggs on May 8, 2012 11:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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