Breadboards!

Workshop Project #38 - Breadboards!

It is still one of the most important tools in the workshop of any electronics hobbyist: the humble breadboard. But what exactly does make a "good" or "interesting" or "useful" breadboard? The form factor has been identical almost for half a century now. I found several kits that combine a breadboard with useful accessories in a nice box. Usually these are aimed at education institutions, so a lab can issue them temporarily to students for experiments. Still, I got hooked. Also, thanks to ‪@CuriousMarc‬ for pointing towards the E&L line of kits! Check out his videos on some of the larger models!


The first one I found was the HP 5035T - based on a viewer comment - and it was surprisingly affordable. Came with the service manual too! But the rest of the education kit that this was a part of, is lacking: no logic probes or pulser and no IC collection. But I'll get to that eventually, if I want to!

The second one I found was the E&L CDP-01. It came without the breadboards, but I found a way to improve upon that!

And lastly, I found the CD-1. A TTL/CMOS version of the ditigal designer version. This one has a variable power supply and will route the LEDs, pulsers and clock signals via driver chips to match that voltage. The switches are however just directly connected; no debouncing here, sadly. I got mine for a reasonable price too, but it turned out to be a fix-er-upper indeed. Besides the obligatory 240V mod that I need.

0:00 Intro
1:20 Presentation: Plain Banana Plug Solution / "Carrier Board" Raspberry Pi and Arduino
2:37 Presentation: E&L CDP-01 / E&L CD-1
4:00 Presentation: HP Logic Lab 5035T
4:52 Restoration: HP 5035T
6:24 Service Manual & Circuit
7:38 Filter Cap Replacement / It's Magnets! / Cleaning PCB
9:48 Assembly Time! / Barebone Checks / Case Cleanup / Case and Ponit: 5035T done!
12:15 Restoration: CDP-01 / Construction Overview
13:40 Sticker Removal / Power Switch Issue and Cleanup
15:58 Transformer Change / Recapping
17:24 Voltage Checks / Mains Switch Wiring / Thermal Paste / European Plug!
19:08 Breadboard Assortment / Magnet Mod
20:10 Restoration: CD-1 / Sandbox?
21:20 8V AC to 15V DC? How? / Case Shell Cleanup
22:28 Desoldering / Banana Sockets / More Disassembly / Rectifier Diode?
24:27 Cleanup! Potentiometer...
27:15 Power Switch...
29:15 Logic Switches / Clock Selector
30:28 Replacement Transformer? / PCB Cleanup / Diodes
31:57 Recapping: Higher Voltage and Radial Mod
33:09 Power Cable / Case Assembly
35:17 New Standoffs and Screws / PCB Connection
36:37 Testing! / 5V Issue?
38:23 Busted Socket... / Magnet Mod / Demonstration
39:14 Summary / Credits / Outtake

Music (in order)

My Train's A Comin' - Unicorn Heads
Nine Lives - Unicorn Heads
Wrong - Dan Henig
Town of 24 Bars - Unicorn Heads
Light Expanse - Unicorn Heads

(YouTube Audio Library)

You can support me on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/atkelar
and also on Patreon:   / atkelar  
and now also here by using the "Super Thanks" feature!

Thanks to everybody who signed up already!