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Now taking payments: http://mohgasm.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=18
Ben Boost Mini Group Buy
What is the Ben Boost Mini?
After the great Flex Drive famine of 2011, it became apparent that the community needed another source for a high quality boost driver. Benmwv with the help of RHD developed a boost driver that was 9.5x13.8mm and capable of 1.2A on a single cell. They released the design and provided a parts list so anyone could make their own driver, for a fraction of the price.
Ben then made some improvement and released the Benboost Mini V5. One of the great changes to this version is that it was even smaller at 12x9mm, has a maximum output of 1.6A and using the LM3410 in a different package it was possible to provide better heat sinking.
To learn more about Ben's work See here: http://laserpointerforums.com/f67/free-diy-open-source-boost-driver-tested-working-71433.html
You'll find the board files and parts list on post #1, and some more info on his Mini on post #1156
Why the group buy?
I have already ordered 500 boards for the Benboost Mini. However when it comes to ordering the parts for 500 drivers, the cost is up there.
I WILL be buying parts for these drivers, but whether I order parts for 100, 250, or 500 at a time will severely impact the end retail price that these will be sold for.
By holding a group buy, I can offer a great deal to those that help, and in the end provide an assembled driver for a very great retail price.
Why Order though the group buy when you can simply do it yourself?
As you can see, this is an open source driver. All the information is provided for anyone to simply build their own. So why would you buy it here when you can make it yourself?
If you add up the part's list, you'll find that the cost to make a driver is $7.62 for the parts + 3 boards (3 boards is the minimum order)
This does not include solder paste, which you may or may not already have, shipping costs from digikey, the LM3410 heat sink, ect...
By buying through the group buy you get an already assembled, and tested driver. So you're guaranteed an assembled & working driver for just a little more than you would of paid for the parts alone.
On top of that, a portion from each boost driver sold goes to Ben for the work he has done.
Output Options
I originally chose resistors that would allow us 50mA increments. I then went to digikey and chose the closest they had to those resistors. With those 9 resistors, here are all the possible output combinations you can choose. You can also drive multiple drivers in parallel to reach higher outputs.
50mA
100mA
150mA
190mA
240mA
290mA
306mA
356mA
400mA
450mA
456mA
495mA
500mA
575mA
590mA
625mA
675mA
703mA
753mA
765mA
791mA
803mA
841mA
863mA
881mA
891mA
893mA
913mA
963mA
975mA
981mA
1009mA
1053mA
1097mA
1103mA
1169mA
1191mA
1263mA
1366mA
1438mA
1494mA
1566mA
1654mA
Pricing & Shipping details
Shipping will be actual cost. If and when this group buy is successful and I begin taking payment, they will be done through Mohgasm.com which will pull quotes directly from USPS and allow you to choose your own shipping based on weight.
I'll be offering two options: Kits & Assembled versions!
Kit: $7.50 - Comes with 1 board and all the parts you need based on the output you choose.
Assembled: $10 - Fully assembled and tested, ready for use.
Ideally, We need about 100 drivers sold to reach the price break. I'll also be selling off some of my other stuff to raise more funds and help reach/lower the goal.
The boards I ordered were sent to the Fab on Jan. 9th. If it follows the normal timeline, They should be shipping out to me somewhere around the 19th.
Our parts are being ordered through digikey which is always very quick.
I'll receive a notification when the boards have returned from the fabricator, at that point we'll hopefully start taking payments and order the parts. This should make everything show up about the same time.
Now taking payments: http://mohgasm.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=18
Ben Boost Mini Group Buy
What is the Ben Boost Mini?
After the great Flex Drive famine of 2011, it became apparent that the community needed another source for a high quality boost driver. Benmwv with the help of RHD developed a boost driver that was 9.5x13.8mm and capable of 1.2A on a single cell. They released the design and provided a parts list so anyone could make their own driver, for a fraction of the price.
Ben then made some improvement and released the Benboost Mini V5. One of the great changes to this version is that it was even smaller at 12x9mm, has a maximum output of 1.6A and using the LM3410 in a different package it was possible to provide better heat sinking.
To learn more about Ben's work See here: http://laserpointerforums.com/f67/free-diy-open-source-boost-driver-tested-working-71433.html
You'll find the board files and parts list on post #1, and some more info on his Mini on post #1156
Why the group buy?
I have already ordered 500 boards for the Benboost Mini. However when it comes to ordering the parts for 500 drivers, the cost is up there.
I WILL be buying parts for these drivers, but whether I order parts for 100, 250, or 500 at a time will severely impact the end retail price that these will be sold for.
By holding a group buy, I can offer a great deal to those that help, and in the end provide an assembled driver for a very great retail price.
Why Order though the group buy when you can simply do it yourself?
As you can see, this is an open source driver. All the information is provided for anyone to simply build their own. So why would you buy it here when you can make it yourself?
If you add up the part's list, you'll find that the cost to make a driver is $7.62 for the parts + 3 boards (3 boards is the minimum order)
This does not include solder paste, which you may or may not already have, shipping costs from digikey, the LM3410 heat sink, ect...
By buying through the group buy you get an already assembled, and tested driver. So you're guaranteed an assembled & working driver for just a little more than you would of paid for the parts alone.
On top of that, a portion from each boost driver sold goes to Ben for the work he has done.
Output Options
I originally chose resistors that would allow us 50mA increments. I then went to digikey and chose the closest they had to those resistors. With those 9 resistors, here are all the possible output combinations you can choose. You can also drive multiple drivers in parallel to reach higher outputs.
50mA
100mA
150mA
190mA
240mA
290mA
306mA
356mA
400mA
450mA
456mA
495mA
500mA
575mA
590mA
625mA
675mA
703mA
753mA
765mA
791mA
803mA
841mA
863mA
881mA
891mA
893mA
913mA
963mA
975mA
981mA
1009mA
1053mA
1097mA
1103mA
1169mA
1191mA
1263mA
1366mA
1438mA
1494mA
1566mA
1654mA
Pricing & Shipping details
Shipping will be actual cost. If and when this group buy is successful and I begin taking payment, they will be done through Mohgasm.com which will pull quotes directly from USPS and allow you to choose your own shipping based on weight.
I'll be offering two options: Kits & Assembled versions!
Kit: $7.50 - Comes with 1 board and all the parts you need based on the output you choose.
Assembled: $10 - Fully assembled and tested, ready for use.
Ideally, We need about 100 drivers sold to reach the price break. I'll also be selling off some of my other stuff to raise more funds and help reach/lower the goal.
The boards I ordered were sent to the Fab on Jan. 9th. If it follows the normal timeline, They should be shipping out to me somewhere around the 19th.
Our parts are being ordered through digikey which is always very quick.
I'll receive a notification when the boards have returned from the fabricator, at that point we'll hopefully start taking payments and order the parts. This should make everything show up about the same time.
Last edited:
