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FrozenGate by Avery

CLOSED: Ben Boost Mini

Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
6,891
Points
83
CLOSED


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.






 
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Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

News/Updates
This is just to keep track of where we're at.
Blord - 10 kits
bloompyle - 6 assembled (maybe?)
JollyKillBill - 5 assembled
Ben - 5 kits
 
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Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

Great GB, count me down for 10 kits.
 
Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

Man this isn't going to get you into trouble with the Mrs is it? Seems like alot of work for a career man don't get me wrong i appreciate what your doing and have said so in the past I just would like to know what makes you tick.
 
Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

I work 3x 24 hours shifts a week. So I get Monday-Thursday off. On top of that, I can also bring my stuff to work as well, so I've got lots of free time.

I was bogged time with time before because of school and clinicals on top of work. now that that's over, I've got 4 days a week off, plus my job is not that demanding. It's mostly spent playing world of warcraft...


I remember the horror of assembling the benboosts the first time, it sucked a lot.
I know what i'm getting myself into though, and i've purchased a stencil this time (for the top layer) so i can solder paste 100 boards in about 30 seconds...
 
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Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

I work 3x 24 hours shifts a week. So I get Monday-Thursday off. On top of that, I can also bring my stuff to work as well, so I've got lots of free time.

I was bogged time with time before because of school and clinicals on top of work. now that that's over, I've got 4 days a week off, plus my job is not that demanding. It's mostly spent playing world of warcraft...


Well thanks for this your appreciated around here if you didn't know. You still have that lathe and bandsaw? I'm looking for a saw myself. Next hurdle for you will be your firstborn.
Sorry for the slight thread detour. I'm holding off on these for now.
 
Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

Yup it's still sitting in my basement, haven't used it in months. I'll probably set it up when it's time to order heatsinks to make the prototypes.
 
Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

10$ for a boost driver, dang that's a good deal. Paralleling these would cost less than a single flexdrive :crackup:
 
Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

It's actually cheaper for a person to get the kit through this GB than to order it themselves.

Also since I've already ordered the boards, they'd have everything quicker than if they ordered everything themselves today.
 
Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

I'm down for at least 6 assembled, but I'm not sure when I'll be able to order, I will definitely commit once I get my mailbox set up in Ne.
 
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Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

Hey guys noob here, sorry if this question has been answered before, but this could help out other noobs aswell, would this boost drive work on a M140 diode with a single 18650 battery?

If so I'm down for at least 5 assembled drivers

1191mA
1366mA
1494mA
1566mA
1654mA

Thanks
 
Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

Hey guys noob here, sorry if this question has been answered before, but this could help out other noobs aswell, would this boost drive work on a M140 diode with a single 18650 battery?

Yeah, that'll work.
 
Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

It sure will.
I'll put you down for 5.
Once orders are ready to be taken, you'll just choose your output when you order them.

Right now we're just seeing if there is even a possibility of getting enough initial interest to make the bulk order.

I'll be ordering drivers either way, but if it's just me, i won't be able to order as many, thus the cost per driver goes WAY up, driving up the resell price.
 
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Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

I just ordered a Mylar stencil for these boards.

These boards are panelized in 12x14 sections so the stencil can paste like 168 boards at a time.

The stencil also comes with a 2 inch border on all sides. So depending on how sturdy these are, I may be able to cut out 38 single board stencils that would have 2 inch flaps for holding onto.
 
Re: GB: Ben Boost Mini

just curious , but can your JAD kit be combined with this ben boost?
 


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