How did you get into working on DIY projects? It's something I'd like to try and dive into but in all honesty it seems so complicated. Did it take you a long time to become competent or do you just have a knack for it?
Rusty Messages: 1192 Registered: May 2018 Location: Kansas City Missouri
Illuminati (3rd Degree)
I was motivated by trying to get more from what modest budget I had and learn a little something in the process. I was a budding woodworker, so a diy loudspeaker was a natural aspiration. I made some subwoofers. That led me into electronics, (which I had zero experience). Kit's were the answer. I built an amplifier from a kit. The venerable Hafler 220 power amplifier. Which I still use, since 1986. Today there are butt loads of kits of all manner. Take your pick, whatever you have a hankering for. You'll appreciate something you actively took part in the making to listen to. You don't have to get heavy into electronic theory to do this. But you'll naturally get an appreciation of it and those that can do the creative work involved conjuring up those nifty kit's you put together.
gofar99 Messages: 1949 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, Cost certainly factors into it, but I think more importantly is the satisfaction of accomplishment. I figure it starts out with curiosity and progresses to the question of "can I do that" and on to "can I make it better" or more in agreement with my needs (personalization). While I have been involved with electronics for over 50 years, I didn't get serious in designing equipment until about a decade ago. At that time I bought a kit tube amp. Yes it worked OK, but really was not top flight. I figured I might be able to improve it. Yes I did and along the way figured I could design and build a better one. It became the genesis of a tube audio company that has now been in business for nearly 9 years. So my thought for you is to start simple and let your interests and curiosity guide you. You will probably be able to look back at some future date and say "wow, I didn't think I could do that". Since you already can do wood working you are headed in the right direction IMO.
Thanks for the responses everyone. They're very helpful. I didn't consider getting a kit, but I think that's a great idea. If I can build something that works for the next 32 years, even better.