Would there be any interest in stand-alone board test jigs like this.
I've made quite a few prototypes over the years for bench testing various boards. This particular jig is for the Bally Stern lamp driver boards. I’ve seen several similar that just have the receiver side but that requires the board to be plugged into the game for testing. As you can see this runs independently.
I think someone else may have beat you to it:
http://pinitech.com/products/cat_diagnostic.php
[edit] Oh, I see--your solution includes and input board as well as an output board.
I haven't really thought about price yet. I could probably sell them as a kit or assembled build to order. Just testing interest on this type of thing.
Quoted from ScottSerpa:I haven't really thought about price yet. I could probably sell them as a kit or assembled build to order. Just testing interest on this type of thing.
I’d be interested in the kit because I really enjoy building. PM me know if you you decide to do this and I’ll send you some money and try it out.
I like it but could not justify buying one for how few lamp driver boards that I repair in a year. There seems to be quite a supply of working lamp driver boards since the pinball LED craze has hit.
As with many of these things, hard to judge interest from people without at least an approximate price (built or kit).
I like the idea and would have an interest as well, but would like to hear pricing ideas...which could always go up or down later on of course.
Sorry it took so long. Been dealing with some issues around here.
Anyway, I can do these three ways. The first is to sell just the PCB’s and part list. Since the parts are all standard Mouser/Digi-Key, that’s probably the easiest for everyone. The second option would be a kit and the third, obviously would be assembled.
$50.00 for the set of unpopulated PCB’s
$100.00 as an unassembled kit.
$150.00 assembled and tested.
Prices would include US shipping. An additional charge for international would apply. The power transformer I use has a 120V primary so international use would require a different transformer or converter.
I have a few board sets available I could ship right away. Kits would take a while to order in the parts and assembled would bit a bit longer.
2018-06-27 11.43.30 (resized).jpgI applaud the pricing levels you're trying here. In the grand scheme of things, it's what's necessary to actually make the effort worthwhile. It's not short-changing yourself on the PCB design itself, which should have some kind of value beyond what the circuit board is actually costing. As a business you have to account for various costs -- fees, taxes (35-45% combined fed, state, local, ss/medicare). There's liability with a product that plugs into mains voltage. Then respect that diagnostic tools are a low volume, specialized product. Some people will be priced out I'd imagine, but people that see value in time it saves them will still buy.
In 2009 I had bought someone's diagnostic tool (bare board + programmed PIC) for $130 and was content with the price, understanding it was a unique design and the board took effort (ie. "The artist should be paid for their work"). For my own diagnostic tool offerings though, I ended up doing exactly what I told myself I wouldn't do -- getting caught up in seeing other people doing similar things price at 3-4x material cost and having a lot of interest/sales, even though they were short-changing themselves. Looking back, I didn't need to force sales like that if the price didn't work for me. But you get caught up in just wanting to make a sale, or have interest/attention on a product.. or trying to "beat" competition at the "lower-the-price and gain the market game" that people play. Leads to thin profits on volumes of what is sold, a ton of time invested in packaging/shipping dozens of packages a week and burning yourself out for $5-10/hr when all is said-and-done.
I'm still trying to dig myself out of this trap today. No need to force sales if something can't sell at a price that works. It's not actually a bad thing if something doesn't sell in huge volume, as it frees up your time. My advice -- hold the line on whatever pricing YOU NEED to make something worth the effort. It's way too easy to let that slip. Wish I could go back and give myself that advice, but then again, I've also learned what selling in volume is like and it's pushed me to be more efficient at what I'm doing and to get a bit wiser with things going forward.. so not all for naught 
I sold off my game route in 95 and retired from my electronics company in 2007 so what little I do now is just to keep my mind from turning into silly putty. This particular wild hair is not really to make a bazillion dollars (although I won't turn it down) just to help out when I can.
I'll respond to the PM's this weekend. I'm going to see if I can convince the wife to make some insulators on her Cricket cutter. If she does I'll throw them in. The boards will come with a part list and flow chart. I'm including Mouser and Digikey part numbers where I can. Generic components are obviously "or equivalent".
The wife made these nifty little insulators out of card stock. I put some double sided sticky tape on and will include them with the boards.
The interest seems to be in just the boards themselves so for $50.00 shipped you’ll get both boards, insulator and a part list with Digikey/Mouser part numbers. Most everything are off the shelf parts.
There is one known typo in the screening. The 74HCT4520E is marked on the board as a 74HCT452E.
PM me for paypal address.
2018-06-30 19.47.50 (resized).jpg2018-06-30 19.48.20 (resized).jpgReceived the boards and ordered up the few parts I needed that I didn’t have on hand. Received those today and fininished up the build. Repaired two lamp driver boards in no time on the bench, the tester made it super easy. I have a stack of them to go through later and this will make it so easy. Having the Q numbers printed on the is nice. Thanks!
I currently have 8 of these board sets left from this run should anyone be interested. $50.00 shipped or 2 sets for $90.00, includes boards and part list (no parts) as well as a flow chart and schematic of the LDB.
The next run will replace the resistors on the receiver board with SIP resistor packs but I want to sell out of these first.
PM me if interested or if you have any questions.
Quoted from ScottSerpa:PM me if interested or if you have any questions.
Great product and seller here! No regrets.
-Mike
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