POLL: Machined socket or Dual swipe

[vbriel]

Ok, here's a fun poll that can help me decide how to setup future or current kits. Most are aware the advantage of machined sockets over the older dual swipe style, but are most people aware of the price differnce. The dual swipe is around $.20 vs $1.00 for the machined socket (depending on socket size, etc). Now, the advantage of the machine socket is its definate contact with the chip. No chip creep, and just good connection with the chip. The dual swipe is easier to install. So, now you have some idea of the difference between the two types, now help me with the poll.

Remember, the duel swipe can make kits at least $10 cheaper and also remember, the machined sockets are much higher quality.

Vince

[tranter]

I'd go for saving some cost and using the cheaper sockets. In my experience they are more prone to getting pins bent underneath the socket, so you should warn people to watch for that.

And incidently, it is "dual swipe" and not "duel swipe". (Sorry to be pedantic).

[vbriel]

well, yes, but they are dueling

[renejm]

Vince, My class just finished butilding many of your kits and we did have a single socket with a bad contact. When using the machined sockets if that happens all you need to do is push out the offending hole from the bottom and push a new one in the socket - nice, with dual swipe you have to desolder the entire socket - painful. I have always used the "double swipe" on all of my projects and have only had the problems described by tranter.
Keep up the good work - either way for me.

[jac_goudsmit]

Maybe you should give the buyers the option of buying either of the two?

I just built the final prototype for my own project kit, using all new parts and milled sockets. I found out that because new chips always have their pins bent out so much, I was really scared to bend the pins and then push them into the sockets. Especially the first time you use the sockets, it takes a lot of force to insert the chips!

So I decided I'll probably switch to dual swipe for my project as well. It'll save my customers money and it'll save me a lot of hassle with users that broke pins off their chips, didn't dare to insert the chips all the way or zapped the chips with ESD while they were bending the pins. In most cases, I don't expect them to remove the chips from the sockets anyway.

===Jac

[vbriel]

That's not a bad idea, it just means more sockets to stock, but not a problem. I just don't want people getting confused on their kits. I'm also considering selling board board+ROM kits. For example, the Micro-KIM blank board plus EEROM for $25-29 range, replica 1 also. I already offer the PockeTerm blank board and it is pretty popular.

Vince

[jac_goudsmit]

Now that I think about it, I may even consider selling a "super cheapskate I-can-solder-and-I-don't-need-no-steenking-warranty" version without any sockets: people who think they can solder the 74HC chips straight onto the board without zapping them, can do get that version and save money on sockets.

===Jac

[lizardb0y]

Having now built the Altair 8800micro and 88-DSK RAM Drive kits with machined sockets, I find I like them more than the dual swipe I'm used to. It took me a few tries before I worked out a technique for reliably inserting into the machined sockets, but the result feels much more solid and reliable than dual swipe, and I suspect they will stand the test of time better.

[Toolkitman]

i wote for machined one they seems more solid ; ).

[dbvanhorn]

From long experience designing credit card terminals with EPROMS: If the chips come in and out a lot, AMP dual wipes are supreme. If the chips get installed only a few times, screw machine sockets are best (lowest resistance).