[Elecraft] New K2 kit

[John R. Lonigro]

Greetings, fellow Elecraft builders:

Say you have a large pile of small unsorted parts and need a 68 pfd 
capacitor (for example). You have to search those tiny parts for the 
right one, which might take some time considering the hundreds of parts 
involved. Then say you need a 680 pfd capacitor. You might have seen 
that one while looking for the 68, but now you have to dig through the 
pile again to find it. Each time you find a part, the pile gets smaller, 
but think of the time wasted doing it this way. Rather than do that, 
just grab a part at random, read its value, and put it in a pile with 
identical parts. You've looked at each part just once and they are all 
sorted. Count them and check off the inventory. When a part is called 
for, grab one from the correct pile, double check it is the correct one, 
and install it. This has got to save time. After the first few nights, 
you may not have even plugged in your soldering station, but you have 
made significant progress.

Another benefit to sorting and inventorying: Assume you have four 68 pfd 
capacitors and three 680 pfd capacitors. If you make a mistake and 
install a 680 where a 68 belongs, you will eventually come up short a 
680 pfd. This will be obvious if you sorted them in advance. If you 
didn't you may search the pile of unsorted parts several times before 
you realize the correct part is not there. Then you have to ask 
yourself, "Did I install one wrong or was the part missing all along?" 
If you took inventory, you'd know the answer.

FWIW

John AA0VE

> Sverre Holm wrote:
>
>> Am I abnormal here on this list? A K2, K1 or KX1 can actually be built
>> without doing inventory first. The resistors have even been sorted from
>> the factory, so if you inventory them by removing them from the straps
>> you create a lot of extra work.
>
>
> I agree that you shouldn't remove the resistors from the tape (in the 
> case of those kits in which the tape is provided). But otherwise, the 
> inventory does not waste time, it SAVES time! That is because, at 
> least in my case, assembly goes much more smoothly when I can just 
> pick the part I need without having to search for it. This more than 
> makes up for the time taken in the inventory process. I use a 
> combination of muffin tins (for hardware, capacitors of similar value, 
> etc.), and foam to hold parts.
>