Elektor Formant Modular

Hi Marek,
I read your post with great interest, as I wish to build some of the 
'Book 2' modules. My problem has also been the pcb scans, however, 
your solution is just what I need - will the pcb's be in a format 
that can be manufactured by pcb-pool (or similar company)?

When first published I made all of the 'Book 1' modules (but none 
from Book 2 - yet!) and I am in the process of revamping my original 
Formant by designing new front panels so I can fit in a 4U 19" sub-
rack.

If anyone is interested I can upload the front panels (which are in 
schaeffer format) to the 'Files' section.

BTW the DIN 41617 (31-pin) are no longer available so changing the 
connector was the right choice.

Cheers
Roger



--- In ElektorFormant@yahoogroups.com, 
"kuczynskimarek" <marek.kuczynski@...> wrote:
>
> I'm also new here. Back in the 70's when I was a student, I 
couldn't 
> afford to build the Formant. Now I'm a bit older... Anyway, I too 
> found all the pdfs on the web and decided to have a go. I was not 
> too impressed with the scans - they were a bit rough around the 
> edges, over(under?) exposed so some of the holes weren't visible 
and 
> some of them even had discontinuities due to bad scanning. I even 
> came to the conclusion that the scans weren't 1:1 so would require 
> some tweaking in Photoshop. In the end, I decided (because I'm 
> totally insane) to redraft the PCBs using the original scans but 
> with nice clear lines/holes etc. I also took the opportunity to 
> redimension some of the components e.g. nobody uses HUGE 1/2W 
> resistors or those humungous presets any more so I've made the 
pads 
> closer together. I've also incorporated some of the changes e.g. 
FET 
> stages in the VCO and a redesigned temperature-controlled 
> exponential circuit due to the non-availability of the original 
> chip. Also the dual matched pairs in the VCF etc have been 
rejigged 
> to acept available devices.
> 
> The boards are supposed to be standard Eurocard size i.e. 100mm x 
> 160mm, except for the VCO which is "supposed" to be double-
Eurocard 
> but isn't, for some strange reason. As for the 31 pin conncetors. 
> Has ANYONE managed to source these? I've replaced them with 32 pin 
> connectors which are commonly available.
> 
> If you give me your e-mail address I can send you a VCF file (12 
or 
> 24 db) so you can see what I've managed to do.
> 
> I've actually redrafted all of the main boards and I'm about to 
> embark on the "Formant Book 2" boards. I haven't yet managed to 
> manufacture a single board as I'm in the middle of building a 
> workshop (shed actually) so I can slosh Ferric Chloride around 
with 
> gay abandon. My wife has palpitations if I even bring a bottle 
into 
> the house!
> 
> This offer is open to anyone in this Group. Tell me which boards 
you 
> are interested in and I'll send you the files. You can be my 
guinea-
> pigs until I get the opportunity to make them myself!
> 
> Marek
>