Time spent ''Researching'' - Finding parts, finding source for parts, figuring out their ''compability'' [Discussion / Count of hours]

General Discussion
, ,
#1

Hi there!

As @treenutter suggested, I created this topic with the aim to ‘‘compile’’ how much time each of us has spent - finding the right parts, finding what to buy… finding where to get it (perhaps long group buy)… and some others stuff:

Ok, some of the time It took for me to take care of:

’‘Research part’’:

Finding:

  1. The ‘correct’’ motor / esc / battery etc stuff:

About 2-3days minimum… Im thinking of at least 5 hours each day… so:

15 hours minimum

Figuring how to make:

The mount / drive wheel

I’d say at least 2-3 days…not sure about hours… would say 3-4hours min ° So total: about 10 hours

‘‘Correct’’ gearing ratio, belt, pulleys (including sourcing them)

2-3days, 4hours or so a day…

Total: about 10 hours

Other things were also betweeen… but already now it is:

Total: 35 hours Researching

1 Like
#2

For my first build, I spent about two weeks researching for a few hours a day. 2 months to build. For my second, I spent 3 months researching and about 3 months building. I’m always working on builds, for me or other people, so a count of research hours can really only be tallied by the forum, which has me logged at 264 hours. Building is always a continuous process.

#3

First build I spent months researching. At least 3 months. It was probably a bit harder back then as there wasn’t as much info on eboards as there is now. I spent about a month building on and off. All together it was probably 12 hours of building.

Second build: researched for a day, built in 5-6 hours. Huge improvement

1 Like
#4

Can agree about this one haha.

Especially much time is spent when refining some of the details which did not receive much attention in the first build / prototype.

But yeah, I would like to ‘‘finish up’’ my board as it is… as it’s no fun to build and not to ride haha… if you have to re-do important parts for it, to be modified, and cannot ride in the mean time… (two boards, where one is rideable and one ‘‘in building’’ is probably the best combo!)

1 Like
#5

Same alone in this forum i have over 96 hours, then another possible 100 on R&D. It will never stop though, like @lox897 Said Build times, knowledge helps a ton from a build lasting 3 days to 6 hours.

#6

I can’t count how many hours to research and perfecting a build. Earlier it was so hard to find how to build an ESK8 that I often need to cross reference from 1 build to another from different forums, it was ridiculous. Now you can just shoot a PM to few people and able to get the full build list.

R&D was costly, time consuming. Building modular ESK8 is also a problematic. You want seriously strong build but easy to replace those parts sometimes doesn’t comes along.

1 Like
#7

You are talking about the pioneers of the forum. TQ boards, Longhaired Boy, Onloop and everyone else that was here since 2015. They spent the 40+ hours researching for a board by themselves. They made motor mounts from scratch and used 1/8 scale ESCs. Then they spent thousands of hours to R&D their products.

Most people (the ones that look through the build logs) can order the same parts that everyone else uses. Drive kit, enclosures motors/ESC combos, Custom batteries. This will be more expensive, but will take a lot less time.

However, all of this goes out of the window if you want a under $600 build.

#8

I think to achieve ‘‘600 $ build’’ you just need to be very ‘‘economical’’ and sort of simple when building your esk8! It can be done… but takes some time and planning… or perhaps - waiting for the right parts / prices, to appear haha :smiley: Similar… like not long ago there was this super sale for lipo batteries…

Perhaps, then, the 3rd ‘‘topic’’ needs to be created… where we discuss how much actually have we spent on our esk8! :smiley: By now… I know there have been so many ‘‘mishappenings’’ that I think I would have saved about 100$ if these things would not have happened… one of them was to buy a weak lipo cells… then later sell them… buy some crappy laptop grade li-ions… figure out they wont be good for the job… finally, getting a decent battery, with optimum performance but narrow on the capacity scale…

For 1st build, using lipos is totally fine I think :smiley: should have just bought the ones I had in mind and I would be living quite good now :smiley:

#9

If you buy two 60C 5amp hour 11.1 volt lipos, and a tacon 245kv you are set. All you need is a charger, esc and drive kit. Less than $500 unless you factor in time spent.

#10

For Mine that is not ready I spend 8 months of researching pieces and Building it. I will finish it in March when my Bms arrives.

#11

Turns out… designing and manufacturing every part from scratch took a lot longer than I expected

Started last summer and still not 100% finished

#12

I started last summer and I’m only half done and one package got lost in the mail.