A field guide to
+Salvaging Sound Devices
+09 June 2025
+Rosa Schuurmans
+ + +Introduction
+++++The real long-term future of computing consists of figuring out how +to make the best possible use we can out of the literal millions of +devices which already exist.
+
(Solderpunk, 2020, Cited in de Valk, 2022) (de Valk, +2024)
+Beware! If you’ve picked up this publication expecting to learn how +to make a flawless, DAW-less, in tune and always working polysynth, +think again. However, if you, like me, are interested in making screamy, +dreamy, sound devices using components you can find in the +wild, you’ve come to the right place.
+When I first read about salvage computing, I got very excited. Being +part of the DIY Sound community, as a sound practitioner and hardware +hacker, I’ve developed a growing discomfort with some aspects of the +practice. Within the DIY Sound community, DIWO workshops are a common +way of sharing knowledge (Richards, 2017), +covering a wide range of topics, from the construction to bending and +hacking and live coding. Over the past few years, I’ve hosted workshops +around circuit bending1 and LOFI sound devices in and around +Rotterdam. These workshops are meant as an accessible way to get people +tinkering with electronics, through something infinitely playful: making +instruments2.
+In an ecosystem where a printer is only printing with a costly +subscription 3, disruptive products become obsolete +within a year4, fixing your own flat tires is +outsourced 5 and some smartphones literally have +to be frozen to be able to replace the battery 6, +it’s clear we’re no longer in charge of our own devices. Warranty-void +stickers and lengthy terms and conditions scare us into compliance.
+First time soldering workshops can be very empowering in taking back +this autonomy by making (or breaking) a circuit together7. +They are a shared attempt to uncover some of the black boxes in our own +products (Hertz and Parikka, +2012). However, the toys and materials used in the workshops are +single-use 8 and, with ease, thrown out +afterward. The carelessness notion creeps in that waste has no value, +and is easily replaceable, and broke my heart a bit, one workshop at a +time.
+This is where the field guide comes into play: Can we shift the +practice of playful tinkering to acknowledge, rather than ignore, the +waste streams they are part of? Limiting ourselves to only use salvaged +components and discovering; is it possible to live off (create with) +electronic components salvaged in the wild? And what would such a +practice entail?
+Because salvage is not just about reusing materials; but about +confronting the systems that create the waste in the first place. Not +only the obsolete media but also the by-product of the entire production +lifecycle of an electronic product; From the mining of minerals that +make up the hardware to the inevitable disposal site (Gabrys, 2012). +Since the rate at which waste is collected and recycled isn’t growing at +the same pace as our collective buying and production, the landfills +will continue to grow. Parikka even goes as far to say as that recycling +is ultimately “waste-trade”, where our abandoned devices are shipped +across the ocean (Parikka, 2012).
+Beyond the kit
+The preference for buying new is noticeable in the DIY synth +community as well. When publishing a project, it’s common to share a +pre-filled webshop cart along with the schematics or even sell it as a +pre-compiled kit9. To me, this goes against the ethos +of DIY that resonates with me the most: making do with what you have, +with a focus on doing, and not the outcome (Hertz, 2023). Instead, a +whole market is created for Lego-like kits. These kits gloss over the +challenges and difficulties of creating sound devices, preventing the +development of much-needed problem-solving skills, and not actually +discovering anything new (Brown, Ferguson and +Bennett, 2019).
+Instead, what you will learn to build using this guide is a starting +point. Small electronic circuits that produce sound on their own, but +can also be duplicated, manipulated, and modulated 10, +while diving into the questions around the practice of salvaging. The +guide is tested, tinkered, and tweaked during (un)repair cafe evenings +at the Klankschool11. In these hangouts we modify, hack +and repair devices together.
+The guide is split up into the different stages of salvaging:
+1. Gathering hardware
+We trace where to find discarded electronics and how industry +practices shape what ends up in the trash.
+2. Dismantling devices
+Opening up devices to uncover design strategies that prevent +access
+3. Components to salvage
+Identifying and extracting useful components—motors, sensors, +chips, while diving deeper in their material.
+4. Recipes for making
+Methods for building sound devices.
+5. Taking inventory
+Time to clean the workbench and reflect
+Happy scavenging!
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Brown, A., Ferguson, J. and Bennett, A. (2019) ‘Cooperative
+Experimentalism: Sharing to enhance electronic
+media’, in. Proceedings of the International
+Symposium on Electronic Art
+(ISEA2019), pp. 480–483. Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10072/409917.
+
+
+Chokkattu, J. (2025) What to Do With Your Defunct Humane Ai
+Pin. Wired. Available at: https://www.wired.com/story/what-to-do-with-your-humane-ai-pin/
+(Accessed: 13 March 2025).
+
+
+de Valk, M. (2024) ‘Salvaged computing’, Damaged
+Earth Catalog. Available at: https://damaged.bleu255.com/Salvage_Computing.
+
+
+Gabrys, J. (2012) ‘Salvage’, in Depletion design: A
+glossary of network ecologies. Amsterdam: Institute of Network
+Cultures (Theory on demand, 8). Available at: https://issuu.com/instituteofnetworkcultures/docs/tod_8_depletion_design.
+
+
+Hachman, M. (2024) The nightmare is real: HP makes
+printing a monthly subscription. PCWorld. Available at: https://www.pcworld.com/article/2251993/the-nightmare-is-real-hp-makes-printing-a-subscription.html
+(Accessed: 14 April 2025).
+
+
+Havard, S. (2017) Essential Phone Teardown.
+iFixit. Available at: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Essential+Phone+Teardown/96764
+(Accessed: 14 April 2025).
+
+
+Hertz, G. (2023) Art + DIY electronics. Cambridge,
+Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
+
+
+Hertz, G. and Parikka, J. (2012) ‘Zombie media:
+Circuit bending media archaeology into an art
+method’, Leonardo, 45(5), pp. 424–430. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1162/LEON_a_00438.
+
+
+Parikka, J. (2012) ‘Dust Matter’, in Institute
+of Network Cultures, Depletion design: A glossary of network
+ecologies. Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures (Theory on
+demand, 8), pp. 53–57.
+
+
+Richards, J. (2017) ‘DIY and Maker
+Communities in Electronic Music’, in J.
+d’Escrivan and N. Collins (eds) The Cambridge Companion
+to Electronic Music. 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge
+University Press (Cambridge Companions to
+Music), pp. 238–257. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316459874.015.
+
+Chapter
+Gathering hardware
+Gathering hardware
+When salvaging for parts, we are looking for abandoned hardware. +Hardware that is still fine on the inside but no longer considered as +functional by its previous owners1. These devices can be a +literal goldmine of working parts that could be repurposed, as they +probably still function, it’s the stylistic obsolescence that is the +problem.
+Remy & Huang argue that the core goals of ICT are simply +researching new technologies and selling more products (Remy +and Huang, 2015). To achieve the latter, manufacturers have +embraced structured obsolescence: the idea that a product has a limited +lifespan and ought to be consumed and upgraded within a few years (Sterne, +2007). This strategy is embedded in the manufacturing, marketing +and even the naming of products 2. It’s been embedded in +consumer culture since the late 19th century, originally invented as a +solution for overproduction (Hertz and Parikka, +2012). As a result, many devices have since been upgraded, +replaced, devalued, and thrown out, before ever reaching their full +potential (Parks, 2007). It +is exactly these machines we are looking for. So, where to find +them?
+I’ve identified 3 strategies for gathering electronic hardware.
+1. Institutional discards
+Offices, schools, museums, or other companies often replace their +hardware every 5 years, whether it’s broken or not, due to tax +regulations3. If electronics aren’t central to +their operations, their leftovers often gather dust. Keep your ears +open, utilize your network, these forgotten machines could be your best +source.
+2. Browsing the streets
+I feel like good waste “comes to you”. Keep your eyes open, look +around. Actively going on waste walks has not paid off 4. +Their chances depend heavily on local waste policies 5 and +activities6.
+3. Donations from friends & +family
+As you enthusiastically keep your friends & family in the loop +about your salvaging endeavors, you’ll notice the phenomenon of +donations. Since a sizeable portion of our replaced computing devices +still reside in our storage units, waiting to be of any value, most +would be happy to find such a good destination as you (Gabrys, +2011).
+Infiltrating the waste +stream
+My attempts to create a consistent waste-income through more official +routes have not been successful. These established waste streams, where +trash is being collected, organized, and processed in multiple +facilities, are difficult to trace. Rotterdam collects e-waste via +official centers and drop-off bins, usually placed inside supermarkets. +The emphasis is on bringing waste in. What happens after is vague and +leans heavily on a promise of a circular economy7.
+Consumer devices can be returned to the manufacturer through +recycling programs. Here too, it’s unclear what exactly happens with the +returned devices, and the program is always part of a customer journey +8. This relieves the consumer of the +disposal responsibility but keeps the cycle of buying new unaltered.
+Trying to engage with these streams differently, by salvaging, not +just discarding, is nearly impossible. Access is tightly controlled. +Waste is only moved when it can be translated into monetary value, and +even then, only in bulk. Taking from recycling centers is prohibited; +solo salvaging has no place in this transaction9.
+Pick your battles
+When inspecting a device for salvage possibilities, I try to imagine +what the inside of the device looks like. What kind of components might +I find? Are there any motors or moving parts? What kind of material is +the device made of? What time period does it come from? Which companies +manufactured the device and its parts? Is there an audio signal on the +inside? Do I see any use for it now?
+If I don’t expect much, I’ll leave it for the next person to +salvage.
+
+
+
+
+
+Fennis, M. (2022) ‘Ontology Of Electronic
+Waste’. Available at: https://vigia.tech/1159-2/.
+
+
+Gabrys, J. (2011) Digital Rubbish: A Natural
+History of Electronics. University of Michigan
+Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv65swcp.
+
+
+Hertz, G. and Parikka, J. (2012) ‘Zombie media:
+Circuit bending media archaeology into an art
+method’, Leonardo, 45(5), pp. 424–430. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1162/LEON_a_00438.
+
+
+Parks, L. (2007) ‘Falling Apart: Electronics
+Salvaging and the Global Media Economy’, in
+Acland, C. R., Residual Media. Minneapolis:
+University of Minnesota Press, pp. 32–47.
+
+
+Remy, C. and Huang, E.M. (2015) ‘Limits and sustainable
+interaction design: Obsolescence in a future of collapse and resource
+scarcity’. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5167/UZH-110997.
+
+
+Sterne, J. (2007) ‘Out With the Trash:
+On the Future of New
+Technologies’, in C. Acland (ed.) Residual
+Media. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, pp.
+16–31. Available at: https://sterneworks.org/OutwiththeTrash.pdf.
+
+Chapter
+Dismantling
+Dismantling
+Once you’ve found a piece of hardware, it’s time to start dismantling +the device. Let’s set up a workspace where you can easily move your +device around and keep track of small parts. To take the device apart, +we will need some tools. Which specifically differ a bit per device, but +this is what I have in my own toolkit:
+To open devices
+-
+
- A set of screwdrivers with various bits and sizes 1 +
- Plastic spudger or pick — Used to pry open seams without +damaging the casing +
- Saw or utility knife - cut through plastic cases or stubborn +sections +
- Flat pliers - for heavy duty pulling +
- Drill - to drill through stuck and damaged screws +
- Tweezers +
For salvaging & making
+-
+
- Multimeter — Tests components for continuity, resistance, or +voltage +
- Soldering iron & solder +
- Desoldering pump +
- Solder wick +
- Flux +
- Alligator clips - quickly make connections without +soldering +
- Thin copper wire2 +
- Battery powered speakers for listening + audio cable +
- 9V batteries +
+
+Opening up
+It’s not always clear where to start. Grabbing a heavy duty tool +immediately could result in permanent damage. It is better to start more +carefully. In some cases, product manufacturers provide service +manuals3. But in most cases, we’re left to +figure it out ourselves. Fortunately, online communities like IFixIt +create their own teardown guides, that can sometimes give us a head +start.
+Let’s take a look at the device. Can you spot any screws? They might +be hidden behind warranty stickers4 or tucked away in +obscure corners. I find it helpful to follow the seams of the casing. +Especially with plastic enclosures, it’s not just screws—look for small +tabs or glue holding things together.
+
+
+If you manage to create a small slit gap in a seam, insert a thin +plastic pic and carefully push it along the seam. There might be small +tabs holding the casing together. If the manufacturer really didn’t want +you to get in there, they’ve glued it all up, and it is impossible to +get in the device without causing permanent damage5.
+Disassembly is really about patience and finding those small gaps in +the enclosures, pulling and pushing until you’ve dismantled the entire +device. Did you manage? Amazing! You’re now staring at the messy, +material reality of your device6.
+Uncovering black boxes
+Through design choices like hiding screws, heat stakes7, +strong adhesive, and using various screw sizes, it becomes clear: the +manufacturer really does not want you in there. These are black boxes by +design, destined to become obsolete, as replacement parts are not +available, and critical components are not interchangeable. The only +option is to buy an entirely new product again.
+The act of black boxing are an attempt to keep us unconsciously +incompetent, and increases the distance between the consumer and the +materiality of the device. The modern laptop is silent, not giving any +indication of whatever is happening on the inside, or its material +origins. It is only when something breaks, that their materiality +becomes a reality again (Hertz and Parikka, +2012) (Emerson, +2021).
+It is by opening the devices, however, that we can rediscover +materiality. Then it becomes clear that what may appear so robust, +seamless, and futuristic on the outside is fragile, breakable and almost +futile on the inside. With the Multimeter we can track the traces from +the speaker to the microchip to the microphone. Or is there something +else in between?
+Discoveries at the (un)repair cafe
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Aragon, N. (2023) Warranty Void Stickers:
+Are they legal outside the US? iFixit.
+Available at: https://www.ifixit.com/News/74736/warranty-void-stickers-are-illegal-in-the-us-what-about-elsewhere
+(Accessed: 20 April 2025).
+
+
+Emerson, L. (2021) Six (Difficult and
+Inconvenient) Values to Reclaim
+the Future with Old Media. Available at:
+https://loriemerson.net/2021/11/21/six-difficult-and-inconvenient-values-to-reclaim-the-future-with-old-media%ef%bf%bc/
+(Accessed: 5 January 2025).
+
+
+Hertz, G. and Parikka, J. (2012) ‘Zombie media:
+Circuit bending media archaeology into an art
+method’, Leonardo, 45(5), pp. 424–430. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1162/LEON_a_00438.
+
+Chapter
+Components
+Components
+Once you’ve broken your device down into its individual puzzle +pieces, we can zoom in on them more closely. Is there anything that +immediately sparks your interest? Did you already uncover unexpected +materials? Chances are you uncovered one or more Printed Circuit Boards +(PCBs), and—very generally speaking—some kind of input and output +components, all connected by several types of wire1. +For example, inside a digital picture frame I found a power input, a +battery, a screen, speakers, a two-sided PCB, and an antenna.
+PCBs are populated with either “through hole” (THT) or “surface +mount” (SMD) components. SMD components are very small and soldered +directly onto the board’s surface. Their size makes labels hard to read, +and they’re designed for automated assembly, making them impractical for +salvage2. That’s why I rarely salvage from +computer-type devices. These usually contain nothing but SMD components +and lack interesting interactions or mechanical parts.
+Desoldering
+Desoldering components is generally more difficult than soldering and +requires patience and practice. Ironically, desoldering guns are much +more expensive than soldering irons, so here’s how I do it, without +one.
+In a well-ventilated3 room, heat up the blob of solder +that connects the component to the PCB using a soldering iron. After a +couple of seconds, you’ll notice the solder becomes liquid4.
+Then, using tweezers or a plier, I carefully pull the leg out from +the backside of the board, and then do the same for the other legs. This +process can take somewhere between 10 seconds and 10 minutes and can be +both frustrating and meditative.
+Common components
+In the next few pages, I’ll briefly address some of the more common +components. If you want to know more about what each component +specifically does, I recommend Getting started in electronics (Mims, +1983).
+Many components, like transistors and chips, have datasheets +available online. You can usually find them by entering the part number, +often printed directly on the component5, +into a search engine. While datasheets can be overwhelming and full of +technical jargon, they typically show a pinout, explaining what each leg +does, and a description of the component’s behavior.
+In the next chapter, we’ll get into making with the salvaged +components. The recipes need some specific components, which are +highlighted below. It’s always wise to have some extra! Components might +break, speaking from experience, having to stop because you’ve run out +of working components, is very discouraging.
+Overview of common components
+| Name | +Category | +Description | +Found in | +Symbol | +
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 555 Timer | +Chip | +A small chip that generates pulses | +Timers, LED dimmers | ++ |
| Capacitor | +Capacitor | +Store a voltage | +Everywhere! | + |
+
| Coil | +Passive | +These funky components can create sounds on their own | +Transformers, relays, wireless charging | + |
+
| Crystal Oscillator | +Passive | +Generates a frequency that is often used as a clock | +Devices that have processors | ++ |
| Diode | +Passive | +Forces current to flow in one direction | +Everywhere! | + |
+
| Displays | +Output | +Display information | +Monitors, calculators, embedded systems | ++ |
| LED | +Output | +Emit a small light | +Everywhere! | + |
+
| Logic chips | +Chip | +Create logic and switches | +Computers, microcontrollers, control circuits | ++ |
| MOSFET | +Chip | +Not sure yet | +Power supplies, motor control | ++ |
| Magnet | +Misc | +Electromagnetic applications, motors | +Speakers, hard drives | ++ |
| Microcontroller | +Chip | +Programmable chip, for example the ATmega328 | +Embedded systems, Arduino, automation | + |
+
| Microphone | +Input | +Record sound | +Phones, vapes | + |
+
| Motor | +Output | +Spins when a power is applied | +Printers, blenders, vacuums | ++ |
| NPN Transistor | +Transistor | +Amplification/switching | +Everywhere! | + |
+
| Op-Amp | +Chip | +Amplifying signals | +Audio circuits, sensors, control systems | + |
+
| PNP Transistor | +Transistor | +Amplification/switching | +Everywhere! | + |
+
| Piezo disc | +Ouput/Input | +Records or creates vibrations | +Buzzers, sensors | ++ |
| Potentiometer | +Resistor | +Limiting voltage through a knob | +Volume knobs, light dimmers | +|
| Relay | +Switch | +Switches power | +Household appliances | + |
+
| Resistor | +Resistor | +Limiting voltage | +Everywhere! | + |
+
| Speaker | +Ouput | +Outputs sound | +Toys, (portable) radios | + |
+
| Switches & buttons | +Input | +Interact with the device | +Light switches, keyboards | + |
+
| Thermistor | +Resistor | +Limiting voltage dependent on temperature | +Not sure yet | + |
+
| Trimpots | +Resistor | +Limit voltage through a small knob adjustable with a +screwdriver | +Audio circuits, calibration devices | + |
+
| Voltage regulators | +Chip | +Not sure yet | +Power supplies, embedded systems | ++ |
+
+
+
+
+Mims, F.M. (1983) Getting started in electronics. 4th edn.
+Niles, Ill: Master Publishing.
+
+
+
+ Resistors
+ + +Also known as knob, pot, potentiometer, variable resistor, dial
+ + + + + +You’ll find resistors in nearly every electronic device and +schematic. It’s useful to keep a wide range of values around, from +1Ω(ohm) up to 10 million Ω. Their colored bands indicate their value1. In my experience, their values on +schematics are usually an indicator, and you can divert slightly without +too much impact on your project.
+Variable resistors—like photoresistors and potentiometers—are +especially worth salvaging, along with their knobs2. +They can make your circuit interactive, by replacing fixed resistors +with variable ones. This is also a common circuit bending technique, as +with older toys the pitch of a sample is often regulated by a pitch +transistor, replacing this with a variable one allow you to control +the playback speed into drone like sonic realms3.
+Types of resistors
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ | Component | +Description | +
|---|---|
| Carbon or metal film resistor | +Comes in different values, marked with color bands | +
| Photoresistor | +Changes resistance based on ambient light levels | +
| Potentiometer | +A knob-controlled resistor | +
| Stereo potentiometer | +Controls two channels at once, often used for stereo audio | +
| Slide potentiometer | +A slider-controlled resistor | +
| Trim pot | +A small, precise variable resistor you adjust with a screwdriver, +used for circuit calibration | +
| Thermistor | +Changes resistance based on temperature | +
+
+ Capacitors
+ + +Also known as cap, condenser
+ + + + + +Capacitors come in all sizes. I’ve seen ones as big as a coffee cup, +and SMD types so small they’re barely visible. Like resistors, these +passive components appear in nearly all circuits and store limited +amounts of electricity. This is measured in farads (F).
+
+
+
+
+
+| Capacitor Type | +Typical Value Range | +Polarized | +
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic | +1 pF – 100 nF | +No | +
| Electrolytic (Aluminum) | +0.1 µF – 10,000 µF | +Yes | +
| Film | +1 nF – 10 µF | +No | +
Salvaging capacitors safely
+Capacitors store electricity even after power is cut. Touching a +charged one can shock you. Larger types, like those in camera flashes or +TVs, can store a dangerous amount. Always discharge big capacitors +before storing. I do this by shorting the legs with a screwdriver. This +may cause a small spark, as you’ve just created a short circuit.
+Testing capacitors
+Electrolytic capacitors don’t age well. Left unused, they have a +lifespan of 2 to 3 years (Jang et +al., 2017). After that, they can leak, spreading a yellow +gooey material over the PCB, causing other connections to malfunction 1.
+You can verify the capacitor’s capacitance with a multimeter. In +continuity mode, which beeps if there’s a connection, touch both legs of +the discharged capacitor with the probes. If you hear no sound, or a +continuous volume/pitch: the capacitor is dead. Otherwise, it’s +fine.
+
+
+
+
+
+Jang, E. et al. (2017) ‘Unplanned
+Obsolescence: Hardware and Software
+After Collapse’, in Proceedings of the 2017
+Workshop on Computing Within Limits.
+LIMITS ’17: Workshop on Computing
+Within Limits, Santa Barbara California USA: ACM, pp.
+93–101. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1145/3080556.3080566.
+
+
+
+ Chips
+ + +Also known as IC, Intergrated Circuit
+ + + + + +Chips, or integrated circuits, are tiny black boxes packed with +microscopic components. You’ll find them on nearly every modern circuit +board. Some handle small, specific tasks, like controlling LEDs, while +others run full operating systems.
+Don’t let the size fool you! The creation of a chip, from toxic +chemicals to the black container, involves around 300 steps, during +which 99% of material byproduct is discarded, creating hazardous waste +sites (Gabrys, 2011). So, +if there is one part worth salvaging, it’s this one.
+Unfortunately, as modular as they might seem, reusing chips is not +plug ’n play. While some are common and well-documented1, +most are obscured and specific. For instance, reusing the network chip +found in a USB phone can lead to a rabbit hole of reverse engineering. +And then you find another phone that has a slightly different chip, and +the process starts all over again.
+Common chips to look out for
+
+
+
+
+| Component | +Description | +
|---|---|
| 555 Timer | +This chip can generate audible pulses. This can be used as a +sound source on its own, or to trigger other circuits, or control +motors | +
| Op-Amps (e.g., TL072, TL074, LM358) | +Op-amps are used to amplify signals, and therefore used in loads +of sound-related applications. | +
| CD40106 | +A Schmitt trigger inverter can generate audible frequencies that +can be tuned. They are often the core of oscillator +schematics. | +
| CD4017 | +A Decade counter is often used for linear step +sequencers. | +
| Microcontrollers | +If you’re lucky, you can use the microcontroller to write your +own program. | +
+
+
+
+
+Gabrys, J. (2011) Digital Rubbish: A Natural
+History of Electronics. University of Michigan
+Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv65swcp.
+
+
+
+ Inputs & outputs
+ + + + + + +Inputs and outputs are often the most visible parts of an electronic +device—and among the most accessible to salvage. They are the parts that +are most often visible on the outside and thus carry the cultural +context of the device. But this visibility is a double-edged sword: it +risks turning salvaging and recycling into solely aesthetic choices.
+Recycling facilities, manufactures and product design universities +often tend to focus on recycling, when talking about reducing e-waste. +But among the levels of circularity reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, +refuse, recycling is the least effective. More than half of material is +lost when going through the recycling process and often involves +shipping waste to countries with cheaper labor costs and fewer +environmental regulations, resulting in toxic conditions for both +workers and the environment (iFixit, no date) (Gabrys, +2011) (Roura et al., +2021). Shredding a device doesn’t just lose raw material; it +erases the labor, energy, and environmental costs embedded in its +original creation. And then a new device replaces it.
+Instead of focusing on the visual esthetic that is visible on the +outside of the original device, I think it’s more interesting to focus +on what made the object the object. According to Richards, this +objecthood is the central theme of DIY/repurposing. Through hacking and +bending we can amplify certain properties of the object (Richards, +2017). Turning a printer into a live coded instrument for +instance, amplifying the scratches a piece of stuck paper can make.
+
+
+
+
+Gabrys, J. (2011) Digital Rubbish: A Natural
+History of Electronics. University of Michigan
+Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv65swcp.
+
+
+iFixit (no date) Recycling is Destruction.
+Available at: https://www.ifixit.com/Right-to-Repair/Recycling
+(Accessed: 22 April 2025).
+
+
+Richards, J. (2017) ‘DIY and Maker
+Communities in Electronic Music’, in J.
+d’Escrivan and N. Collins (eds) The Cambridge Companion
+to Electronic Music. 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge
+University Press (Cambridge Companions to
+Music), pp. 238–257. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316459874.015.
+
+
+Roura, M. et al. (2021) ‘Circular digital devices:
+Lessons about the social and planetary boundaries’, in
+Computing within Limits. Seventh
+Workshop on Computing within
+Limits 2021, LIMITS. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21428/bf6fb269.3881c46e.
+
+
+
+ 
+
+ 
+
+ 
+
+ PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
+ + +Also known as Protoboard, breadboard, circuit
+ + + + + +Printed Circuit Boards, or PCBs, are the panels on which the +electronic circuit is placed. Older boards often reveal hand-drawn +traces, which are much more fluid in design. With computerized PCB +design, those lines straightened out. Most PCBs are made from FR4 (glass +fiber and epoxy)1.
+The copper tracks on a PCB are usually covered with a green +protective layer, known as solder mask. Sand this off to expose the +copper underneath, ready to solder onto again.
+Most boards are labeled. They can include a date, information about +connections, component numbering2, and sometimes even +their values 3.
+Not all PCBs follow the industrial template. Artists and other +tinkerers have come up with alternatives: the paper circuits of +Ciat-Lonbarde, or Dirty Electronics’ boards made from wood and nails. +These kinds of formats offer a more punk-diy way of publishing projects, +where the format is not set in stone. Paper can be cut, nails can be +moved, inviting a maker to explore the circuit more than just soldering +a pre-compiled kit (Blasser, 2015) (Richards, +2013).
+Protective
+Did you spot “the Blob” on one of your PCB’s? The blob (fig 17) is +meant to protect certain bare parts of a PCB, but is also known as a +type of reverse engineering protection. Another method of protection is +applying a transparent layer across the entire board, preventing you +from poking around with a multimeter.
+
+
+
+
+
+Blasser, P. (2015) Stores at the Mall. Wesleyan
+University. Available at: https://doi.org/10.14418/wes01.2.84.
+
+
+Richards, J. (2013) ‘Beyond DIY in Electronic
+Music’, Organised Sound, 18(3), pp. 274–281.
+Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355771813000241.
+
+
+
+ Transistors
+ + +Also known as switch, BJT
+ + + + + +A transistor is a tiny switch that controls a large current with a +smaller one. Depending on its type, applying a small voltage to one leg +causes another to “open” or “close.” This way, transistors can amplify +signals or switch things on and off. You’ll find them near power +supplies, audio paths, and logic circuits. They are sometimes glued to a +heatsink to shed excess heat. They’re sensitive to ambient temperature, +which makes them interactive in sound devices 1.
+The transistor is often seen as a turning point in computing history. +It replaced big and expensive vacuum tubes, paving the way for portable +radios, cheap toys, and eventually silicon chips. Theories like Moore’s +law2 create an expectation of constant +upgrading, where your computer will be obsolete in two years’ time, and +the illusion of infinite growth.
+This miniaturization of components did not result in more efficient +technology use. On the contrary, Jevons’ Paradox shows that increased +efficiency in the production process would lead to even more resource +consumption (Remy and Huang, +2015) (Gabrys, 2011) (Parks, +2007).
+
+
+
+
+
+Gabrys, J. (2011) Digital Rubbish: A Natural
+History of Electronics. University of Michigan
+Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv65swcp.
+
+
+Parks, L. (2007) ‘Falling Apart: Electronics
+Salvaging and the Global Media Economy’, in
+Acland, C. R., Residual Media. Minneapolis:
+University of Minnesota Press, pp. 32–47.
+
+
+Remy, C. and Huang, E.M. (2015) ‘Limits and sustainable
+interaction design: Obsolescence in a future of collapse and resource
+scarcity’. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5167/UZH-110997.
+
+Chapter
+Recipes for reuse
+Recipes for reuse
+Hopefully, you’ve salvaged a variety of components by now, and we can +start building sound with them. In this chapter you’ll find a bunch of +recipes; the starting points for sound devices. These modular recipes +can be used standalone or connected together into a bigger system. This +modularity makes problem-solving slightly easier1, +and you can pick and choose your modules based on your salvaged +inventory.
+Every recipe contains a paper circuit2 to +print. These circuits are the blueprint of your device, between a +schematic and an industrial PCB. The biggest advantage of using paper, +apart from being able to solder the connections of your components right +on top of the circuit, is that it is flexible. You can take notes, draw +lines, and adjust the schematic as you go.
+Assembling the circuit
+-
+
- Cut out the circuit and fold it in half, creating a two-sided print +3. +
- Gather the components listed in the “Bill of Materials” (BOM). +
- Populate the first components by pinning the legs through the paper +in their designated areas. Keep an eye on the orientation4. +Start small (resistors) then move to larger parts. +
- Create the connections according to the circuit by soldering the +legs together using (copper) wire. +
- Repeat until all components are in place! +
- Test & triple-check all connections 5. +
There is no need to understand every single component on each recipe +6 but try to follow the connections on +the circuit. Which road is the audio signal taking? This will help you a +lot with troubleshooting.
+!Safety notes!
+-
+
- Audio can be surprisingly loud. Use small speakers +(never headphones! 7) you wouldn’t miss if they break and +keep your hand on the volume dial when plugging in your sound device for +the first time. +
- Use batteries. Plugging into a wall (120V) can be +incredibly dangerous. Always unplug the power from the circuit when +making changes, to prevent shorts. +
- Watch that smell. “Magic smoke” has a certain +smell. Unplug immediately when something smells/smokes! +
- Two know more than one. If you’re not sure, invite +a friend and I’m sure you’ll figure it out together. +
Finding recipes
+The DIY synth community is not shy in sharing their schematics. There +are fantastic resources online, such as the Experimentalists Anonymous +DIY Archives the wiki, Music from Outer Space and Handmade Electronic +Music (Collins, 2009). +However, finding resources using salvaged components can be tricky, as +our requirements are a bit different. Most schematics either contain 20+ +components or require (specific) chips, which have proven to be +difficult to find. This limitation has been interesting, as it forces me +to experiment with smaller schematics. Turning the oscillators into +self-modulating instruments, by attaching them together using alligator +clips, actually helped me to learn more about electronics & sound +than any pre-made kit could ever do.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Blasser, P. (2015) Stores at the Mall. Wesleyan
+University. Available at: https://doi.org/10.14418/wes01.2.84.
+
+
+Collins, N. (2009) Handmade electronic music: The art of hardware
+hacking. Second edition. New York: Routledge.
+
+Power Supply
+ + + + +Create a power supply for your future circuits
+ + + +This circuit provides -9V1, 0V/Ground and +9V +outputs, by combining two 9V batteries. If your project requires it, you +can use any kind of battery instead of the 9V one, as long as they’re +two of the same 2.
+You could skip the capacitors and resistors and just connect the +batteries together. However, they help filter electrical spikes, making +the output smoother 3.
+
+
+Testing
+Before plugging in the batteries, check your connections4. When the batteries are plugged in, +your pins should read -9V and +9V5.
+Upgrade
+An upgrade that could be useful is adding a power switch and/or LED +to show if the power supply is active.
+ + +Paper circuit: Power Supply
+
+ Single Transistor Oscillator
+ + + + +This unreliable schematic creates a tone!
+ + + +
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ This super simple oscillator circuit1 +makes use of something called a “reverse avalance breakdown effect” in +transistors. As I understand it, the capacitor and transistor of this +circuit constantly trigger each other, creating a on-off-on-off-on-off +situation, which in the audible realm sounds like a saw wave. Not all +transistors can do it, so it’s a bit of a trial and error process 2.
+Powering
+Select the amount of voltage you need based on the transistor3 you have. Mine needed 18V, so using +alligator clips, I’ve connected our previously built power supply.
+Testing & Troubleshooting
+After double-checking all your connections, hook the audio out to an +amplified speaker. No sound? Try:
+-
+
- Check your connections and orientation of the capacitor. +
- Play around with the potentiometer4. +
- using a multimeter, follow the entire audio trace from the +transistor up until your audio cable. +
- Try a different transistor +
When there is noise
+If you, like me, have struggled a lot to get any sound whatsoever, I +can hopefully tell you that this is where things will get +fun(ky). Getting a single sound out of anything is such a +eureka moment 5. Because from here, you’ll be able +to play around with the circuit and use our own imagination. For +instance, using a different sized resistor to change the pitch. Or, +using a Light Dependant Resistor to control the pitch based on the +sound. Or adding a on/off button. Or, building your own keyboard using +multiple resistors…
+ + +Paper circuit: Single Transistor Oscillator
+
+ PCB Keyboard
+ + + + +A keyboard to play your oscillator
+ + + +
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ This recipe uses the Single Transistor Oscillator created in a +previous recipe. The keyboard will replace the resistor of the +oscillator that is in charge of the pitch. That pitch resistor will now +exist on the keyboard.
+From a PCB that you have salvaged, remove all of the +components and, with a piece of sandpaper, scratch off the green mask of +the PCB, making the copper visible. Now, the traces of the PCB can be +reused as wires. We will place multiple resistors on the PCB, to create +the following circuit:
+
+
+Find or make a couple of tracks or traces that are not connected to +each other (using the multimeter). These will act as your wires! To one +trace, solder the audio in from the oscillator. Find a trace nearby, +close enough that if you can touch the two traces with your thumb and +solder a resistor on that trace. The other end of the resistor should go +back to your oscillator.
+Now, when you touch both traces with your finger, a bridge is +created, closing the circuit, and causing the audio signal to go through +your resistor back into the original circuit. If you do this multiple +times with various resistor values, you’ve created a playable +keyboard!
+ +Paper circuit: PCB Keyboard
+
+ Taking inventory
+After all the dismantling, salvaging, desoldering, and re-making, +it’s time to take inventory. For me, this is the moment to sit in the +middle of a workshop, surrounded by the carcasses of printers, cassette +recorders, and radios, and deal with the remainders. Can we shift the +practice of playful tinkering to also account for the waste streams it +engages with?
+In the DIY synth community, tinkering often happens collaboratively, +through workshops where participants solder prefabricated kits, as an +accessible entry point into electronics. When I started the field guide, +I imagined creating a similar format, but using only salvaged +components. Logistically, that turned out to be much harder than +expected:
+Waste streams are +difficult to tap into
+The circular economy, often marketed as a fix for the mountains of +e-waste, is structured to keep the consumer lifecycle of buying intact. +There is no method in place for taking waste, meaning we must revert to +using what comes on our path or is donated. Which is a lot, but not +consistent.
+Salvaging the right +components
+Most synths built in workshops rely on chips like the 555 timers and +op-amps. These chips simplify builds, lower the total amount of +components needed, increasing the chances of a participant completing +the circuit. In the past few months, I haven’t salvaged a single 555 +timer, and only a handful of op-amps. That is not nearly enough to +provide a group of participants with components.
+But maybe these limitations can also be an opportunity. If we let go +of the expectation that everyone would walk out with a polished +synthesizer, similar to those that can be bought in shops, new +possibilities open up. The constraints of using e-waste as material can +help us to think differently—to engage with different contexts or +reimagine how existing technologies might be repurposed. Instead of +following a set in stone schematic, the recipes are a starting point, +which everyone can execute differently.
+Fennis urges us to rethink waste, not just as a pile of discarded +phones, but as the material it was before, including the toxic, +environmentally catastrophic legacy. Through reverse engineering and +hacking, they explore the material and learn what the technologies can +do other than what it was designed for(Fennis, 2022). In +other words, by dismantling a wired electronic razor, that was deemed +obsolete and replaced for a battery powered razor, we can remove the +abstraction layer and see that it is actually a blade, a power supply, +and a motor, which in turn can become an instrument. In this way, we can +see the end-of-life of a device, where the consumer is done consuming, +as a moment of celebration, and give it an afterlife (Mansoux +et al., 2023)!
+It is this kind of tinkering that I think will make us more resilient +against the ongoing attempts by major companies and manufacturers to +keep us locked out of our devices (Lu and Lopes, 2024). +For me, that means not just rethinking waste but also questioning the +workshop format itself—and whether I want to keep using the format with +it. And the truth is, I don’t think so. I see much more to explore in +collaborative spaces such as the (un)repair cafe. This means, this is +not the end of the field guide! It’s the beginning. There are many more +alligator clips to connect.
+
+
+
+
+Fennis, M. (2022) ‘Ontology Of Electronic
+Waste’. Available at: https://vigia.tech/1159-2/.
+
+
+Lu, J. and Lopes, P. (2024) ‘Unmaking Electronic
+Waste’, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human
+Interaction, 31(6), pp. 1–30. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1145/3674505.
+
+
+Mansoux, A. et al. (2023) ‘Permacomputing
+Aesthetics: Potential and Limits
+of Constraints in Computational Art,
+Design and Culture’, in Ninth
+Computing within Limits 2023. Ninth
+Computing within Limits 2023, Virtual:
+LIMITS. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21428/bf6fb269.6690fc2e.
+
+References
++
+
+
+
+