Actually, it's really, extremely difficult. Especially the crystal. You don't want to try and save $15 that way.
Alright, thanks. The video made it look doable, but I was hesitant. There's a hackerspace near me with an SMD station, so I figured it might be possible for me to do it, but if it's that tough, it definitely would make more sense to spend the $15 and get it done for me than to cheap out and hope I don't screw up.
Looks like I'll need to scrounge up a little more cash or sell off my Das to get this.
I think the time saved alone makes it worth the extra $15. I am thinking about getting an extra kit in the DIY flavor just as a challenge. Sort of like building a model airplane. But I am also getting one or two assembled so that I know they will work. But yeah, go look at the instructions on doing the SMD work earlier in the thread. No way is it worth trying to save $15 over
Part of the fun to me is putting the work into it. The time saved doesn't really factor in since it's a fun, stress relieving project. My back may hurt from it, but there's a satisfaction of doing it myself. If I could save $15 while also having fun with it, it's worth it. If, on the other hand, it will be nearly impossible to do and cause me frustration, I'll get it done for me.