Re: Custom comm entry. Video and build.
Thanks for the comps guys. Here is a quick buildup rundown. I just realized the last couple of days i didn't take any pics. The IC's from Allied came in a bit late and it was crunch time and i had to concentrate on getting it all working right. It was friggin tight in there and i'm still surprised it all fit. Well, it really didn't all fit, some things got redesigned. The bargraph was originally supposed to be controlled with another pot and the lights were to just go up and down but i fought with that circuit and it just wouldn't work for me. I tried every circuit on the data sheet and still no go so i had to change up. I got some 4017 and decided to try those out. Circuit worked right from the get go so it all worked out. It ended up being better because it gave it more of a tricorder feel with the flashing LEDs. Well i'm jumping the gun.....
Here is the start, well after the chopsaw got ahold of it, this dirt bike swingarm was left by my buddy who lived here before me. If i had to guess i would go with a YZ125. Almost threw it out a few times.
Here is the raw housing.
The housing and a grill from an old reel to reel my landlord gave me.
After the dremel and a bunch of cutting discs. Safety glasses are a MUST.
Did some hammering and got this
A little test fit.
What i did is basically make one of those things to hold your watch band in your watch. The springy thing. I used a piece of aluminum tubing, put 2 pen springs in it and some stepped rods on each side so they are spring loaded. The bar was in a small printer i sourced at the local recycling drop off. They are held in place by the antenna mesh.
More parts, a motor/gearbox from the same little printer, a hard drive platter mounting ring and the keypad i cut and used for the front leds. It just looked cool.
Here is the gearbox stripped and then double side taped to hold it temporarily.
I JBwelded the hard drive ring to the gear and glued a hard drive spacer to it.
I cut this piece of lenticular screen from my last rear projection tv. The original plan was to put one layer on the motor and one sheet above with a clear piece in between for a bearing so i could get the moire effect but in the end it was too tight, i needed 1/16" more height to make it work so i just put one on the motor and forgot about the moire.
I mounted 4 leds on some project board to go under the motor. I also mounted a white one at the bottom to give it more light.
A test fit
Here is the keypad piece and a piece of vintage coolshade for a grill. My nod to the SW fans.
These are the parts for the front. I made 2 lexan windows. One for the top and one to mask the keypad. Both were masked and painted black.
The bargraph leds mounted on their board. Unfortunatly later on i put tape on it and that nice black mask ripped off. I was PO'd
Test fit
The circuit for the bargraph being tested. The right chip is not being used. The left chip is the 555 timer. I am using it as a clock for the middle chip. It's a 4017 johnson counter.
3 more 555 timers for the front flashys. I covered them with hotglue for insulation. Not even enough room for heatshrink. This is when i started to worry about where i was going to fit all this in and fit batteries.
Test fitting front parts
The board sandwhich. I used hotglue on the bottom of the top board. then put a little on each corner to hold it together.
There are 4 cr2032 batterys in the forground and you can barely see 2 stuffed under the bar graph. Painters tape battery holders. You can see what was to be the top lenticular part.
The antenna painted up
Here is where i got lazy on pics. I made a lexan front panel, drilled the holes for the pot and switch and masked off the center and bar graph area and painted it. Mounted another hard drive spacer on the front for a window frame and glued a grill i took of some of those earbud headphones. Made a bottom piece and squished it all together and screwed the bottom on. I bought reed switched for the antenna to turn it all on but while trying to stuff them in 2 broke. It was the last day and had no time to get more and honestly after 2 nights up till 2 and 3 am i was DONE. I just mounted 3 tiny switchs on the bottom. I glued a piece of black styrene to the top of them all so it can be turned on fast and with ease. The center knob is like what is on the vader belt boxes in ANH and the second SW'ish piece. Here are the entry pics with an extra. Thanks to all who participated, donated and voted and thanks to Nakedmolerat for coordinating it all.
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