Unused Voyager Tricorder build... Tis FINISHED!<<< Or is it!?

The prices from shapeways arent that bad... Though tbh, I cant see a clear plastic/resin option.

NM ill see what i can get from the PETG print. Im just baking my clear PETG to try and remove any moisture from it. The reel isnt new.

SMOOTH FINE DETAIL PLASTIC is their clear material. (They renamed it) And it has to be coated with a clear coat to make it be more clear. (by you)
 
Another little update....



So starting to put this thing together... But had to replace the leds on the scanner with brighter ones.

But this has showed me some alterations to my 3d design I could do that would give me better printed results which would also make building more easier.

Its certainly going to be difficult to put together. I deffo could so with making a few changes to the PCB design... Any-who.......

Hope to show some more detailed updates soon...
 
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Starting to assemble...
I had to paint the front a bit first so its easier to mask off the sensors when i paint the rest. Still tons to do...
Sorry for the crappy cameraphone images...

Anyway the main base coat paint... Welllllll its kind of based from dove grey... but ive mixed it myself with various acrylics...

iVZKVVq.jpgclhQZlC.jpg
 
So I had to rethink how I'm going to do the flat flex as it was kinking and fraying...
I'm using some spring steel from an old feeler gauge I had, cut into strips, I'll laminate some new flex to the slivers of metal.
The slivers should protect the flex and make them keep shape.
Only downside is they're going to be a little more obvious now.


I couldn't kink the metal to the contour of the hinge as that would snap the metal, so I had to place it's outlet a little further back. But it had to be far enough back so it didn't compromise the brass hinge... Should still look good I think. And would be longer lasting.


I would fit the new flex and finish the steering today, but the double sided sticky tape I ordered to stick the flex to metals not turned up :( more delayskOTx4h0.jpg
CSMnbNU.jpg
 
I'm too stupid for microcontrollers. :) And besides, there's a unique charm in the 4017 and 555 combo. :)

I agree. I'm old school, I do my props with 555 Timers and 4017 counters as well. You can do quite a lot with them. I've been thinking about buying a micro controller kit to try to learn some coding.
 
In this situation the only main benifit of a adressable led and micro controller is the ability to program more than 1 sequence., but i love 4017 led chasers too :p
 
I agree, the big advantage is versatility. With a hardware solution like a 555 timer and 4017 counter you can't have multiple patterns that are easily changeable. It certainly makes a prop more real to have different light patterns indicating different operating modes though. It adds interest to the prop. That's why I want to get into coding.
 
I agree, the big advantage is versatility. With a hardware solution like a 555 timer and 4017 counter you can't have multiple patterns that are easily changeable. It certainly makes a prop more real to have different light patterns indicating different operating modes though. It adds interest to the prop. That's why I want to get into coding.


I think you'l find out blinking some leds using an Arduino is very easy code wise.

It one of the beginning/entry level things I learned about at least. :)

When using an Arduino..

You basically connect one leg of an (accent led) to an Arduino pin.. the other to GND (or +5/+3.3v..depends on what you want/how your circuit is set up.. no right or wrong)..


And since the code has a main 'loop'.. hat you need to put your 'code' in.... you just do something as simple as:


Code:
  digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(1000);

LED_PIN being the pin you have the led connected to.

There are a few other lines of set up ...etc. missing to make the point.

basically blink the led in 1 second intervals.

Its your basic 'hello world' type of program.
 
yep and if your using addresable leds or addressable PWM channels you just edit a brightness value in the array, and upload the array string to your chain...

Though how its uploaded depends on the tech :p

picless update at the moment...

Ive done a fair bit of work making the stuff fit together... And i can tell you its a tight squeeze.

I really need to so some alterations to the design if im to build this for other people. Nothing outwardly noticable... just tighten up space and rearrange some pcb layout stuff... Basically nick and tuck stuff to free thing sup...

At this very moment. There is no space for the lipo battery I have... When i was cadding I did put a dummy shape in to represent the lipo and it fit... but was a tight squeeze... But as I had to hack in a differnt PWM chip than the one i originally designed, the battery no longer fit......... Soooooooo i have some metal shears and im trimming pcb boards and melting plastic here and there to make space :p

Hopefully all the changes im going to make to the design should speed up the building significantly...
 
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