Project Controller 1

[Cmdr Kharma]

Not everything went to plan......

I started with the base.....

► Show Spoiler

cont17.jpg (237.97 KiB) Viewed 2583 times

Then the top......

► Show Spoiler

cont18.jpg (211.43 KiB) Viewed 2583 times

Started on the sides and had a thought....I was going to glue.....But should something go wrong how would I get it apart ?.......

Back to the drawing board......

Ended up using some ply that I could screw into......Might as well have used ply in the first place and saved myself some money....Oh well...

► Show Spoiler

cont19.jpg (228.71 KiB) Viewed 2583 times

Cont

[Cmdr Kharma]

The other side.....

► Show Spoiler

cont20.jpg (238.08 KiB) Viewed 2582 times

At this point whilst measuring up etc with the joystick off the base....I knocked the base off of my desk...

Almighty crash as it hit my computer and it was dangling by it's cable.......

I really thought I had fooked it, as the base is well heavy.....

But luckily enough it still works.....Whew.....

Also I seem somehow to have mucked up the angle of the front panel....It has left me with less room than planned for......I'll have to think about that one.......

Whilst doing all this postie came with gifts......

► Show Spoiler

cont21.jpg (242.42 KiB) Viewed 2582 times

Some stripboard......Some connectors and what would a project be without the obligatory blue LEDs....

Only problem is my tactile switches do not fit through the holes of the stripboard....Which is funny as they have fitted through all the other stripboards I have purchased......No wonder they were cheap.......Looks like I will have to drill them out.....

Till next time......

[Cmdr Kharma]

Had a little more time to work on it today and this is how it stands now....

► Show Spoiler

cont22.jpg (205.94 KiB) Viewed 2450 times

Just going to try in game as I think My knuckle will just hit the top corner of riser part.....

I have also decided 3mm MDF was a bad idea...It's way too flimsy...

However I'm going to carry on with this build ...But when I get my workshop set up I'm going to build another with thicker material......

Plus this one is a bit out in places due to being cut by hand on the floor or anywhere I could rest on....So a bench with power tools will be a blessing and a hell of a lot quicker....

Oh and just discovered I cannot find my soldering iron anywhere.....

Toodily pip....

[Cmdr Kharma]

Well my knuckles were ok...Did not hit the riser at all in normal play......If you can call the A-team normal that is....

Being off work today I decided to work on the button stripboard layout......

Fired up coraldraw and marked the centres......

► Show Spoiler

cont23.jpg (202.89 KiB) Viewed 2403 times

Then it dawned on me the stripboard will have different spacings and I light not be able to get the buttons in exactly the positions I had marked out.....

So I mounted the buttons on the board and began measuring distances, dimensions and centre to centres etc.....One of these is invaluable for this......

► Show Spoiler

cont24.jpg (242.61 KiB) Viewed 2403 times

And this is the final print out that I will mark my centres with.....

► Show Spoiler

cont25.jpg (182.47 KiB) Viewed 2403 times

Cont.....

[Cmdr Kharma]

Now I decided to work on the stripboard configuration....Where to cut tracks and put in links....To make it all work with the 15 pin connector.....

So I knocked a quick drawing up.....

► Show Spoiler

cont26.jpg (236.93 KiB) Viewed 2397 times

Looking at it I realised I had made a mistake as the links I had worked out were on the wrong side of the board and would have to go under the button base to make it work.....Of course nothing can get under the buttons as they are flush with the board......Dickhead..

This also meant I had to alter the button layout on the board and move it all down a bit to give me extra room above to put the links...

Then I stumbled across a rather nice stripboard template for excel.....So I used that to work it out.....

► Show Spoiler

cont27.jpg (230.12 KiB) Viewed 2397 times

That should do for that part of the panel.......

Searched high and low and the only soldering irons I could find was a really old one with a burnt out tip and a 100w pistol type one...No good for board work.........I do have an 8w battery one....But that has a very fine tip on and is for very intricate stuff....It did not heat the switch legs up enough to get a good solder flow......

Seeing as it's my birthday next month I treated myself to a new one.....Not top of the range.....Just a cheapie...But it should do for what I want......

► Show Spoiler

cont28.jpg (73.12 KiB) Viewed 2397 times

I would have bought myself a normal one if I was just soldering the buttons.....But I intend to solder to the interface board for voltage to the LED's and I really do not want to muck that one up......

Should be here later this week...Then to brush up on my soldering skills.....

Toodily Pip.........

[Cmdr Kharma]

Got on with a little more today.....

Firstly worked out the layout and circuit for the left hand panel......

► Show Spoiler

cont29.jpg (189.46 KiB) Viewed 2322 times

Then done the cut outs in the base.......

► Show Spoiler

cont30.jpg (211.4 KiB) Viewed 2322 times

Once again not nearly as neat as I would like....If in a workshop I would have grabbed my router and rounded or bevelled the inner edge....

I cut the aluminium to size and printed the final revision of the marking template.....

► Show Spoiler

cont31.jpg (206.24 KiB) Viewed 2322 times

Already to centre punch.....When I can find my bloody punch that is.....Sheesh......

Cont....

[Cmdr Kharma]

Whilst doing that...I also worked out the hole size and placement for the stripboard and how I was going to space it off the Ali plate.....

Drilled the holes to hold the 4 button panels on the riser in place.....

Wondered if I should actually label all the buttons.....And numerous other things.....

Then out of the blue this turned up......

► Show Spoiler

cont32.jpg (221.85 KiB) Viewed 2316 times

I was not expecting this at all as the tracking said it had not been despatched yet and the delivery was Thursday at the earliest....

So I set it up in the mess and gave it a whirl......

► Show Spoiler

cont33.jpg (242.01 KiB) Viewed 2316 times

Yet again.....Oh for a workshop.....

I also only had unleaded solder....Waiting on the leaded stuff which IS supposed to be delivered today...With alternate iron tips tomorrow....

Anyway I gave it a quick go.....Tip really is too small for the work...That in conjunction with the unleaded solder meant my first attempts were pretty shite.....So going to wait for the proper gear and practise a bit tomorrow.......

Now to buy and load out a hauler to go get my Asp.....

Be seeing you......

*Edit*

The leaded solder arrived......Just given it a quick go...A lot better....Now for the correct tip and all should be well.....

[Cmdr Kharma]

A morning update.....

Starts with a very good tip I saw on the net for making stripboard links.....

Permanent mark your pliers with the width of the link you want....Shove the wire in and bend both ends upwards or downwards.....

► Show Spoiler

cont34.jpg (187.88 KiB) Viewed 2275 times

Works really well.....

Now I went on a hunt down my old place for a centre punch which I knew I had......After about an hour sifting through boxes in the garage I finally found it.....

I also found...Brand new in the box...This....

► Show Spoiler

cont35.jpg (251.45 KiB) Viewed 2275 times

I set it up and boy is it a cheap piece of crap....Magnifying glass is fecking useless and just gets in the way.....Still it might do for this...

► Show Spoiler

cont36.jpg (249.25 KiB) Viewed 2275 times

Although I do have a proper "Helping hands" somewhere....

Cont....

[Cmdr Kharma]

Now to use the newly found centre punch.....

I cannot emphasize enough that you really have to slow down and take your time with this....As one punch in the wrong place is hard to correct and involves correcting your mistake when pilot drilling by "walking" the drill to the correct position......

This is the end result.....

► Show Spoiler

cont37.jpg (216.26 KiB) Viewed 2275 times

► Show Spoiler

cont38.jpg (234.41 KiB) Viewed 2275 times

Now to drill the pilot holes.....This should really be done with a drill stand or pillar drill for accuracy....

But once again with no workshop it is going to be by hand......No doubt there will be one or two cock ups....But as said I can always make another when I have my workshop......

Still waiting on the soldering iron tips.....Just had a email to say they will be delivered today.....

But I am back at work tomorrow so that will slow the project down a bit....

Till next time......

[Loriath]

And yes folks, he will be making these for all the members of the A-Team that wants one.

All this For a low low payment of 29.99 Euros! *
Join the A-Team now as only members in good standing will be able to purchase this artesian made USB controller!
You can pre order now by PM'ing me your Name, Address, Credit Card number and we will advise you when it ships!

Remember, you MUST be a member of the A-Team in good standing (That means Xebeth and Tor have to start showing up and paying their dues again) and you must PM your completed details. These 2 things are non Negotiable.

When your order is placed, you will be notified by snail mail as to when your order will ship.

Join the A-Team Here!


Note: Please allow 2-3 years for manufacturing and shipping! Shipping is only included in Dorset. Any other location will be charged at 4 euros per meter from Kharmas house as determined by Dawgs Mapping Measurements. * Payments of 29.99Euros will be applied every day until your order ships. Any failure in the payment chain will cause your place in line to be forfeit, and your order then cancelled. All Cancelled orders are subject to a restocking fee of 100 euros. No Refunds, No Warranty. Ever. Your statement will show charge from Eddie's Booze and Beer Shack.