I soldered up a board with the speed indicator LEDs so I could test it and see how much space it took up. I also needed to test resistor values to get an even brightness and then test it with the system.
I started with a section of prototype PCB that I figured would fit what I needed. Each of my 1205 SMD LEDs just fit between the holes on the board. I filled each hole for the LEDs with a bit too much solder. Getting the LEDs on the bumps was really hard and it looked messy too.
We exhaust our XTool M1 laser cutter out a window with the included tube. It's not perfect but works most of the time. When the wind is blowing towards the window, the smoke gets blown back into the house because there are fresh air intake vents on the underside of the laser case. We have avoided cutting on those days and it becomes a slight inconvenience. We've been looking at various ways to install an inline fan with the vent tube to make sure the smoke always blows outside. We've thought of using a computer fan or some other type of system that needs a bit of programming a microcontroller and a power supply. While able to be achieved, the cost may outweigh the benefit and we haven't committed to anything. My husband had some bee in his brain one morning this weekend and ordered this small USB powered fan from Amazon. I'm going to adapt this fan to our use. I don't recommend doing the same and I recommend just buying an inline fan. But, this blog isn't subtitled Humble Electronics for nothing. I like the challenge of using common items and parts in different ways. This is a current project that will take a few posts.
These are the last dice towers I'm doing for now. One is folding and the other is Gothic style with many windows. They're both cut out of 3mm MDF. Open links if you are comfortable. I make no guarantees that any are safe.
This post will cover the power outputs and the switches.
I'll start with the power binding posts. The +5V post is putting out 4.84V. The LED is connected to that post through the breadboard. The +12V post is not connected to the breadboard and is supplying 12V while the -12V post is delivering -11.82V.
I needed a box for my Humble Electronics #005 project. I downloaded a simple box for this project from boxes.py. I added the holes on the top for the hookups and display from an existing design of mine, with the same components, and cut it out on the Xtool M1 out of a scrap of plywood.
I'm going to go through the operator's manual before I get into demonstrating the specific outputs of the PAD-234. The manual is 11 pages long including the cover page and schematics. It is a set of stapled together printed/copied pages. The schematics are attributed to R.S.R. Electronics Inc. and drawn by Bruckner in 1994 and 1995.
My brother in law said he'd be interested in a dice tower so we said we'd make him one with LEDs. I cut one out on the Xtool M1. You can find out more on the LEDs in Humble Electronics post #006 and #007.
My husband was at an estate sale and sent me photos of stuff I might like. I didn't know what this was but I told him to pick it up for me.
It turns out to be a complete kit to do electronics in a great portable case. I found a listing here on Amazon and one here and a build it yourself kit here.
In my previous laser cutting post I posted a link to a video with free laser cutting files. Some of those sites did not have any SVG files or just a few. Fortunately, Inkscape can make the conversion. I've tried .cdr, .cxf and .eps files. I use Inkscape 1.3 on Linux machines, Ubuntu and Mint. Inkscape in Windows 10 is a different beast. For example, in the Windows version I use with my laser cutter, there is no access to all the items in all the layers. I haven't tried this conversion in Windows yet so your mileage may vary. (Update: after writing this post, I did a conversion in Inkscape 1.3, in Windows 10. Basically, open Inkscape, open your file then open File --> Save As... it defaults to save as an Inkscape SVG. Beyond that, I don't have experience with yet.) More on Linux and Windows at the end of this post.
I found this file at Ponoko.com that is a nice ornament. Use search term "ornament" to limit the files shown.
As you can see on the bottom right, it is an .eps file. Clicking on the project tile immediately downloads the file but after clicking on a couple of projects the site wants you to sign up.
(Continued from previous numbered post) I took the tower and my ideas to my husband so we could talk out wiring possibilities. He likes to make it complicated and I like the KISS principle so we often find an interesting, workable middle ground. The tower is upside down to temporarily power it. Also, priming/painting the whole tower in and out really matters.
I've had a cold around the holidays so I was in bed watching YouTube. After a while, I searched for laser cutting and found this video with links to free laser and CNC cutting files. I am there for free and only one of the links didn't work. I don't vouch for any of these downloads or sites so proceed with caution. I use a Linux based computer with all the blocking possible. I spent the most time at 3axis.co and downloaded a couple of files I wanted to try. The actual download filename is not descriptive. I suggest downloading each into a named folder with a screenshot of the project or just changing the filename.
(Pictures from site)
Time to make another lighted dice tower. This is for my brother-in-law so I wanted a simple safe power supply. I chose a 3 AAA battery box with a built in switch. One less component I have to solder in. I tried a 3 AA battery box also but it did not fit well.
I got some simple SMD break out boards from Amazon to solder my LEDs and resistors to. The board is made for 0805(2012) sized SMD chips and mine were 1206(3216). I played around with placement and soldered a set on a board. I then noticed my SMD resistor was 330 ohm.
I discovered https://festi.info/boxes.py this summer when I searched online for .svg files for laser cut boxes. This is a free website, scripted in Python, that generates all types of boxes and other projects and parts. Photos of most boxes are shown on the home page. The Menu button lists the boxes by name instead of photo. Each box page has fields that can be filled in with your required dimensions. They are populated with good working default values that you can use to generate an .svg file, other formats are available in the drop down menu, to cut a sample box. This is helpful if you're a hands on person or want to test the burn thickness value, also known as kerf, which determines how tight the joints fit together. I use most of the default values but change the inner-corners value to corner, loop is for drill type cutters. The Generate button opens a new tab with the SVG drawing that you right click and save. The Download button puts the file directly to your download folder but it takes a minute to finish.
For this electronics project, I chose the Integrated Hinge Box
I was building an ATX bench top power supply recently, until I blew up the power supply. I'll post that project in the future when it can be completed. One facet of the build was incorporating a voltage and current display. When I purchased it from Amazon, it came in a three pack with a max of 100 V/ 10A. I was sure I'd find a use for the others. (Screencap from Amazon)
My sister gave me this pretty large paperweight as a gift. It has an iridescent translucent coating on the underside that made it perfect to shine some color changing LEDs through. Its heavy and needed a box to hold the LEDs. I talked about the electronics as part of the Humble Electronics #002 post.
This project was inspired by JohnAudioTech on YouTube. It has been on my mind for years. I had previously bread boarded it and was genuinely surprised it actually worked. Go to his video here and get the schematic from him.
It is his design and his work and I lay no claim on it. I finally got to soldering this circuit together this summer and tested it.
I became interested in making a pretty "Supercomputer" prop as I explained in this post on the electronics. The electronics needed a box to hold them and define the lighted areas and the laser cutter helped me construct it.
This was my first laser cutter design from scratch. I designed it in Inkscape after I determined the size of prototype PCB board I was going to use. As I explained in the above linked post, I was going to make it a square grid but changed it to elongated hexagons instead. This design change made it more appealing to me and worked to great effect in the end. I designed a grid of interlocking sections to isolate the light from each LED. The LEDs vary non-uniformly and begin to light different colors in less than a minute. I just chose a random depth not knowing exactly how the light would play in each cell.
Again I have Big Clive on YouTube for this project but it went in a silly direction. He has showcased how rechargeable Lithium batteries are being thrown away in disposable vapes and that you can carefully harvest the batteries for personal fun and 5V power. Here's a link to one of many videos he's done on the subject. You can also harvest old cell phone batteries to run your 5V lights longer.
His suggestion is to use a TP4056 single cell lithium charger that contains an over/under voltage and current protection module to safely use and recharge the lithium cell.
