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Author Topic: STAR WARS MICRO Complete with video!  (Read 138559 times)

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Le Chuck

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Re: Caanoo hack mini Star Wars build
« Reply #40 on: March 13, 2012, 10:45:56 pm »
Bender, thanks man, that was a huge concern but once I got that licked I feel like this thing is taking off with jet packs.  It'll slow down again once I start fabricating the yoke but for now I'm trucking right along. 

Got the shroud knocked out tonight and the cab partially assembled so I can start test fitting things.  Last thing I did tonight was slather the shroud with joint compound so I can sand and primer in the morning.  I have one panel to recut as it's a bit short and I think I'll split my overlong back panel into to pieces so the admin area is fixed.  Then I'll wire up the rest of the caanoo switches while I patiently wait by the mailbox for my bearing for the yoke to arrive. 



So this is where we're at so far.  As you can see I'm no where near some of the 1:8 scale cabs out there but I think I'll take the cake in the analog subcategory that I just invented just now this second right now. 



The shroud is not an exact copy of the original because I decided to go with a square monitor opening based on how I'm flush mounting the screen.  Also reproducing the shroud is a bit tricky, even though I had one on the table to reference so I took some artistic license in a few details.  I am pleased with how it's coming out.


I had a lot of fun making it, more than I thought I would, and only hope that the yoke is also as enjoyable to fabricate.  We'll see. 

LeedsFan

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #41 on: March 15, 2012, 04:40:50 pm »
This looks cool!  Really looking forward to seeing the finished product.  :applaud:

I also had fun making the shroud on my Star Wars project. In fact the shroud alone took about a week in total to make, what with doing a couple hours each night after work etc. But it's the little details like this that make the finished project stand out from the crowd. When it's all painted up yours will look great I'm sure. (Looks great already in fact)

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #42 on: March 15, 2012, 07:24:50 pm »
Thumbs up!

Le Chuck

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #43 on: March 15, 2012, 10:53:34 pm »
LeedsFan, I'm kinda taking your SW build and Bender's Micro DK and trying to slam them together, yours is a huge inspiration.  I have some time off this week and I probably spent a good 6 hours on the shroud as it's pictured, little angles can kick one's ass. 

Generic Eric,  :cheers:

Paint has been going on in multiple coats and all is left to cure overnight.  I'll do a rough assembly tomorrow night for final test fit with the Caanoo installed.  I have a few loose ends to tie up before I get to work on the yoke, which I anticipate taking a good while.  I've already conquered some pretty big hurdles and an 95% certain that I have autocentering licked but will have to wait until I'm prototyping to check playability.  I suspect some redesigns of the yoke handles will be reguired for thumb and finger play.   

I've soldered, tested and hot-glued the wires for the analog control, the coin, and one button.  I have a second button, the exit, and the power left to solder, test, and glue tomorrow.

Coin door totally kicked my tail on the first go, I've sent out feelers to cheat and pay to have one made but I'm going to get some better material and try again.  I tried bass wood and sculpy first but will probably go get some hard wood and a mechanical pencil and start dremeling away.  We'll see.  I've contemplated just printing it but everybody makine 1:8 scale did a real coin door so I don't wanna ---smurfette--- out and fake the funk. 

Have the LED bar all ready to go in the marquee area but am having a hard time figuring out where on the caanoo board I can hook up for power.  I need 3 to 5vs.  Nothing seems to be that well labeled.  I'm sure an answer will present itself.   


Nephasth

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #44 on: March 15, 2012, 11:09:51 pm »
First time checking this thread out... Jesus Martha Tits!

Well I know of one guy that would be able to play this easier than I...

Le Chuck

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #45 on: March 15, 2012, 11:21:32 pm »
First time checking this thread out... Jesus Martha Tits!

Well I know of one guy that would be able to play this easier than I...


Thanks  :cheers:

That is ridiculously creepy... but I bet those wee hands make his wang look like a burmese python... hey-o

Le Chuck

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #46 on: March 16, 2012, 01:06:38 pm »
Caanoo is charging so I had a few minutes to install the speaker grill and get some shots now that the paint is done.  I went with a semi-gloss this time, gives it some nice shine I think.

Back to the grind now.  I want to get the wiring and the LED bar squared away today for sure.

05SRT4

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #47 on: March 16, 2012, 01:26:44 pm »
Wow with the paint on it looks like a legit molding!

SammyWI

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #48 on: March 16, 2012, 09:27:09 pm »
Looking good.  Paint looks sharp.

Le Chuck

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #49 on: March 16, 2012, 11:52:31 pm »
Thanks guys, I only went up to 400 grit between coats this time because I'm covering almost everything in vinyl anyway but it glossed up really smoothly, there are a few really minor pits where some orange peel didn't settle but I'm pleased.  The shroud really turned out well, I wish I had a metal lathe so I could just machine it all.  My father in law has all that stuff but lives 15 hours away and doesn't even have email so for now I'll keep carving until I can get my own or drag him kicking and screaming into this century. 

This evening I got the power for the marquee sorted (didn't know you could just turn on the USB power in the caanoo settings... felt like a dummy) but fried the marquee board with some errant solder.  That's okay I have a better one coming in from amazon for under $3 with free shipping so I'm not heart broken.  Rest of the wiring is soldered, tested, and glued.  The board looks like a damn rat's nest for now.  I need to make a board support similar to what Bender has on his micro DK but will need to wait until I fit the pots and yoke hardware in.  I will start tackling the coin door again tomorrow and will see if I can't get some better results this time. Other than that I'm at a standstill until my Amazon goodies start to flow in. 



LeedsFan

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #50 on: March 17, 2012, 03:26:30 am »
Looking good!  The side profile shot looks really good. Gonna be really interesting to see how the yoke looks and plays.

Regarding the speaker panel, is that just a piece of sheet metal with the holes in it you can buy from a DIY store? On mine I was concerned that the holes may look too big for the cabinet size (and yours is way smaller) so in the end I used a solder board. One of those little boards you put electronic components in. I just turned it backwards and sprayed it.

Yours looks pretty neat as it is, I'm not saying you should change it. I only mention this as an idea in case you wanted smaller holes.

Le Chuck

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #51 on: March 17, 2012, 10:25:49 am »
Looking good!  The side profile shot looks really good. Gonna be really interesting to see how the yoke looks and plays.

Regarding the speaker panel, is that just a piece of sheet metal with the holes in it you can buy from a DIY store? On mine I was concerned that the holes may look too big for the cabinet size (and yours is way smaller) so in the end I used a solder board. One of those little boards you put electronic components in. I just turned it backwards and sprayed it.

Yours looks pretty neat as it is, I'm not saying you should change it. I only mention this as an idea in case you wanted smaller holes.

That's a really good idea using the component board, I'll take a look next time I drop into radio shack and may switch it out.  What you're seeing is an old speaker cover I salvaged off a rotting Atari shell.  I cut it down to size an ground the front edge to bevel it in. 

rockyrocket

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #52 on: March 17, 2012, 12:35:46 pm »
Just love this!.
Whats going to be next?, micro battlezone?.
Keep it up.

05SRT4

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #53 on: March 18, 2012, 10:05:27 pm »
Whats next? good question.


Le Chuck

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #54 on: March 18, 2012, 11:10:29 pm »
Just love this!.
Whats going to be next?, micro battlezone?.
Keep it up.

Thanks man, I got some more done today as far as odds and ends and some art.  Will figure out a good coin door this week while the cave dwellers in the Amazon sweatshop warehouses find my stuff and box it up for me. 

Whats next? good question.

I've got a full size SW build laid on this summer so after this mini I'll be slowly harvesting more parts.  As far as minis go I want to do one more Caanoo hack but translate the analog inputs into rotary inputs so I can make a 1:6 Tron or DOT (if I'm feeling really froggy).  The Caanoo barely has enough inputs to cover the bases of a DOT though... will take some creative rewriting of the Mame4all controller config to get that working right.  Plus I get to build a 1:6 scale push pull spinner.  I see epic fail written all over that one.   ;D 

05SRT4

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #55 on: March 18, 2012, 11:35:20 pm »
Yeah once I started mine I came up with some more mini ideas I wanna try. I want to build a couple of cheap Game boy advance ones. And am thinking of a PSP virtual pinball. but id hate to wast a psp just for a mini pinball cab.

Le Chuck

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 13 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #56 on: March 22, 2012, 07:04:28 pm »
Coindoors in miniature are probably the worst projects evar.  I have created the 90% solution after several tries but will probably make another one at a later date to improve on what I've learned thus far. 

Tried some different materials
  • Bass Wood - too weak when carved super thin
  • Sculpy - great modeling compound but very hard to get straight detailed lines at this scale
  • Foam/Styrene - achievable nice clean lines but too blockish
  • Bass wood base with art board raised relief with sculpy to smooth the blockiness - came out okay but it's not perfectly aligned so I'm not happy with it

Maybe I'm being too nit-picky but I really wanted to get the coin door looking like it was a real one put under a shrink ray.  If anyone has a shrink ray please PM me. 



Here are some of my tries, I ended up using a jeweler's saw to carve out the negative spaces by hand (hence the curvy ass lines) and decided to put the coin and exit buttons where the coin returns were since I didn't want to mess with the coin receives as I actually liked how those look as is.  When I remake this PITA I'll be able to clean up those scuff marks around the coin and exit buttons as well.  Other than that it's not that bad but I still see this a pretty much a rough draft. 



And here's the cab with the art applied save the control panel.  That'll be next.  Coin door isn't wired in this pic but just taped on so we can see it on the cab.  Again, I think it came out pretty well, I just am pretty sure that I can do better if I decide I have another several hours to dedicate to the coin door.  Next up is the lighting, which should arrive shortly.  Amazon sent me the wrong diameter tube so I have to scare up some .375" OD tubing to get the yoke up and running.  Overall though I think it's starting to come together nicely.

05SRT4

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #57 on: March 22, 2012, 07:23:47 pm »
Way to cool man!!!! The coin door came out great. Everything looks great!!

vcoleiro1

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #58 on: March 22, 2012, 07:54:26 pm »
Looking fantastic, well done.


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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #59 on: March 22, 2012, 08:11:52 pm »
So cool I want one!
« Last Edit: March 22, 2012, 08:39:16 pm by PIZZ »

Le Chuck

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #60 on: March 22, 2012, 10:57:33 pm »
Thanks guys,  :cheers:, it's nice to get some art on the sides, makes you feel like you've accomplished something when in fact...

I drilled and countersunk the yoke supports into the shroud and fab'd up a support plate out of some steel bar stock I had laying about.  Attaced the flangette bearing that will assist the yoke X axis axle and did a test fitting.  

The caanoo main board is in the way.  Damn display ribbon cable is too short to give me the space for using a bearing and then a pot.  If I just use the pot as the X axle there is room but that creates a wire management issue and eliminates any possibility of autocentering.  Pretty much that option is a non starter for now so I'll be solving the quandry of how to extend the ribbon cable on the caanoo.  It'll likely be a while before I am able to move forward but I'll keep plugging away.  

edit:  Basic theory is that I can put two 30 wire flat flexible cables in one 60 pin zif connector side by side then split the stock 60 wire FFC into two cables and put the extensions and the stock ends into one zif connector each for the splice.  Issue, digikey doesn't sell a 60 wire FCC so I'm going to try two 30s.  Now I just need to figure out if the pitch is .5mm or smaller.  I think it's .5 because the cable is 31 or 33mm wide.  Time to order more stuff - harumph  
« Last Edit: March 23, 2012, 12:04:07 am by Le Chuck »

LeedsFan

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #61 on: March 23, 2012, 04:29:27 pm »
The coin door looks fine.... I bet it took ages to make! I wasn't too sure how exactly you were going to make the coin door but of course now we can all see. What are the dimensions of the door? It looks really small on your fingers there. If it really is as small as I think it might be then you can ignore my suggestion below as it might not be practical.....

I do have an idea to make the same coin door if I was gonna do the same thing. I'd take some 2mm aluminium sheet and drill holes where the curved indents are. Then I'd cut out the straight parts and file smooth. Time consuming yeah. Then stick that when it's finished onto a flat piece of 1mm perspex. Spray black and then add the fake hinges.

It's just an idea I thought of. I've tried carving stuff before and to be honest I'm really bad at it. I like to put smaller pieces together to make up a larger piece.

Gotta say that artwork looks really good. Especially the sideart!  :applaud:

This is gonna be one unique little cab when it's done.   :D

vcoleiro1

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #62 on: March 23, 2012, 07:51:01 pm »
The coin door looks fine.... I bet it took ages to make! I wasn't too sure how exactly you were going to make the coin door but of course now we can all see. What are the dimensions of the door? It looks really small on your fingers there. If it really is as small as I think it might be then you can ignore my suggestion below as it might not be practical.....

I do have an idea to make the same coin door if I was gonna do the same thing. I'd take some 2mm aluminium sheet and drill holes where the curved indents are. Then I'd cut out the straight parts and file smooth. Time consuming yeah. Then stick that when it's finished onto a flat piece of 1mm perspex. Spray black and then add the fake hinges.

It's just an idea I thought of. I've tried carving stuff before and to be honest I'm really bad at it. I like to put smaller pieces together to make up a larger piece.

Gotta say that artwork looks really good. Especially the sideart!  :applaud:

This is gonna be one unique little cab when it's done.   :D

Thats more or less how I created my last batch of mini coin doors. Basically I got a 1 mm thick sheet of flat smooth plastic and cut the pattern out of it. Then added the other bits on top.  You get a very smooth sharp finish without the woodgrain or rough crooked edges you get from using wood.  Once I was happy with it I then made a mould using silicone moulding material.

Technically you can also use the moulding clay to make the coin door mould , but you need to have an artists touch for that.

yaksplat

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #63 on: March 23, 2012, 10:44:21 pm »
You need a milling machine.  I'm sure you could make some really kick ass mini coin doors on it.
Check out my current 3 machine build:
http://yaksplat.wordpress.com

Custom Control Panels: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=121245

rockyrocket

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #64 on: March 24, 2012, 02:46:38 am »
What about an engraver for the straight edges, can you run use one with a ruler?.
Or you can get those mini dremel routers, I have not used either personally but keep lusting after the dremel.
Looking excellent by the way.

Bender

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #65 on: March 24, 2012, 08:30:09 pm »
Man! That cab looks sweet! :applaud: :applaud:
I would have layered 2 sheets is styrene to make the coin door
Styrene is nice you can cut it with an xacto knife then sand it
Looks pretty sweet they way you did it though
What kind of buttons did you use there?

dandare

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #66 on: March 25, 2012, 11:20:44 am »
Amazing work dude!  :applaud:

A scale stormtrooper figure standing next to that would look sweet!

Not that you have a thing for stormtroopers or anything... ;D

Le Chuck

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #67 on: March 25, 2012, 08:03:03 pm »
Kind words everyone  :cheers:
I really appreciate it and will definitely get back on the horse and give this another shot. 

The coin door looks fine.... I bet it took ages to make! I wasn't too sure how exactly you were going to make the coin door but of course now we can all see. What are the dimensions of the door? It looks really small on your fingers there. If it really is as small as I think it might be then you can ignore my suggestion below as it might not be practical.....

I do have an idea to make the same coin door if I was gonna do the same thing. I'd take some 2mm aluminium sheet and drill holes where the curved indents are. Then I'd cut out the straight parts and file smooth. Time consuming yeah. Then stick that when it's finished onto a flat piece of 1mm perspex. Spray black and then add the fake hinges.

It's just an idea I thought of. I've tried carving stuff before and to be honest I'm really bad at it. I like to put smaller pieces together to make up a larger piece.

Gotta say that artwork looks really good. Especially the sideart!  :applaud:

This is gonna be one unique little cab when it's done.   :D

I have about 4 hours in this latest version. The coin door is roughly 88mm by 30mm, which is fairly close to the 1:6 scale I'm working with.  I could simplify the design a bit and get rid of most of my problem but I think this style of door is so much more visually interesting.

Your idea is pretty much right on the money, I'm going to hand cut it out of aluminum but pre-drill all the corners like you said so they're uniform.  Then it shouldn't be too much to just stay on line with the jeweler's saw.  Once I get it all sanded up I'll probably mount on Aluminum also with some JB weld and may even bevel the edges with the sculpy again, just more better this time.  As for the coin drops I'll try to do those out of metal as well and cut in the slot and area for the insert.  I don't think I'll get so far as to light them but who knows, I'll shoot for the moon and try to hit not half bad.   


Thats more or less how I created my last batch of mini coin doors. Basically I got a 1 mm thick sheet of flat smooth plastic and cut the pattern out of it. Then added the other bits on top.  You get a very smooth sharp finish without the woodgrain or rough crooked edges you get from using wood.  Once I was happy with it I then made a mould using silicone moulding material.

Technically you can also use the moulding clay to make the coin door mould , but you need to have an artists touch for that.

I took a molding (one thing I actually know how to do) but it's garbage in garbage out right now.  I can make exact copies of my current crappy coin door.  :banghead:  I know it's not awful but I think my next try will be a marked improvement.

You need a milling machine.  I'm sure you could make some really kick ass mini coin doors on it.

Brother don't I know it.  I would be milling all my own mini yoke pieces as well, and the shroud and... well the whole thing would be aluminum.   ;D

What about an engraver for the straight edges, can you run use one with a ruler?.
Or you can get those mini dremel routers, I have not used either personally but keep lusting after the dremel.
Looking excellent by the way.

I have the dremel router attachment but was getting a chewy line for some reason, I think a lot of it has to do with the scale and material, once I got to a larger scale everything smooths out.   

Man! That cab looks sweet! :applaud: :applaud:
I would have layered 2 sheets is styrene to make the coin door
Styrene is nice you can cut it with an xacto knife then sand it
Looks pretty sweet they way you did it though
What kind of buttons did you use there?

The buttons were a $3 radio shack find, tucked away in the momentary pb drawer.  They come in a two pack of one red and one black so that worked out really well for me.  I haven't wired them up yet for testing but they seem nice and springy so they should work really well for this application. 

Amazing work dude!  :applaud:

A scale stormtrooper figure standing next to that would look sweet!

Not that you have a thing for stormtroopers or anything... ;D

Already been cruising ebay for a 1:6 character to play the cab when I'm not   ;)
Just can't decide who should be at the helm, Luke is a natural choice but there is irony in having Vader or a Tie Pilot rocking the controls as well. ;D 

yaksplat

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 22 MAR 2012 Update
« Reply #68 on: March 25, 2012, 09:24:28 pm »
Brother don't I know it.  I would be milling all my own mini yoke pieces as well, and the shroud and... well the whole thing would be aluminum.

You say that as though it's a bad thing.  Aluminum anodizes to a nice black so well...

And how much fun is it to machine aluminum?
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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 28 MAR 2012 Update, Monitor cable extended
« Reply #69 on: March 28, 2012, 06:14:31 pm »
I have successfully extended the Caanoo's FFC display cable 4 inches.  I really couldn't believe this worked since I kinda botched some of the ends but it's working flawlessly.  I was totally terrified when I turned it on to test and I had black screen... then I realized that the battery had gone dead.  It's on the charge now and I have good picture.



How it's done:

As stated earlier Digikey doesn't have a 60 wire FFC available so I ordered:

2x HFF-30U-04-ND (30 position, .5mm pitch, 4" FFC)
1x 609-3439-1-ND (Connector FPC/FCC 60 position, .5mm pitch)

Why Digikey carries a 60 wire connector but not a 60 wire cable is beyond me but I'm thankful they do.  Anyway, on the FFC extensions I had to shave some excess off the two inside edge of the cables to account for the difference in the interwire gap and the terminal end.  I didn't do this all along the cable but just for a cm or so on each end so I could get them side by side in the connector.  I also had to strip the rigid tape off the connection end from the original monitor cable and the splice end of each extension.  This is because the connector used for the splice is a board connector meant to only house one cable.  Then I lined up the cables and   fit all three (two extensions side by side both facing the original) into the connector to secure my splice. In removing the rigid backing from the original and one extension I chewed the corner a bit when I was pulling off the last bit.  Luckily those wires are all fused at the monitor so it didn't affect the outcome.

This is by far one of the more stressful little hacks I've done but it isn't overly complicated.  I'm just amazed it worked on my first try... and thrilled I didn't brick my caanoo or anything.   ;D  

Total cost of this mod is $15 with shipping. 

Brother don't I know it.  I would be milling all my own mini yoke pieces as well, and the shroud and... well the whole thing would be aluminum.

You say that as though it's a bad thing.  Aluminum anodizes to a nice black so well...

And how much fun is it to machine aluminum?

Jim, you're the  >:D.  If I come home with a $500 mill my wife will kill me and no you can't have my mill if I'm dead.    
« Last Edit: March 28, 2012, 06:40:29 pm by Le Chuck »

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 28 MAR 2012 Update, Monitor cable extended
« Reply #70 on: March 28, 2012, 08:12:35 pm »
Holy crap you did extend the screen!! Good deal to. Thanks for the input on how to.

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 28 MAR 2012 Update, Monitor cable extended
« Reply #71 on: March 28, 2012, 09:50:37 pm »
Jim, you're the  >:D.  If I come home with a $500 mill my wife will kill me and no you can't have my mill if I'm dead.    

I've got one of these just laying around waiting for me to make some chips.
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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 28 MAR 2012 Update, Monitor cable extended
« Reply #72 on: March 29, 2012, 08:23:45 pm »


F&$#!!!! Yeah that's awesome!!!!!!!

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 28 MAR 2012 Update, Monitor cable extended
« Reply #73 on: March 29, 2012, 09:41:11 pm »
F&$#!!!! Yeah that's awesome!!!!!!!

Holy crap you did extend the screen!! Good deal too. Thanks for the input on how to.

Thanks, I was pretty proud of it myself  :cheers:

I remade the coin door because I'm a glutten for punishment.  Did it out of 20g aluminum and the coin drops are 1/8" steel bar stock.  Those were a ---smurfette--- to shape but they came out well.  I wired up two red LEDs to shine though the coin drops and am contemplating translucent materials to use to fill the hole rather than leaving it with just the LED.  I am thinking hot glue would be easiest as I really don't want to cut a peice of plexi to a 2mm by 3mm square and frost it.  I also finally got he marquee lights tested. 

Coin door is drying now but I hope to have it completed tomorrow.  This weekend if all goes well and my .315" OD pipe arrives I'll finally start making some progress on the yoke. 

I've got one of these just laying around waiting for me to make some chips.

Wanna make a 1:6 spinner top for me?  I've got a TRON build I'm brewing. 


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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 28 MAR 2012 Update, Monitor cable extended
« Reply #74 on: March 29, 2012, 10:27:44 pm »
Wanna make a 1:6 spinner top for me?  I've got a TRON build I'm brewing. 

Hey, that's lathe work.  Got a drawing?
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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 28 MAR 2012 Update, Monitor cable extended
« Reply #75 on: March 30, 2012, 06:34:30 pm »
Coin door has done been redid. Results are vastly improved.  I used a paint that had a bit more gloss than I wanted but I got a nice orange peel out of it.  I think it'll settle out in the next 24 hours tho, the paint isn't tacky but it isn't 100% cured either.  Couldn't resist hooking stuff up tho.  FWIW the hotglue as a custom shaped LED diffuser worked really well I think.  My pipe came in too so I get to start tinkering on the yoke finally  ;D 



Now I just need to make some ridiculously small vinyl 25c overlays for the coin drops... maybe Pongo can help.   

Wanna make a 1:6 spinner top for me?  I've got a TRON build I'm brewing. 

Hey, that's lathe work.  Got a drawing?

Not yet, I'll PM you some stuff when I'm ready to start that project if you're interested in lending a hand (moolah proffered of course)

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 28 MAR 2012 Update, Monitor cable extended
« Reply #76 on: March 30, 2012, 06:59:24 pm »
to cool! Stop showing off the screen extension cable your making me jealous!! lol

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 28 MAR 2012 Update, Monitor cable extended
« Reply #77 on: March 30, 2012, 10:44:56 pm »
HOLY MOLEY!

That coin door is fantastic!  think i may need to revisit my mini and try and do something similar.  :applaud:

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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 5 APR 2012 Yoke Construction
« Reply #78 on: April 05, 2012, 02:22:38 pm »
Dandare and 05SRT4,  :cheers:, thanks guys, just trying to make this thing happen  ;D

I need some recommendations of how to fabricate the handles for the yoke.  I haven't done a prototype of those yet and I would like to get some ideas before I proceed.  I've been thinking about just doing it out of aluminum but I want to hear other suggestions first in case there is a better way lurking out there beyond my imagination.  I'll go through some pics on where I am with yoke construction thus far.


Got the axle pot onto the main axle and used that as a starting place to determine scale for the yoke.  Ended up needing 1:4 scale so the yoke will be a bit oversized but it's a difference of just under a cm overall so it shouldn't be too noticeable. 


Prototype yoke housing, figured out that the pot that goes in the yoke is too large. 


Diet yoke is above.  I shaved a cm from it in total.  At this scale I'm working in mm so it's a huge difference. 


Working on the current yoke housing


Current yoke housing complete, ready to install inner pot and drill for the pot axle.


This is a as far as I've gotten, pot installed and tested (not secured yet)


This is with the side off so you can see the inner workings and how close the fit is on the diet pot. 


This is the trigger mech I'll be using.  You can see the scale, it's actually closer to a 1:8 scale but it'll work fine.  Just need to figure out how I want to fab up the handles. 

Thanks for looking and for the ideas guys.


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Re: Mini Star Wars Caanoo Hack - 05 APR 2012, Yoke Construction Update
« Reply #79 on: April 05, 2012, 03:06:40 pm »
needs more duct tape.

are you testing the pots as you're assembling this?  It'd really suck to get it all together and then find a bad pot.

I'd mill the handles out of aluminum and have a recess in them for the switch.  It'd still be pretty tricky to do though.  Perhaps just using a drill and some files might work.

You should mass produce those and sell them. miniram-controls......something like that
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