Jennifer has issues

[jennifer]

I sometimes wonder if anyone ever reads my crazy thoughts, few people even talk to me anymore probibally because of my Lazy people suck, and build it right the first time attitude (I should work on that🙄) When I work you guys are always on the bench with me regardless, But thanks for that..."Rubbish tip" I found that curiously amusing, here we call that the landfill, dump,or just trash,Lol...Few people can have a vision and build it from plans in their head, but thinking you may be one of the chosen few, Steel in a build is not easy or the cheapest way to build a machine, but those that know will source the materials by any means nessesary to see that vision through...and not by finding some friend who does it for a living and making him work on his day off, but by going down to the fab shop and having it done as a paid contract job...Good for you man, Thats good Karma.

[Ropi Jo]

I sometimes wonder if anyone ever reads my crazy thoughts,

"Crazy Thought Reader" here!

Your working level is generally way over my head but a thoroughly enjoyable read non-the-less!

[jennifer]

Thanks for that too, At least Jenni aint just sitting around talking to herself in the night...I dont mean to talk over anyone's head, or show off with junk people can't afford (one of the reasons I don't do alot of pics) And Jenn is far from some all encompassing know it all egghead...Nicola Tesla I once heard it said would calculate the volume of his food before he would eat it...Years ago I too started doing the same, it is quite difficult actually since half a glass of Dr pepper is in a cylinder for example, the angles on meatloaf x thickness...Well you get the point, it is not easy to even get close to a real answer in your head like that, but the theory behind such commitment is how I seeming build things in my head without build sheets or plans...Pure physics, and math...The actual build is easy, it is already built in my head, and can think about unicorns and things while I work...Lol.

[Zebidee]

Fair work deserves fair pay, and possibly a six-pack for the workers to share around at the end of the day 

Is not like metal shop workers typically get much pay anyway.

The actual build is easy, it is already built in my head, and can think about unicorns and things while I work...Lol.

Jenn I think your workbench might need some more unicorns? 

[pbj]

And still no pics of those 200 pinball machines or $10,000 cabinets.

[jennifer]

I never said I had 200 pins, Said I had 200 arcade machines.

[jennifer]

10k doesn't go as far as it used to Jim...this workbench upgrade alone is coming up on 16k this year, half of that is in that 9010a Fluke project alone...I have been selling machines, (6 if them were pins) 2 of those were my Checkpoints, little sad about that...I am back down to around 100 machines.

[jennifer]

Oh, and my Monte Carlo, Omg, now I am just sick, just thinking about it...I do miss that one.😒

[pbj]

And still no pics

[jennifer]

I gave you pics, back in the day...

[jennifer]

And besides I really don't care if you see pics or not...Pictures of junk out of your neighbors garbage can and duct tape really don't do much for me...Notice Jennifer aint begging you for pics.

[jennifer]

But for the rest of you that are curious...Phase 1 (of 3) of the pod builds, there are only 2 shown but we are building 3, The 6502 and the 6800 are really the same thing with different processors and jumpers, and a Z80...Dont know how many of you ever built a bare board, but it is not a kit, Generally it is sourced parts and requires an understanding of the circut you are building, I have chose to socket everything on these (dont usually to keep costs down) but these are actually 4 layer boards and removing parts kinda sucks, and somewhat experimental by not only the redesign but the obsolete aspect of the parts...Phase 1, do what I can, and understand circut...The boards are Jerry Walkers, and are really nice, highly recommended to anyone planning this...I have managed to source all the 74LSXXX chips (finally) and got boxes coming from all over the globe for Phase 2.😁

[pbj]

I’ve got a similar Weller.  Pulled it out of a trash pile.

 

[jennifer]

I diddnt realize that Weller was in the pic, I have tried alot of solder guns, but keep coming back to that on as my favorite (probibally the old model).

[jennifer]

I been thinking...This Fluke project is probably a bit overkill here at the byoac, I get that, It is a old beast that most likely needs an overview for some of the new players around here...The Fluke 9010a is a micro system tester, built in the mid 80s it was primarily used for troubleshooting the IBM we were making fun of earlier in this thread...And other processor based platforms such as arcade machines, basically you remove the processor from the target machine and replace it with the appropriate pod...As result you can then get very specific memory targeting without the background noise of the system running but see only what the processor can see, and do recurring loop signaling and all kinds of fun things as far as troubleshooting problem boards, Ram/Rom as specific chips...Exciting days on Jens bench to be sure...Going forward, rhe Fluke is a z80 based system, so I will actually fix a fluke as a unit under test with another Fluke (working parts machine) and should be able to not only pinpoint the problem area, but also test the new pods.

[Zebidee]

Thank you very much for that detailed explanation Jenn, cos I totally didn't know what you were talking about  . Now I feel cleverer cos I do! 

[jennifer]

That gets a bit advanced I guess...Buying a cheap old Analog scope, and testing random things like leds, resistors, 555 timers will make you feel smarter than everyone in your town...😜

[jennifer]

They are quite intimidating with all the buttons and knobs, but once you start to understand what you are doing it is not that bad...Basicly it is a fancy voltmeter, with the added benifit of actually being able to see the electricity (so to speak)...incredibly cool and can be found very cheap over on E/pay...My first one was only 25mhz.

[Zebidee]

That gets a bit advanced I guess...Buying a cheap old Analog scope, and testing random things like leds, resistors, 555 timers will make you feel smarter than everyone in your town...😜

lol, I don't think I'm being egotistical when I say I'm already smarter than most people in town (except maybe my wife). But then, I live in a small town in rural Thailand where nothing more complicated than a rice harvest is likely to happen. There is a brain drain going on here: all the smarter people leave for jobs in the Big Smoke, except for the even smarter or luckier ones (like me) that come here to escape the Big Smoke (semi-retire).

When I talked about choices before... often I learn how to do things myself because there simply isn't anyone else around that can do it. So I have no choice except to learn and do it myself. Which is why I'm happy to outsource whatever I can (like simple metalworking), so I have more time to focus on other things.

My working theory of life is that anyone of average+ intelligence can do pretty much anything they want so long as they put their mind and heart towards making it happen. This is why I have such high respect for skills - it takes minds and hearts. However there isn't enough time to do *everything* yourself, no matter how big you mind and heart, thus choices and allowing yourself to ask for help.

For an oscilloscope I'm currently making do with a digital USB one (Owon), which I connect to my laptop. It is great and lets me "see the matrix" so to speak, but does inspire me to get a desktop scope in the future.

[jennifer]

I have never been there, but it sounds dreamy, I did get some soap from there once and it smells like fruit, real fruit not some chemical lab creation, Rice harvest does make think of snakes however, big nasty horrible monster serpents 😳,Omg now I so am going to have nightmares...Semi retired means hobbies, a small bench in the corner makes for days,and days of curious fun making things...A arcade machine in your rice forest would be a long way from home, and would imagine there are not many to choose from, and beat to death if you did find one, Do you build Mame cabs? Even the parts would be premium I would think...And as silly as this sounds, do you have Tootsie rolls there? Creme soda?...Mcdonalds?

[Zebidee]

Arcade machines do get a premium price in Thailand. Not that I've been selling any here. Just trying to get on top of my own collection and wants. Would like to get into making/selling here. I used to do custom cabs in Australia but always been too distracted or disabled by a list of reasons to make it happen in Thailand yet.

Basically I'm happy to currently have body with both legs and both hands working at mostly full capacity.

I have enough parts in my shed to make at least a few arcade cabs from scratch already, and I have a decent collection of game PCBs to put in them too if I want to   WHich is why I've been making an effort to clean it all up so I can get in there without choking on dust.

Where I haven't been busy with other things, last little while been busying myself with the GreenAntz RGB to component transcoder project, if only because it would secure a steady supply of CRT TVs to use as arcade monitors in a land where arcade monitors are as rare as hens teeth.

We get a lot of snakes, next to a big river. In the wet season about one per week or so. Mostly non-threatening, we just shoo them away. But then, I'm Australian and there they have the deadliest snakes in the world - these Thai ones are just for show.

Then there are the scorpions. And don't even get me started about the centipedes.

Hmm creme soda? Maybe, there are so many flavours here. MacDonalds? closest I know of is four hours hard drive away. I have no idea what a Tootsie roll is 

[bobbyb13]

No snakes at all in Hawai'i !
Of course there are nearly no classic arcade machines left either.

We have similar issues to yours here but I am sure you are even more remotely situated than I (and I will burn diesel for electricity for another few months and can't get an internet connection to maintain good standing on a hobby-appropriate torrent yet still either-) 

Also grateful for the health I still have...

And still I envy Jennifer her welding equipment!!
Not that I know how to use any of it well- still   
So her skill too
 

[jennifer]

Oh my you guys are all over the planet, such fun beautiful places...Z/dee, I really hope your shed has power, because half the fun is middle of the night, crazy experimental, and falling asleep at the workbench waking up with drool all over the side of your head (Dont ask how I would know this)...Bobby, that no power thing sounds kinda horrible, Whats up with that, hurricane damage or someting? ...I am beginning to understand why some folks around here don't believe half of what I say sometimes, in comparison Jennifer should not be so wasteful with her resources and arcade builds...Fluke pods took a hard right turn today, the hard to find parts I have been waiting for never got sent, Aparently Fraud protection shut my payment off and order never went through, I fixed it on my end but, Its not looking good and may have angered the powers that may be...So back to looking for a new parts vendor, this may take awhile.

[Zebidee]

Z/dee, I really hope your shed has power, because half the fun is middle of the night, crazy experimental, and falling asleep at the workbench waking up with drool all over the side of your head (Dont ask how I would know this)

lol, I prefer to work at night as less interruptions and too hot to work in middle of the day (most of the year). We are civilised of course and had power and internet here as soon as there was a bamboo hut to hook the optical fibre up to.

Yes I have also fallen asleep with my head inside an arcade cab (oh my darling what troubles thee, let me lay my head inside your front door, better to gaze upon your pretty wires from down here, oh looky here dear zzzzzzzzzz).

Now that's true intimacy.

Aparently Fraud protection shut my payment off

Yikes, been spending big lately?

[jennifer]

Well kinda, Normally I just upgrade a piece here and there as projects progress, But this year it was more of a remodel upgrade of everything needing upgrading (to a point)...The bench project went a bit overkill and big for hobbies, but figger Jenn will grow with it for awhile,  There is good news however, The Fluke project was at around 8k, Lotta money all at once for this chick, But sold off some extra stuff and got it down to 3.5k...I still have what I need however for that project, 2 Flukes (1 a working parts machine) but only running version 2c, 6 cassette tapes, I had a whole box of unused, but they sold fast since they are kinda special to fluke, 2 of the 3 manuals, and the 3 pods I am building (regret selling the secret OEM pods I had stashed but oh well, someone out in this world is happy...Internet plugged into your grass hut, Thats funny, LOL.😁

[jennifer]

It was fun hearing about where you guys live...Jenni lives in the US, in a little farm town and feel kinda fortunate my neighbors put up with my crazy day and night since I dont seem to sleep much, but they do seem to to talk about This princess like I am the scary cat lady or something, Few years ago there was snow on the ground, So what do I do? Sandblast...Black silica all over the snow and it looked like a giant flash fire... anyway they talked, and talked thinking my house blew up in the night like some kind of meth lab or someting, anyway that was the only time they ever called the cops (and fire dept) imagine my surprise...Got a Walmart, and late night tacos (Taco Bell), random skunks and coyotes but no snakes... Lol.

[Zebidee]

Just tell them Thor came down from Asgard to visit and the black silica is just leftover from the Bifrost beaming him down.

Thor heard you were doing some metalwork and brought Mjolnir to help. Did someone say arc welding?

Do you even have a cat? 'Coz that would help with the skunks and coyotes.

[jennifer]

Lol... I kinda have a cat, but not really, he is a giant stray cat I lure around with table scraps (seems to like hot dogs) and he hunts the mice and haven't seen one in years, The coyotes are a problem out at the farm and have to lure them in from time to time, arguably the smartest animals on earth cause they know a trick when they see it, and it turns out as a battle of wits (They should not mess with Jenn, just saying)...   Skunks are really curious animals and kinda stay away and off to themselves and generally I wont bother them unless they look sick with disease.

[jennifer]

Oh and the rabbit... I dont know if he is my friend or just stupid, because he will hop by checking things out and when he sees me he will just freeze like I dont see him or someting, And I am always like "I see you standing there you idiot"...Then I ask him if he has eaten today, He just sits there stalk still with his ears in the air, like he is perusing the wine list or something, and when I come back with his lunch he is gone...But secretly, he knows where I put the treats...Oddly he loves chocolate, and marshmallows, Never heard of rabbits eating that but I like to make sure he gets some for desert anyway. 🤫

[jennifer]

As for projects I think this one has beat me, and may have to be reavaluated, and most likely my last build EVER... As an overview of what we are facing is modification to a Scratch built Star Wars cab, the mod, would be turning the design into a 4 piece sectional as to fit a giant vector tube and cabinet though a 30"door (sideways) I have to go see what I have, but for now thinking 27-32"...This gets quite experimental at this point...The 6100 chassis seems a good candidate (with modification) but has to be vector not raster,  and the extra heat will be problematic I am thinking...The Aux deflection is the bitter pill here I am thinking as that is not just something you can swap up, as it is game specific with the mathbox/joy stick...Writing code is Not where I shine...The full composite as promised is off the table due to finances, and wood core double-sided laminate will be used...The substructure is to be aluminum, and currently looking at a watercooled Tig specifically for this project...But don't be fooled guys, this is not as cut and dry as one may think, and may just be the machine that takes This Princess to the woodshed...10k Jim?  Ya I hope it is ONLY that much.

[jennifer]

But fun news...There is a new Nano tech coolant On the market, Thats right lab grown 2nano antifreeze...This build may just also just have to have a cooling block and waterpump....(wink)

[bobbyb13]

I've designed and built a few concurrent heat exchangers for turbocharger systems in ridiculous cars, but never thought one would be useful in this application!
 

[jennifer]

It would be the same principle, Remove heat, Its not a new concept They have been doing that for years, it large powerful heat making rigs...The new of this is the coolent, 2nm is a small particulate man in comparison your DNA is like 10nm, but rather than sink to the bottom like sugar in coolaid, it is suspended like antifreeze...For this project it is potentiall overkill, since Atari hardware doesn't generally run that hot, however the bottle caps on big monitors do, and is a common fail point, And the auxiliary P/s too (ar2 board)...So in the initial design I may reconfigure cooling some on a waterblock for sound if nothing else, rather than running giant fans...That will have to be configured after the physical build however since at this point there is already a whole lot of questionable experimental design elsewhere in this build...The First consideration is the cab itself, the marquee in particular since that determines the physical size, The art is done, but not separated for color screens since I don't actually know what size monitor I will be using yet and can still adjust size of art accordingly, The frames for the silkscreen are about done and are already pretty sizeable but could in theory accommodate a 32" separation...There are 5 colors.😁

[Zebidee]

Remove heat, Its not a new concept They have been doing that for years,

lol seems like 1/2 of physics is dealing with the byproducts of the monsters we create.

There's always liquid nitrogen... which you can also use to make ice cream! YUM YUM

[jennifer]

Holy crow...Z80 pod came up on e/pay...Luckily Jenn is already building one of those, cause that would be a bitter pill for This chick..Just saying.😒

[Zebidee]

$3000 faaaaark n ell

[jennifer]

I would like to say I was surprised, but not really, it is actually probibally a fair price for that...Buy it use it life goes on...In comparison this is what Jenn got, boards, modules and rom, little to no support, and no case but happy with my choice,  the whole project for the Z80 is around 700.00 so far, The other 2 pods diddnt come with roms or modules but the files are available and modules sold separately, The case, well that got deep and were originally designed for a thumbwheel style Zif socket,  The lever style is more easy to source but requires modification to case design, and would be why just buying that OEM would not be so out of line...But again, happy with my decision so far if anyone was contemplating such a build, they are really nice boards and since the circuits have been modified some the obsolete factor of replacement parts is not so bad...And secretly it has been kinda fun.😘

[jennifer]

The probe however is going to a little nerve-wracking and it is just a tiny thing no bigger than a tongue depressor...The case being so small I am thinking cherry wood, not someting you would normally associate with Fluke I supose but should be pretty cool as far as home brew goes.

[jennifer]

The pod cases, Well long story...The redesign for the Zif sockets was tricky to say the least, but now that the clearances check out they will be built up in carbon fiber.

[bobbyb13]

Carbon fiber seems a little more appropriate to the application than cherry!