Jennifer has issues

[jennifer]

Yes, you are probibally right, it is just a probe after all, no need to overthink the case I supose...That said, I will give that some more thoght...Lol.

[Zebidee]

I dunno I like using wood for my prototypes...

This one is for testing logic gate function

[Zebidee]

And this is today's project - fitting a relay to my vertical cab so I only have to press one momentary button for everything to start.

cheap chinese relay doesn't have mounting holes, so I had to improvise with scrap wood and zip ties.

[bobbyb13]

Great insulator I suppose! 
Then again I'm not sure most people have otherwise beautiful slabs of... merbau? at their disposal for project beds.

I'm happy that your soldering is far nicer than mine.

 

[Zebidee]

Local hardwood - I know the Thai name but not the farang name. We bought out all remaining stock at the local sawmill (it was closing) before we built our house(s) on this land. Still a lot left, but all small pieces. Also I rarely throw out offcuts, so often have bits of scrap around.

We got lucky. Thailand used to have lots of wood but all the easily available stuff is now gone, and most of what is left is protected within National Parks.

[jennifer]

Around here oak is readily available and I tend to use alot if that even the scraps for making jigs since it is a hardwood it works nice for that, Maple also for making cabs as it is cheaper, Poplar is quite a bit of a softer wood, but has a very low acid content which makes it nice in certian circumstances...Cherry isn't really something that goes on around here, but I do have a bandsaw and a jointer, so when the neighbor cut his tree down I couldn't see it going to waste, so for small stuff I like to use it up...I did however find a cheap voltage probe however I may reconfigure and use a plastic case on that probe project...Relays, I wish more people around here would use them on thier projects because they definitely go beyond simple form and function, They also define the design as one of quality if used correctly.

[Zebidee]

Well I'm happy right now - my relay based power to vertical cab works! Worked first time even! Actually no, worked 2nd time. I thought the 5v relay signal pin needed to be pulled high, but apparently it likes being pulled low (GND).

One switch (PC power on) to rule them all...

Put a PC-style power inlet at the back as well, so I can use PC power cords and remove them as necessary. No need to worry about stashing power cables!

Got Loewe TV to automatically turn on once power applied by putting a 100uF capacitor across a momentary switch built into the power button. I've spent ages trying to get it to turn on automatically via service menu etc, no luck. turns out a capacitor worth a few cents does the trick.

Other than the 5v relay that came by courier (~60 cents each), everything I used came from ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- already in my shed except for 1 thing - I had to get a 10A fuse from local shop for the power inlet, price ~20 cents.

Overall this project has cost me less than $1 if you exclude cost of stuff I had anyway, but even then total cost well under $10

[jennifer]

100uf cap across a momentary switch, clever, I can see the beauty in that...I would have probibally agonized over a cascading 555 for a couple of weeks and finally had some kind of meltdown before seeing the simplicity, but clever man.

[jennifer]

Well today Jenni wrote her last check on the bench upgrade for this year, 1.5k...parts (in bulk) to finish pods, an OEM (4th) pod, the 8048/8041...and a new Hakko fr301 desoldering gun with extra tips...The logic analyzer will have to wait, for now just get the Fluke up and running, and get back to work.

[jennifer]

Oh and on a unrelated note...A new stove, thats exciting, I been cooking on a hotplate for like years.😜

[Zebidee]

Thank you for your kind words Jenn. I'm not always the smartest person in the room, but sometimes I can be very creative.

Unfortunately my cleverness has undone me - I have a nice power button to use and drilled a hole, only to realise the shaft is a tiny bit too short for the locking ring to screw on. I could router out behind but there is a CRT in the way. So I have a hole to fill (fortunately at back so not very visible) and back to using a standard arcade button for power on/off which is not very satisfactory but will have to do for now.

Must be nice to have a new stove in the middle of winter. Does that exhaust fan go anywhere?

[jennifer]

Nobody can forsee every conceivable problem, but how you fix it is what determines your cleverness...Personally I would start over, it is easier the 2nd time knowing what you know about the project, and you dont have a botch fix somewhere in the build (depending on your level of OCD),  The routered back flange sounds like your best option, even so as to take a bit extra so you can use a thin washer too...Yes that stove is vented, it kinda sucked as it goes up though the wall, My first meal I cooked on it was Bacon for BLTs and tomato soup, omg that thing is so awesome.😳

[jennifer]

Odd thing however...Aparently there is a appliance shortage going on because of covid, I had to go to 5 different places to find that one...The Home Depot guy just flat said he couldn't even sell me one, they diddnt have any, and the backorder was at least into next summer, And warrenty service was not going to happen anytime soon...That backtin I dont know if they even sell those as pre fab, I couldn't find any, so that is 20ga. Stainless, cut chopped, drilled, lightly polished and was probibally the hardest part of that whole  project...That wall is new, wires, vents and all.

[jennifer]

My steel guy chopped it off the roll...sold it in only 10' pieces...Loaded it with a forklift (causing damage) I cut and grind the nicest piece from it...Drill holes to hang it, and Machine buffed it with micro polish...Glued and nailed it to the wall...

[Zebidee]

Very nice. As always just very slightly jelly of your metalworking skills, but mostly just impressed.

After I went and lay down my head for 30 minutes and ate some breakfast, the solution to my button woes appeared in my mind.

Located a NOS degaussing button recovered from old arcade machine long ago. It is bright red, momentary, with a reasonably firm pressing action, ~1/2 inch or 13mm square at front and the shaft behind is only just over 10mm wide.

Then dug out an arcade button blank (that they use to fill unused holes with) and drilled a hole in the middle for the degauss button. Mounted button into the blank and viola! My arcade now has a decent on/off button.

[Zebidee]

I can't help myself - keep pressing the button to turn my cab on and off. Wheeeee! 

[jennifer]

That's fun, coming up with a solution is what it is all about, I cant help noticing that piece of wood you are using, that is incredibly beautiful...Common for you I supose, but exotic around these parts.

[Zebidee]

We have a lot of wood even nicer than that through the entire place here. Got a lot of furniture out of it too. Used all the big pieces from the sawmill buyout. Still have a 4m x 8m shed full of smaller pieces.

Reminds me, better finish this project off and go find my carpenter. He's useless at making arcade cabs (or anything else to a plan) but is good at making chunky furniture out of undressed/poorly dressed timber.

[Zebidee]

Adding to my dramas, the switch turned out to be faulty. Connection plate inside was loose and moving around, giving false presses. Luckily I had another almost identical switch, though this one is black. It looks a bit rougher than the red one, but I think I like black better.

Please excuse how skanky the area around the switch looks - it is at the back, so not visible normally. I will clean up the whole area again soon, but first I need to bog up a couple of things. Then a repaint.

[jennifer]

Long night on the bench, aparently Jenn has issues...In laying out the red barron boards in preparation for the Mega Vector project.  seems the aux boards are not all the same, and since they had a relatively low production that may not be easy to obtain, First I will have to go through my mess and make sure I don't have one...But I do have a Battlzone, And before you bare your fangs Scott, They ARE different, boards appear similar, however Red Baron had extra Rom, input for the joystick, and aparently the pointers to memory dont map the same...I do however believe it is possible to convert a B/Z, and once the Fluke is up, I should be able to target and loop specific bit locations...Looks as if there is another board build in my future, cross you fingers guys and wish Jenn luck.

[jennifer]

This is the desolderer I ordered for the bench...If you guys want one I did a whole lot of research on the subject, and would order from a reputable dealer not off A/zone since they make multiple versions, And beings they are from Japan 100v converters may need to be used...Us versions are 120v...Other that that, seems quite awesome for the price.

[jennifer]

It should also be said I supose...Unless you do a whole lot of board work, especially on old questionable quality boards I particularly, You probibally could just get by with a good quality solder tape, Jenn has used miles of that stuff and there are secrets to using it properly and efficiently, but yes it does also work well...That manual sucker pump thing, Well I never could figger that thing out, seems to me at best it tip would burn up with use, But in any case would consider it a waste of money.

[Zebidee]

I got myself a Aoyue soldering/desoldering station (it has both) last year and it is pretty useful. Keeping it clean and sucking properly is the trick. That Hakko one looks nicer (and more expensive of course), I like the transparent waste chamber so you can see if it is full and working properly.

Hot air also works well for desoldering ICs esp SMD stuff where suction won't help much.

I also still use a hand/manual solder pump sometimes, even with the desoldering station. There is a trick, a timing to using it properly and yes they get clogged very easily, but great for removing solder blobs. The action can be a bit violent, so take care with sensitive parts. Is easy to burn the tip with your iron as you need them pretty close to manage the swap n suck motion, but my solder pump still has the same tip from over 10 years ago.

Not really fond of solder wick, though sometimes there is no other choice. Have ripped a few pads/traces off by accident with it.

[jennifer]

That Hakko aparently weighs 3lbs, which is kind of heavy for long jobs I would think, And really wanted more of a station type setup, but there seems to be quite a questionable spread between, quality vs cost, and used diddnt seem practical, So hoping for the best, basically nicest one aparently without crossing that line...I will most likely upgrade again in the future, and get more into hot air, surface mount stuff.

[jennifer]

Curiously that Aoyue was finding its way to the top of the research pile, It did have pretty good reviews for its class, Obviously I don't have one but just saying...The Rhino too, that seemed to be quite a bang for the buck also, Aparently the gun felt a little flimsy but had a decent mercury pull.

[jennifer]

*Fun story...Back in the day, before U/tubes and fancy solder guns, I had a giant footlong monstrosity of an iron with a big fat tip, it was probibally a branding iron or something, Well I tried to solder with a big stick of lead my dad used for making bullets and needless to say that was a harsh existence...Well one day we went to my dad's friends house and the guy was soldering, he had a giant wood handled monster of a solder gun like me, but so careful and precise was he, elbow on the table stabbing that old radio with purpose...No wet sponges on some cute stand, But a big block of Sal ammoniac and a wet rag...Today I use a fancy digital iron, but still got the giant block and wet rag on my bench, and secretly laugh at that stupid crusty sponge thing every time I see it.

[Zebidee]

I still use the good old wet rag sometimes. Like getting the tip right in there.

[Zebidee]

So anyway I'm using the Aoyue Int701A++ Repairing System for desktop detailed stuff. I think the extra + at end simply relates to input voltage rating (220-240v vs 100-120v). There are some decent reviews of it on the 'tube.

Still use a cheap iron from local shop for general work outnabout.

Using a XXX 858D hot air gun - the XXX is because there are many ripoff copies out there I don't even know what the letters originally were. Mine says JCD 858D. Anyway, it was cheap and good value for the money. Dave of EEVblog fame does a review. I find it useful for SMD soldering as well as desoldering.

Dave from EEVblog also did a video of a bloke who had one of these things melt down on him. The lesson from that is to make sure you've reseated the gun in the cradle properly when you've finished with it, otherwise the magnetic trigger inside doesn't register that you've finished, and stop heating/blow more air to cool itself down.

[jennifer]

If anybody was to take away anything from this thread ever...It would be go watch every video of Dave at EEVblog five or 6 times, you will not be disappointed.😁

[Zebidee]

Weird thing about EEVblog Dave and those 2 videos - in 2012 he did a review of the XXX-858D where he pulled it apart. Then in 2018 he did the XXX-858D meltdown video, but seemed to have completely forgotten pulling one apart 6 years previously, not apparently not knowing what to expect when he pulled it apart 2nd time. Guess it is easy to forget stuff over 6 years or so.

[jennifer]

I haven't seen those two vids, But if I had to guess...I would think he remembered, but went into the second one expecting different results, or changed parts and or production standards as a lot could change in 6 years. And the second one burned up so more of a why without linking it back to the original this isn't so bad video...Jenn will have to watch those when I get a minute.

[jennifer]

I am still waiting for the Fluke parts to come in, it may be awhile yet since some of this stuff is coming from all over the planet, But I gotta say it is a good feeling to be done sourcing those parts, and in theory being done with that project...Learning HOW to use it is where I am at, and it is really ugly... As an overview it seems to be alot like C++, where you can call on variables and such and run small repetitive functions as code, however I am thinking since this machine (from the mid 80s) actually replaces the processor in a target machine it is probibally only running stable at around 3mhz or so, Well a 8mhz target or whatever could be a problem...So aparenty the workaround for this is machine code, basically write the test scripts in machine code and put it on any available ram on the target machine...I really hope Jennifer is not too stupid for such a project, since this Princess is already in way too far at this point.

[Zebidee]

Always hard to move from build-mode to code-mode

[jennifer]

Fun update on project Red Baron...I found a wire harness!...It is out of a upright which is really not a surprise since they only made like 500 (or so) cockpits, But that's OK, it gets me wired up for bench testing and ultimately gets duplicated, extended, and modifed to fit a Star Wars cab with mil wire on the nailboard anyway.

[jennifer]

I still am a bit dissapointed that won't be a full Coosa composite, But instead a milled ply core and double-sided with red laminate...Can't spend 10k on a build Jim?...Jenn laughs and rolls her eyes...It is already at 2.5k and aint even on the bench yet, Just some junk in a box.

[jennifer]

Which brings me to 2nd mod (besides giant color vector tube)...Stereo, That game is a bit generic with its sounds, But pinsound (Stereo) also has support for a shaker motor, and with triggers for flashing under dash lights, getting shot out the sky will be quite traumatic...This will be more difficult than it sounds, since that Atari board is aparently set up as silos of events, and will need pointers to be modified.

[bobbyb13]

Which brings me to 2nd mod (besides giant color vector tube)...Stereo, That game is a bit generic with its sounds, But pinsound (Stereo) also has support for a shaker motor, and with triggers for flashing under dash lights, getting shot out the sky will be quite traumatic...This will be more difficult than it sounds, since that Atari board is aparently set up as silos of events, and will need pointers to be modified.

Not that I know enough presently anyway, but...

I REALLY wanna make me some big color vector CRT

[jennifer]

You are living on an age where that is quite possible, Where hackery is not your only solution and the equipment for curious indulgence is considered outdated and relatively cheap...Radiation Labotorys (crt manual, #7, I believe off hand) Spills the War data research on the subject, If you curious...Spoiler alert, deflection angle and yoke windings is the secret to the conversions to a color tube (90deg. Or so make convergence considerably easier).

[Zebidee]

Bobby, might be of interest to you: Vector monitor kit project https://www.facebook.com/groups/280646265896719

[bobbyb13]

Bobby, might be of interest to you: Vector monitor kit project https://www.facebook.com/groups/280646265896719

Now THAT is something I can get into mister!

And thank you also Jennifer, I'll be looking through the pile of screens I have to find the right one for the project.

The vector only machine will be the next big leap (already have a good control panel layout- but probably going to have to build the proper twin joysticks myself I think.)

Yeehaw!