Scratch Build: Star Wars Cockpit 'Rebel Edition'

[TopJimmyCooks]

hard to see on the pic but I would put more solder on CR1-7 so the solder goes a little up the leg on the component side as on CR1-5.  even though there's no trace on the component side its a good habit.

[PL1]

How much solder to use.


Can't tell from your pic, but are you using matchsticks/toothpicks/slivers of cardboard to keep the components slightly elevated while bending the leads and soldering?

This old soldering trick keeps components slightly elevated off the board allowing better cooling and decreasing damage to the board if you let out the magic smoke genie that makes the electronic components work.   

Found a great price on this pump-top dispenser for isopropyl alcohol for cleaning flux  -- PL1 tested, PL1 approved.




Scott

[Maximus]

Thanks for the tips. I wasn't elevating the components but will stay aware of that now. I am going to put big ass fans on both boards for extra cooling. Thats actually one of dez's mods to the deflection board, a 12v riser for a fan

[mcseforsale]

I am going to put big ass fans on both boards for extra cooling.

Need one?  I got 2.



The general.

(BTW, inspired by your courage.  Wish I had the $$ to do something like this)

AJ

[PL1]

Thanks for the tips. I wasn't elevating the components but will stay aware of that now. I am going to put big ass fans on both boards for extra cooling. Thats actually one of dez's mods to the deflection board, a 12v riser for a fan

Elevating the parts is most important for resistors, especially the big ones.

Forgot to mention that it also makes desoldering/straightening the leads a bit easier and decreases chances of damage to the solder pad while doing so.


Scott

[matsadona]

I usually do the capacitors (and other large components) later in the process, so it gets more convenient to flip the board when soldering (all low profile components). But as with everything else, there are several ways of doing things and none can be considered right or wrong. Most people wouldn't even go that track at all since they believe soldering is equal to rocket science

[Maximus]

I didn't know how to solder, route, slot cut, pocket screw, flame polish and many other things before joining this forum just over a year ago, I've learned so much from following other people's builds and of course doing my own.

What has consistently been true in every successful endevour for me has been the lesson to always use the RIGHT tool for the job and, whenever possible try and get your hands on the best quality tool for the job you can afford.

I bought a middle of the road Hakko soldering station, not digital or anything crazy like that, just a solid unit with a decent heat controller and it has made soldering a breeze rather than a scary nightmare. I mostly use a fine point hooked tip and find it awesome for getting the solder into exactly the right place. 

[TopJimmyCooks]

PL1's drawing is fine but it should look like "B" on both sides (component side and solder side of board) for plated through holes. 

[brihyn]

>Can't tell from your pic, but are you using matchsticks/toothpicks/slivers of cardboard to keep the components slightly elevated while bending the leads >and soldering?

>This old soldering trick keeps components slightly elevated off the board allowing better cooling and decreasing damage to the board if you let out the >magic smoke genie that makes the electronic components work.   


It's been 20 years since earning the degree in electronics, and I'd never once considered this. Great tip!

[Maximus]

Asked this on my KLOV thread too, figured it can't hurt to ask here...

I still have to buy an MPSU-07 for the HV Board. Seems they have been replaced by the CEN-U07 which are also expensive and hard to find in small quantities. Over at AudioKarma.org there is a this thread with a recommended replacement for the CEN-U07, wondering if this will work...

[Maximus]

Transistors in and properly isolated from the repro heat sink

[jennifer]

     You did smear the backs of them with thermal grease....Or is it just me that does that? [cant tell from the pics]

[Maximus]

     You did smear the backs of them with thermal grease....Or is it just me that does that? [cant tell from the pics]

Yep thermal grease on both sides of the insulators

[Maximus]

A bit of a tangent, but related to the project.

I'm chewing through different ideas for the 'experience' of playing the game and being in the enhanced cabinet and how well i can tie the two together. If anyone has ever played any of SlamTilt's modded  Virtual Pin tables you'll see how well he takes the original and then trys to weave in more exciting/interesting/higher quality effects that add to the overall play experience.

I'd like to try and take this approach, not with the code of the game itself, I want that to stay pure to the original, but there could be an extra 'layer' of sound effects, lighting and force feedback added to the cabinet itself that could add to the overall experience.

e.g.

Attract Mode.
From the outside the cab could have it's own light display, like ground FX, landing hazard beacon, I was thinking of replacing the traditional lit marquee at the back of the machine with as screen that shows the original marquee art but also maybe iconic clips from the New Hope movie that are relevant to the game. Sound FX, speech and of course some legendary John Williams soundtrack bursts etc.

Coin-up.
I figured if I piggyback the coin switch I can send a signal to my cab control PC via a keyboard encoder and use scripts to fire different sequences. So on coin-up perhaps I can blast out a fanfair and some other speech clips alongside obi-wan's speech.

In Game.
Plenty of opportunity to get R2-D2 beepin' and boopin' away here, play more radio chatter over the speakers. background shots and explosions etc, although I doubt I could key them into specific game events due to what I assume would be a lack of hooks from the game itself. The  hardest part about this is letting the sequence know what the game is doing and know when to adjust or end.

Yoke Movement/Buttons
Should be easy enough to add some ambient sounds, swooshes, blaster booms etc by piggyback monitoring the outputs.

Extra In Game Events
By using real buttons on the CP, there may be an opportunity to do extra little in game events, like simulate a hit on the ship and have warning sirens go off. The player would have to hit the right flashing buttons on the CP to Purge Fire, Shutdown a faulty engine, seal a hull breach etc etc. They of course don't effect the actual game itself, but could be fun environmental activities to add the drama of it all.

Lot's of fun potential here to really take this to the next level.

[mes83]

Such a cool idea with the ambient sounds. Cannot wait to see how you are going to implement it all

[rablack97]

Dude, something is seriously wrong with you.....keep drinking the acid...

[jennifer]

      Id keep it somewhat simple in case you ever have to service this when its done, Perhaps a shakey steering @ high speed turns
[racing game], and a thumper under the seat in case you get hit [snowmoble game].

[Maximus]

About half way through the resistors, there are 79 on this board.

[CoryBee]

One of your resistors is backwards

[Maximus]

One of your resistors is backwards

/slap

[CoryBee]

One of your resistors is backwards

/slap

 

It's looking good griff, makes me want to find a project to do that involves soldering up a big board....

[Maximus]

Well you could always do one of these, a 25" Amplifone is a rare beast to own.

Resistors, pots & posistor all done

[TKW4rr10r]

How much was the total for board and components, if you don't mind my asking? I oddly like doing some board building, so I may be up for building one.

Edit: and would these boards only work for a 25" setup, or something smaller as well?

[Maximus]

The whole build has probably cost something in the range of $500 for everything including flybacks, the tube from CL, boards, heat sinks, components and a yoke from a WG 19K6100. Not sure why you would want to try building a smaller tube, you could buy a 19K6100 for much less than $500.

The hard part is finding the 25" tube and a 6100 Yoke.

[Drnick]

Well you could always do one of these, a 25" Amplifone is a rare beast to own.

Resistors, pots & posistor all done

Tasty, It looks factory fresh, but better 

[Nephasth]

Resistors, pots & posistor all done

Well, what's the business side look like?

[drventure]

Well, what's the business side look like?

 

[TKW4rr10r]

Not sure why you would want to try building a smaller tube, you could buy a 19K6100 for much less than $500.

Major Havoc build, so looking in the 19"-21" range, but if it's easier to just find a 19K6100 I'd go with that. I like to tinker and I'm pretty good with a soldering iron, so it seems like a fun project. I even setup a soldering station in the lab (I think 90% people here must be in IT) once I got back into the hobby.

[CoryBee]

Well, what's the business side look like?

 

Oh god...

[jennifer]

     I just got a little concerned here, Perhaps start over on a new board before its too late, and you wind up frying that tube...Only saying.

[CoryBee]

     I just got a little concerned here, Perhaps start over on a new board before its too late, and you wind up frying that tube...Only saying.

If your concern is with this photo:



Fear not, that is not Griff's board. I see no SMD components on his. Joke by the doctor I believe, clever girl.

[jennifer]

     Omg, Yes I see now,dont do that to Jen, Im already so high stress something like that would push me off the edge...Carry on.

[drventure]

Sorry, that was just a joke.

Maximus is doing a far better job than that!

My soldering, on the other hand.... 

[CoryBee]

Sorry, that was just a joke.
Maximus is doing a far better job than that!
My soldering, on the other hand.... 

Found one of your builds

[Maximus]

Deflection nearly complete. Just the 3 transistors that are in the mail and the heat sink for the Q30 to do.

[drventure]

Sorry, that was just a joke.
Maximus is doing a far better job than that!
My soldering, on the other hand.... 

Found one of your builds

 

Epic!

[jennifer]

     Well while we wait for parts Jennifer has some questions....#1, The tube/yoke combo still confuses me, apparently you went to great pains searching out that particular setup, but why?, My only guess would be as an attempt to change picture from horz. to vertical, other than that why not just stay with orig. yoke?...#2, Convergence: after removing said yoke convergence will need to be recalibrated, Considerable test equipment is going to have to be implemented to pull this project off correctly, especially since it's built from the ground up.[you're aware of that right?]...#3, Physics, Although beyond this thread,  In theory then, couldn't you drive the colors to white effectively creating a B/W,[X/Y], monitor with a color tube?

[Maximus]

As I understand it the windings on the 6100 yoke are needed to get the correct deflection angle of 100 degrees for the tube, (I probably have all the wrong words in that description).

Convergance - Yes this is the biggest concern and potentially the greatest hurdle, thankfully I do have a bunch of people much smarter than myself on this issue to lean on for assistance.

Physics - no idea.

[PL1]

In theory then, couldn't you drive the colors to white effectively creating a B/W,[X/Y], monitor with a color tube?

In theory, a B/W vector signal applied in parallel to all three electron guns of a properly aligned color vector monitor would result in a white (R+G+B) display.


Scott

[rablack97]

damn,you building arcade unit, or a freakin ray gun....

Alien talk...speak english...