(Topic ID: 69229)

Spaceballs: The Pin

By Wolfmarsh

10 years ago


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  • 870 posts
  • 204 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 8 months ago by HighProtein
  • Topic is favorited by 152 Pinsiders

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There are 870 posts in this topic. You are on page 6 of 18.
#251 9 years ago

nice on the 3d printer! I prototyped a shim on mine in ABS over the weekend. 3 different attempts took about 4 hours. I cant test it until I find some dang microswitch #2-56 screws which no hardware store near me carries.

#252 9 years ago

I'd be down for 3D printing if I didn't suck so bad in 3D cad. If I could sculpt with my hands and CHEAPLY scan in what I scuplted, then reproduce that via the printer, that would be ideal. That's a good decade away for the affordable home-use DIY crowd though. A friend of mine did exactly this at a toy company making action figures. He'd make them out of modeling clay at like 10 times the scale, then they'd laser scan them into a cad program to make the molds. Sounded like a cool job.

1 week later
#253 9 years ago

Been working on the Spaceball One toy. The look is based on some other models I've seen, but redrawn to be more dimensionally friendly with what I am trying to accomplish.

SpaceballOne_WIP.jpgSpaceballOne_WIP.jpg

#254 9 years ago

Makes for a cool ball lock mechanism.

Nice work so far and congrats on your 3d printer. I am sure that is going to be one fun toy to play with.

1 week later
#255 9 years ago

Been using the 3D printer to help me prototype and test.

Just started printing out what I refer to as "insert test blocks". I'm wanting to start tuning my LED control and programming, but needed to make sure the LEDs I've chosen look good.

I created these little blocks to hold an insert and one of my LED boards, so I can see what looks best under real inserts and also refine the coding so the effects and color changing look good.

I'll post a video once I get into testing them, so you can see some of the LED effects in motion.

DSC01323 (Medium).JPGDSC01323 (Medium).JPG
DSC01324 (Medium).JPGDSC01324 (Medium).JPG

PS - extrusion temp was too high for the first layer and that's why it looks a little rough on the top.

#256 9 years ago

thats a pretty sweet test jig.

#257 9 years ago

How cool is that? "I could use something to hold my LED board under an insert for testing - oh I'll just imagine one in this software and then create it out of thin air" (well, and a spool of plastic).

We are now officially living in the future!!!

1 month later
#258 9 years ago

Just a little update on what I've been doing...

I've been working on the Tractor Beam playfield toy a little, to get it ironed out before I start on some other parts.

I talked a little about the first prototype in Aurich's whitewood thread (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lets-figure-out-the-bare-minimum-costparts-to-build-a-whitewood/page/4#post-2125544).

Since then, I have been working on a much better prototype. It's way more robust than the first. The entire assembly consists of a motor block, a bearing block, and 3 pieces of channel extension between the two blocks.

Here is the current concept for the motor block:

Interior of the motor blockInterior of the motor block
Exterior of the motor blockExterior of the motor block
Interior of the assembled motor block prototypeInterior of the assembled motor block prototype
Exterior of the assembled motor block prototypeExterior of the assembled motor block prototype

Here is the current concept for the bearing block:

Interior of the bearing blockInterior of the bearing block
Exterior of the bearing blockExterior of the bearing block
Parts for the bearing blockParts for the bearing block
Plate on securing the bearingPlate on securing the bearing
Assembled view from the interiorAssembled view from the interior

And the current concept for the extension channel:

3D model of the channel3D model of the channel
Printed prototypePrinted prototype
RGB Board for lighting effects, 1 per extension channelRGB Board for lighting effects, 1 per extension channel
Test fit for the RGB boardTest fit for the RGB board

#259 9 years ago

nice work on the light / insert jig and the space ball Tractor Beam

#260 9 years ago

Build it and take my money. ☺

#261 9 years ago

Followed this very briefly when you first posted, but now will pay a little closer attention - very cool stuff.

Are you basically going to try and 3D print everything that is possible to?

#262 9 years ago
Quoted from swinks:

nice work on the light / insert jig and the space ball Tractor Beam

Thanks swinks!

Quoted from gliebig:

Build it and take my money. ☺

I don't want your money. Maybe we can cross that bridge in a couple years, but for now this is just fun for me to do.

Quoted from Robotoes:

Are you basically going to try and 3D print everything that is possible to?

Everything that doesn't exist, yes. 75% of what I need already exists (flippers, slingshots, kickouts, drop targets, etc....) I don't need to recreate the wheel on those, I'll just buy the assemblies from pinball life or somewhere.

#263 9 years ago

Crazy. You have a friend to create the pcbs for you or something? That looks very professional.

#264 9 years ago
Quoted from aobrien5:

Crazy. You have a friend to create the pcbs for you or something? That looks very professional.

I use either OSHPark.com, AdvancedCircuits, or Futurlec depending on what I need. The RGB board pictured was done at OSHPark.com using my design.

#265 9 years ago
Quoted from Wolfmarsh:

Everything that doesn't exist, yes. 75% of what I need already exists (flippers, slingshots, kickouts, drop targets, etc....) I don't need to recreate the wheel on those, I'll just buy the assemblies from pinball life or somewhere.

Yup, that's what i figured. Motor assembly looks sweet!

Following closely now. I have a buddy who works for a big time 3D printing firm. They have some incredible equipment. If you ever need something insane done, drop a line, I would be happy to connect you guys.

#266 9 years ago
Quoted from Robotoes:

Following closely now. I have a buddy who works for a big time 3D printing firm. They have some incredible equipment. If you ever need something insane done, drop a line, I would be happy to connect you guys.

Thanks for the offer! I may take you up on that one day.

#267 9 years ago

How does the tractor beam toy fit into the playfield? looks like a huge mech.

#268 9 years ago
Quoted from Kneissl:

How does the tractor beam toy fit into the playfield? looks like a huge mech.

The channel goes under the playfield going from between the flippers to the front of Spaceball One. There will be a rectangular window in the playfield that lets you see the ships going back and forth.

Think of it as taking up the area the lower playfield takes up on AC/DC. The length will be adjusted once I have an actual whitewood to mess with, but for now it's this long as a prototype.

I've got most of the assembly built, I am waiting on a test model of the winnebago to print, and then I'll post a pic of the full assembly.

#269 9 years ago

I'm totally jealous of the huge pile of printed stuff I see you posting. Cool stuff.

#270 9 years ago

You'll have to come check it out sometime. Only got 1 game at the moment, but it's always fun to shoot the shit. Im sure rick would come out too.

#271 9 years ago

For sure. when are you gonna pick up another machine?

#272 9 years ago

The plan right now is to possibly get one at SFGE in June if I can find a way to transport it back.

#273 9 years ago

Pick up a nib! They deliver to your door

Edit: to bring it back on topic. What's the next mech you're going to build/print?

#274 9 years ago
Quoted from Kneissl:

Pick up a nib! They deliver to your door

It's going to have to be a special game I really want for me to do NIB. I definitely want the experience at some point, but with the current state of NIB machines, I'm not interested yet.

Quoted from Kneissl:

Edit: to bring it back on topic. What's the next mech you're going to build/print?

Next up is the Spaceball One mech. This is just a prototype drawing, never been printed or tested yet, so there are obviously a LOT of things I need to tweak on it. There are body panels that get put over the skeleton, removable for maintenance/cleaning.

hDBykQL.jpghDBykQL.jpg

#275 9 years ago

Sweet! I love real ball locks.

#276 9 years ago

very cool design there - liking the ball lock and do you shoot underneath and up the ramp like curve to the ball lock.

#277 9 years ago

Got more work done on the prototype tractor beam assembly.

Here are some pics and a video of it in operation. Powered by a drill at the moment, because the stepper isn't hooked up yet. The movement is MUCH smoother than the first prototype. The car models sit on a tensioned carriage that has two nuts inside being pushed apart by a spring.

The stepper motor end with a spider couplingThe stepper motor end with a spider coupling

The bearing endThe bearing end

The entire assembly with carriageThe entire assembly with carriage

Sorry for the cheesy music in the video, I had to get rid of the shop noise somehow.

#278 9 years ago

This is the perfect theme. I do hope this machine ends up coming to life. Good work so far!

#279 9 years ago

New assembly is way nicer, so much smoother. Still a great concept.

#280 9 years ago
Quoted from Wolfmarsh:

The car models sit on a tensioned carriage that has two nuts inside being pushed apart by a spring.

Duh, I see you used like a wing to ride a rail, that's what keeps it moving while the thread spins. Fairly simple and ingenious little mech there. Now all it needs is some paint on the ships, and some small LED's poking through to simulate stars and it'd look REALLY nice.

#281 9 years ago
Quoted from toyotaboy:

Duh, I see you used like a wing to ride a rail, that's what keeps it moving while the thread spins. Fairly simple and ingenious little mech there. Now all it needs is some paint on the ships, and some small LED's poking through to simulate stars and it'd look REALLY nice.

couple LED and bunch of fiberoptic could be a nice look lots of places, really like the slow fade color changing and slow fading white. a buddy used to do nice fiberoptic signs for businesses etc.

1 week later
#283 9 years ago

Awesome! I sincerely hope they use the sequel title from the original Spaceballs:

Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money. Or maybe SB 3: The search for Spaceballs 2?

My only concern is how they'd sub John Candy and Joan Rivers' roles, due to their passing. For JC, they can maybe use Zack Galafianakis as another dog character. He's fat and funny, just like Candy was! As for JR, there are countless Jewish actresses with a heavy New York accent that would be equally as funny. As long as Mel Brooks is heading it, I'm stoked as hell!

#284 9 years ago
Quoted from JoelOmatik:

Zack Galafianakis as another dog character. He's fat and funny

He got thin, lol.

518619141_c_o.jpg518619141_c_o.jpg

I'd like to see a Craig Robinson mawg.

39-craig-robinson-funniest-actors-300x300-1366654816.jpg39-craig-robinson-funniest-actors-300x300-1366654816.jpg

#285 9 years ago

What about Sarah Silverman, she has already played Joan on SNL...
sarah-silverman-joan-rivers-snl.jpgsarah-silverman-joan-rivers-snl.jpg

10
#286 9 years ago

Just a couple more small updates.

Got the RGB leds installed on the side of the tractor beam toy. Just using a little 5V adafruit trinket for the testing, using the adafruit neopixel library.

I also got the first printed prototype of the Spaceball One ball lock printed out, so I've been fooling with it looking at what I need to change for the second print. This is just the skeleton of the mech, there are body panels that go on the outside. The mega maid mech goes behind this one on the playfield.

SpaceballOneLock_Prototype1_1.jpgSpaceballOneLock_Prototype1_1.jpg

SpaceballOneLock_Prototype1_2.jpgSpaceballOneLock_Prototype1_2.jpg

SpaceballOneLock_Prototype1_3.jpgSpaceballOneLock_Prototype1_3.jpg

1 month later
#287 9 years ago

One month and no posts. That makes me

10
#288 9 years ago

Don't be too sad. I had a disaster in the shop and had my main development laptop die. I didn't lose any data, but I have had to spend a couple of weeks getting everything set back up and configured.

I got sidetracked building a little "cookie selection wheel" for my daughter's Girl Scout Troop.

kates_wheel.jpgkates_wheel.jpg

I'll be back onto Spaceballs soon enough. I've gone through 1 revision of the controller and decided to split it out into a few smaller, more modular boards.

#289 9 years ago

Tell you what, my wife and I toasted the end of cookie selling season the other night.

That's awesome, I sent that photo to her.

#291 9 years ago
Quoted from Aurich:

Tell you what, my wife and I toasted the end of cookie selling season the other night.
That's awesome, I sent that photo to her.

We just turned in all of our money yesterday. We sold just over 650 boxes. So glad to be done with that mess, lol. My wife was making deliveries like it was her job.

#292 9 years ago

My wife is the troop leader, we don't turn in money, we receive it. Since I work from home I'm always answering the door for that, or during selling season hooking up various people from the stash in the garage. So glad that's done.

Until next year ...

Hey, the things we do for our kids though. Can't be doing pinball all the time!

#293 9 years ago

I could seriously kill myself with a garage full of Samoas

#294 9 years ago
Quoted from Aurich:

My wife is the troop leader, we don't turn in money, we receive it. Since I work from home I'm always answering the door for that, or during selling season hooking up various people from the stash in the garage. So glad that's done.
Until next year ...
Hey, the things we do for our kids though. Can't be doing pinball all the time!

Major props to your wife for being the troop leader, that's a demanding gig.

Dads & daughters man, what else can we do? They've got us wrapped around their fingers.

4 months later
#296 8 years ago

Awesome! Thanks for posting that. Those are good reference photos too.

I've been working on the "Infinity Trough" for handling the large number of balls for multiball. One of these days I'll put together a real update.

#297 8 years ago

Keep an eye out for the catalog from the auction house, it should be full of highly detailed reference photos. I make prop replicas and scour these and a few others for just these kind of resources.

#298 8 years ago

Count me in! I would spend a small fortune to help make this pin.
SPACEBALLSPINBALLADVENTURE.jpgSPACEBALLSPINBALLADVENTURE.jpg

1 month later
#299 8 years ago

Been a while since I posted an update, so here goes.

Changing the hardware over to FAST has been exciting and fun to do. I made a post in the FAST pinball thread about the initial switch, which you can read here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/fast-pinball/page/4#post-2631947

Since then, I've been working on the power systems for the game. I decided to use switching supplies, so I needed a good secure way to mount them. I also wanted to put in some panel voltmeters for the different voltage rails, to give me a quick reassurance that they are healthy.

First up was to design a set of brackets:

Front BracketFront Bracket

Rear BracketRear Bracket

When I printed the first front bracket, I noticed a slight problem. I had blocked access to the screw terminals. Whoops. You can see v1 on the front right, and v2 in the back left in this pic:

Open Access vs Closed AccessOpen Access vs Closed Access

Eventually ended up with a mount I am happy with for the first prototype.

largesupply_brackets_sideview.jpglargesupply_brackets_sideview.jpg

For the voltmeter tower, I just made a simple tower angled back a bit:

Voltmeter Tower DrawingVoltmeter Tower Drawing

Printed it out, and voila!

Voltmeter TowerVoltmeter Tower

Next steps are to get all of the supplies mounted to a board and wired up to get ready for the next phase.

largesupply_frontbracket_frontview.jpglargesupply_frontbracket_frontview.jpg

#300 8 years ago

I hadn't seen this thread yet but I'm a big Spaceballs fan. Good Luck with building it. It's a great theme.

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