(Topic ID: 209985)
Seattle, WA
Got all the voltage meters working. The coin door opening cuts all 48v lines to the cab and the LEDs for the translite.
Gotta run a ground braid and install a fan but otherwise that about wraps up the head for now I think
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256D1CC5-BAF3-4414-8CA4-5496068EAABE (resized).jpegThat’s really cool. So you built in voltage read outs? Or was that part of the board package?
I’m just amazed at the level of detail you’ve been putting towards this. Really nicely done.
Voltage read outs are separate- I designed brackets to hold the fuse boards and read outs. Honestly a level of detail that will hardly be appreciated by anyone but me lol but it does look cool! I used blue reads fir 48v and red for 5/12v. The fuse blocks do have smal led indicators to show a blown fuse- but I was kind of interested in being able to visually see if there’s a voltage output problem from a PSU. Plus these are easy to read quickly
Quoted from MightyGrave:That Looks so freaking great. Awesome Work.
Die you Link for the Voltmeters? These are pretty neat
Thanks- I’ll find u a link, gotta look on PC.
Testfitting. My playfield is designed after a junkyard layout.. with a Dracula cab and apron. They use slightly different pf hangers. It’s gonna be really tight with all the ramps that go thru my backboard.. but I think it will just barely squeeze in.
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Quoted from MightyGrave:That Looks so freaking great. Awesome Work.
Die you Link for the Voltmeters? These are pretty neat
https://www.allelectronics.com/item/pm-126b/0-100v-dc-voltmeter-blue-digits/1.html
Quoted from Mbecker:Got all the voltage meters working. The coin door opening cuts all 48v lines to the cab and the LEDs for the translite.
Gotta run a ground braid and install a fan but otherwise that about wraps up the head for now I think
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Nice work on the wiring. Keep up the great work Sir.
You should use the Backbox without a glass over it. It looks like a bomb mechanism
. You should implement your voltmeters to show a countdown. So the player have to do some shots before the bomb explodes
Quoted from MightyGrave:That Looks so freaking great. Awesome Work.
Die you Link for the Voltmeters? These are pretty neat
https://www.allelectronics.com/item/pm-126b/0-100v-dc-voltmeter-blue-digits/1.html
Quoted from Prospekteur:You should use the Backbox without a glass over it. It looks like a bomb mechanism. You should implement your voltmeters to show a countdown. So the player have to do some shots before the bomb explodes
Funny you mention that - quite a number of people on slack brought this up as well.. I had never even thought about it looking like a bomb until it was mentioned. Some fun ideas about it — I think one of the coolest might be to have an lcd screen as translite but the kind that can go transparent so you could see the stuff inside during that mode. Right now tho I just need to get this thing more playable as-is, so I’m adding these ideas to the possible finishing touches list 
there’s already been far too much scope creep ha!
3 weeks later
Been busy with other things lately.. slow cab progress but everything is now grounded, fans wired up in head and cab to blow air thru, and all voltages to cab busses.
Got these flipper bats and buttons from Germany for fun. Probably too gaudy but we’ll see. 0FDAFDCD-65CF-48CD-8E09-783AE5501A9A (resized).jpeg
Working on mechanicals.. billboard lock v2 here. Ordered $200 parts from mcmaster to get this mechanically hooked up.. hopefully. Going with a chain /sprocket drive to the stepper. 36363B81-423C-474D-A56E-5C1528B90771 (resized).jpeg
Quoted from Mbecker:Been busy with other things lately.. slow cab progress but everything is now grounded, fans wired up in head and cab to blow air thru, and all voltages to cab busses.
Got these flipper bats and buttons from Germany for fun. Probably too gaudy but we’ll see. [quoted image]
Working on mechanicals.. billboard lock v2 here. Ordered $200 parts from mcmaster to get this mechanically hooked up.. hopefully. Going with a chain /sprocket drive to the stepper. [quoted image]
Why not lighted flipper buttons and flipper bats? Just a thought?
Quoted from eyeamred2u:Why not lighted flipper buttons and flipper bats? Just a thought?
Yeah, the buttons are another option. Since I have two sets, I am hoping to do black for one and pink or lighted pink for the other. As for the bats... I did see those lighted bats that just came out. I'm really not sure about those.. it seems like lighting bats may not be the best idea, when you need to track and ball and flippers all the time.. I'd like to see them in a game though.
Quoted from Mbecker:Yeah, the buttons are another option. Since I have two sets, I am hoping to do black for one and pink or lighted pink for the other. As for the bats... I did see those lighted bats that just came out. I'm really not sure about those.. it seems like lighting bats may not be the best idea, when you need to track and ball and flippers all the time.. I'd like to see them in a game though.
I am trying them in my Ghostbusters, will see if I like them or not. Seem pretty cool
1 week later
Quoted from toyotaboy:ummmm[quoted image]
I think those are too pale to start with, you can see from just the flashlight pic they get pretty washed out.
Might be too pale.. I think I saw them a while back and thought about ordering but decided against it for some reason. I'd be interested to have a couple in hand to test.. at some point I have to ask myself how much pink is too much pink though lol. I just got stuff from the German company too.. I should have ordered them them, ah well. Expensive shipping..
This is looking badass, I love checking out this project and your progression. June 2022, you should bring it to the NW Pinball & Arcade Show, everyone is gonna love it
Quoted from nwpinball:This is looking badass, I love checking out this project and your progression. June 2022, you should bring it to the NW Pinball & Arcade Show, everyone is gonna love it
Thanks man, I appreciate that! Barring unforeseen circumstances it will be there. The cab is basically ready to drop in the playfield at this point so I’ve got 8 months to button up the physical part of the playfield and get some more code in. We’ll see what can happen in that time
Speaking of physical— been banging away on iterations of this. Getting really close, it all appears to work but I haven’t hooked up the stepper or servo or switches yet. Still an iteration or two of printing to get it where I want.
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Power went out today as I was going to finish up printing some overhead lighting I did for the billboard. Worked on connectors with a headlamp in the garage lol.
I’ll spam this here for anyone going to expo:
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I’ll be talking with Ryan and Mark on Thursday - Ryan put together a great slide deck with pictures from our builds. FC wont be there but their games will be
Working on the three sides of the mayhem multiball billboard. Kind of winging it on #1 but decided to go for ikea ad with graffiti on it. Locking ball 1 rotates to the fake epa ad from the movie. That stays for lock 2. Lock 3 rotates to multiball side which stays till the end of multiball.
Still working on #1 but this is a rough draft to print. Probably play with font on #3
And yeah - I see the typo now on environmental lol. Whoops
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2 weeks later
This mech is becoming the bane of my existence.. got a chain around the gears but it’s too loose to be reliable. Realizing that chains usually only connect between two points - not drive sprockets in between - and that they have a means to tension the chain.
I avoided gears because I didn’t want to design them and I’d need idlers between each larger gear set so everything rotated the correct direction. Perhaps it would have been easier though.
Need to modify this more with a tensioner and I *think* it will work and I can move on. Really cutting into time I’d like to be putting in on wrapping up other things grrr
F44E81D7-D838-41CC-A9D0-2A912D19F6AC (resized).jpegQuoted from Mbecker:This mech is becoming the bane of my existence.. got a chain around the gears but it’s too loose to be reliable. Realizing that chains usually only connect between two points - not drive sprockets in between - and that they have a means to tension the chain.
I avoided gears because I didn’t want to design them and I’d need idlers between each larger gear set so everything rotated the correct direction. Perhaps it would have been easier though.
Need to modify this more with a tensioner and I *think* it will work and I can move on. Really cutting into time I’d like to be putting in on wrapping up other things grrr
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Can you modify motor to be slotted mount? Like a bicycle wheel, the sprocket (motor) could be moved out until its snug then locked into place.
Quoted from Loganpinball:Can you modify motor to be slotted mount? Like a bicycle wheel, the sprocket (motor) could be moved out until its snug then locked into place.
I considered it— but it’s pushed pretty tight on the other side to a ball exit thru my backboard. I decided probsbly easier to add something on the other end with the slotted mount. Going to do a bit more testing before altering 3D model..we’ll see
Quoted from Mbecker:This mech is becoming the bane of my existence.. got a chain around the gears but it’s too loose to be reliable. Realizing that chains usually only connect between two points - not drive sprockets in between - and that they have a means to tension the chain.
I avoided gears because I didn’t want to design them and I’d need idlers between each larger gear set so everything rotated the correct direction. Perhaps it would have been easier though.
Need to modify this more with a tensioner and I *think* it will work and I can move on. Really cutting into time I’d like to be putting in on wrapping up other things grrr
[quoted image]
what about something like this? Think remote control car servo, but ganging multiple pivots together driven by one servo
servo_design (resized).pngQuoted from toyotaboy:what about something like this? Think remote control car servo, but ganging multiple pivots together driven by one servo[quoted image]
That would def work — except these rotate 360 so it’s a bit tricky. Kind of like a train engine tho, yeah? I’m really thinking a tensioner will solve the loose chain, but can’t test until next week
Quoted from Mbecker:I’m really thinking a tensioner will solve the loose chain, but can’t test until next week
A tensioner will prevent slippage, but too much tension and it might start flexing the 3d printed frame. I think it's going to be a fine line.
Quoted from toyotaboy:A tensioner will prevent slippage, but too much tension and it might start flexing the 3d printed frame. I think it's going to be a fine line.
For sure .. worst case, will take a stab at the gears instead.
Gears shouldn't be hard. You can probably find lots of interlinking gears models online. The ratio doesn't even matter so long as you have one driving, and they use the same size for each driver, and the same size for each idler. Then the rate of turn on all drivers would be identical.
Quoted from atum:Gears shouldn't be hard. You can probably find lots of interlinking gears models online. The ratio doesn't even matter so long as you have one driving, and they use the same size for each driver, and the same size for each idler. Then the rate of turn on all drivers would be identical.
No, you’re right - not that hard. I should have just started with that. But it involves questions of how to attach to shafts, and a new housing design to keep them all aligned and in place. I have a lot of time and money invested in the chain and really want it to work lol . .. haven’t quite given up on it even though I probably should have
Quoted from Mbecker:No, you’re right - not that hard. I should have just started with that. But it involves questions of how to attach to shafts, and a new housing design to keep them all aligned and in place. I have a lot of time and money invested in the chain and really want it to work lol . .. haven’t quite given up on it even though I probably should have
Flat spot filed into the shaft, and a matching intrusion in the hole of the gear it mates with.
Quoted from Mbecker:No, you’re right - not that hard. I should have just started with that. But it involves questions of how to attach to shafts, and a new housing design to keep them all aligned and in place. I have a lot of time and money invested in the chain and really want it to work lol . .. haven’t quite given up on it even though I probably should have
Because the internet is always listening, over the weekend I got a youtube video about how to keep chains tight. I don't have the link handy, but basically they created a curved shape to sit between the gears. So where you go from gear two to three, the slack side will come lose, so the just made a u shape with a slight curve to force the chain to stay engaged with the gear teeth.
So maybe two curved 3d printed pieces on the slack side of the chain will keep it engaged. might need it on the engaged side as well so that it doesn't pull through the gears, but across the gears.
thanks all for the input! That curved idea between sprockets is interesting.. I was trying to minimize drag as I have no idea how much friction the stepper is even going to be able to handle pushing.. and I just now saw this post, so I ended up yesterday spending a few hours designing another piece at the end that involves a housing and a slider with a bearing the chain would roll over
slider (resized).JPG
slider2 (resized).JPG
four bolts on the opposite side of these images pull the inner portion towards the housing (to the left) for adjusting tension. I printed it and realized the fallacy of not modeling the entire playfield. My wireform interfered with this design. I could move on to welding a new one that will clear it.. but I pulled up a video on creating gears and it turns out it's a built in function in Fusion! It literally took 4 minutes to create my two gears I need, and I'll print a new housing to accept the idler gears. I cannot believe that this was built in. It maybe proves Occam's razor though.. I had started to think that the simplest solution might be the way to go here. Turns out that may be true.. if the gears print OK and work. Stay tuned.
If they don't work.. The tensioning mech should work.. just more work and not as elegant.
2 weeks later
Been delayed due to not feeling great, but I did test the concept with gearing and it appears to work. I’ve got to reprint the housing again though before (hopefully) final assembly
In interim I’ve been cad modeling the playfield. It’s painfully slow but getting to 1/2way point
8EFAE034-A511-4593-8105-634029C85063 (resized).jpegHousing reprinted and I transferred everything over. The gears are too sloppy, and make the pieces to bind when rotating because the slop magnifies down the gears from the driver. Siiiggghhh.
I’m thinking I’ll move back to timing belts and try that again now that I have beefy metal shafts do I can tension the belt well. But man I am getting tired of this amd it’s eating so much time 
Quoted from Mbecker:Housing reprinted and I transferred everything over. The gears are too sloppy, and make the pieces to bind when rotating because the slop magnifies down the gears from the driver. Siiiggghhh.
I’m thinking I’ll move back to timing belts and try that again now that I have beefy metal shafts do I can tension the belt well. But man I am getting tired of this amd it’s eating so much time
Are u getting slop because the tensioner is in the wrong position perhaps? Or a 2nd tensioner? Maybe the gears need to act as your tensioner and be adjustable? Just some thoughts. Sometimes being rigid creates more issues. I like how you are thinking on this.
No tensioner with the gears - they are meshed pretty tight but the gear design itself seems to allow for some slack.. If they had a lot more smaller teeth it might work better, like with a rack/pinion gearing system. The Fusion gear creator doesn't seem to be able to create the circular pinion gears, just the racks.
The other issue is the lack of ability to adjust the position of the gears on the shafts.. they fit on with keyed shafts. The timing belts on the other hand, have adjustment set screws on each timing pulley. However, this will require tensioners.
Trade-offs either way.. I ordered new belts and pulleys for now. If this fails as well... maybe back to trying to create better pinion style gears with lots of little teeth.
Quoted from Mbecker:No tensioner with the gears - they are meshed pretty tight but the gear design itself seems to allow for some slack.. If they had a lot more smaller teeth it might work better, like with a rack/pinion gearing system. The Fusion gear creator doesn't seem to be able to create the circular pinion gears, just the racks.
The other issue is the lack of ability to adjust the position of the gears on the shafts.. they fit on with keyed shafts. The timing belts on the other hand, have adjustment set screws on each timing pulley. However, this will require tensioners.
Trade-offs either way.. I ordered new belts and pulleys for now. If this fails as well... maybe back to trying to create better pinion style gears with lots of little teeth.
Are all the panels turning at the same time? Is that the effect you are going for? Or will each panel be triggered? I did not go back far enough and read. I find this Homebrew design to be amazing
Quoted from eyeamred2u:Are all the panels turning at the same time? Is that the effect you are going for? Or will each panel be triggered? I did not go back far enough and read. I find this Homebrew design to be amazing
Thanks I appreciate that! — yeah they all rotate together .. if they don’t then the panels tend to bind on one another as they go around.
Quoted from Mbecker:Thanks I appreciate that! — yeah they all rotate together .. if they don’t then the panels tend to bind on one another as they go around.
What about an idler gear in between each gear, which would keep direction the same for all panels. No need for a chain then, just run from the 1st gear then.
Quoted from eyeamred2u:What about an idler gear in between each gear, which would keep direction the same for all panels. No need for a chain then, just run from the 1st gear then.
Actuslly that’s how I designed it. That many gears though was part of the cause of the extra slop . The nice thing about the chain or timing belt design is the elimination of idler gears.. but the downside is the need of tensioners.
Quoted from Mbecker:Actuslly that’s how I designed it. That many gears though was part of the cause of the extra slop . The nice thing about the chain or timing belt design is the elimination of idler gears.. but the downside is the need of tensioners.
I follow you, I am thinking here. Love outside the box thinking.
1 week later
Thanks toyotaboy ! I had a similar idea in what I designed to tension the chain.. I still haven't actually tested it though because I felt like there would still be too much play like with the gears. I wish there were more precise gears built into Fusion.. The spur gears don't cut it. Anyway, I have bearings and shafts to tension the timing belt between each rotating piece/pulley of the billboard. Just finished switching the design and just have to print now to test. I've been avoiding it a little bit because I've been feeling burnt out on this mech, and busy with xmas stuff.
Quoted from Mbecker:Got this printed in white. Now to find an airbrusher..
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I bought an airbrush at harbor freight a year ago with hopes of doing better detail, went back to brush and acrylics. I always find that airbrushes get clogged unless you get premix, or thin the CRAP out of it.
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