Devon Custard

Yeah i know what the melted edge is caused by, but it requires either an major investment in an engineer coming out and tuning my laser or doing it myself which scares the bejazus outtta me :) The beam is not 100% perpendicular i dont have the knowledge/tools to adjust it accurately. I found if i cut from the reverse side i got a very nice and sharp edge but then i have to flip it over to engrave and lining up to get exact placement is pretty tricky. Alternatively i could learn to mask before i cut...... Been doing a lot of reading up on liquid laser masks today. Someone even suggested dish soap as a cheap alternative. Now that would be VERY Cheap if its effective. At present im all about getting the designs to work properly, ill worry about the professional finished look at the end. I envisage doing one major run and cutting the top panel layers in one hit, until then ill just be tinkering with the process until i get it just right. Oh and that last video , the melted look is from the gloss hard coat that stripped acrylic away.

Sometimes you try too hard..... Ive been trying to work out how to cut, paint and then engrave an acrylic sheet. Mainly because i read someones post a while back about how they spray painted several layers and then engraved through the top layer blah blah.... Today i remembered something that had been niggling away at me http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=28 seems a damn site easier...... just need to add a very thin face plate to the top of my panels budda bing! Oh happy day :) Problem is Ill have to buy in bulk... lol might be offering panel services after all

Uh huh pretty much what happened doh indeed

Actually that panel is awful! The hard coat ruined it, practically melted the engraving. Next one ill just use direct to plastic paint

After marriage & honeymoon, a fair amount of wrestling with the laser and learning how NOT to engrave and paint a panel i got my first panel completed. Oddly enough it was the caution panel and it went surprisingly smoothly. I have to recut the top piece of acrlic again as the final coat of sealant managed to melt the undercoat. I was proper pissed at that. I also never want to have to solder that many leds in clost proximity again. Matrix be damned. :) Struggling to get time on the pit at the mo, as the new wife has decided we are selling our house. sigh.....

:) Welcome to the nuthouse

Actualy i think ive had too much of this holiday, only so much sun you can soak up before you get a little bored. Last couple of days ive been on the laptop cranking out code, the Mrs asked me this morning "are you bored by chance?". I didnt have to respond, the look i gave her said it all.

Not back, I just have wifi in the Maldives. :D Flight back is on Saturday, until then I will be swimming with the sharks - literally. There's a litter of juvenile reef sharks under my beach hut. It's rather cool

If youre running a lot of power adaptors near the cables yeah i can why that might happen. Always a good idea to seperate power and data cables if you can do it. Alternatively you can get shielded ribbon cable or you can buy shielding for ribbon cable if you want the flat profile. Always ways to achieve what you want. Theres a tape you can buy that you can wrap the cable in, matt black if memory recalls.

Actually use a small vice to press the cable and connector. you need to apply firm even pressure. Tighten the vice slowly but not too hard or you split the clamp part of the connector. Just enough for the clamp to snap into place. Its by far the quickest way to make a cable.

RS is expensive, look at eBay/amazon. I found major deals by looking there alone. There are many others as well

2 weeks time ;)

My other half is a trolley dolly so im really tempted to wire in a "hostess call" interface :) Actually now i have the electronics wherewithall im tempted to put small LCD screen into the kitchen so i can just request refreshments...... :)

Yup, when i ordered the resistors from Radio Shack it was impossible to tell the scale of the photo and so i ordered the monsters you see there...... I was tempted to post a photo of all the attempts at cutting the acrylics fascias but then pitwife threw away my "scrap pile" as it was untidy..... Every time i try something i get just a little more experience and things get a little smoother and faster. This time i have a single pair of leads for the LEDs instead of 20 odd. The back of the board looks tidier and wiring the terminal blocks no longer requires double jointed fingers. :)

Gonna use a LED tactile for the master caution, thats a given. Was in penny saving mode when i chose the tactiles. Compared to version 1 of the CDU im really happy with how version 2 worked out, only took me an afternoon to draw out, place and solder the LEDs and switches. By the evening i had the lighting circuit working and it was time to stop. Paint and seal the faceplate next, Cut and engrave the button faces, then assemble and test!

Had very similar ideas for the CDU, came up with this board sitting on top of the keyboard matrix. Wires come through and around the board....

Just for you Mac, photos... Second attempt at UFC, key matrix on prototype board And the enclosure for it... faceplate... this is a first attempt. still trying to get the engraving/paint/cut process perfected. but the faceplate fits at least CDU faceplate, needs sanding and another coat of paint and sealant CDU key matrix

Just enjoy the journey :) You will probably find building the pit is more satisfying than actuallly flying it. I deliberately chose to do this as i wanted a long term hobby project and wanted to learn electronics. Oh boy i opened pandoras box!! Dont be put off by being new to this, dive in, ask , learn, enjoy. We as a community are just a little better off by having you here. Welcome :)

Reminds me i need to tidy up my Arduino tutorial and update it for ethernet.

None taken. I had already PMed Gus and cried uncle, despite the fact that it wasnt me that actually mentioned his plans in the first place. But no matter. Its an interesting point tho, given that the actual base schematic was originally owned by Raytheon (god knows who actually owns it now? Uncle Sam?) Id be surprised if anyone managed to stand that up in court and win anything - in fact only the lawyers win. Id suggest that anyone making any money out of panel building without a factory line behind them is entitled to any profit they make for the labour/effort alone. Ive already made my mind up that its definitely something i would NOT do. My gawd the pain soldering these damn switches!!!!I think my fingertips are number with solder burns Oh yeah, just because i only started posting 2 months ago doesnt mean im "new" to the board. But yeah if you want to compare me to some others im still a bit wet behind the ears.

welll gosh darn it i may have boobooed. hmmm too helpful for my own good. do i have to check everyones post first before being charitable and offering a helping hand, guess so. At this rate ill end up jaded and cynical.... Gus/Duck, feel free to send me a PM if you need to rant. FN im sure you'll abide by Ducklings disclaimer. And of course Deadman thanks for playing forum cop.

FN heres a quick DXF converted from Ducky's pdf. (apols Duckling sir, i tend to shorten names plus i watch far too much NCIS) :megalol: Hoping that should be enough to get you started. If not shout and let me know what you need help with. Top edge is ~146mm so its pretty spot on in terms of scale. Visio-L12_UHF_v0.5_Overlay.zip

Thanks ducky, that pdf is a great start. Looks like someone does provide FREE plans after all :) Gonna start sharing all my stuff on github i think...

I'd check but his site is down again :(

In the meantime, have a look at this :) http://www.scribd.com/doc/51488058/arc-164-manual as well as this... http://www.scribd.com/doc/51488058/arc-164-manual