I'm no electronic engineer, but I just added this joystick module to my keyboard to give it an embedded mouse controller.
[t]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62766551/P3140031.jpg[/t]
I have a couple of Teensy++ boards on their way to replace the Leostick that I'm currently using, which I've also just used up all the pins on.
[QUOTE=HiddenMyst;39910846]I'm no electronic engineer, but I just added this joystick module to my keyboard to give it an embedded mouse controller.
[t]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62766551/P3140031.jpg[/t]
I have a couple of Teensy++ boards on their way to replace the Leostick that I'm currently using, which I've also just used up all the pins on.[/QUOTE]
Is that a Parallax Joystick module, does it function well?
[QUOTE=Tw34k;39908792]Hobbyking? I have that same balancer, and charger.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I like to place big orders all at once somewhere rather than waiting for parts to trickle in over the course of a few weeks. [url=http://i.imgur.com/ggXsCOh.jpg]Shipping costs are a bit of a bitch[/url] but it got here reasonably quickly and in once piece, so I'm fortunately not one of the many horror stories I've seen floating around.
[editline]14th March 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Kirth;39908865]god dr pepper so much want
Really.[/QUOTE]
Hell yes Dr Pepper.
I am thinking of getting an ST's Cortex Discovery dev board but looking at even the simplest example codes (blinking LED's) discourages me.
[QUOTE=chaz13;39889277]I'm considering making a small spotwelder using a beefy transformer. I was wondering if I could connect the primary straight to the mains, or would I need a power supply?[/QUOTE]
Moving on from this, before I build this, I'd like to learn more about the mains supply (so I don't fuck it up, blow fuses or kill anyone). I've been googling about, but I'm struggling to find any decent info and do's and don'ts of mains, as well as generally how it works. I know the basics, but I'd like more detail. All I can seem to find at the moment is "don't stick scissors in a socket. don't have wet hands" and all that rubbish.
Anyone got any decent links? :smile:
[QUOTE=chaz13;39911744]Moving on from this, before I build this, I'd like to learn more about the mains supply (so I don't fuck it up, blow fuses or kill anyone). I've been googling about, but I'm struggling to find any decent info and do's and don'ts of mains, as well as generally how it works. I know the basics, but I'd like more detail. All I can seem to find at the moment is "don't stick scissors in a socket. don't have wet hands" and all that rubbish.
Anyone got any decent links? :smile:[/QUOTE]
Some people say its better to have one hand in the pocket or behind your back when probing live circuits with voltages over 40 V. Since you are building a spotwelder there's not really much you can fuck up apart from touching live wires.
Also i would have a fire extinguisher or just a bucket of water nearby ( don't give me shit about water and electrical fires. you unplug the thing thats burning then make it rain.)
[QUOTE=LoneWolf_Recon;39911119]Is that a Parallax Joystick module, does it function well?[/QUOTE]
AFAIK it's actually "just" the thumb joysticks from Sony Dualshock controllers.
Compromised of 2 potmeters (one for each axis) and a button on the bottom for when you press straight down on it.
[QUOTE=alexaz;39912511]Some people say its better to have one hand in the pocket or behind your back when probing live circuits with voltages over 40 V. Since you are building a spotwelder there's not really much you can fuck up apart from touching live wires.
Also i would have a fire extinguisher or just a bucket of water nearby ( don't give me shit about water and electrical fires. you unplug the thing thats burning then make it rain.)[/QUOTE]
Sand is better.
[QUOTE=chaz13;39911744]Moving on from this, before I build this, I'd like to learn more about the mains supply (so I don't fuck it up, blow fuses or kill anyone). I've been googling about, but I'm struggling to find any decent info and do's and don'ts of mains, as well as generally how it works. I know the basics, but I'd like more detail. All I can seem to find at the moment is "don't stick scissors in a socket. don't have wet hands" and all that rubbish.
Anyone got any decent links? :smile:[/QUOTE]
Common sense is all you need.
One good trick to avoid blowing fuses is to put a lightbulb in series, it should be about double or three times your predicted power draw to avoid significant attenuation of voltage.
Of course that will not protect you, just follow the usual rules, no touching, connect test leads while off, discharge larger HV caps, blah blah blah, etc.
[QUOTE=metallics;39912610]Sand is better.[/QUOTE]
Real men put out the fire with their tea.
So last time i made the tiny water bottle cap resistor smoke machine was fun i decided to go a little bit more serious. I got nichrome wire however i'v got a problem attaching it to the aluminum container for the smoke fluid. I'v tried using kapton tape but..:
[img]http://i.imgur.com/vgmUg7X.jpg[/img]
I was thinking of using epoxy, but isn't epoxy's main weakness heat?
[QUOTE=Van-man;39912512]AFAIK it's actually "just" the thumb joysticks from Sony Dualshock controllers.
Compromised of 2 potmeters (one for each axis) and a button on the bottom for when you press straight down on it.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, that's what it is.
It's actually pretty poorly designed in that the readout value at the centre is about +10 on the X axis and -4 on the Y. To top that off, the joystick maxes out within about 8mm of movement.
Though I shouldn't complain really, they only cost a few bucks off DealExtreme and once I build the case they won't feel as weird to operate.
I'm going to program an ATMega640 (100-pin TQFP chip) and I'm having a hard time deciding which USB programmer to get.
What do you guys recommend?
[QUOTE=HiddenMyst;39916374]Yeah, that's what it is.
It's actually pretty poorly designed in that the readout value at the centre is about +10 on the X axis and -4 on the Y. To top that off, the joystick maxes out within about 8mm of movement.
Though I shouldn't complain really, they only cost a few bucks off DealExtreme and once I build the case they won't feel as weird to operate.[/QUOTE]
I just gut old PS1 & PS2 joypads with ruined cable/connector.
Thinking about stripping and then scanning in the main PCB for a template with button contacts.
[QUOTE=voodooattack;39917850]I'm going to program an ATMega640 (100-pin TQFP chip) and I'm having a hard time deciding which USB programmer to get.
What do you guys recommend?[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://www.ebay.com/itm/1PCS-USBasp-USBISP-3-3V-5V-AVR-Programmer-USB-ATMEGA8-New-/261021924011?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc61e7aab"]USBasp USBISP 3.3V / 5V AVR Programmer[/URL]
[QUOTE=LoneWolf_Recon;39921193][URL="http://www.ebay.com/itm/1PCS-USBasp-USBISP-3-3V-5V-AVR-Programmer-USB-ATMEGA8-New-/261021924011?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc61e7aab"]USBasp USBISP 3.3V / 5V AVR Programmer[/URL][/QUOTE]
It won't get any cheaper than that
Thanks for that, I'll check it out.
Or, if you have an Arduino use ArduinoISP or whatever it's called now.
[QUOTE=Xera;39924247]Or, if you have an Arduino use ArduinoISP or whatever it's called now.[/QUOTE]
Can be a wee bit finicky to use, but it beats waiting for a cheap programmer to arrive from Asia, or buying a expensive one that arrives within 7 days.
So I just started construction of my new workshop!
It's a just over 4x4 meter room, I'm building two corner benches that will stand opposite eachother. One corner will have my PC and the electronics workspace, the other corner will have the big machinery like my pillar drill, some sanding machines and eventually a bandsaw and a small metalworking lathe. The tables are all built out of 45x45mm lumber and the tabletops will be made out of plywood. I will probably make some kind of better surface for the tables in the future, like covering it in smooth linoleum flooring or MDF or just sanding and painting it.
I'll get around to posting pics later on.
[QUOTE=DrLuckyLuke;39932774]Aww yes
[thumb]http://i.imgur.com/cEXrHMK.jpg[/thumb][/QUOTE]
Those hot air guns are awesome. I need one for repalcing SMT capacitors.
[img]http://puu.sh/2iKBi[/img]
Its coming along!
Mind the grafitti'd wall, my sister was bored when she was 15 and room was slated for remodeling by then, which obviously never happened and now it's become my workshop.
The wall will be painted over eventually but I wanna get the tables done as soon as possible.
[img]http://puu.sh/2iKKk[/img]
Here it is without the plywood which wasn't screwed on yet anyway.
Still to come is reinforcing the legs with support braces between them, cutting the plywood down to size and fastening it.
BTW this table here is 800x2270mm and 900mm tall, it will become a corner table later on.
[editline]16th March 2013[/editline]
[img]http://puu.sh/2iN0B[/img]
Leg supports and first sheet of plywood attached. It's all very strong, just after taking this picture I jumped up and sat on it. My brother commented that it didn't flex one bit.
[img]http://puu.sh/2iN0Y[/img]
Shot of the underside.
I'm done for today, will finish this table and start on the next tomorrow.
My AVRISP MKII arrived the other day, along with a week or so of free time :)
[quote][img]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10518681/Camera/IMG_20130316_193152.jpg[/img][/quote]
Decided not to wait til' next week to get some headers, so I opted for 6 hookup wires wrapped together instead
I figured I'm going to use Windows and Atmel studio a lot, so I may aswell splash out on something reliable that also integrates with Atmel studio
[img]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10518681/Screenshots/2013-03-16_19-37-49.png[/img]
Love it
Yep, Atmel Studio is really comfortable to use, especially since it uses Visual Studio as a basis.
[editline]16th March 2013[/editline]
Although you could've gone for a clone which is just as compatible and save a few bucks.
Here is a fun little circuit I quickly designed, it has a very high input impedance
so you can use it to detect EMF and other stuff, even more if you stick an amplifier on the output.
[img]http://puu.sh/2iPbS[/img]
I recommend you use the same type of JFET otherwise you may need to adjust the bias
by changing R1 / R2.
[QUOTE=DrLuckyLuke;39936021]Yep, Atmel Studio is really comfortable to use, especially since it uses Visual Studio as a basis.
[editline]16th March 2013[/editline]
Although you could've gone for a clone which is just as compatible and save a few bucks.[/QUOTE]
I looked for some clones, they did look a bit sketchy though. They probably would have worked, but I do like the enclosed case of the official one (and the fact it's guaranteed to work!)
[QUOTE=Trumple;39936439]I looked for some clones, they did look a bit sketchy though. They probably would have worked, but I do like the enclosed case of the official one (and the fact it's guaranteed to work!)[/QUOTE]
Well, I have this one: [url]http://tom-itx.dyndns.org:81/~webpage/commerce/commerce_index.php[/url]
You can get it with or without a case (I have the case), and it works as you'd expect it to.
But you're right about the sketchyness of some programmers: I once bought a supposedly stk500 compatible one, but Atmel Studio refused to see it. When I wrote to the seller, all I got was a rude reply with threats of legal actions against me, so I gave him a negative rating on ebay.
Jesus, it's almost impossible to find a ATMEGA1284P-PU at any cheapskate sites.
Closest hit is ebay, and then it's less than a handful.
Speaking of programmers, has anyone else had trouble with Lcsor Studio USBASP v2?
The drivers/connections are in place, however avrdude continually responds with "warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update" =/
Considering this is my only programmer, which is what I assume is required to update the onboard atmega8's firmware.
[QUOTE=Van-man;39936761]Jesus, it's almost impossible to find a ATMEGA1284P-PU at any cheapskate sites.
Closest hit is ebay, and then it's less than a handful.[/QUOTE]
Got a whole tape of mega1284p, though it's the MU package.
[thumb]http://i.imgur.com/XCUFWBR.jpg[/thumb]
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