My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

[penguinxtreme]

I am inches away from being done! I am still stuck on the 11x11 printing. I tried printing on transparency film, but it really didn't work, so they next thing I tried was printing on 13x19 paper (my dad has that at work + printer). I came out nice enough, and will look great once I backlight it (later project if I feel like it in the future). The problem is attaching it to the bottom of the plexi panels. I tried glue stick (it leaves a nice thin coat), but it leaves ugly streaks, and doesn't actually stick (luckily that made for easy cleaning off). My next attempt will be modge podge, which is transparent, and I think leaves it glossy (yay), though I don't know how well it will actually adhere. Any other ideas for a glue that will dry totally clear, or in a way that will make it look nice not ugly at least (unlike glue stick), and will stick to the plexiglass?

[Ghettobarney]

I used some clear double-sided tape. It should work fine. Also, I finished my ABX-1000 today!!!! Total time- 8hour construction for 70$!! I'll post pics later. Now I can finish my site.

-oja
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OMG I BEETS MACKS 300!

[penguinxtreme]

[MasterInuYasha]

So... Can someone hook me up with a link on how to make the Matrix sensor design please?

[ChilliumBromide]

[Crimson7]

I'm having an unbelievably hard time in finding the things I need for my pad. Specifically the mending brackets... I just plain can't find them!!! When I ask around hardware stores, they don't even know what I'm talking about!

So, would it be possible to use L brackets or T brackets for sensors? If so, how should I lay them out on the pad?

[erod550]

I just finished two pads using Stoli's design. I didn't cover the wood with sheet metal but instead stained it with a dark stain. It looks pretty good I think, I'm just wondering how long it will be before the stain wears off.

I also bought TX2000 control boxes for them so I wired the whole thing up to a 15-pin connector that I mounted flush on the pad. I like not having a controller to worry about, and soldering the wires to the connector was probably just as easy as soldering wires to a pcb.

I will get some pics up soon.

[slvrshdw]

@crimson7:
i actually am designing my pad using the L brackets instead..however i am using some smaller center supports for my design..
ill get a pic hopefully tomorrow for you to understand better

i used 3/4" x 4" L brackets and some smaller (not sure of the size) for the center contact

i imagine you could probably rig up a combination of T brackets/L brackets in one arrow for maximum sensitivity (the L brackets on mine werent to my standards, so thats why i had to add the others in)
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[MasterInuYasha]

How do you go about using L/T brackets to make sensors? Can I get a write-up? Or pictures?

[slvrshdw]

well, its the same idea really...only you put them in the corners.

heres a basic pic (click for larger image)


i also had an idea for the T brackets too..


and my DDR site i hope will be up fairly soon
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[MasterInuYasha]

[ChilliumBromide]

I think the T-brackets at Home Depot are, like, 10" long, so that might not work. The L-brackets would work great though. Corners > sides.
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I used to be active here lol

[Mateui]

Is there any disadvantage with soldering only one wire to the Ground on the controller, then having that wire wrap around a screw located inside the pad? The grounded arrow wires would then go to their prospective arrow panels, and wrap around this same screw.

This would obviously save time soldering, but I'm not sure if any unnecessary problems would arise using this method.

[penguinxtreme]

[idConstruct]

i was thinking the same thing actually....

It won't cause any problems as far as i can see, and if you're using a cat5 cable that would free up 3 extra wires that you can use for, say, the x button and the back button...

as far as solder vs screw, i guess thats personal preference

...Here's a clip another member posted a link to that talks about ground:

[erod550]

[penguinxtreme]

You guys are real lucky that you can all just solder all the grounds to one place. For some reason on my superman controller, I couldn't solder to the ground, I had to have a live and a ground for each button (damn good thing I was using CAT5 (8 wires, perfect)). Is my situation normal that teh grounds are separate? I don't think it was my error that stopped a central ground from working, as my dad who is an electrical engineer figured out all the grounding stuff, and it still didn't work.

[ChilliumBromide]

In the DT600's, I used a cleaned penny in the very center of the pad as a ground contact point to save about 8 feet of wires. They cost about 1 cent each; 1.7 cents each if you get 'em based on material costs.
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I used to be active here lol

[MasterInuYasha]

I hate to post this yet again, But I don't feel like searching through like 300 pages to find, But Anyone have links/pictures/how-to's/etc on how the Matrix sensor design? A parts list, etc. I got all my panels cut, and what not. Not I just need a sensor design, and brackets.

[Weston]

http://members.shaw.ca/lluk/ddrpad/
Here's a link to his site. It shows the sensor in a few pics.