Current Projects Dashboard

I thought now would be a good a time as any to set out a few things in black and white that are on my proverbial to do list. Some of these are in varying stages of completion and others are simply wild ideas i never really had a chance at being able to find time to do at the time i started.

Here’s a few projects, in no particular order.

Guitar Tube Amp: Finishing Touches:

I have all the materials to make a finishing covering out of a Tolex material, as well as protective corner brackets to install. These will require radiusing the edges of my header cabinet box. Also, I wish to do the same type of work to the speaker cabinet to make it match the bright red tolex I bought for the header. I have the adhesive, I have the tolex a plenty, and I recently got a router with a full set of router bits to make the radiuses (and any other joint under the sun). Now i’ve just got to find a weekend I can spend to make this thing happen. I have to sketch out the shape needed to make the cutout from the tolex material, and plan it all out. Should not be too difficult, but it would be my first tolex work, so I’m going to try it out on a test piece of something before i accidentally ruin my nice box. the project was documented more fully in a previous post here: https://robotorbust.wordpress.com/2012/07/17/amp-project/

Gibson Falcon Amp Repair

I promised I’d look into this, and it turns out all that was really wrong was a bad fuse. However, now it seems like the tremolo feature is stuck on. A friend told me it might be a bad capacitor somewhere, but i’ve got to track the bugger down and that involves taking all the caps out and testing them individually. It’s going to be a long and tedious process. I could just alternatively replace them all but this is just as painstaking. This amp isn’t mine, so this project should take priority once the Pong game finishes. Its a beautiful amp, and I know it can work well again. All the tubes are in great shape and the speaker really kicks it.

MakerBar Pong Game Table

We are constructing a Pong game that can be played physically, with spinner wheels, and a pinball. This will be software controlled, and we are hacking up a prototype currently. I won’t give too much away, but it’s going to be a push to get it to work in time, but I know we can find a way to make it work. More info here: http://blog.makerbar.com/?p=216

Desktop Sized Laser Scanner

So I have always been trying to find an easier way to generate 3D models of objects than the digitizing probes we use at the lab. These tend to scratch the hell out of the parts, as well as needing to be clamped, and being time consuming. Also, it can be difficult to maneuver the probe in tight spaces or over odd shaped objects. I want to make a small laser scanner the size of a microwave (I have a spare microwave to use in fact) and use it for reverse engineering purposes. Platforms like DAVID laser scanner are appealing options because of their availability. I welcome a design for software using Arduino + Processing, but it’s going to be a challenge. Yet nothing worth doing is easy. I need to procure a new line laser for this project, and dissect the microwave for making room for the electronics to house the laser (FIRE ZEE LAZZOR!!!) *ahem*. It would be cool to hack the LCD display and button panel to to control the scanner. More info on David Laser Scanner here: http://www.david-laserscanner.com/. EDIT: What about kinnect? this could always be a compelling option.

Custom Guitar

The next logical step after building a working tube amp: build a guitar to play through it. I have plans already from a book, and I can work together a bill of materials. It’s going to be a costly project, but i can acquire parts gradually while the wood sits in the workshop drying and adapting the moisture levels of the room. This is a long term project. I also need to acquire additional tools to complete this, most importantly, a planer, drill press, long clamps, joiner (optionally use long router trimmer bits for joining), and a few custom tools related to the finishing touches on the hardware. This project once all the tools will be assembled will be one where i’d want a few people to work with.

ROVIO wireless Robot Repair/debugging

I got my hands on a ROVIO not that long ago. It works, but I have a problem where the battery always dies instantly (or very very quickly). I want to hook him up with a battery pack that rocks his socks and makes him run for hours. Perhaps he can be the MakerBar’s new security guard. I have gotten it to work on a wifi network from outside of my home but the only issue again is the battery life. i’d love to play with it more, and it shouldn’t take too long to fix0rz. Info here: http://www.wowwee.com/en/products/tech/telepresence/rovio/rovio/

I’m sure there are many other projects i’ve got on my plate. But most of them are lower priority or less progressed than these listed. I just thought i’d make this list for myself for the time being (it surely is enough to keep me busy for months and months and months).