2014-12-13 (Sa) Color/Touch Sensory Panel

This week I earned the moniker 23 Hour Engineer. On Wednesday I stopped posting until today because of a big project at work. I mean big in every sense of the word. I make band saws and this project was a band saw that is too tall to fit in my living room and more expensive than any car I have ever owned. Or will ever own. On Wednesday I showed up at the regular time, maybe a little early, and worked for 23 continuous hours minus a lunch break where I mostly stared at a cubicle wall and talked about anything BUT bandsaws. Maybe this won't happen again.

Its nickname is "Twister"

I have enjoyed getting back on track with my own projects and sleeping for more than five hours at a time. Fortunately, I have bad ass coworkers.

Enough background
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Quarter round wood wasn't in stock at the home improvement store so quarter round with a short ledger was purchased.  A miter saw was used to cut the quarter round into approximate lengths with a single angle used for all cuts. A radial arm saw was then set up to cut the second angle and a block was clamped to the rip guard to ensure each piece was the same length. Six pieces were cut from the quarter round.

 Approximate lengths of quarter round

Cutting second angle in quarter round

Uniform pieces

The quarter round segments were arranged on top of a painted frame so the edges were within the rounded area of the 2x4 frame. A clamp was put on each piece of the quarter round then the whole thing was propped up on scrap wood. Four wire brad finishing nails were used on each piece of quarter round. The nails were not driven flush with the wood so the wood would not be damaged. A nail set was then used to make the nail heads flush with the wood.

 Quarter round pieces arranged  on painted frame

Quarter round clamped to frame

Four nails in each piece of quarter round

Nail set used to make nails flush

Flush nail heads

A polycarbonate sheet was cut on a table saw to the inside distance of the quarter round frame. When this distance was confirmed by a good fit of the polycarbonate squares of light diffusing sheets were cut from a sheet meant for fluorescent fixture coverings. Each piece was made into a square by cutting segments out with two passes on the saw. The light diffusing squares fit nicely into the frame. Three squares were taken from the sheet of diffusing plastic.

Correct length of polycarbonate sheet

Cutting light diffuser sheets

Light diffuser in frame

On the inside of the 2x4 frame the half-way point was marked with a line so steel angle braces could be mounted into the frame and used to mount the whole enclosure to a wall into wall studs. The 2x4 frame should have been made 16" as planned since 16" is the American standard for wall stud spacing and multiple devices could be mounted with no gaps. A short awl was used to start holes for the angle brace screws. A short screwdriver was used to install two #10 screws into each position.

Finding midpoint of 2x4 frame

 Marking midpoint

Installing screws with short screwdriver

Installed angle brackets

Diffuser panel in place

The polycarbonate sheet was trimmed back to the half-way point of the frame. Pilot holes were drilled in the sheet and wood so screws could hole the sheet in place.

 Excess polycarbonate cut away

Pilot holes drilled in polycarbonate and wood

To do:
  1. Drill and countersink polycarbonate sheet
  2. Build all light hoods
  3. Build electronics
  4. Draft schematics
  5. Program Arduino
    1. Break up tasks
    2. Sketch pseudo-code
    3.  Write code for first switch and 4 NeoPixels
  6. Paint 1/4 round molding
  7. Buy and cut polycarbonate sheets
  8. Install switches
  9. Install light hoods
  10. Install electronics
  11. Install polycarbonate and light diffuser sheets

 Journal Page 1

Journal Page 02

The rest of the posts for this project have been arranged by date.

A list showing of all the final posts of COMPLETED projects.


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