INTRODUCTION
The planning for my final project took way too long, of which I had trouble deciding what I'd like to make. To be honest, I wanted something that I would actually use, and perhaps would be okay with presenting to my peers. Then I waited too long, and quickly decided on shoving a noise generator in a clog.
This project is mainly the construction of a shell, since that's all I have experience with. My original plan consisted of an Arduino controlling two oscillators; I found out that the microcontroller alone is too weak to perform such a task, and I cut it out entirely.
The planning for my final project took way too long, of which I had trouble deciding what I'd like to make. To be honest, I wanted something that I would actually use, and perhaps would be okay with presenting to my peers. Then I waited too long, and quickly decided on shoving a noise generator in a clog.
This project is mainly the construction of a shell, since that's all I have experience with. My original plan consisted of an Arduino controlling two oscillators; I found out that the microcontroller alone is too weak to perform such a task, and I cut it out entirely.
ENCLOSURE
I wanted to make my circuitry not look like a mess, so I made a container for it. It was to be made from a wood block I had, but now it's some wood composite material; I don't remember the specific name. I went through multiple design iterations until settling on a 5" x 2.5" rectangular block.
I wanted to make my circuitry not look like a mess, so I made a container for it. It was to be made from a wood block I had, but now it's some wood composite material; I don't remember the specific name. I went through multiple design iterations until settling on a 5" x 2.5" rectangular block.
LID
A container must always be accompanied by a lid; otherwise it is a bowl. In this case, it's a cardboard rectangle with a diagram etched into it. It was going to be metal, but I have no idea how to etch galvanized steel. I didn't want to risk using a different steel's preset either; galvanized metal uses a bunch of Zinc, and can be poisonous if inhaled. Cardboard's already got a preset, has less of a chance to kill me, and can be recycled if the laser cutter screws it up or burns it significantly. It's also good for testing; making sure your part is properly designed before using the more complicated material.
A container must always be accompanied by a lid; otherwise it is a bowl. In this case, it's a cardboard rectangle with a diagram etched into it. It was going to be metal, but I have no idea how to etch galvanized steel. I didn't want to risk using a different steel's preset either; galvanized metal uses a bunch of Zinc, and can be poisonous if inhaled. Cardboard's already got a preset, has less of a chance to kill me, and can be recycled if the laser cutter screws it up or burns it significantly. It's also good for testing; making sure your part is properly designed before using the more complicated material.
KNOB
This is for a potentiometer with a shaft diameter of ~0.22 inches, with 18 equally-spaced splines. I used sandpaper and a screwdriver to remove excess plastic from the base and shaft interior. It came out smaller than I thought it'd be, but a test fit on a random pot shows it fits perfectly.
This is for a potentiometer with a shaft diameter of ~0.22 inches, with 18 equally-spaced splines. I used sandpaper and a screwdriver to remove excess plastic from the base and shaft interior. It came out smaller than I thought it'd be, but a test fit on a random pot shows it fits perfectly.
ELECTRONICS
This circuit has two oscillators and a resonant filter. In layman's terms, it makes noises. I can't read schematics. Well, I have no idea how the main chip is wired, and there's over 40 resistors on my breadboard. I have little experience with electrical circuits save for those snap circuit kits, which certainly don't tend to feature op-amps. If this part somehow coagulates into a functional device, I'd be surprised.
This circuit has two oscillators and a resonant filter. In layman's terms, it makes noises. I can't read schematics. Well, I have no idea how the main chip is wired, and there's over 40 resistors on my breadboard. I have little experience with electrical circuits save for those snap circuit kits, which certainly don't tend to feature op-amps. If this part somehow coagulates into a functional device, I'd be surprised.
ASSEMBLY
I shoved everything together and came across Problems.
1. Wrong potentiometers. I completely overlooked this, because I made the knob design before I had the part.
2. I don't have wire that I can solder to.
3. There's no way to power to thing. There's a power switch! But no power jack.
I shoved everything together and came across Problems.
1. Wrong potentiometers. I completely overlooked this, because I made the knob design before I had the part.
2. I don't have wire that I can solder to.
3. There's no way to power to thing. There's a power switch! But no power jack.
EPILOGUE
I wasn't able to finish the oscillator circuit, and I printed knobs for potentiometers that I don't have. The former I should have requested assistance with, while the latter I should have remembered that I was using breadboard pots rather than panel-mount pots. I deem my efforts on this to be irrepresentative of my actual skills; my lack of planning forced this into a disinteresting project that I didn't even want to complete except to achieve a final score. Had it been a bass guitar or any of the other possible choices I came up with, I'm certain it would have turned out far better. Even partially completed, it'd still be more useful than this.
The designs themselves are good; my execution of them was not.
I'm thinking about repurposing this into a guitar pedal, one of those op-amp distortion ones. The enclosure is perfect, I have the correct jacks, I just need a foot switch. So not all is lost, but I should have done that when I still had time, so I wouldn't be left with an electronic carcass.
Notes for fellow future IDEA/Big IDEA Students!
Don't procrastinate your final project. It's nightmarish in complexity and highly stressful to try to finish anything up with less than four weeks remaining, especially when you're a senior with a few assignments already on the back end. As well, you should pick a design that you actually want to make. As above, I was originally thinking about making a bass guitar, because I wanted one and knew I would use it. Whereas this thing, I don't believe I'll ever touch this thing again; I have software synthesizers that outperform it in every way. Basically, figure out what you want to make and try to approximate it as best as possible. Even partially completed, something that you enjoy will likely be finished up and actually used in the future.
I wasn't able to finish the oscillator circuit, and I printed knobs for potentiometers that I don't have. The former I should have requested assistance with, while the latter I should have remembered that I was using breadboard pots rather than panel-mount pots. I deem my efforts on this to be irrepresentative of my actual skills; my lack of planning forced this into a disinteresting project that I didn't even want to complete except to achieve a final score. Had it been a bass guitar or any of the other possible choices I came up with, I'm certain it would have turned out far better. Even partially completed, it'd still be more useful than this.
The designs themselves are good; my execution of them was not.
I'm thinking about repurposing this into a guitar pedal, one of those op-amp distortion ones. The enclosure is perfect, I have the correct jacks, I just need a foot switch. So not all is lost, but I should have done that when I still had time, so I wouldn't be left with an electronic carcass.
Notes for fellow future IDEA/Big IDEA Students!
Don't procrastinate your final project. It's nightmarish in complexity and highly stressful to try to finish anything up with less than four weeks remaining, especially when you're a senior with a few assignments already on the back end. As well, you should pick a design that you actually want to make. As above, I was originally thinking about making a bass guitar, because I wanted one and knew I would use it. Whereas this thing, I don't believe I'll ever touch this thing again; I have software synthesizers that outperform it in every way. Basically, figure out what you want to make and try to approximate it as best as possible. Even partially completed, something that you enjoy will likely be finished up and actually used in the future.