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First CNC'd project - in progress — Parallax Forums

First CNC'd project - in progress

JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
edited 2011-08-24 10:31 in General Discussion
This isn't eligible for the 'Completed Projects' section yet, but it's my first attempt at project with my new CNC router.· I'm making a digital clock that takes its design cues from the iPod.

It's constructed from 3/4" cutting board material (UHMW plastic), and the numbers are slotted out from the inside, so the outer faces are smooth and blank.· The idea is that when it's off, it'll just look like a smooth slab of plastic, but when on, the numbers will be easily visible.· For Nick's mother's day contest, I was thinking it'd be cool to turn it into a cooking timer that's also a cutting board.· [noparse]:)[/noparse]· I haven't machined it yet, but there's a matching back half which will include mounting posts for the protoboard.

I plan to have a CDS cell in it so it can dim itself at night, and I want to use an accelerometer to detect 'whacks' so the clock display can be turned off or on.· My wife hates light sources while trying to sleep, so I want the thing to be so dim at night as to be just readable, but with the ability to turn it off completely as a backup.· I also hope to not have any visible buttons on the completed clock (hence the accelerometer)·and want the numbers to cross-fade as they change just for added cool factor.

I'm using a Propeller ProtoBoard for the brain, a DS1307 breakout to keep time, and a pair of TLC5940 chips to handle the 23 paired LEDs.

I've attached some pics of it so far.

Jason


Post Edited (JasonDorie) : 4/2/2009 7:50:35 AM GMT
Clock-BackWiring.jpg
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Clock-FrontOff.jpg
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Clock-FrontOn.jpg
604 x 453 - 50K

Comments

  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,568
    edited 2009-04-02 15:31
    JasonDorie,

    Oooooooo!! ... I really like that idea. I think you solved my problem in settling on a nice looking display case.

    Still in testing mode, but here is a You-Tube video of a Propeller based TIX clock I have designed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEkygs_rCbc

    Thank you for the idea!

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    Beau Schwabe

    IC Layout Engineer
    Parallax, Inc.
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2009-04-02 16:30
    Nice work Jason! Thanks for sharing your progress and photos for both your CNC router and the clock project.

    Tim
  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2009-04-04 02:16
    You could go one extra step and use the RGB LED Ribbon that we sell on our site to make each segment color changing too. Then perhaps the color of the digits kind of match the time of day. In the morning the segments could be yellowish and at mid day it could be bright white/yellow. Then in the evening maybe fading through orange, to purple and at night the segments are blue.

    Hmmm....maybe I will have to create a project like this. Great idea Jason!!

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
    www.brilldea.com - Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, 3.0" LCD Composite video display, eProto for SunSPOT
    www.tdswieter.com
  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    edited 2009-04-05 03:40
    Tim - I thought of going full RGB for the segments, but common anode/cathode arrangements mean you can't series the LEDs, and the ribbons you sell are a) too long and b) too expensive for this one. There are 23 segments, which adds up at $4 a pop. It also triples the wiring load, and I'm still soldering these by hand.

    That said, the 'colon' in the middle is actually going to be RGB LEDs (only needs two of them) and I was thinking of using different colors for am/pm or to indicate seconds or something.

    I also found that by some happy (and unintentional) miracle, the digit spacing is perfectly set such that I can mount the square LEDs on a breadboard, and they're a snug fit in the drilled slots.

    I'll post more pics when I get the rest of the digits wired up.

    Jason
  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    edited 2009-04-05 03:44
    Oh - One other thing - I was originall going to make the segments blue, but found and article online suggesting that blue LEDs are somehow more irritatin than many other forms of light - we're very sensitive to them apparently, and many people find blue LEDs particularly distracting when trying to sleep. I decided I'd stick with red. [noparse]:)[/noparse]
  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2009-04-05 04:05
    Thanks Jason for the feedback. I hear you about the wiring as I have built several systems using them. I have a new product coming out soon that helps to eliminate or make easier some of the wiring. Maybe I will have to do a "remake" of what you create (with credit of course) and add my own touches. I wish I could source a 36 hour day.....

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
    www.brilldea.com - Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, 3.0" LCD Composite video display, eProto for SunSPOT
    www.tdswieter.com
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2011-08-24 10:31
    Jason

    Considering the use of the UHMWPE and it's low coeffiency of friction, you could set the clock on a smooth surface, get a running start and jump on it. Then we could have a serious discussion about time travel :)

    The project looks great Jason.

    Bruce
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