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1Making the Central Display
Hire Jeremy to do the artwork for you. Then set up the illustrations in Illustrator for printing & routing.
Print the graphics in reverse using a Mimaki onto 1/8" clear polycarbonate:
After printing the transparent colors, print a white backer. This will make the colors pop and add some diffusion for the LEDs.
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2Make the Backers to direct & confine the LED Backlights
Stick LED tape down onto 3/8" MDF to create the light source/backer. Use foil tape to make buses; you won't want to use actual wire because that thickness could cause light leak problems later on.
Use 30ga wrap wire to interconnect. Note that I've also used Kynar tape where connections had to be layered.
Route out 4 pieces of 3mm Sintra. When stacked these will create enough distance between the LEDs and the graphic to allow the LED light to diffuse and not look too sourcy.
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3Flip It Over & Wire It Up!
Use copper foil tape on the backside of the solid MDF backer where the LEDs are attached on the opposite side. I love this construction technique, it was fun making this! Lay the foil down to create buses and pads, almost like making a giant PCB. Solder the MOSFETs to the copper foil tape, using the long piece as a common ground bus on the MOSFET source & individual pads for the MOSFET drains. Prior to putting the MOSFETs down I bent the gate pin upward so as to not touch the ground bus.
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4Adding the Lighting Controller
Keep going with the wiring, adding in the Arduino Mega to control the light show:
Use Kynar tape to manage the wiring & hold it in place.
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5Add the Pi!
This is the main Raspberry Pi 3 that controls the everything. Just below it are 3.3V<>5V level translators, and the green board below that is a 12V to 5V 3A buck converter to power the Pi from the battery & AC adapter.
Note the flowchart for operation! Shiloh Madsen will be referring to this a lot when writing the Python code for the Pi.
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6Wrap It Up!
Almost all of the electronics in the cabinet are on the MDF board. When that is finished, the cabinet can be closed up & ready to program.
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