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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.
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Use 30ga wrap wire to interconnect. Note that I've also used Kynar tape where connections had to be layered.
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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:
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Use Kynar tape to manage the wiring & hold it in place.
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5Add the Pi!
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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.
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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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