Magic: The Mini-magic Switchboard should I make it a kit?

[blueroomelectronics]

It does look magical.

 

[3v0]

Thanks.

If I get to it I will put it into a box today.

The thing would be a lot easier to debug if the RB6-7 were dedicated to the debugger. If I lay this thing out again I will move the switches down to RB0-3 and add the pullup resistors.

Not sure if that is going to happen as I need to get back to the robot stuff.

 

[Pommie]

Those bulbs look excellent. I expected them to look a bit naff. Guess I'll be buying some food dye tomorrow. What is a common use for the clear acrylic spray and where might I buy it, model shop?

@abrell,
I don't think using 250V bulbs is a good idea. However careful you are there is always the chance of a shock and they also get too hot to handle.

Mike.

 

[Pommie]

The thing would be a lot easier to debug if the RB6-7 were dedicated to the debugger. If I lay this thing out again I will move the switches down to RB0-3 and add the pullup resistors.

That was one of the reasons I did my own board.

Mike.

 

[3v0]

Those bulbs look excellent. I expected them to look a bit naff. Guess I'll be buying some food dye tomorrow. What is a common use for the clear acrylic spray and where might I buy it, model shop?.

Mike.

The stuff I used is called SparVar. One would think that would be a spar varnish but it is acrylic.

I think you should be able to find it if you look for clear acrylic in a spray can.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

The reason for the switches on RB4-7 is wake up on port change. You also get an easy to use interrupt if any of the switches are moved. The ICD will have no problem with the switches just make sure they are open when programming.

 

[3v0]

The reason for the switches on RB4-7 is wake up on port change. You also get an easy to use interrupt if any of the switches are moved. The ICD will have no problem with the switches just make sure they are open when programming.

I forgot
You can not use the switches on RB6-7 in debug mode.

One could do ifdefs to just use RB4-5 switches for debugging.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

The 16F628A doesn't have debug anyway.
Microchip does make an ICD version of the chip on a header for about $24. I've used the 12F675 version with my Junebug and a small PCB header.

 

[3v0]

The 16F628A doesn't have debug anyway.
Microchip does make an ICD version of the chip on a header for about $24. I've used the 12F675 version with my Junebug and a small PCB header.

It makes sense for me to use the 16F88 in that is has debug.
Does the ICE give you a decent trace ?

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Then the 16F88 will work like a charm, debug mode will disable RB6 & RB7 (read 0) You should be able to test your code with the remaing two switches.

 

[3v0]

Then the 16F88 will work like a charm, debug mode will disable RB6 & RB7 (read 0) You should be able to test your code with the remaing two switches.

It does.

Does thet ICE provide trace?

 

[blueroomelectronics]

It does.

Does thet ICE provide trace?

Yes, I've got the trace option 16K

 

[3v0]

The wood box is from the dollar store. The battery holder has a resettable fuse. The switches are missing the washer that go between the nut and the wood. The lamp bases are flush with the box. The more classic looking lamp bases sold by Radio Shack are too large for the box and the switches.

The PCB is hanging by the wires. Not sure what if anything I am going to do about that.

I need to figure out how to color code the switches.

**broken link removed****broken link removed****broken link removed**​

The camera needs some white in the image to get the color balance right.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Wow, looks great. I've gotta go to the dollar store!
Velcro the PCB

Colored marbles and little indents for the switches might work.

 

[Hero999]

How about making the switch caps out of polymer clay?
It comes in many different colours. The problem is it can be expensive but you could save money be just using white and colour it with food colouring.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_clay

 

[3v0]

Except for the bulb and bases everything came from parts I/we had on hand. The SO does a lot of art/crafts. Whatever is used for the switch color indicator has to be in scale with the bulbs and switches. Unless a marble had a diameter less then the bulbs it will look out of place.

I was thinking about polyclay but since I want to get this done and there is none on hand it is not an option at this time. A second unit is in the works that will use the other bases and larger switches. Maybe it can use the clay as it is on the back burner.

 

[Hero999]

Paraffin wax?

Heat it up in hot water, mold to the desired shape and colour it using the same method as the bulbs.

 

[Krumlink]

Yes, the wax covers sound like a good idea. Might be too brittle. What about that Latex tool dip stuff? You could probably just add food coloring to a small batch and change the color.

 

[3v0]

For the time being I am going to use colored thumb tacks. They are a bit hard to move but not so much as to be unusable.

 

[Krumlink]

Thats pretty "tacky" !

Hahahahaha