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[vne147]

They are available in all price ranges from a few dollars to several hundred. Generally the more expensive they are the more features, better quality and better accuracy. For this purpose you don't need anything high quality. You could probably find a cheap analog one at Radio Shack or Home Depot for $10 - $20. I have even seen multimeters for sale at a gas station convenience store in a big bin with a bunch on other tools for $2 each. You can find a cheap one if you look around. If you're really broke, just forget the whole measurement and calculation idea and do some old fashioned trail and error. Start with the 100Ω resistor like you were thinking. If the red LED is dimmer when the yellow light is on than when the green is on, decrease the resistance value. If it is still brighter, increase it. Just do that until you find a value that works. You won't break anything by doing that.

 

[thejuggla1]

And about making the circuit board for this, any suggestions? How I have to connect some ends of the 555 together, should I do this with a wire or on the circuit board?
I know I need a 'base' for the 555 and 4017 because the sauter will get too hot for the chips.

The way I learned in school is to use a program to make the design print it out then iron it onto the PC board and use water to slowly rip off the paper not causing the ink to come off, is this the best way?

And suggestions on a program to make the printout with?

Edit: Here it is in lego

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gymGIExkHfI

 

[Mikebits]

Dumb suggestion deleted.

 

[MrDEB]

I myself use the PULSAR system. works very well.
am in process of doing 12 boards for a cub scout project.Being one of the main leaders it seems like its a never ending job but I enjoy it.
As for a program to print out your circuit board you need a laser printer.
I use express PCB to do my boards.
Am offering help if you want.

 

[thejuggla1]

I have a pretty high quality laser printer so I don't think that will be a problem, I made a little board a while back and it worked using the method I said, I was just wondering if there were easier ways.

 

[MrDEB]

If you download expresspcb I can send the 2 files you will need for printing a board.
I understand that glossy photo paper will work to transfer but harder to remove.
Have a link somewhere that talks about which Staples photo paper to use.
now you need to measure a LEGO block to determine what size board for the LEDs.
width/ length/ depth and the centers of the little protrusions that the LEDs go into.
I have a board in design progress Planning on jumper pads to go from each signal.

 

[vne147]

My $.02.

I have used the Toner Transfer Paper before:



and also the Press & Peel Blue:

Press & Peel Blue

Both are pretty good products and I'd say I use them about equally as much.

One thing I'll say about Toner Transfer Paper is that the guy who runs/owns Pulsar (the company that makes TTP) has always been very helpful. Whenever I've had a question or issue he has dealt with it promptly and amicably. It's nice to still be able to deal with a business from time to time that's run by actual people who actually care about their customers. Not some huge corporation that gives you the run around to avoid your problem and then just writes you off as a percentage of unsatisfied customers when there's a problem or they screw up.

When I was buying my laminator (which they call an applicator), I didn't want to buy the one on their site because it was kind of expensive. They used to sell a different laminatior than the one they have on there now. The one they have on their site now is a good deal and if I was going to buy one today I wouldn't hesitate to buy the one that they sell. Anyway, I looked around at laminators online and found one that I thought would be suitable so before I bought it I wrote the customer service at Pulsar to see if it would be good. I promptly got an email back telling me it would work and it was a good laminator. The point of my story is that they didn't seem concerned in the least that I was purchasing the laminator from somebody other than them and they still gave me good help and advice.

The laminator that I settled on was this:

GBC H210 Laminator

It works amazingly well with 1/32" thick boards but struggles a little with 1/16" thick boards. I'm thinking about buying the one on the pulsar site to see if it works better with the 1/16" boards.

The Press & Peel is more useful over the Toner Transfer when making double sided boards in my opinion. The reason is that the Press & Peel is made from a clear film that you can see through. To make a double sided board I will print out one image with just the vias and holes and then I'll transfer the image to the copper blank. I'll then drill out all the holes and vias and after drilling I'll remove the first image from the copper blank. I can then take the copper blank and place it on top of a light box. The light will shine through the holes and through the Press & Peel. With the little dots of light that shine through, I can make sure the top and bottom layers are properly aligned.

As far as transferring the images, the website that sells Press & Peel advertises this crazy giant hot press thing for over $300 that they say you can use to transfer the images. I just use the laminator and it works fine.

One things I'll say about both methods and something I recently wrote about in another thread is that in my experience, I have had much greater success making PCBs from images that I printed out using copiers over laser printers. I'm not sure what the deal is but I consistently get better results from the copier over the laser printer. Before I came to this conclusion, I bought a used laser printer so I could make transfer images at home and not have to rely on the printer at work. It worked like crap. In the past when I have used printers sometimes I couldn't even get something big like a .1" pitch DIP IC to transfer. Just recently using a copier I got an MSOP-10 footprint successfully transferred and etched. Maybe the two use different kinds of toner or they operate at different temperatures. I wish I knew.

As for the software to make the circuit board images, I use Eagle:



It takes a little getting used to but I like it and think it's very useful. One draw back however is that the free license puts a limit on the overall board size to 3" x 4" I think. I don't often make broads larger than that though.

Good luck.

 

[MrDEB]

traffic light schematic

here is what I think will simplify wiring all four light standards.
using 5 pin (schematic shows 6 but ?) then its just a matter of etching circuit boards for each light standard with a pig tail with a 5 pin connector on the end.
much easier than hard wiring.
just hope I have it all correct? double check against your schematic.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

They are available in all price ranges from a few dollars to several hundred. Generally the more expensive they are the more features, better quality and better accuracy. For this purpose you don't need anything high quality. You could probably find a cheap analog one at Radio Shack or Home Depot for $10 - $20. I have even seen multimeters for sale at a gas station convenience store in a big bin with a bunch on other tools for $2 each. You can find a cheap one if you look around. If you're really broke, just forget the whole measurement and calculation idea and do some old fashioned trail and error. Start with the 100Ω resistor like you were thinking. If the red LED is dimmer when the yellow light is on than when the green is on, decrease the resistance value. If it is still brighter, increase it. Just do that until you find a value that works. You won't break anything by doing that.

or you could just look at my quotes

 

[Dragon Tamer]

express PCB is one of my favorate programs, along with it's compliment express SCH. only draw back is that it can't simulate.