Fusion Furnace Build

[kresty]

I believe I left the top removeable.  Iʻll have to go check.

Oh, thatʻs right, I screwed it up

I talked about 3 options for where to separate it in the wiki:
Fusion Generator:Kresty Style Build:Removing Top - Rebeldroids Wiki

I suggested not attaching it between the "base" and the "grill", and I think that may still be the best option.  It keeps the sections of hoses separate.

This is how the bottom unit would look.  The "grill" and top would be glued together and just slide over this.



And a reference so you can see how the hoses are confined to the bottom base part and the top/grill parts respectively.

(Note, my build pictured below has a bottom "lip" that isn't on the updated more canon plans, though Savage and I think it is still pleasing)

[Imadesignerd]

Looking great so far!

Thanks! Really appreciate it.

[Imadesignerd]

I believe I left the top removeable.  Iʻll have to go check.

After debating it with my dad (who is both a mechanic and an engineer), we landed on this same approach. It will allow for the most access to be able to work on the internals. I will just need to be careful to always carry it from the base of the unit. 

I am currently working on brainstorming an internal chassis for lights and my 12v astromech charger, as well as hidden hookups. I am thinking 1/4 headphone jack from fusion furnace to droid if it can handle the amperage. I can hide it under one of the hose detail parts.

Also considering incorporating an arduino with an amplifer and addressable LED strip so I can make the unit light pulse at like 1/2hz with sound to match.


Here is where I am currently at with the build. I left a small gap on the base piece to allow the top piece to slide on easily since it was a bit out of round. I don't think it looks terrible and most people wont even notice or care.

[Imadesignerd]

I have begun contemplating electronics, so I decided to whip up a wiring diagram. Originally I was just going to light it up, but I wanted it to be more than just a simple night light/charger, I had the idea of adding an oscillating glow effect. Arduino was the natural choice here. Then as I added items to the diagram, this project quickly grew into oscillating light with synchronous oscillating sounds and then to custom pre program LED effects on additional buttons. (night rider, rainbow fun, glow up from the bottom like charging progress indicator... red yellow green)

Anyway, here is the diagram. If anyone here can think of a more simple way to execute this than what I am doing here, I am all ears. No idea how I am going to cram all this into the furnace.

[kresty]

Cool I'd toyed with the idea of doing something like that but just decided to keep it simple. Looking forward to seeing how it goes!

[Imadesignerd]

So, after some thought I decided to pull it back a it. I landed on this.



Decided to eliminate the 5v power supply, go with 12v LEDs and use a buck converter to power the Nano, sound card, microphone. I found a really cool tutorial on youtube that shows how to make LED strip lighting react to audio. With the set up in this new diagram, the microphone will make the LEDs match the sound. So I can play some pulsing sound or static or whatever and the LEDs will react to match. Should be a pretty cool effect. Here is a link to the tutorial if anyone is interested.

https://youtu.be/5WP2Tjt9o2U

I am also considering making a custom PCB for this project to help keep everything tidy and compact. I have already begun some basic "sketches" in tinkercad for designing an internal structure to mount all of this, while the 3d printer finishes up the final few pieces of the lid.

[Imadesignerd]

I made a little more progress on the build. Mixed up some JB weld and filled some cracks and gaps. Nearing completion on printing and assembling the lid as well. Sure doesn't look like much yet, but it's getting there.



I have also gone round and round on the wiring diagram and can finally say I am finished. When browsing youtube again, I found a smiliar tutorial to the last one I linked, but it uses an ESP32 board and an app called WLED. WLED is amazing and super feature rich so I made the switch. Also, it doesnt require any knowledge of writing code to configure, something that I am still a n00b with. Here is that video tutorial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stSrw98UOV0

Power has been confounding me. I wanted to have something that was simple and straight forward. That said, I was able to find a dual power supply that puts out both 5v and 12v that will fit in the fusion furnace and allow me to be able to eliminate the step down converter. Decided to go with wago connectors for a 5v bus because they are easy and inexpensive. I switched the amp to one that has bluetooth capability so in the event I want to play some tunes, I just disconnect the adafruit soundboard and connect my phone via bluetooth. Only a few bucks more for that feature.



I have also developed an inner chassis for all of the electronics. Went with the honeycomb pattern to allow me to use a system of zip ties to secure everything. Here is a screenshot of the tinkercad file.





Blue is the ESP32 feather, adafruit sound board and the microphone. The orange are the WAGO connectors. Red is the power supply. Dark grey is the NOCO genius 2 and the amp board. The light grey is the audio exciter. The white strips are the led and the cover over those strips will be a clear 3D printed part that will be sanded to act as a diffuser.

[kresty]

Interesting. Mine's lit internally, so the honeycomb stuff would interfere with the lighting. Great place to stick stuff though!

[Imadesignerd]

Interesting.  Mine's lit internally, so the honeycomb stuff would interfere with the lighting.  Great place to stick stuff though!

Yeah I saw in your build log how yours is lit. Simple and very effective! 

In order to get all of the electronics that I wanted to include inside of the unit and have it be tidy, I needed some extra mounting surfaces. This unit will charge my droid as well as make lights and sounds. The LEDs will be mounted to the outside of the chassis. Each opening through the fins will get its own strip, 8 in total and the top will have a ring. I am sure once I bench test and get to building it will all make more sense. 

The honeycomb approach was two fold. 1. it allows for air to freely pass through everything, hopefully helping keep things cool. 2. Gives me a lot of places to zip tie internal parts in order to secure them.

If anyone has suggestions on ways that I can simplify the electronics chassis, I am open to them.

[Imadesignerd]

I think have settled on a final chassis design, minus a few tweaks here and there.