Timasomo 2024: Week 3 Updates

Fully synced and charted! I've got six-panel charts to match the original Space Channel 5 game inputs, and two different four-panel chart versions for lots of DDR-style jumping around.

What's left: some graphics tweaks (especially to manage file size...), some volume adjustments to the audio, and taking feedback from my long-suffering wife and kids dedicated beta testers.

I also need to figure out the best way to present this for Showcase Day. I want to upload the files somewhere for the maybe-handful of people who'd want to actually play this, but maybe I should also record some video that everyone else can at least watch on YouTube and get the basic idea?

This week I have not accomplished any of my timasomo goals, however I did put pool noodles on my table legs so as not to stub my toe or hit my head when I'm doing cable management on the floor. Pictures:

• https://i.imgur.com/IYwq6YJ.png
• https://i.imgur.com/3HNuHYj.png

Hello everyone! Looking forward to hearing about people's projects :)

Because my project is for Halloween, and the first Halloween event is this coming weekend, I had a closer deadline than the end of the month. So I managed to finish everything up over the weekend and today. Here's the blaster in action and the whole costume (less the side buns).

I posted the models and a detailed set of build instructions on Printables. There are some more pictures there as well. I included a variant that doesn't have the internal cutouts and has a static trigger for someone who just wants a prop gun and doesn't care about the electronics. I also included the basic model with no modifications for printing or assembly, in case someone wants to use it as a starting point for something else. All the parts are step files, so they are pretty easily modified in CAD software.

I think if I were going to change one thing, I would go for "authentic" Star Wars blaster sounds. I did spend a little time poking around sparkfun for playback boards, but there was nothing that was going to meet the time, cost, and size requirements nearly as well as the $10 amazon toy blaster. Probably if I had tried to DIY that part, I would have not completed the project on time. This design also reuses the trigger and trigger spring from the original toy, along with the battery door. I pulled the internal trigger geometry from the original toy, but I had to adapt it for bring 3D printed instead of injection molded. The decision to base it on an existing design saved me a ton of time and iteration because I had a good starting geometry, which in turn let me focus on the outer details of the model.

I ended up not getting any time to work on the project until Saturday, but I got up early and started by tackling the modifications to the electronics. It was a very simple job -- desolder two LEDs and resolder them with some wire leads -- so that was done quickly. I might have accidentally swapped the LEDs (I think the one in the front end was red originally), but I can live with that.

On the 3D printing side, I had originally put the spaces to hold the electronics on the left side. Once I had the electronics ready, I realized that because the scope is offset on the right side, some of the electronics would be on the left side and some would have to be on the right side. It would be too hard to get everything in place on both sides and seal the unit up. I reversed the internal cutouts so that all the electronics can be install on one side, and the other side can just be set on top. I also found a few oversights in the original design, like not including a grill for the speaker. It took a bit of time to make those changes, but I was able to get my prints started by Sunday afternoon.

While the prints were going, I made the robe for the costume. I had my original inspiration from this post, but I modified it so that the sleeves and the robe both taper outward. This gives it a flow-ier feel.

I have no idea how well the fabric tape used in that momcollective post holds up, but to me, it seemed like sewing it would be just as easy as taping it, especially since the sewing doesn't have to be very precise. I got out my trusty 20 year old Brother sewing machine (that I got for $90 at Walmart back in the day) and knocked it out fairly quickly. I cheated by making the collar flat and having her wear a white turtleneck t-shirt (that we got from Goodwill) underneath the robe. That also helps it not be too sheer, and it will be warmer, which is good since it's getting colder outside.

The only notes I got were that my daughter didn't like the sleeves being longer than her hands, so I had to go back and shorten the them. In the end, I think it came out well. I'm also happy with the decision to buy the belt. Having it be elastic is helpful for the fit, and I couldn't have made anything nearly that nice for the $15 it cost.

This morning, I did the final assembly of the blaster. The design changes worked pretty well, and I was able to get all the electronics inside and screw the gun together with almost no fuss. There was one internal clearance problem I ran into, but I cut away some additional material with an Xacto knife and then everything was fine. I'm really happy with the fit of everything, and self-tapping the M3 screws into the plastic seems to have created a very solid-feeling end product. Thankfully it is only critical for the next week or so, but I'll be curious to see how long it holds up after.

On the longevity topic, the pirate treasure chest from two years ago lasted about a year and a half before the walls started splitting. They could definitely be thicker or have ribs to reinforce them to make them more durable, but I was trying to minimize weight since it was so huge (at her request). For a while, I was repairing it with my 3D pen, but eventually she was tired of it, so it's in my to-be-recycled pile now.

So I am slightly back on track, with trying to edit a photo a day. I had some software issues, but then was recommended Darktable and have been starting to learn that. I have only edited 3 photos this month from my backlog, but I am hoping to start increasing and try to make it back. Although, my workflow will have to change a bit with new software, so need to also figure that out

Nothing this week, had family fly in from Switzerland and spent the weekend entertaining.

Sort of got a lot done and not a lot done at the same time this week. Didn't put much time in, but the time I did was doing some pretty big things. Spent more time painting, largely limited by the available space for bits of wood.

Then I marked out and drilled the last set of holes for dowels. Submillimetre accuracy is probably not important but I tend to think if I shoot for sub-mm, then when I inevitably get something wrong, my errors will be of the order of mm rather than cm. Also pictured, one of my most favourite tools, the awl. It's just handy for all sorts of stuff, and makes for much more accurate drilling, especially when combined with a brad point bit which can locate easily into an awl-poked hole.

So with everything drilled, and the two end pieces of the bed assembled last week, the only thing left to do was assemble the whole, very heavy, thing. On my own.

Given the trouble I'd had with some of the end pieces being very stiff to fit together, I sanded down my dowels just a touch to make the fit a little less friction-y and a little more glue-friendly. This made the final assembly a lot easier and less stressful, because I wasn't desperately pushing dowels into holes they barely fit into while glue rapidly goes off. The moisture in the glue will make the wood expand and the joints will be just as strong as if they'd needed a hammer to assemble.

So I cobbled together some supports out of bricks and bits of wood and shimmed them up to the right height, daubed everything in glue and shoved it together. More ratchet straps holding it all in place, and the big sash clamp was there to correct a little bit of a twist. Once the glue had gone off I got a bit paranoid and added a few heavy duty brackets, but they'll be invisible once the bed is in use.

That's the main frame done. When I took the clamps and straps off everything was pleasingly nice and square. I needed to add some more supports to hold the slats up, they went in easily and are nice and level. The slats are coming from the old bed and they need cutting down a bit, which I haven't done yet. But once that is done and they're installed, that's the main bed built. I have a few stretch goals though..

In my last update I mentioned there was a design feature which was complicating things. It's this gap here, which I decided to put into the headboard, and another board at the footer end which covers the underneath (underbed will be used for storage). These both could have just been solid boards, which would have made life a LOT easier but no. That little gap was a massive pain to deal with, but I do think it looks rather good

I know how imposing this bed looks, but we're going to be making the shelves in this room rather more compact so it will be less cramped once that's done - but that won't be for a while yet. It is not a room in which you do stuff on the floor, and never has been.