My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

frisina · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 1:05 pm Post subject: Table Saw...

Thanks for the help!

I am going to try out my circular saw on it in just a few minutes. I was hesitant to try it, as I thought it might deliver too much power to the Lexan, but now that multiple people have suggested it, that's what I'm going for.

Incidentally, I plan to put up pictures within a few days. Hopefully I can contribute back to this great thread.
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Andreq · Trick Member Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Location: Quebec foreva

`pr0digy · Trick Member Joined: 31 Mar 2003 Location: ogmios.ath.cx

I used a razor blade to cut the lexan for my computer's window... Worked perfect.
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frisina · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 6:07 pm Post subject: Yay!

Got the Lexan cut A-OK with the circular saw. Aside from some molten plastic hitting me in the eye (And I was wearing safety glasses!) and some metal in the arm from the sheetmetal cutting, today was a great day for the pad making.

Now, I do have a problem though... with cutting things straight. Nearly everything I cut today ended up a little bit crooked. The wood was fixable, as I cut it large and sanded down with a surform, and the metal was actually fairly straight... but the lexan is mad crooked.

Can someone reccomend a good way to cut things? I am sure I will be doing more of these pads in the future, and would really like to get things right the first time. I drew lines on the materials I was cutting, but it seems as if I just have an unsteady hand. Help! Suggestions welcome!

Other than that, tomorrow I hope to get everything secured to the base, and start wiring up the sensors. Wish me luck everyone!
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`pr0digy · Trick Member Joined: 31 Mar 2003 Location: ogmios.ath.cx

Said it once, I'll say it again... just get a sharp razor blade, score it a few times using a T-square as a guide, and then snap it... Will get you a perfect cut when done right.
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Blue Beefman · Trick Member Joined: 31 Oct 2002 Location: WI

Bojangles · Trick Member Joined: 06 Apr 2003

I thought I might explain the possibility of using aluminum sheet metal instead of zinc. This is for those of us living in various "booneysville" locations who, unfortunately, don't have access to to zinc sheet metal. And i also only had to spend 9$ cnd on a 7' x 2' piece for aluminum which is cheaper than zinc.

Because solder doesn't stick to aluminum, i cut the square sheets of the arrow panels so that a 0.5" x 1.5" rectangle sticks out the bottom. Then I stripped each of the wires an extra 1.5 inches and electrical taped it to the strip of sheet metal.

I've finished the pad and this seems to have worked quite well for me.

Maybe this is a bad idea and other problems might come out of this so any further input is appreciated...
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Andreq · Trick Member Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Location: Quebec foreva

1 question : anybody know how many mA is going trough the "button" when its pressed ( i want to know if I can put LED directly trough the wire or need a relay. Because my led are really really bright with small amout of mA
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My dance dance revolution metal pad pictures and stuffs : http://membres.lycos.fr/csclanbef/DDR/

-joe- · Trick Member Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Location: lv

Andreq · Trick Member Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Location: Quebec foreva

Blue Beefman · Trick Member Joined: 31 Oct 2002 Location: WI

Hmmm wow I have NO knowledge of LED's whatsoever...Hopefully I will learn though...
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frisina · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2003 4:59 pm Post subject: Chapter 3

Anyone on the forum have a copy of Riptide's Chapter 3? I can't get it from any of the servers.... they keep telling me no.

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Andreq · Trick Member Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Location: Quebec foreva

`pr0digy · Trick Member Joined: 31 Mar 2003 Location: ogmios.ath.cx

tr4il · Trick Member Joined: 03 Dec 2002 Location: Jerz

I ordered some silicon to re-do my pad. I will be grounding the contacts and stuff...
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MASSystems Clone - 1 2
"TerTerBox" For DDR Home Pads
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trolli · Basic Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003

I noticed while building my pad that the cuts for the plexiglass and corner pieces of wood in Riptides design have to be very accurate, or things wont slide together very easily.

I did what his video's said for cutting the corners of the plexi, but that wasn't enough it seems. I still had to cut off more to make it fit with the corner brackets in there also. and almost had to round off the new corners. The rounding was so that the plexi was out of the way of the corner bracket.

Did anyone else have a problem like this? Or are my dimentions just off by that slight little bit that I'm having problems like this?

Also I am trying to get the sensitivity of the buttons good. I have one arrow working great. another one works pretty well, however I noticed that when I started working on the third, that the second button is now stuck down. So when on the main menu of third mix, it keeps scrolling up constantly. I'll just have to play with the screw heights I guess.

One final question. On the menu's of DDR when I step on the right arrow and stay there the menu only moves right once. However when I step on Up or down, it just keeps going in that direction. But when I try and play a song stepping on it and holding it, only triggers the arrow on screen once. Is the constant rotation on the menu because thats how the menu works? Or is my sensitivity and wiring still a little off on the up and down arrows?

Istari Asuka · Trick Member Joined: 27 Oct 2002 Location: Tucson, AZ

We also had that problem with Riptides plexi/bracket design. The plexi caught on the very edges of the bracket. We actually made a router jig that allowed us to make a small indentation exactly where the problem was, which was enough to prevent the catching.

For the screw contacts, we came up with a method to make them _exactly_ identical heights, preventing any inconsistancies that would cause problems, and saving time by not needing to adjust them. Originally, we did this simply by using washers, however, screwing the screws in resulted in the washers actually depressing the wood slightly, oftentimes. This was obviously unacceptable, as it defeated the whole point, so the screws actually now each go through their washer into circuit board, which has had the copper removed in a curve, making every other screw on the same circuit. This saves a lot of time on wiring, and is more aesthetically pleasing

. The large surface area of the circuit board also makes it impossible to overtighten and depress the wood, ensuring equadistant heights.

The actual design is basically Riptide's, though moddified fairly significantly, to make it thinner, and make the contancts better. The non-metal panels were also clamped, as has been suggested here (after we already did it

) but on the sides of the panels as well. It also has a boarder around the pad, allowing proper doubles use, and giving a safety zone/convenient place for push-buttons on the top and bottom. It is a 6-arrow pad, and still compatible with lights.

Sorry for talking so long, though some of you might be interested. It's not quite done yet, and my dad has been quite busy lately, so it may take a bit yet (test arrow is complete, and the rest is mostly all cut/ready to be actually put together). When i'm done, i'll take pics, if anyone cares. If any of you want to see out design for the contacts, i can get you a pic of those, if you would like.

crazedazn203 · Basic Member Joined: 08 Dec 2002

hey i have a really weird problem with my pad. teh design is ter's and for some reason when i play with shoes on, the pads "overwhelm" the converter and the pads just stop working. if i exit stepmania and unplug the converter, replug and then restart stepmania, everything works. if i play with just socks, the pad works fine and there are no problems. why is this happening? is it perhaps static electrictiy?

also, my other pad of the same design has the left arrow not working. Something is really strange with it because i used a continuity tester to see if the connection from the left directional on the pad to the left on the controller is working but the continuity tester shows a very dim light. when i reverse the direction of the tester, it doesnt even light. This isnt supposed to be happening because it is supposed to work either way. The way the pad is connected to the controller is by an extension cord which is cut so that the controller can be disconnected, and when i use the continuity tester from the left directional on the pad to the end of the extension cord, the light is very dim. This tells me that there is something wrong with the extension cord, but ive already replaced it before, so it shouldnt be happening.

TIA
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Scott_W · Basic Member Joined: 01 May 2003 Location: IL

I am currently assembling a ddr pad.

It is going to be computer only, so I am using a USB controller. The nice thing about this is that USB outputs 5v, so I can use that as the power source for my LEDs.

Another idea I will attempt to implement is using "Reed Switches" and magnets as my detectors in the arrow sections. Each square will have a set of reed switches for the LEDs and for the controller. They will be on the corners instead of the sides of each square.

The nice thing about the reed switches is that they don't need to be in contact with the magnet, only a certain distance depending on the strength of the magnets that are used. Not to mention that they switch fast and would not wear out nearly as fast as a regular switch. It will definitely take some tweaking when I get to that...

My only problem right now is getting straight cuts with the wood and probably the plexi once I get to that