My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

Quad · Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 6:06 pm Post subject:

So does anyone know of the Beat -Gears blueprint or one that is similar to that?

deM' · Trick Member Joined: 10 Apr 2005 Location: Southington CT

Beat-Gears arent exactly homemakable...

If you know the story behind them, it was a guy who had access to all kinds of machining and injectin molding tools. If you get a look inside of one of those, you would see that its a custom designed sensor (not like arcade or any of the homebuilts) and mostly made out of hard plastic.
The backbar and doubles isnt a mod, thats how the pads are =)

Quad · Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:31 pm Post subject:

Ah ok I understand now. So which pad would be the closest design to a beat gear in the sense:

a)sunken arrows
b)metal border
c)senors
d)backbar blueprint

... if that makes sense. Im new to all this, and just need to know where I stand to see if this is something I want to start.

Heffenfeffer · Trick Member Joined: 22 Apr 2002 Location: Las Cruces, NM

HitokiriX · Trick Member Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Location: Berwyn, PA

A new pad design for us to look at

http://www.ddrfreak.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=106816

Check it out! It's got lights and everything. Doesn't seem to use an external power source either. Looks pretty nice...but I asked about the price. 300 in a currency I don't know how to pronounce/type on the comp. I expect it would be over $140 cuz of the lights though.

zaken · Basic Member Joined: 12 Sep 2005

I think he does use external power source. If you look at the picture, there are 2 wires and 1 of the wire is to supply the CCFL he has in the panel.

HitokiriX · Trick Member Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Location: Berwyn, PA

OK thanks for the correction zaken. The pad is like $360 dollars to make though so chances are if you have that kind of cash for DDR, you'd rather buy a manufactured CF with warranty. You'd save $60 too!

zaken · Basic Member Joined: 12 Sep 2005

Actually, if you look at his pad you will see his pad is rather sturdy. Not to mention the light is way cool ( he has a video clip on the other thread ) The switch he uses for the censor is very high standard, it is suppose to last 50 million press ( it claimed by its manufacturer. I check into it, the keyboard they are selling cost over 150 USD a piece ). Further more, if you build your own pad, you would know exactly how to fix it

So far, I heard he hasnt have problem with the pad.

HitokiriX · Trick Member Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Location: Berwyn, PA

Heffenfeffer · Trick Member Joined: 22 Apr 2002 Location: Las Cruces, NM

phoenix9 · Basic Member Joined: 09 Apr 2005

As of the 13th of August CF started selling 9 panel sets of repacment lexan sheets, does anyone know wether ot not these are the right size for homepads... ?

I figure they're pre-cut and $35 for a set of nine, so you only need one set for two pads + one for when (i mean if) you break one (which is pretty impresive since its lexan).

Anyone ordered these?

HitokiriX · Trick Member Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Location: Berwyn, PA

zaken · Basic Member Joined: 12 Sep 2005

Hmm...CF pad comes with 6 month warranty, after that its the same thing with no warranty. CF is marked as 299 USD plus 50 dollars shipping. So the only thing you saved would be the work to build the pad.

Also, If you look at his panel closely, he is using a much thicker plexiglass. I think its at least 1/4" or even 1/2". Those plexiglass arent cheap but its much stronger than those you can buy in homedepot or lowes. As far as I know, CF pad doesnt break easy, but they do break sometimes. Check CF forum and you would know they do have some minor problems. Although compare to other pads, those problems is nothing. As Hef mention, if you do have problem , you would have to ship it back to CA, and thats at least a week back there and a week back to you.

I think homemade pad is more than just to save money in some cases. Many people enjoy building a pad from scratch. I talked to Amegon quite a few times and I know he spent a lot of time to imporve his pad

and he is very proud of his pad. Thats something you cant never get from spend 300 dollars in a store

and yeah....I am in the process of making one of Amegon's pad...LOL

HitokiriX · Trick Member Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Location: Berwyn, PA

In the end it all comes down to money. To face facts, I just don't think that most people will be able to pay for a pad costing that much. Enuf said.

deM' · Trick Member Joined: 10 Apr 2005 Location: Southington CT

Well, im really right in the nexus of this discussion, considering I have made 2 homepads and own a CF

I think the only thing thats wrong with the homepads is that, if you dont have VERY good wood/metal working skills, chances are, there are going to be small errors all over the place. Not things that are apperent in performance at first, but things that tend to wear on the pad.
Of course, since the pad was built by you, these things are normally easy to fix.

The cobalt on the other hand, imho is unbreakable... The design is so simple that the most that could possibly go wrong (when used under normal circumstances) is that a wire might break, or cbox may fry. Wires are easily repaired, and a cbox problem you *will* have with a homepad.
Even if the warantee runs out on a cf, you still have the option to buy the cbox or replacement parts from cf for pretty cheap, there is nothing complicated in cfs design and everything is very easily fixable.

Now, i have owned a cf for a little over 2 years now, and have never experienced any problem other than having to slightly bend one arrow up (completly normal, instructions are provided from cobalt flux, takes about 30 seconds)

On the otherhand, my homepads i have to frequently adjust, and its alot more work to fix.

One other thing to consider is that, despite how easily people on this forum have built homepads, the first pad is VERY tedious, if you have a normal work schedule, expect to spend 2 weeks recieving parts, and another month to build it. (At least for me, expirementing as i go)

One last thing in respect to the question about the replacement lexan panels cf sells, they are exactly 11x11" (Arcade dimensions) and are i *belive* .125" thick (1/8) they have holes drilled in each corner about 1" in from each side. Holes are 1/8"

Cobalts dont need to use thick plexi because there is no gap underneath the plex, its pressing onto a peice of metal less than an 1/8" below it, barely bending at all. I have never heard of anyone breaking a lexan panel on a cobalt.

HitokiriX · Trick Member Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Location: Berwyn, PA

deM' · Trick Member Joined: 10 Apr 2005 Location: Southington CT

Yes, the Cobalt flux uses screws, not brackets =p

The arrow decals are cut in the corners to expose the bare metal where the corner braces would be, but they aren't there.

MinN_Limited · Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 7:52 pm Post subject:

Hey I'v got a problem...I just finished building a ddrhomepad style pad and it works great...but there are two small cracks in the corner of the lexan panels. should I worry? Is there anything I can do to stop the crack from getting larger?

thx

HitokiriX · Trick Member Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Location: Berwyn, PA

geckoinc99 · Trick Member Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Location: Chattanooga, TN

A simple repair is to use clear mailing tape and tape over the crack. It's clear enough that it doesn't show up. As far as dissolving Lexan or Plexiglass , Acetone or paint thinners (MEK might work) should be able to dissolve the plastic. I don't have any to test with at the moment, but you should get an effect from something like that. Just be aware that it will remove the see through aspect (the plastic gets real white and hazy).

David
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