My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

thepadmaker · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 9:01 pm Post subject:

They are 3/4" maple with a 1/4" lip over the top of the pad.

Design still has some bugs that I'm working out. There is no adjustment for touch. I have to incorporate something into the bottom of the sensor. I am having a little bit of trouble with only the down arrow. Could be something with maybe the wood or something. Don't know yet.

Anyway, I'll keep ya posted.

Chris
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zambi · Basic Member Joined: 04 Jul 2004

Do you guys know something good to clean the metal nonarrow pads with? mine have gotten dirty, and it wont wipe off, seems stuck on there pretty good. Metal cleaner?

Thanks in advance.

thepadmaker · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 9:10 pm Post subject:

I actually use Tire Rim Cleaner. Like from the autoparts store. I don't remember what it's called. It's a big swab of pre-treated cotton, that you rub on the aluminum, let it dry. Then polish it off.

I think its called "Alumi-luster" or something like that.

Chris
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Ulala321 · Trick Member Joined: 28 Sep 2004

Okay, I have some pictures.. clarification is needed however: first, I soldered to the control board to check for contacts, they work fine, but had to temporarily remove the solder job for wiring purposes. SO, nothing is wired as of yet.. again. Also, the arrows don't have rails yet, so they're going to look too low. Hmm, oh yeah, all the screws aren't in yet. But, I'm making slow but sure progress. Here they are!

http://server2.uploadit.org/files/Ulala321-ddr1.JPG
http://server3.uploadit.org/files/Ulala321-ddr2.JPG
http://server3.uploadit.org/files/Ulala321-ddr3.JPG
http://server2.uploadit.org/files/Ulala321-ddr4.JPG
http://server3.uploadit.org/files/Ulala321-ddr5.JPG
http://server2.uploadit.org/files/Ulala321-ddr6.JPG
http://server2.uploadit.org/files/Ulala321-ddr7.JPG

Considering that I've never built or wiring *anything* in the 18 years of my life, I'm pretty proud, even if it does look a little chewed up.

I hope to get better as I build more! Thanks to all who have helped me make this possible!

P.S. I may just order both sets of arcade buttons in case I can't figure out a way to use the normal ones. Oh, and I'm using ddrhomepad's design.

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

hey padmaker I was just wondering how durable your pad is. I haven't built my pad yet but I've been planning to build one with riptide's design since I've played on a lot of padsthat seem to creak a lot since they are built on only a thin piece of wood as a base. Yours seems to follow that strategy as well so I think it will do the same.

I dont' know much about the pads I played on though. All I know are they are made by cyphergames so they aren't at all good quality. Maybe it was just that the wood for that certain model is really weak and bends causing warp in the pad. Riptide's design has tons of reinforcement with all the extra 2x4's he puts in there to elevate the pad. In my opinion these extra 2x4's will keep the pad from warping at all. what's your opinion?

thepadmaker · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 11:38 am Post subject:

I have no problems with my pads. Nor do I see any potential for warpage. I built my fist pad off riptides design. I have had no problem with that pad. It's just REALLY HEAVY and BULKY. Mine are sleek. Fairly light weight and extremely durable.

Good luck with what ever you do...

Chris

Check out the newest pad on my website.
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http://www.2legacy.com/ddrpad/
If it needs to be screwed, I'm licensed to do it!

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

ok then one last question i have is how do you make that huge indentation in the wood base for the control board?

mtwieg · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 12:36 pm Post subject:

IT LIVES

Just got done with some minor adjustments, amd it's lookin good. i took a leap of faith and secured the panels like you said chris, and it seems to work fine. All I have to do is fine tune it to stop those double and triple presses. Unfortunately, I had to sacrifice the circuit from my old pad, so I won't be playing doubles for a while

.

I'll post pictures once I get a hold of a digital camera

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thepadmaker · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 1:27 pm Post subject:

In my pad that had the contoller in the pad, I routed out the pocket for the controller board. All of my new pads have the controller in a seperate box that connects to the pad via a network cable.

Chris
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http://www.2legacy.com/ddrpad/
If it needs to be screwed, I'm licensed to do it!

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

thepadmaker · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 2:14 pm Post subject:

It's not very hard, I simply ran the wires to a network jack that I purchased at Home Depot for $6. It is all color coded so you just put the wires in the marked spots. Then, I wired the controller in a seperate box which I mounted my buttons A, B, and Start into. Just match the the wires up just like you did in your pad... Blue to Left Arrow, Brown to Up arrow, Green to Left arrow, and Orange to down Arrow. That's how I did it anyway. Then on the other end of the Cat 5 cable I just crimped a network cable end onto the cable.

Plug it in and away you go!

Very Cool...

Chris
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http://www.2legacy.com/ddrpad/
If it needs to be screwed, I'm licensed to do it!

ch · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 2:57 pm Post subject:

dont even have to build a separate box, if you dont want to:
http://www.msu.edu/~walilkoa/alien.JPG

be sure to carve a little off the bottom so you dont cut the wires when you screw it down

p.s. i (nearly) finished my pad
http://www.msu.edu/~walilkoa/mypad.JPG
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CStarFlare wrote:

I approve of the direction this thread is going

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch?e=20090310025322668

thepadmaker · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 3:30 pm Post subject:

Cartoon Hero,

Are your arrows all steel? Very cool box for the controller, where did you get it? Is it a project box from radio shack? Very cool either way!

Chris
_________________

http://www.2legacy.com/ddrpad/
If it needs to be screwed, I'm licensed to do it!

mtwieg · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:34 pm Post subject:

I never saw one of those at radio shack...
looks like a modified madcatz controller case...very cool.
btw chris, all is going well with your design, except i keep snagging on the aluminum edges and bending it up....any recommendations on how to keep it down?
_________________

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

thepadmaker · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 7:38 pm Post subject:

Mtwieg,

Where are you snagging it? If it's on the outside edge, then you need to put a border on it. Otherwise, unless somehow your plex is recessed in the pad you shouldn't have any exposed areas.

Not sure. Answer those then I will come up with an answer for ya.

To HitokiriX,

Give a day or two, and I will draw up a diagram, and post it on my site for you.

Chris
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http://www.2legacy.com/ddrpad/
If it needs to be screwed, I'm licensed to do it!

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

i think i got the network cable thing. But how would i connect the other end of the network cable to the control box? from cartoonhero's pictures it looks like the network cable opens up and different wires inside come out and are soldered to their respectable contacts.

thepadmaker: from what i learned from you the "female" end of the network is placed on the side of the pad with all the wires inside soldered to different contacts on the female end. Then a network cable plugs into the female end and leads to the other end where it connects to a control box somehow. that's where it gets foggy and i dont' know. but then corresponding wires attach to the network cable in the control box and lead to the respectable contacts on the control board. could you clarify please?

thepadmaker · Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:01 pm Post subject:

That is exactly how mine works. The female end is in the side of the pad.
The wires don't solder to the female end, then just kind of crimp in. They provide you with a special tool in the package. Then on the cable that comes from the control box, I suppose you could do the same thing, but I just drilled a hole ran the cable through, then soldered the ends where they went on the board.

Chris
_________________

http://www.2legacy.com/ddrpad/
If it needs to be screwed, I'm licensed to do it!

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

daitenshi · Trick Member Joined: 11 May 2004

ulala:
Get the open cell foam: My pad wasn't very sensitive, then someone (I think padmaker) told me to get open cell. It works A LOT better.