Cobalt Flux Dance Platform

Joshua B · Trick Member Joined: 22 Dec 2005 Location: Hudson, MA, USA

DancingTofu(SMC), were you responding to me? Yes, my pads are mapped correctly.

Emerl · Trick Member Joined: 20 Feb 2007

I just got my CF a few days ago, and I've been thinking about base+bar modding it. Does anyone know of a website with instructions?

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

You know, it just so happens that I'm getting tired of saying no, so here you go; I just made this sketchup and will put it up on my site when this page is no longer recent.

MATERIALS:
18x - 1" screws.
1x - 4"x4"x1/2" Fir Plywood
1x - Small piece of 1/2" plywood; anything larger than 10"x10" will do.
10' of PVC; 1.25" (inner)
2 PVC 90 degree corners, fitted to 1.25"
super glue
3' oak dowel, 1.25"
2 PVC or metal flanges, fitted to 1.25" PVC
8x - 2" machined screws (preferably 1/4" diametre)
8x - nuts to fit those screws
1x - 8' long 2x4 (if you can get just 4', that's all you need)
2x - 2" long 3/8" Hex Bolts
2x - 3/8" Hex Nuts
1.25" Boring drill bit
3/8" boring drill bit.
Basic tools and power tools

Finished product:

5-step Picture Guide:

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XXXson · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:37 pm Post subject:

can someone help me out wit how i should do a coin mod for my cobalt flux? like which coins to use, how many of them and where to put it? also i wanna know if doing this coin mod will damage my pad like create dents in the sheet metal.
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faqread · Basic Member Joined: 09 Dec 2007

Does anyone else have a problem with the Cobalt Flux ghosting in Stepmania? I try to select things in the song menu and when I press left or right, it would jump SEVERAL places left/right. Is there something wrong with the sensitivity?
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ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

XXXson,
What I recommend for the coin mod is that you take 16 pennies (no vintage pennies; make sure they were made within the last 40 years) and rub off the copper. There's only a thin layer. Make a discus shape with each one, so that the tops are smooth; don't worry about the edges. Place one in each corner of each sensor 3" from the nearest two edges. (they should form a 4" square) They shouldn't dent the metal if they are smoothed down like this. Otherwise, they can, but it's not too likely. The metal used in CF's is fairly think - 22ga. I think. Not super malleable unless you raeg every night on your CF, but if you're worried about denting, try this. You'll have zinc discs; zinc conducts electricity, but not as well as gold, copper, silver, aluminum, or steel. If you're worried about them moving around, get some rosin core solder and solder them in place.

Or, you can do it the easy way and just put 4 pennies in each sensor and hope it works well.

faqread, try turning down the scroll speed on your stepmania or using the keyboard to select songs.
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XXXson · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:51 am Post subject:

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

The minting date is right in front of Lincoln's chest on most pennies (all non-vintage). It's not super important; you just don't want to be defacing coins worth more than 10 or 20 dollars each, you want to be selling them to collectors.

Use a whetstone to rub off the copper; rub outward from the centerlike how you're suppose to clean CD's.

discus

It would take some time to rub the copper off completely, but you really only need to get it smooth; if there's some copper colour still there, that's fine. Another thing you could do is cut some 22ga metal into 1.5cm squares and just make sure to hammer them absolutely flat and get the same effect, but you'd have to buy the metal and tin snips if you don't already have 'em.
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ArvinG · Trick Member Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Location: Coquitlam, BC

So uh, I've had my CF for a really long time, and I was wondering if the arcade mod is worth it, and is it closer to DDR or ITG pads?
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ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

I wouldn't say it's worth it, simply because you can probably do it yourself for half the price, but yeah, it helps a lot IMO.
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ArvinG · Trick Member Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Location: Coquitlam, BC

well, is it closer to ITG or DDR thickness?
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ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

DDR. I think it becomes a little under a 1/8" height difference, which isn't as smooth as most people (myself included) prefer, but it's way better than getting lost on the flat surface of an unmodded CF.
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Future Master · Trick Member Joined: 10 Jan 2004

Does anyone know when the cobalt flux v2 was released? What are the main differences between a cobalt flux v1 and v2?
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ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

I may be wrong about this, but I'm pretty sure they've never changed the actual pad design. The V2's might have a slightly different wiring schematic. Newer pads have a little thing on the center graphic that has the patent number on it, but otherwise, they're all pretty much the same.

If there are any differences, it's all in the placement of the screws along the edges, which are there to hold doubles bars.
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Dacool561 · Basic Member Joined: 04 Feb 2002

I'm thinking of ordering a CF(or 2) within the next week. I've been out of the DDR loop for awhile, i quit when DDRMAX was the new machine around, so i have a few questions about this pad.

1. Whats the ~ weight limit on the pad? I'm a hefty 270 so am i ok to use this pad?

2. What are some popular mods for the CF besides the Bar Mod? I've been reading the forums for awhile and heard about coin mods, metal sheet mods, etc... What exactly are these mods, and is there is tutorials on how to do them?

3. For people who ordered a CF, how long did it take to ship to you? and where do they ship from?

belink · Trick Member Joined: 12 Aug 2007

1. I dont know the exact weight limit but you will be fine. People have driven SUVs over their CFs and it has survived. Check Youtube.

2. I believe it's to increase sensitivity / stop the panel bending (I think it was made for the first version of the CF, you shouldn't need to do it). CFs already use metal sheets for sensors so you don't need to do that.

3. No idea. I haven't ordered one.

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

If the pad lies flat, the weight limit should be around 2300 lbs IIRC, at which point the Lexan panels will compress irreversibly.
The panels shouldn't ever crack unless they're cut by something. Just make sure that after removing them, they go on the same way.
If you're playing on carpet, the base may crack eventually. It's actually pretty easy to just replace with 3/4" plywood though if you have a good Skilsaw and a power drill.

Coin mod decreases the flex and sheet metal mod is for TX1000 and AfterBurner style pads. The coin mod is actually one of the few ways you CAN damage a CF. If you do this, make sure you're using something smooth or you'll get dents.

EDIT: 2300 PSI of force is more than you're likely to stomp with. The concern is if you're using a moderately dense carpet because that can cause the base to crack under a significant impact. (200 or 300 PSI)
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Dacool561 · Basic Member Joined: 04 Feb 2002

Cool, thanks for the info. Ordered my pads today.

I play on Carpet thats about 1cm thick, but i've been playing on a soft pad with the wood/plastic mod for a year so it's pretty much compacted down to nothing.

Think this is ok? or should i build/put some kinda frame under the pads when they arrive?

belink · Trick Member Joined: 12 Aug 2007

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

I'd attach it to a piece of plywood if the carpet has some noticeable rebound (ie. if you can fall down on it and it doesn't hurt at all) to it. It'll prevent the pad from sliding too; the anti-grip things that come with the pads are total crap unless you're playing on asphalt.

If the carpet's compacted down, you should be fine just getting some velcro and they'll work like a dream and never break. (watch out for the wires coming loose where they go into the pad though if they're getting moved around a lot)
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