My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

devout · Trick Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Location: the atl

Wood is always smaller than it says. If the nominal size is less than 2 inches, it is actually .25" smaller than it says. If it is 2 to 7 inches, it is actually .5" smaller than it says. If it is 8 or more inches, it is actually .75" smaller than it says.
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the world's most refined homepad: devout stealth

Almost-finished non-Stealth homepad for sale, just add sensors! see here: http://www.ddrfreak.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=8921579#8921579

Zidust · Basic Member Joined: 15 May 2009

Hi all.

After reading many of these great dancepad projects of yours I've decided to make my own dance pad. But I have absolutely no idea which one of yours to make.

My budget for this project is 100$. Can you post me one of your pad projects that cost 100$ or below? I would like to have a few alternatives to because I plan on buying the stuffs needed from nearby stores (I live in Sweden).

If you have a good instruction for how you made the pad (and pictures of course), please post it too or tell me under waht page number I can find your project.

Also tell me what pad you recommend taking parts from. I iwll use the dancepad for stepmania (PC). Have anyone used a Wii dancepad? I can find those fo a cheap here.

It don't hurt to tell me if you used some shop online to buy the stuffs for your project though.

Shuma Gorath · Trick Member Joined: 15 Dec 2008

Hey Zidust.

First you have to ask yourself what type of pad do you want, then look at the materials bill. If its too expensive then try to find alternatives for the materials so it adjust to your budget. Then if its not enough budget, pick another project. One important thing to mention is the price for the tools, as from pad to pad the number of tools required is bigger, which adds more money to the total project budget.

Hmmm I can throw you a list of some essential materials you would need for your project:

Wood - I recommend 18-20mm thick Plywood, so your pad is really consistent. The big sheet comes in 2.40 x 1.20m and its like 35-40 US dollars.

Metal - I chose 20ga sheet metal, cause its a little thick and is not that hard to bend. Price is like 20-30 Us dollars for a big sheet of 2.40 x 1.20m.

Plexiglass/Lexan: Im not really sure about this as I cant find small sheets of those in my country, just big sheets which are reaaaaally expensive.

Screws, wire, usb control, pushbuttons, etc.

Try to draw your project on a sheet of paper, so everything is detailed and also put there the materials bill, so you have an idea of how much will be the final budget.

Zidust · Basic Member Joined: 15 May 2009

Thanks for the quick reply. To answer your questions-

First of all I'd like to build a metal pad.

My dad owns a glazier's shop so I have absolutely no problem to get some lexan from there

.

I don't think I will need to buy any tools either.

I could do as you said, make my own design. Still there are so many of you who have created great pads on your own so using one of your projects is what I would prefer. (maybe make some smaller changes on my own though).

Can I use any USB steppad to take parts from for this project?

Shuma Gorath, do you have a page in this thread where you posted pictures and/or instructions of how you made your pad? Or did you use some othere persons homepad project as a reference pad?

Thanks in advance /Zidust

Shuma Gorath · Trick Member Joined: 15 Dec 2008

Hi there,

Well my pad is the one in this thread --> http://www.ddrfreak.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=134158

As I couldnt afford acrylic/lexan panels, I instead made the arrow panels from metal, which in the end were really sturdy and the feeling was pretty close to the arcade.

I've followed the Matrix Metal Pad style for building my pad and you can check the pad here --> http://members.shaw.ca/lluk/ddrpad/
It's a really good design, but have to be careful for the dimensions regarding the sensors and the pad frame borders(if you wanna include those).

And yeah, use any usb controller pcb to make your control box. As many people suggest(including me) its even easier to make one from the pcb that comes in dance mats, because of the bigger copper spots to make solder joints.

Feel free to ask any more questions as I will be willing to help you ;D

Zidust · Basic Member Joined: 15 May 2009

Looks great

. Well I can get the lexan for free so that will be the cheaper alternative for me though.

I already have a pad at home: Thick foam dance pad ("Ignition pad I bought at play asia"). I think it is good to have an extra pad if a friend wants to play so I wont use that one as a material for this new pad I'll be making.

In other words I'll buy a new pad and take the materials from that one. As I live in europe it would be good if the shop where I buy the pad from is within europe (taxes to high when I buy from US). So what pad do you recommend to take the materials from? (in other words where you recommend that you can buy one for a cheap price).

I've seen that many people uses normal controllers (like PS2 controllers with PS2-->USB converter). Though it seems more difficult then using parts from a pad

)

As I will be using lexan I guess that it will be a bit different from your project. I'm downloading RipTides instruction videos right now which I'll see tomorrow (11pm here in sweden). Maybe that'll help me learn a bit more about making a steppad.

I can see that many people uses different arrow designs. How do they make those? Do they print them out on normal A4 papers?

Well these are my questions for now. No doubt more will come and I hope you will be able to help me out then as well.

Thanks again / Zidust

Zidust · Basic Member Joined: 15 May 2009

Now I've finnished watching RipTides DDR pad videos and really liked that design. As he uses plexi (about the same as lexan) this project would be perfect for me.

What do you think about his project? Do you know some pros and cons with it? Would be greatful to hear your opinion about it.

Also I've figured that A4 paper will be much to small to use, I'd have to use A3 paper then but maybe I'll just let some pros print out the arrows for me

.

Also I'm extremly bad when it comes to sizes in inches. I would be grateful if one here could tell me these material sizes but in milimetre

:
http://www.wubros.com/ddrpad/1_Tools_Materials.html

Thanks once again /Zidust

Edit: Which sensor design is best between Matrix and RipTide? Advantages and disadvantages?

xenonkuraz · Basic Member Joined: 08 May 2009 Location: Melbourne

bettermanlamia · Trick Member Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Location: USA,OHIO

Wow i'm surprised to see this thread is still going

Anyway! I'm almost done making a home metal ddr pad (there more wood then metal so wtf)

And i got everything pretty much figured out but now i'm up to the sensor system. i've read this at least 50 pages of this thread and there are alot of other ways i can set up the sensors then what i was going to do. (RipTides Way) RipTides way seems to work fine are there any flaws to it? Or is there a better way to go? becuz i'm at the point where i have to wire then cut the plexe and then i'm done.

Dave.
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Currenly playing : DDR strike, Extreme 2, MAX2 7th mix. and making a guide for Strike

MyChemicalRomance · Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:02 pm Post subject:

Hey all, the pad building fever has struck again so I've decided to make ddrhomepads design (with matrix sensors) to go along with my Devout Stealth. I've gotten pretty much everything figured out except two things: the "Stanley" brackets and the lucite.

No matter where I look I cannot find any brackets. Does anyone know if they're still available and, if not, what are the alternatives?

As for the lucite, does Lowes or Home Depot carry that or do I have to order it online? I looked around online and it seemed insanely expensive.

Oh almost forgot, quick wiring question: On matrix's website where it show his sensors, He has a set of wires for each sensor. So that's 8 wires per arrow. What do you do with all those wires? Merge 'em together into one and use that one to solder onto the circuit board?

Thanks

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Matrlx · Trick Member Joined: 22 Jan 2006

MyChemicalRomance · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:42 am Post subject:

Thank so much Matrix. I think I've finally gotten all my questions answered and my details ironed out. Now all I have to do is get some money

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MyChemicalRomance · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:13 pm Post subject:

Heheheh, it's funny, since I don't have any funds(that'll change soon:P) I find my self going over the building process in my mind over and over, and What'dya know! I found a few more questions that must be asked:D

I've been reading back a ton in to this thread and I've noticed that people use different thickness of Lucite. On ddrhomepads site he says .093" (which seems incredibly thin), another person wrote 'don't use anything less then 1/8"' so now I'm confused on what size to buy :/ Well?
(I'm a fairly light guy, btw)

I was looking at matrix's pad and noticed(and I've seen this on other home pads as well) that he had wood triangles in the corner of his arrow instead of the weatherstripping ddrhomepad has on his site. I'm wondering how that works, does the Lucite bend just enough to trigger the sensors? or is the Lucite not even resting on the wood triangles?

Another matrix-sensor question: How do you keep the top mending bracket in place? It looks like it's just resting on the mouse pad and seem like it would fall of fairly quickly.

Oh yeah, I've been thinking of not using brackets on my pad(to save me a ton of money) and just use screws similar to a Cobalt flux. I read about it, like, 30 pages back but I coulnd't figure out what was keeping the screw from coming up every time the arrow is pushed down.

Which brings me to my next question(I'm almost done, I promise:P): how much do homepad arrows depress when you step on it? From the guides around here it looks like the lucite is resting mainly on foam of some sort so it'd seem like it would go down quite a bit.

And lastly, mainly out of curiousity: In all the pictures of well made pads I see, the wires in an arrow just kinda dissapear of to the side, never to be seen again. How do you do that?!? My pad has quire a few visible wires.

I was thinking of having them go down a hole drilled in the wood, then lay them flat in a groove made with a router on the bottome of the pad, and then coil any excess in a control box along with the circuit board. Any better suggestions?

Sorry for throwing this giant wall of text at you, but I'm really trying to make this pad good

Good luck answering them all

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MyChemicalRomance · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:08 pm Post subject:

You know what, screw that last post, I was tired and now I've figured out most of those questions on my own(But I'd still like to know how people arrange their wires)

New plan: Instead of building a new pad I've decided to renovate my Devout Stealth to save funds.

I built the Stealth around 7 months ago; It was the first pad I had built and it turned out fairly decent.

However, I made a few little mistakes(screws that stripped the wood, messy job putting the Aluminum foil on the step etc.) that I started to notice once I got to passing 13's+.

So, I'm totally changing the design of the pad! I'took up the sheet metal steps, so I can turn it into more of a typical design(I stole a little from every pad on here, so not sure what to call it:P)

I'm going to make matrix sensors using these braces:

One will go in each corner a little different from the arcade style and see what happens:)

I plan on using Stoli's bracketless design for the lucite, I don't have the funds right now to buy 16 corner brackets. I can always get some in the future if I feel like it.

I'll be building the sensors tonight and I think I can get the Lucite tommorow so I should have some more pics coming soon:)

Any thoughts/comments?

Oh quick question, How do I get the arrow graphics the right size? Do I have to take them to Office Depot or something?
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8ftmetalhead · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject:

To answer a couple of your questions MCR, the screws in the corner of a cf-esque design will go into the baseboard, and how far they are screwed in affects how far apart the sensors and arrows are. Screwing it in more pushes them closer, letting if up a bit increases the gap.

In response to your router question, I've just done something similar with my pad.
I run my wires through the front of the pad to steel nail panels, one screwed into the panel, the other glued to the baseboard. I noticed just the other day that my up arrow wasn't being as responsive as it should, and I figured out that the panel was hitting my wires, stopping my steps from registering occasionally. It didn't do it as much when I was standing up, but as I was tired, I'd decided to sit down and just leg it.
So I did what you are thinking about myself, by taking a screwdriver, file and hammer (I don't have a chisel or router) and hammering out a groove along the side of the arrow well for my arrows to run through.
I then promptly AA'ed rainbow rainbow on expert, which I haven't been able to do before. And now I've done it to all of my panels, I've gotten even more AA's. I even got my first SDG, which I thought was quite impressive.
I actually have my wires hanging out a fair bit after they come out of the pad, before going into the ps1 controller. I run the wires out of the hole where the L1 button used to be

I did at one point buy some buttons and try to make a control box of spare MDF, but the copper strips came off the controller PCB, so I gave up while my start, triangle and circle buttons still worked.

edit - aww you posted while mine lagged its way to the server...
Also, my pad doesn't use corner brackets either. I did think to put them in, but my panels don't rise enough to make them fully necessary. And they cost $8 a pair. As such, I simply screwed two "make a bracket"s into the outside of the pad on each side to keep the panels from lifting out during play or when I move the pad.

MyChemicalRomance · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:44 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your response Metalhead:) I'm about to start building my sensors now:D It'd be awesome if I don't have to put screws through the lucite, cause I still don't have the right screws lol.
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MyChemicalRomance · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 5:38 pm Post subject:

Okay, I'm in the middle of building my sensors, and I realized something.
My arrow wells are only 1/2" deep and my sensors take up nearly 1/4". So I only have room for 1/4" Lucite. Is that enough, or will it crack? My other option would be raising the diagonal panels which I don't really want to do...

By the way, I've decided not to use any arrow graphic so I don't have to buy 2 panels per arrow. I couldn't find any graphics that looked good with my diagonal panels(they're a golden color) and I also thought it looks kinda retro being able to see the sensors:P
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Knowledge is Power........Power Corrupts......Study Hard and be Evil! >:]

MyChemicalRomance · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:18 pm Post subject:

Well, I finished the sensors for the Up arrow!

No idea why I took that second pic at a different angle>.<

As you can see I decided to use 3 sensors instead of 4. I don't think it'll make much difference as far as accuracy. Also, they're form an arrow which makes it even cooler:)
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richard2o9 · Trick Member Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Location: Stockton, CA

Does anyone know where I can get the ITG2 dedicab arrow graphics? Getting arrow graphics printed on glossy paper is pretty expensive at kinkos. Is there really that much of a difference between the glossy and regular paper? I mean like how much of a chance is there that regular paper would rip by pressing against sensor brackets?

8ftmetalhead · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 2:52 am Post subject:

http://www.ddrfreak.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=131312&sid=edc41f3f774a04eb14e30596d2989da8

This is the arrow design I nicked off Kaikanor. They are rather fabulous after all. I put them on my pad after recolouring them in gimp, and sticking them ontop of a lovely dragon.

Just a quick recolour for you to make it golden...

Just a suggestion though, since you're putting the sensors in the shape of arrows... why not incorporate that into a graphic by like... vividing or painting around them or something?

Also, how are your arrows going to be put together to make your sensor work? I haven't ever really been able to make sense of devout stealth's design, despite it looking fantastic.