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FM Radio Module: The process of mounting
Mar. 14th, 2023 03:17 amLast post, I showed off the FM radio module that I want to install in a pair of old PC speakers. Picture of that, just in case:
Today, I'm talking about all the things that need to happen for this to get mounted the way I want it.
One of the thing I only realized after thinking about this project for a while are the buttons. After all, the PC speakers I'll be using for this task are just made with a plastic shell, a small circuit board (which turned out to be mono, not stereo!), and the respective speakers. Yes, just your average PC speakers, likely the set mine came with at one point.
(it's been years, so I don't remember which set I got from where)
Anyway, this extremely light weight means that you can't push backwards on them without the speaker actually moving. Unless, of course, they're either sufficiently weighted (not likely to happen, in my case) or the buttons are oriented so they press downwards instead of to the back of the device.
Which means I need levers for the buttons. If I have a pivot bar above the circuit board, between the LCD screen and the buttons, I can add L-shaped levers that convert downwards forces to backwards forces on the buttons. Which isn't something I've ever done before.
If I was already fluent in using the 3D printing function of my Snapmaker Original machine, I could just whip up five levers, and maybe the frame that holds the pivot bar. At the moment, I don't have a way to keep the area around the system ventilated, so I'm not about to try this technique for this project. That project is quite a long time away, right now, maybe not even before I have the opportunity to move out of where I currently live, so I'm keeping all the fillament rolls tightly sealed up for the moment.
Now, one of the categories of content I've been watching on YouTube is metalworking videos, and in particular, metal milling videos. This Old Tony, Blondihacks, and a couple more, have given me an interesting perspective on material modification. Like I said, I have a Snapmaker Original, which handles 3D printing, laser engraving, and three-axis CNC engraving. The last option is actually pretty close to a metal milling machine, only for wood. So if I can figure out how to adapt the concepts to milling things on the CNC machine, hopefully I can get the effect I'm aiming for out of it.
It'll be something like CMC, Computer Mediated Control, as long as I have the commands set up on the computer, and the printer connected by USB cable, I can adjust things by eye a bit, then send the command to start the current batch of commands in that location. Though the holes for the pivot bar will need to be handled separately, as drilling holes is definitely not supported by this system. Despite lots of people complaining about it, Snapmaker has officially abandonded us first-generation machine owners...
Anyway, I have some small pieces of wood that should be sufficient for this task, so will be experimenting with getting them small enough for the job. Maybe I'll be able to make it with mostly hand tools, maybe I'll need a machine to help, we'll see.
But pictures will be forthcoming on the results, if not the process. Though I'm not about to document the entire process on pictures...
Today, I'm talking about all the things that need to happen for this to get mounted the way I want it.
One of the thing I only realized after thinking about this project for a while are the buttons. After all, the PC speakers I'll be using for this task are just made with a plastic shell, a small circuit board (which turned out to be mono, not stereo!), and the respective speakers. Yes, just your average PC speakers, likely the set mine came with at one point.
(it's been years, so I don't remember which set I got from where)
Anyway, this extremely light weight means that you can't push backwards on them without the speaker actually moving. Unless, of course, they're either sufficiently weighted (not likely to happen, in my case) or the buttons are oriented so they press downwards instead of to the back of the device.
Which means I need levers for the buttons. If I have a pivot bar above the circuit board, between the LCD screen and the buttons, I can add L-shaped levers that convert downwards forces to backwards forces on the buttons. Which isn't something I've ever done before.
If I was already fluent in using the 3D printing function of my Snapmaker Original machine, I could just whip up five levers, and maybe the frame that holds the pivot bar. At the moment, I don't have a way to keep the area around the system ventilated, so I'm not about to try this technique for this project. That project is quite a long time away, right now, maybe not even before I have the opportunity to move out of where I currently live, so I'm keeping all the fillament rolls tightly sealed up for the moment.
Now, one of the categories of content I've been watching on YouTube is metalworking videos, and in particular, metal milling videos. This Old Tony, Blondihacks, and a couple more, have given me an interesting perspective on material modification. Like I said, I have a Snapmaker Original, which handles 3D printing, laser engraving, and three-axis CNC engraving. The last option is actually pretty close to a metal milling machine, only for wood. So if I can figure out how to adapt the concepts to milling things on the CNC machine, hopefully I can get the effect I'm aiming for out of it.
It'll be something like CMC, Computer Mediated Control, as long as I have the commands set up on the computer, and the printer connected by USB cable, I can adjust things by eye a bit, then send the command to start the current batch of commands in that location. Though the holes for the pivot bar will need to be handled separately, as drilling holes is definitely not supported by this system. Despite lots of people complaining about it, Snapmaker has officially abandonded us first-generation machine owners...
Anyway, I have some small pieces of wood that should be sufficient for this task, so will be experimenting with getting them small enough for the job. Maybe I'll be able to make it with mostly hand tools, maybe I'll need a machine to help, we'll see.
But pictures will be forthcoming on the results, if not the process. Though I'm not about to document the entire process on pictures...
