Cobra-matic : Retro Bakelite Phonograph

[Mach]

Alot of progress to report on today. First, the second attempt at the dupli-color, went too heavy with the orange.

Stripped and polished for a 3rd attempt

The key was 7-8 light coats and wiping down the metal before each coat to remove powdered paint. I wasn't painting in the sun so not sure why the paint was powdered as bad as it was. It was hot today so maybe that's part of it.

Here's the final result. I'll let it cure for a week before hitting it with some rubbing compound.

Power supply painted

Aluminum mounting plate for the knobs

More later...

[dfigravity]

this is a fantastic mod bro...I LOVE the mod to the cd drive...nice touch with the "vinyl" cd's too...I used to have a bunch of those. +rep for such a unique mod! Keep it up!

[Mach]

Thanks dfigravity!

Small update (pics forthcoming):
Attempts to put together a PWM controller for the bigboy fan based on the a QKits Speed Controller met with mixed results.

Soldered kit together, tests fine , wired to fan , growls like a cat . Plan B. Anybody have the pinouts on an Antec Tricool 3 way switch. Details would help the tear down that's going to occur.

Edit: Ok, think I understand

The idea is to make the middle knob control the fan speed. Any other ideas are welcome.

The interface for the 3 knobs that can be manually controlled goes like this. The left knob = Power, On, Reset
The right knob = Volume but can be switched to other inputs
The middle knob = Fan speed?

For programmatic control, the leds and the el wire will be controlled by a phidgets relay control.

The lid lift...still working on it which will be a post in itself but it'll be controlled via a program.

More later...

[kris]

Dude that is awnesome!
Really like the way you use radio parts
+rep for the idea

[Mach]

Thanks kris! As you like the old radio parts, I'll post up the details on how not to mod your psu that I promised a few posts back.

Some of the wiser TBCS member schooled me on the need for a momentary switch to turn on the pc and to also reset the pc if it locks up. Rotary switches are NOT momentary; they're in it for the long haul. Old radio knobs are no exception...or are they? Exhibit #1 for your perusal.

Thats a 3 pole - 4 throw rotary switch. Google will give you a better explanation but that means 4 knob positions that control 3 different things at once.

EEs and folks who've been at electronics for awhile will think thats nothing but to me, pretty cool to think a granny somewhere was using one of these to shift hundreds of volts around. But that's neither here nor there.

See that wire bit there? That's a return spring! Or momentary switch in a knob. You see the last position isn't locked; it'll snap back to position 3 if you let go of the knob. It can work as reset or power button. Here's where our story goes wrong though...

See that nicely painted power supply with the yellow lamp cord sticking out the base? Yes...lamp cord...I am duly ashamed to admit it. Tell me who I turn my dremel into now.

In a modding frenzy, the idea evolved that I could use the first position on the knob to replace the switch on the back of the power supply (which would have been hidden in the case). That means 115 volts through the center of the case attached to an antique radio switch.

Decidedly cool for granny's, not so much for me.

After doing this warranty voiding mod,which involved opening the power supply, cutting the switch post, and bridging the two halves with lamp cord, I got the feeling that there was an easier way....staring me in the face all along.

That's the jumper to make the power supply work when it's not connected to the mother board. It does the same thing as my bright idea but a lower voltages......

So....

Let us never speak of this again.

[xmastree]

What's wrong with connecting the knob to the motherboard, just as the normal power button would be?
Use two different poles on the switch, one for power, one for reset.

[Mach]

Let us never speak of this again.

Unless of course, xmastree wanders through and sees what I've done.

I was looking for 4 states Off, Power, On, Reset. In other words, replacing the power switch on the PSU.

[xmastree]

Trouble with that idea is that you need normal for off and power, but momentary for on and reset.
Now, if you could find one with a push-pull action as well as rotary, you could make it work.

[Mach]

Thanks for cross checking the idea. I was planning on adding a pulse circuit (capacitor tied to a relay) for the On position similar to the circuit for Retromod. Can you see a reason it won't work?

[xmastree]

Hmm, so just three position.
1 = off
2 = on (via pulse)
3 = reset (via pulse)



I thought that 4 could be to hold down the power button and force it, but then you'd need to go back through 2 when turning off. And if you really need to force it off, just go to 1 anyway.

Should work, so long as the switch can handle the mans power.