Large Scale Central

A power shack?

Modeling
#1

As I mentioned in my Christmas road show thread, one of my usually reliable Crest 5400 power packs was giving us trouble. Well, today I fabricated a tri point screwdriver from a junk phillips, opened it up and found out why… While it was in storage, moisture had gotten in. - Enough to cause a lot of corrosion (the white furry kind) on the back side of the circuit board. So I spent an hour gently cleaning it with white vinegar and a q-tip… hopefully that will take care of that problem. While I had it apart, I had this crazy idea. A few weeks ago Kimmee had found this old New Blight shed that I had forgotten I even owned…

It had housed electronics for the NB set, so why not put something actually useful inside instead? It took about 3 minutes to remove the 5400 stuff from it’s case

I measured the circuit board. It would just fit mounted to the underside of the roof. The big honking throttle knob will look funny, but maybe I can find a smaller one eventually.

Everything tucked inside the shanty with plenty more air space than it had before. room enough to maybe install a fan, even

First coat of AV colors. The green power-on diode leads had corroded and broken - So instead of fussing with that, I decided to go another route. The security light over the door has been hard wired to the accessory leads to perform that duty. I put a 470-ohm resistor in series with it to soften it, and extend the GoW bulb’s life.

Kim pronounced it “cute”. I’m thinking it won’t be quite as obvious as the original case if it ends up in pictures, anyway. I’ll probably put a barrel or something over the big hole where the New Bright wall pack connected

#2

Great idea. For the knob, how about a smoke stack?

#3

Thanks for the kind words. I’ve actually thought about the smokejack idea. Unfortunately I’m also thinking having one jutting out at a drunken angle might be even more distracting than the knob! I think I’m going to try putting the knob on a diet by cutting the skirting off first (lazy approach, I know…)

#4

Okay, so how about we say the structure has been rented by an amature astronomer and the knob is the turret for his telescope? (Just glue a short piece of tubing on it, and set a fake lens into the end of the tubing.)

Works for me, :slight_smile:
David Meashey

#5

Miter a bend in the smoke pipe just above the potentiometer rod. Then it will only be at a drunken angle part of the time :slight_smile:

Or modify your PC board mount the be parallel with the ground.

Or - just live with it :slight_smile:

#6

How about a bird’s nest?

Actually, the modified board angle makes the most sense…

#7

I had an idea, but a squirrel fat enough to fit the 1/4" shaft in his belly would be one mean mutha!..Maybe if I could find a raccoon?

#8

How about the cap off a toothpaste tube for a smaller knob?

Okay, okay, it was a crazy idea. Must be all the meds.

Cheers, Steve

#9
Steve Seitel said:
How about the cap off a toothpaste tube for a smaller knob?

Okay, okay, it was a crazy idea. Must be all the meds.

Cheers, Steve


No crazier than this whole project… Might just have to look into that! - thanks!

D’ya think Kim would be really upset if I swiped the cap off the tube she just opened last week? Christmas is a lousy time to sleep in the car…