the beginnings of my very own midibox!

[JMS]

here is a video, the milling of my first midibox_core circuit board on my homebrew cnc mill! i may need to redo it and add .0015" to either side of the traces (or just jumper two traces after it’s all soldered.)  the through holes still need drilled because i don’t have any tiny tiny drill bits on hand.  so that’s it!  my midibox project is underway.  now that i have a board cut and can see how packed the traces are i may need a smaller tip for my weller iron.  if the board was just a tad bit less crowded i would be so so happy.  though even the board name and the copyright text came out legible!  if anyone wants to donate parts to help keep the ball rolling on this build… i wouldn’t mind a bit ;)  the video is suck quality i know i know, i’ll take some extreme clear closeups with my digtal camera soon.

EDIT: i had the video link wrong in the first revision of this post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl0guIkizVQ

[JMS]

… i just ordered everything except the pic chips to slap together at least 2 cores (mistakes happen) and i should have enough leftover and what’s already in my bins for a third core just in case.

  i have a few of the different pics sitting here and will only need to make an icsp adapter board for the pickit2 to get the bootloader on there!

  i’m still trying to come up with a case design.  i’d like the boards and wiring to be visible.  i’m considering .250" thick lexan…

[stryd_one]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl0guIkizVQ

Try the youtube button… now I better watch it

[stryd_one]

Hey cool!

Looks like you need suction or somethin though, look at all that dust… That’s great to watch man, thanks

[_tilted]

Damn, that is hot!

I want one!

[JMS]

thanks for doing the embed thing stryd, i wasn’t sure if it was ok so i went with a link to be safe.

  i’m working on an icsp adapter board to get the bootloader on a pic.  i have yet to look at the code for midibox in depth to find this out, but where do i set the lvp=off for the pic?  is it in the code for the bootloader?  so say i program the bootloader on the pic with my pickit2+homebrew 40 pin adapter… how do i turn lvp off once i can program the chip through midiOS so i have use of the rb5 pin on the pic18f452?  does the bootloader program turn off lvp?

[Sasha]

chr0n1c, thanks for posting the video. Looks good. PCB milling is the reason I wanted to build small desktop machine. What interface and drivers have you used?

[stryd_one]

Hey mate, LVP isn’t set in software, you have to hold MCLR to 13.5V. Google PIC HVP and you’ll find all you need

[Benjamin]

homebrew cnc mill!

Would you care to share how you made your homebrew cnc mill?

[nILS]

Nice Now let’s see it do some panels ;D

[frailn]

chr0n1c,

Is there enough clearance, adjustability on your CNC to cut holes for midi ports, lcd, buttons, etc. on something say like this…

[cimo]

.. i don t understand why you want to build a MIDIBox on a Marlboro ultralight box  ???

[frailn]

.. i don t understand why you want to build a MIDIBox on a Marlboro ultralight box

;D

I actually received my first ever SmashTV order in the mail today and held up the core and sid modules to a pack of cigs…I think I could fit a core in one pack and a sid module in another pack! I’ll need a carton if I go for the full SID V2 control surface, though. While I’m at it, I think I’ll get one of Wilba’s base PCB’s and put it in a Bud Light 12-pack case.  Now, that would be true Alabama MIDIbox. I’ll post sound samples of SID-ified Lynard Skynard once it’s complete! Wow, Freebird on the SID. It’s going to be hot at the bowling alley on karaoke night!

[JMS]

PCB milling is the reason I wanted to build small desktop machine. What interface and drivers have you used?

Sasha, the driver is based on a ucn5804b chip and it’s called “sp3” from stepperworld.com i bought it years ago, i haven’t seen this exact model on the site for a while they do have others that may be better (i picked this driver because it was simple to install, more so than the others i had looked at.) it’s using the same pc power supply for the 3 stepper motors and the driver board.

Is there enough clearance, adjustability on your CNC to cut holes for midi ports, lcd, buttons, etc. on something say like this…

frailn, i’m not sure what material that’s made of… so that’s a BIG maybe on that question.  however if you wanna layout the holes on the box with a sharpie or draw up a layout on paper with exact dimensions, i can get the job done at work.  (full machine shop setup) i can’t offer to work for free but i’d go with some midibox project only cheap labor/machine time for anyone who wants to pay shipping to get whatever to me and back, heck even across the pond.

I can engrave text or dial markings on tags with this little cnc for anything 4"x6" or smaller if anyone’s looking for that sort of thing,  which is why i built this machine really, engraving is a hobby of mine.  i wish every time i start this thing up that i had built it bigger though, i’m already collecting parts for machine 2!

[frailn]

Awesome! Thanks, chr0n1c! I think I’ll take you up on the offer. I’m still in the planning stages but I’ll let you know once I figure out if this idea will work. I know this thing is metal, just not sure what type of metal. I’m researching these - they are American Civil Defense Nuclear Survey Meters, so I know there are tons of data/specs on the case material out there in Al Gore’s Internet. It seems to be perfect for a home made PSU board, one Core and two SID PCB’s. We’ll see once I start trying to lay everything out.

[Goblinz]

Hmnn, this is making me cry. I want me a bright yellow geiger counter!

[JMS]

ohh.. i think i forgot to mention i got all my parts in from mouser… if anyone notices anything i picked that may be wrong, let me know!  because i am about to start assembling and i’d like to know if i need to re-order something before i start…

a list of some parts for the midibox_core with part #'s for mouser in the US:

Mouser #: 517-6221TG

Mfr. #: 2380-6221TG

Desc.: .100" Pin Strip Headers 80P STRT 2 ROW GOLD

Mouser #: 517-6111TG

Mfr. #: 2340-6111TG

Desc.: .100" Pin Strip Headers 40P STRT 1 ROW GOLD

Mouser #: 161-0505

Mfr. #: 161-0505

Desc.: DIN Jacks 5 PIN DIN PCB

Mouser #: 531-PT6KV-10K

Mfr. #: PT6KV-103A2020

Desc.: Trimmer Potentiometers 10Kohms 6mm Rnd Top adj

Mouser #: 625-W08G-E4

Mfr. #: W08G-E4/51

Desc.: Bridge Rectifiers 1.5 Amp 800 Volt

Mouser #: 78-1N4148

Mfr. #: 1N4148-TR

Desc.: Switching Diodes 100V Io/150mA T/R

Mouser #: 140-HTRL16V2200-RC

Mfr. #: 140-HTRL16V2200-RC

Desc.: Hi-Temp Radial Electrolytic Capacitors 16V 2200uF 105C

Mouser #: 140-HTRL25V10-RC

Mfr. #: 140-HTRL25V10-RC

Desc.: Hi-Temp Radial Electrolytic Capacitors 25V 10uF 105C

Mouser #: 140-100N5-330J-RC

Mfr. #: 140-100N5-330J-RC

Desc.: Ceramic Disc Capacitors 100V 33pF NPO 5% Tol

Mouser #: 80-C320C334M5U

Mfr. #: C320C334M5U5TA

Desc.: Conformally Coated Radial Ceramic Capacitors 50volts 0.33uF 20% Z5U

Mouser #: 80-C412C104K5R

Mfr. #: C412C104K5R5TA

Desc.: Conformally Coated Axial Ceramic Capacitors 50volts .1uF 10% X7R 10%

Mouser #: 291-100-RC

Mfr. #: 291-100-RC

Desc.: 1/4W 5% Carbon Film Resistors 100ohms 0.05

Mouser #: 291-220-RC

Mfr. #: 291-220-RC

Desc.: 1/4W 5% Carbon Film Resistors 220ohms 0.05

Mouser #: 291-1K-RC

Mfr. #: 291-1K-RC

Desc.: 1/4W 5% Carbon Film Resistors 1Kohms 0.05

Mouser #: 291-1.2K-RC

Mfr. #: 291-1.2K-RC

Desc.: 1/4W 5% Carbon Film Resistors 1.2Kohms 0.05

Mouser #: 291-5.6K-RC

Mfr. #: 291-5.6K-RC

Desc.: 1/4W 5% Carbon Film Resistors 5.6Kohms 0.05

Mouser #: 291-10K-RC

Mfr. #: 291-10K-RC

Desc.: 1/4W 5% Carbon Film Resistors 10Kohms 0.05

Mouser #: 512-BC337TF

Mfr. #: BC337TF

Desc.: Small Signal Transistors NPN Si Transistor Epitaxial

Mouser #: 571-1-390261-2

Mfr. #: 1-390261-2

Desc.: IC Sockets 8P ECONOMY TIN

Mouser #: 782-6N138

Mfr. #: 6N138

Desc.: Optocouplers HG Photodarlington

Mouser #: 512-LM7805CT

Mfr. #: LM7805CT

Desc.: Linear Regulators 1A Pos Vol Reg

Mouser #: 73-XT49S1000-20

Mfr. #: XT9S20ANA10M

Desc.: HC-49/S Microprocessor Crystals 10MHz 20pF

Mouser #: 571-1-390262-5

Mfr. #: 1-390262-5

Desc.: IC Sockets 40P ECONOMY TIN

[stryd_one]

Isn’t there a a complete mouser partslist somewhere already?

[JMS]

Isn’t there a a complete mouser partslist somewhere already?

i only found a reich something across the pond and a generic parts list that i printed from the schematic, maybe i have overlooked it?

EDIT:  i just found this… http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/core_board_parts_list

[JMS]

so, my core is finally working!  wow, it’s been a while since i started this project.  i decided to order a pre-made PCB from smash and screw with my DIY pcb for the second box.  i wasn’t sure how mine would hold up in the long run… i did buy enough for a second core when i ordered everything so i’ll test this board out soon enough. 

the first core i built turned into a midimon for now, sprawled out across my desk.  it’s sitting in between my keyboard and FL Studio for now so i can see what notes are going into the computer. (i’m still teaching myself chords and junk.)  i can also send midi notes out from tracks in FL Studio to see what’s playing.  Right now i only have a 16x2 LCD hooked to it, can i use the two lcd screen trick on this midimon and have the data scroll across both screens?  do i need to change anything in the code and recompile to make this work?  hopefully just a simple config? and using the second enable pin?  (i need to do some more reading.)

here is a link to a photo gallery of the build process:

http://ohiopctech.com/cpg/thumbnails.php?album=19

thanks for all the help to all the forum members who post clear and precise info!

special thanks to TK, for putting this project together!