richfiles

Not big updates, but I redid the electrical for the right desk leg, cause I was unsatisfied with it. The light output has an internal strain relief, and will go to an outlet box that all the lighting can plug into. The outlet box now reuses the cords from the pair of power strips I got for the vertical riser posts, and i will attatch removable plugs to the end of those cords, which were cut down to length to save on cable clutter, and allow the cords to be threaded through holes in the desk. The old desk's long workbench power strip will now be located under the desk.the teo endmost outlets on that long power strip will power the leg outlets and riser outlets. Been busy with spring cleaning, so only did a bit with the desk's electrical. Work's been busy, so I haven't had much free time. Partly why I finally got the switches. Now is a good time, money wise, to splurge on parts. Might stop at the harware store tomorrow and try to find what I need to finish up the legs. I bought a miniature trim router for doing small work, like the other leg, and the openings I need to make for it's outlets. It should be notably faster than the dremel was. Depending on how easy it is to work with, I might go ahead and moint the CRTs I have in the left desk segment, while things are still dissassembled.

Minor update. The switch guards were cheap enough when ordered with the switches at the quantity discount, that I just opted for all switches to come with guards. Originally, I was gonna make my own guards... Then I was gonna order guards and only fill in every other odd switch... Like so: [_O_] O [_O_] O [_O_] Since every switch has guards, I figured I could use the guards saved by only filling in every other guard to provide the needed guards for my other switches. The thing is, I also have realized, The guards have cast bases, and so a switch with a guard and without will look visually different. I don't like that. Would it work? Yes... But these guards look so great, I WANT to fill in every space now. What I will do, is I will follow the manufacturer's milling guidelines to remove the guard from one side of some of the guards. This will permit them to butt up together, and form a continuous line of guards. The first guard is intact, and additional guards in a grouping are modified. [_O_] _O_] _O_] _O_] _O_] This ensures they all look the same, including the cast bases. This also means I won't have any leftover guards for the Case New Holland International toggle switches I got from my local Case IH farm implement dealer. As such, I have ordered a few additional guards for those CNHI toggles, since I had always planned to use them on the panel. It was worth it to spend a little more so every toggle has a guard, vs every other odd one.

Just had a coworker leave for another job. It's gonna be rough being down a person for the forseable future. Due to the nature of my work, there is no such thing as 2 weeks notice. We deal with customer data and communications, so once a person says they are on their way out, they are pretty much given their exit interview and escorted out. It took me 2 months to go through hiring. That's not including the time they collected applications. I JUST TODAY got the reproduction NASA style toggle switches for my KSP instrument panel... Just today... The day after I learn my workload is going to increase 50%, and my free time is probably going to lithobrake into the Mun...

They arrived! The toggle action feels SO GOOD! The tab levers are definitely metal! These things are top quality! If you want some for yourself, I got them from southbridge_massachusetts on ebay (can also reach out to Perihelion Design to buy direct). Today is Thursday... I started COMMUNICATING with him LAST THURSDAY! The turnaround was PHENOMENAL! HIGHLY recommended! this is how they came shipped. It seems to save space in the box. I can't wait to put these to use!

Oh wow! They shipped already! Like, not even tracking number waiting on a shipping label... They LEGIT shipped! I thought it sounded to me like the guy said he would need a little time cause he had to make them... That was THURSDAY! Either he had a few on hand and only had to make a portion of them, or he worked through the weekend to get these out! Very impressive! One thing that differs with these is that there are no double switch guards. I may need to pop some of these on my mill and basically machine out the corners and guards on one side, so that they can interlock. I want tight switch spacing... |O|O|O|O|O| <--This |O||O||O||O||O| <--Not this As you can see in the pics, the guards stick out a bit past the edge of the switch guard base. If I mill the diameter of the guard loop, then I can make strings of these that interlock with each other, and I think it'll look good. For my auxiliary Action Group panel (separate from the main panel), I'll have to mess with the shuttle style guards and just see how they look. Might do the wider spacing on those. All the action group and control toggles will be tied to digital inputs and rather than send a fixed state based on the toggle position, they will change the state for every toggle action. Basically, Turning the toggle on would act like pressing the associated key on a keyboard. Toggling it back to off would be the same as pressing the keyboard equivalent button again. I will have a button on my DSKY, probably called "State Inhibit", which will allow toggling of the switches without sending a command to KSP. This solves the problem of toggle positions not matching between different vessels. Last thing I want is to change vessels, and have all my solar panels retract cause a toggle was off on the previous vessel. Instead, the toggle remains in it's position, and the vessel state remains in it's state. I can still read the state of every command, so I can also do something like have a red LED that lights up of the toggle position is opposite the read state position. If I inhibit the toggle action, and flip the switch, the red light should go out, and the switch should now match my vessel configuration. If I switch to a vessel and need to react fast, I can still toggle the switches in the opposite orientations, and it'll still register. I don't *have* to correct the switch positions to match the vessel state. I just can if I want to. Makes for a much simpler to implement system. Allows me to correct vessel change state mismatch at my leisure, but still instantly react in an emergency vessel change. I'm actually really excited to have these switches on the way finally! It's been a long time, and I think things are gonna start feeling more real once things begin to come together! One thing I do know, is that making the control panel is gonna be an insane part of the project! I have several of the panels I plan to use, but i really also need to get it just right. I can only screw up so many times before I run out of panels to cut. Probably gonna be a lot of hand nibbling and filing. If I use power tools, I'll surely cut from the bottom, and be extra careful! Backlighting alone is going to be an endeavor of madness, especially if I want every switch to have different lighting zones!

Good news! I appear to have found a second source for NASA styled switches, and I am in active communication with them. The price is good, and I can get switches with the correct tab lever as well as my choice of Apollo or Shuttle style wickets (guards). The real choice now... Is Apollo or Shuttle style. Now that I'm finally at the point I can purchase, I need to commit to one style or the other. Tough choices! Hmm... I do like both styles, and every single person I've asked in person seems to prefer the Apollo style... I was considering doing 20 action groups using a mod. If I do that, maybe I can just put 10 shuttle style switches on an overhead panel with my Atmosphere Density meter and huge VFD. Much like the old ORDEAL box, it can be a "last second" addition to my console, and thus could justifiably "work" with a different style switch guard. That would let me enjoy the best of both worlds. I might consider that. I'd need: 22 Switches with Apollo Guards 10 Switches with Shuttle Guards I could order an additional 4 Apollo Guards by themselves, but I don't think I'll even need to do that at all if I am simply using every other guard to flank odd numbers of switches. 5 switches only need 3 guards. 3 switches only need 2 guards.

I get the logic behind it, if you're doing atmospheric flying, but it just feels like it'll make my life programming a physical navball very messy. I'll have to map those three differing variants of axes, including that one mashup of two axes, to three identical physical 360° rotational axes. Just not looking forward to that... It's just that it's all a very flight oriented way to look at things, which is fine If your vessel's being built in the hangar. This is Kerbal Space Program, after all... When I'm in space, in a vessel I built in the VAB, I'm almost always working from an attitude based reference, not a heading based reference. In space, I can be pointed dead backwards, but my "heading" is still the exact same orbital path I was on already. I'm still hurtling away through space, along the same orbit, in the exact same "heading" as I was traveling before my attitude correction... I'm just in a retrograde attitude. In space, it's about the attitude in relation to said orbital path... your "heading", if you will. In space, I don't want my navball to show my heading at all. I want my attitude shown in relation to my heading, specifically, my orbital heading. The direction I point doesn't affect where the orbital heading that I'm referencing is until I actually initiate a burn and change my orbital path. In the real world, having the navballs corrected to an orbital horizon reference instead of directly displaying relative gyroscopic heading was not actually considered till later in the development of the Apollo program, but was ultimately considered so critical, that in a vessel where every ounce counted, they literally strapped the ORDEAL (Orbital Rate Display Earth and Lunar) module and all it's electronics in box on the wall next to the "waste storage bags" and wired it into the navballs. They didn't have time to redo the main instrument panel, and they decided adding a heavy box and wiring wrapping half way around the command module was just that important! Now I get to figure out my very own ORDEAL spaghetti code to fix my navball's reference. I somehow feel like I get the name...

Okay... been busy with work, then winter happened, and it's tougher to go out and work on projects, but I'm trying to get back into my momentum, working inside... That said, I was doing some brainstorming, and it hit me... There's a SUPER simple way to do non light emissive flag indicators. I remembered that Dave Jones of the EEVblog did a video series on custom LCDs a few years back. There are other parts to that video series, but the gist is that Dave goes through the entire process of designing and ordering a custom LCD. He discusses the one time and bulk costs involved. The cost per unit actually ends up being very low. Tooling costs are generally the big cost... a couple hundred bucks typically. Per panel though is often $1-5, depending on size and complexity. A simple grey LCD module, with a barber pole segment pattern could offer a modern and elegant option to replace this old electromechanical style flag indicator. While it wouldn't be identical to the old Apollo and shuttle indicators, it would definitely offer a good, low cost compromise. I'll have to look into this. It'd make a good "stuck at home" project for winter as well. The one catch with the LCD solution is that I'd be dealing with white and black, or grey and black... These 3D printed "fake" flags are nice, but would be hard to reproduce as LCDs. the issue is the reflective layer is either gonna be white or grey or somewhere between. I'd be quite happy to settle for grey with black barber stripes. There might be off the shelf options too... they wouldn't match the Apollo style, but other people might opt for them... These 5-segment and 14-segment e-ink modules are available from Digikey. Setting these horizontally above or below a switch would make a nice, unobtrusive indicator. These e-ink displays are very visible with their white background, and won't overwhelm your senses with that Christmas light effect that masses of LEDs can do. Darkening alternate segments might look very good on the 14 segment part. Might only light up a portion of the segments too, that one's a bit longer than the other. The 5-segment module is pretty affordable too, $26 at this time for 10x pieces. The 14-segment module is much costlier, at $96 for 10x. The biggest catch with these, is the smaller e-ink display has an active area of only 3.00 x 10.30 mm and the larger has an active area of only 3.00 x 21.50 mm. They're kinda small... Honestly, I could totally see getting a custom grey and black "barber pole" style LCD custom made. Most of all, the size could be perfected. It would effectively be just one pixel (though it could be made with all segments as individual inputs, so it can be repurposed as a diagonal bar indicator). If wired as a "single pixel" then in theory, a whole array of these LCDs could be wired to a common LCD controller as if each whole LCD module were a single segment. If I order custom flags, I'll probably order them in bulk, and possibly have more than I need by myself. Much of the cost is the upfront tooling. The more ordered, the cheaper each piece is. Another option might be to pay extra for an onboard controller chip. Would be nice too be able to feed power and ground, and have either a direct digital I/O input, or an I2C or SPI serial input for addressable control. As for desk updates... When I designed it, I did a BIG DUMB by not pre-constructing ANY mounting points or pass throughs for things like wiring, monitor arms, etc. I decided to undertake the chore of reverse-disassembling it, so I can correct those missed elements. I also wanna seal the interior areas too, so the wood is more resilient to humidity fluctuations. It's not hard... just a chore, and one I can't do in the big open area of my dad's barn, given the bitter cold temps right now... One of the things I want to do is route out (I finally bought a small router) the openings for the CRT displays I want to mount, as well as modify the desk so the panel they mount to will be easily attached/detached, and the assembly be able to slot in and out. Might do the same with the other side too. Constructing that panel like a drawer would make for an ideal place for small accessories, etc. to be hidden away. It's a minor, but I think very worthwhile upgrade to the desk.

It looks really nice! It's about as tight a fit as possible, without overlapping the tabs. I didn't want to do that, cause it might affect whether they both sit flush. Pre-drilled all the holes by hand, to ensure I didn't punch through and ruin the aesthetic. mounted both the switch and outlet, as well as the two cover boxes. I used some plastic as a strain relief to clamp the two wires coming out.It's a little unorthodox, but it works. I love the finished result! I could have done the openings a bit better, I'm sure, but I'll touch up the few nicks with some stain and call 'er good. Honestly, I want to throw everything together, be done with the desk, and get to the Kerbalin'!

Labor day weekend... I had to labor on Saturday. I would have just taken the Saturday off, but thanks to reasons not in my control, I absolutely had to be there for seven hours so that I could help that ONE customer with their $14.01 transaction... Mind you, one employee had been getting supervisor approval to take off every one of his Saturdays for months, just to prove how unnecessary us covering Saturdays even was... When higher management found out that we were successfully demonstrating that even our own customers didn't care if we weren't open on Saturdays... Well, they had to nip that in the bud real fast, once an actual holiday was up and someone else wanted their chance at a three day weekend... Well, I was just out of luck!

As someone who has had family that absolutely disrespected the final wishes of a deceased family member... Go ahead and communicate what the final wishes were to the other relative. Explain the situation as best as possible. Even if the decision was made disrespectfully, it was still made (in a skewed mindset) to benefit that other relative. If they can understand why the one cousin's actions caused such offense, they may be willing to honor your uncle's final wishes and send the flag. Even if what the one cousin did felt disrespectful, I'd say don't poke or prod at them, and definitely don't try and goad the other cousin into any collective "embarrassment" or chastising. That never ends well. If the one cousin asks why the other doesn't have it. they can simply say they decided to follow the late uncle's wishes as their priority. No conflict, no hurt feelings, and no escalation. I imagine in their mind, the one cousin must think they "know best", and probably doesn't even realize the offense they are inflicting. If they are aware... then I'm sorry you have to deal with that kind of person... That's how it was in my family... In those cases, it's still better to be friendly with everyone else, and leave them to stew in their own antagonism on their own.

Oh man... It just hit me... The farmer that owns that tractor probably can't even get it back because it's certain to be tied up as evidence into the police and the state employment safety board investigation. I would hope the dealership can provide a loaner, particularly cause the harvest season is going to be ramping up this month, and that farmer is gonna need that machine! When it is finally released... Yikes, just even knowing his machine killed a man... That will always loom over his mind whenever he has to use it... He had no control over what happened, and yet that's gonna be a burden he'll have to carry, of no fault of his own.

I have submitted the first mockup for toggle switches to Concord Aerospace to see if I can get them manufactured. The image below is a not-photoshopped rendition of two possible options: As the text in the image says, If they can do backlit panels, I'll opt for option A. If they are unable to do backlighting of the panel text, then I will try to opt for option B. If they can do neither, I will ask if I can purchase the switches in bulk, like the original plan, and do it myself. They do not offer a 5-gang switch configuration, and their 4-gang switch is widely spaced, with each switch having it's own pair of guards. It seems all their switches use only single, double, or triple gang switch guards. I suspect they only make those three sizes. I suggested that if one guard is cut off, pairing a 2 + 3 gang guard could work. Alternately, cutting a pair of 3 gang guards through the center of one of the end holes would also provide a solution. I almost prefer to go with option B, as I have a really interesting idea for backlit nomenclature. Meanwhile, I cut the first opening for the toggle switch to control the lights on my desk. I dropped my Dremel in my lap while doing this! I was using the serrated wood cutting wheel, and it was set to medium speed. It caught on my leg fortunately, preserving my dignity, skitted itself out of my lap and across my thigh under it's own power, and then landed on the floor. Bleeding was fortunately quite minimal. I used the Dremel to cut out a recess for the switch to mount from behind the wood panel. it'll be secured to the wood from behind. The protective electrical box will also screw onto the back of the wood. The result is a very clean look, no exposed screws. I'm gonna make the recess a tiny bit deeper yet, cause I want the switch to be flush with the front. This will also help to cover any exposed end grain of the wood. Then I get to repeat the process for the outlets I install next. Hopefully Concord Aerospace gets back to me quickly. I'd love to get the switches ordered soon!

@AlamoVampire You got me tearin' up again... Today is just the day to feel emotionally drained feeling sorrow for other people's losses and sufferings. Dementia terrifies me. I can't even begin to understand the drawn out toll it puts on you emotionally, as you helplessly watch your mother's decline. I'm so sorry... I agree with everyone's advice, and I think your intuition was spot on. Save her from the unnecessary pain of having to experience that loss over and over. It's just one of the burdens we carry for loved ones who suffer from cognitive decline. I wish you only the best, but also strength for when it's the worst. As for me, today has been... something else... I dropped my Dremel in my lap today. I was using the serrated wood cutting wheel at medium speed. Fortunately for my dignity, the wheel caught my leg and dragged itself out of my lap, across my thigh, and onto the floor. The bleeding was minimal. My day was heavenly compared to what happened at my sister's place of employment... My sister works at a farm implement dealer, basically, they sell and service stuff like tractors, harvesters, field equipment, etcetera. Today was the first day of her vacation, and as she was getting ready to hit the road, she heard sirens, and later saw a helicopter leaving the nearby hospital... She had no idea that helicopter was carrying one of her coworkers till later on in the day, when she was already on the road. The unfortunate young man was working on the pivot of an articulated tractor... To steer, this type of machine flexes a front frame and a rear frame in the center, between the front and rear axles. Hydraulic cylinders actuate the pivot mechanism, and like any machine, occasionally require service. It sounds like he had his head inside the pivot mechanism when someone turned the steering wheel, not realizing he was there. He did not make it. The pivot crushed his head. Only 27, with a 2 year old daughter... I don't even know the guy, but I went to school with one of his aunts, and knew a few other members of his extended family... God, it just randomly hits me that his little girl just lost her father, and I'm a wreck all over again. I think about how miserable my sister must be feeling right now... She knew him. She worked with him, and now she's off starting a vacation while everyone has started their grieving... I'm just completely emotionally strung out, spent, overwhelmed... And I didn't even know the guy, just his extended family... I know they are grieving too, and that hurts the most. I can't even comprehend how much pain his family is feeling right now. This day can hurry up and just be over...

I officially have both floor panels moved to my place, and have just started finish work on the desk. I know floor panels might not seem special, but I know my chair will move nicely on these as compared to carpet. It's just one more step knocked out. I also found where I packed away my spool of Romex (three conductor wire with proper color coded hot, neutral, and ground conductors meant for residential house wiring), and started disassembling the access panels on the front legs... And now I'm getting sick. Started with a sore throat, and now I've got a runny nose and head congestion. Not looking forward to this one... In better news, I see that there is yet another Navball listed on the great internet money sink... Honestly, I'm glad they don't seem to be complete unobtanium these days. Means if someone else wants one, they actually have a chance at getting one! ... OH! I see why... This guy has sold at least two of these Navballs in the past couple months. I just spotted this in the guy's feedback history. They must have multiples, and are just selling one at a time. No wonder they've been so available lately! EDIT Oof... I was really sick over the weekend and start of the week. So much for progress... Mostly slept the day away trying to recover.