The afternoon projects thread
- Thread starter Basement_Modder
- Start date
themadhacker
Crazy Train
nice guitar grip. I like it. oh, and welcome back.
Tibia
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys. 
@Eurddrue- If I have a custom title, it'd have to be something with David Duchovny or X-Files, since that is my life.
@J.D.- I really want to. I'll need to get a new screen, 2600, and mod kit, and I'm kind of getting ready to totally uproot my life, but I still intend on making time for projects, and that is one of them.
Run-on sentence runs on. lol
@Eurddrue- If I have a custom title, it'd have to be something with David Duchovny or X-Files, since that is my life.
@J.D.- I really want to. I'll need to get a new screen, 2600, and mod kit, and I'm kind of getting ready to totally uproot my life, but I still intend on making time for projects, and that is one of them.
Run-on sentence runs on. lol
Kyosho
NOT KYO
It has been incredibly humid in northeast Ohio lately, which means if you're driving you either need functional air conditioning, or functional windows. My mother's van had neither and she's been going crazy. Tried filling her A/C with coolant but it must be leaking. Not something we can't easily fix ourselves. The windows, however, are electric. The switches on the driver's side ("Express Down Module") stopped working. None of the junkyards around here seem to have the part, which is surprising since that exact module is used in tons of cars. My mother, nor I, could afford a new one, either. Hooray economy, etc.
Wait... switches? Pfft, simple. I could do that. Anyone on this forum could. Except, I didn't have the proper parts. None of my switches are rated for such high voltage/amperage. But I had to try, right? It didn't need to be permanent. Just something simple until we get the part. This is the first incarnation (yes my keyboard is dirty as Heck):
You all know what was going to happen, right? I thought, maybe, if we only used it while the engine was off, but the key was turned, it might survive (no alternator pumping our tons of amps). First time I tried it, *SNAP* there went the buttons. Oh well. It was worth a shot. So, I called my father. He's the mechanic at a metal processing place (mainly huge slabs of steel). Fixes heavy machinery and anything else that breaks. He's swiped me parts from his work in the past, but normally his components are total overkill for anything I'd need. However, in this case I needed the big guns. The only switches he had that would fit my use were some momentary SPDT like this, only bigger. I took three of them. I only needed two, but, hey, I like big switches. Then I ended up realizing I could make use of it in this. The Autozone schematic was wrong as far as wire colors. I ended up tracking down a dirt cheap used Haynes manual for the van. Here's the wiring diagram I made while doing this, based on the wire colors of the connector:
By using the third switch, my mother could then control the passenger window as well (like the original switch could). The only thing it couldn't do that the original could, is the "express down" feature where you hit the button once and it automatically lowers the driverside window all the way. Meh. The other disadvantage is it sort of requires two hands to use. As it is now, there are three switches in a row. The one on the left (as it is in the car, not in the diagram) controls which window you're using. For the other two, move both forward to roll the window up, and both backward to roll the window down. Simple enough.
I'm afraid I don't have a picture of the finished product yet. It got dark before I could get one.
Wait... switches? Pfft, simple. I could do that. Anyone on this forum could. Except, I didn't have the proper parts. None of my switches are rated for such high voltage/amperage. But I had to try, right? It didn't need to be permanent. Just something simple until we get the part. This is the first incarnation (yes my keyboard is dirty as Heck):
You all know what was going to happen, right? I thought, maybe, if we only used it while the engine was off, but the key was turned, it might survive (no alternator pumping our tons of amps). First time I tried it, *SNAP* there went the buttons. Oh well. It was worth a shot. So, I called my father. He's the mechanic at a metal processing place (mainly huge slabs of steel). Fixes heavy machinery and anything else that breaks. He's swiped me parts from his work in the past, but normally his components are total overkill for anything I'd need. However, in this case I needed the big guns. The only switches he had that would fit my use were some momentary SPDT like this, only bigger. I took three of them. I only needed two, but, hey, I like big switches. Then I ended up realizing I could make use of it in this. The Autozone schematic was wrong as far as wire colors. I ended up tracking down a dirt cheap used Haynes manual for the van. Here's the wiring diagram I made while doing this, based on the wire colors of the connector:
By using the third switch, my mother could then control the passenger window as well (like the original switch could). The only thing it couldn't do that the original could, is the "express down" feature where you hit the button once and it automatically lowers the driverside window all the way. Meh. The other disadvantage is it sort of requires two hands to use. As it is now, there are three switches in a row. The one on the left (as it is in the car, not in the diagram) controls which window you're using. For the other two, move both forward to roll the window up, and both backward to roll the window down. Simple enough.
I'm afraid I don't have a picture of the finished product yet. It got dark before I could get one.
Please get a pic.
I love ghetto-rigged flax in cars, seriously.
I can't tell you just how much I do.
Got a buddy who's car had no locks, you could just walk up and open it.
Well he never kept anything valuable in it of course, but he was still worried about people stealing it.
So he brought out his soldering iron, some extra wire, etc, and in all of about 5 minutes, made it so that the only way to start the car was to put the key into the ignition, turn on the brights, and honk the horn. When the brights are turned on, they disconnect the horn, and instead make it so it acts as the ignition switch, while the key simply must be in the "start" position.
It's really not hard or complicated to start it, but no thief is gonna figure that one out.
I love ghetto-rigged flax in cars, seriously.
I can't tell you just how much I do.
Got a buddy who's car had no locks, you could just walk up and open it.
Well he never kept anything valuable in it of course, but he was still worried about people stealing it.
So he brought out his soldering iron, some extra wire, etc, and in all of about 5 minutes, made it so that the only way to start the car was to put the key into the ignition, turn on the brights, and honk the horn. When the brights are turned on, they disconnect the horn, and instead make it so it acts as the ignition switch, while the key simply must be in the "start" position.
It's really not hard or complicated to start it, but no thief is gonna figure that one out.
Basement_Modder
He who mods in thy basement.
I WILL *Can'tSayThisOnTV*ING BUY THAT CAR.jleemero said:
It's a '86 Toyota with 195,000 miles with bad paint, no locks, it doesn't shift well, the engine knocks, the trunk doesn't close (it's duct-taped), it only has 3 separate oil leaks left, since we replaced the valve-cover gasket, back-seat is missing, the carpet's torn up and had actually burned from something in the back, which we suspect is why the backseat is gone too, in fact the headliner in the back is melted/charred, the back windshield is cracked, and it's top speed is about 50ish because the transmission won't shift into 4th.
He got it for $400, about 3 years ago.
He got it for $400, about 3 years ago.
Basement_Modder
He who mods in thy basement.
Sounds like what my first car will be like...
Kyosho
NOT KYO
With my last car (don't have it anymore, hard to sign it over to the police), something went wrong with the starter. I have no idea what. But this mechanic guy helped me bypass it. The way I ended up modding it to work easily was to install a switch under the dash. In fact, a duplicate of the exact switches I used today, also from my father's work. To start the car, you'd turn the key, then reach under the dash and hold down the switch. Not quite as cool as your friend's car, but I still found it amusing. I especially liked the thought of the police impound people not being able to get the car started. Bastages.
Kyosho
NOT KYO
It was supposedly reported as abandoned. The car was parked directly across the street from my house. In front of a house that was vacant at the time. The police towed it to their impound and wanted $100ish to get it out that day. I didn't have the money, and couldn't find some one I could borrow it from temporarily either. And each day the price went up by a certain amount ($50? I think). It kept adding up. There was no way I could pay it, and was forced to sign it over to them.
So, basically, the police stole my car and forced me to make it legal for them to sell it. Nice, eh?
So, basically, the police stole my car and forced me to make it legal for them to sell it. Nice, eh?
Gotta love it right?
Want a fun evening? You and 3 other people, pitch in cash, buy the cheapest car that runs on craigslist.
You can pick up old jap cars for less than $400.
Run the Heck out of it.
Firstly, get off the god damned road, because you're not gonna insure the Sega.
Then, run the *Can'tSayThisOnTV* out of it.
Just gun it and play, out in the dirt.
Out here, we have the Mesa, think "40 miles of sand in every direction".
Just play, pushing it to it's limits, do everything you're willing to without hurting yourself.
Run it until it dies.
You'd be amazed how much a piece of flax Ford Tempo with 260,000 miles can take before it seizes up.
"THINK WE CAN KNOCK THAT TREE OVER?" "NO, YOU RETARD, BUT I BET WE CAN GET THE BUMPER OFF FINALLY!"
I've done this twice with friends, and trust me, it's money well spent.
Well, not really, but it's a *Can'tSayThisOnTV*ton of fun for the money.
Want a fun evening? You and 3 other people, pitch in cash, buy the cheapest car that runs on craigslist.
You can pick up old jap cars for less than $400.
Run the Heck out of it.
Firstly, get off the god damned road, because you're not gonna insure the Sega.
Then, run the *Can'tSayThisOnTV* out of it.
Just gun it and play, out in the dirt.
Out here, we have the Mesa, think "40 miles of sand in every direction".
Just play, pushing it to it's limits, do everything you're willing to without hurting yourself.
Run it until it dies.
You'd be amazed how much a piece of flax Ford Tempo with 260,000 miles can take before it seizes up.
"THINK WE CAN KNOCK THAT TREE OVER?" "NO, YOU RETARD, BUT I BET WE CAN GET THE BUMPER OFF FINALLY!"
I've done this twice with friends, and trust me, it's money well spent.
Well, not really, but it's a *Can'tSayThisOnTV*ton of fun for the money.
snowpenguin
Frequent Poster
Ramming a tree sounds... safe.
Jewjo
Well-Known Member
Frontlit GBA. 
Only, now I'm out of SPs.
The screen is too dark for my tastes and can probably be fixed by using a weaker resistor. I think it has a 150Ω resistor currently.
Good timing with this project because the next day, I broke my CGB, cutting the corner of the battery thing. I assume that the cut didn't break it, and a connection just got undone somewhere, but I don't care enough to check yet. On the plus side, the cut allowed for the cases to close fully. In retrospect, however, I should have dremel'd away at the CGB shell instead.
http://i48.tinypic.com/33ccfgx.png
EDIT: After 15 seconds of messing around, it appears that one of the connections with the battery came undone. Will fix... later.
This is literally the only modding I did these past couple months.
Only, now I'm out of SPs.The screen is too dark for my tastes and can probably be fixed by using a weaker resistor. I think it has a 150Ω resistor currently.
Good timing with this project because the next day, I broke my CGB, cutting the corner of the battery thing. I assume that the cut didn't break it, and a connection just got undone somewhere, but I don't care enough to check yet. On the plus side, the cut allowed for the cases to close fully. In retrospect, however, I should have dremel'd away at the CGB shell instead.
http://i48.tinypic.com/33ccfgx.pngEDIT: After 15 seconds of messing around, it appears that one of the connections with the battery came undone. Will fix... later.
This is literally the only modding I did these past couple months.
