Mod Parts for Glitch's Stargate Mk2

thingiverse

I'm impressed with Glitch's Stargate Mk2, which has proven to be the most complex project I've tackled yet. Given the components available on Amazon in the US and my deadline, I had to come up with a few modifications. The specified LEDs for the chevrons couldn't be obtained in time, so I opted for Chanzon SMDs measuring 5.7 x 3.0 mm instead. These tiny LEDs were difficult to solder, leading me to design a custom mounting bracket LED holder. This innovative device has two functions: it securely holds the LEDs during soldering and fits neatly into the wiring slot of the Stargate. I recommend gluing the LEDs in place while paying attention to their orientation and polarity. While they easily snap into position, a hot soldering iron can soften the plastic, causing them to fall out. I've been using E6000 High Viscosity Adhesive for this purpose, as it has a longer set time that allows me to correct any mistakes. To ensure secure attachment, I clamp the LEDs upside down in a vice and solder leftover bits of resistor leads between them. This also provides additional leads that can be used to connect the main wires. When assembling the gate_4_b_x6 module on top of the wiring slot part (gate_3_b_x6, gate_3_a_x1, gate_3_e_x1, gate_3_d_x1), mark the holes with a Sharpie. This ensures accurate placement and reduces light leakage through the back of those pieces. I also blacken the backs of these parts with a Sharpie to minimize light leak. After soldering the LEDs, test them thoroughly (remember to use a resistor to prevent damage) and then glue them into place. The design allows you to route thin wires from the upstream LEDs through it. I used 26g wire for this purpose, which enabled me to connect one strand above, one below, two in the center, two over the top LED (requiring some careful maneuvering), and two beneath the bottom LEDs. It's essential to note that all right chevron LEDs were placed on the right side (both positive and negative wires), while all left chevron LEDs were situated on the left. However, the top chevron had its wires split, with one strand going down the left side and the other down the right side. This is crucial to avoid excessive tightness of one of the bottom chevron LEDs. The Light Dependent Resistor from my Arduino kit measured 5.2 x 4.3mm, which was too large for the ldr_x1 holder. I therefore modified this part to accommodate it. To achieve a smoother rail on my new mk3 set, I've attempted to join the parts together at a diagonal, although this is still theoretical since I haven't printed the assembly yet. My symbol ring keeps getting stuck, possibly due to using the wrong glue or an insufficiently smooth track. This has resulted in joints between the symbols not holding properly, causing them to spin without rotating the gear_symbol_x1. To address this issue, I created a set screw hole for an M3 screw on the gear and also modified one for the gear_chevron_x1. Lastly, I'm including Glitch's circuit diagram, which can be found on his website: http://www.glitch.org.uk/category/stargate/. Note that the diagram pins correspond to the original (commented out) Chevrons array. However, I suspect pin 9 is swapped with pin 11 based on the Arduino Sketch in the final uncommented version. You can find the necessary components at the following links: * LEDs: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CUGACEA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 * Arduino Kit (CD came cracked, so had trouble figuring out what was what): https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B074DVCW4B/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 * Glue: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044SB3M8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 * Glue Tips: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0141MQQCI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Edit: Feb 20, 2018 - I added a jig or template to hold the gate parts together so they align properly when gluing.