The electronics are complete and I’m finalizing the case construction and control panel layout. Hope to have it making noise within a week. It’s been on hold waiting for components to arrive so I’m looking forward to getting this one playable ASAP.  Check back soon.

Finally getting around to wrapping this up.  A four oscillator noise machine controlled with a joystick.  I had bigger plans for this one, but the control panel is getting out of hand. Looking forward to wrapping it up.  Details to come…

Nick Collins is the author of The Art of Hardware Hacking and a Professor from the Department of Sound at the School of the Art Institute.  He recently released the second version of his book and was speaking/performing/signing at Quimby’s Books in Wicker Park, Chicago.  He graciously signed my “Rare first edition” and I got to chat about some of his new oscillator/sequencer projects he documents in the book.

The Chicago Symphacking Orchestra (CSO) was also on hand to perform and a nice blend of hackers/noobs in the audience sharing ideas.  A fine atmosphere.

Thanks Nick, Good stuff in here.

Several projects are well under way and I spent some time case building this weekend.  I realized that most of my projects actually start out by visualizing how the completed piece or gear will look.  I then sketch this out and make sure that I order the necessary hardware for the cases.  Often times while building the circuit the controls and layout will change, but I try to stick to the original sketch as much as possible.

I’m trying a couple different case configurations to match my original concept sketches.  Here you can see the Stepped Tone Generator (aka - Atari Punk Console) original sketch and then beginning case build.

Next steps are to sand and finish the wood, Cut, bend and drill the control panel. Then print and attach the lables.  Going to try to accompnish all the this week so I can assemble and complete next weekend.

Etched a few boards that I seem to use pretty often.  A mini-amplifier circuit that get’s installed into units that don’t have amplification.  Allows for a speaker without having to hook up to an external amp.  The other is timer circuit that it sends out pulses that trigger sounds in circuit bent toys.

Circuit transfered, time to etch.

The etching process

4 completed circuits... time to drill the lugs.