Zombii Report and Video

[chromesphere]

Yo dudes,
Finished up the Zombii this weekend.  Turned out pretty good i thought.  My first go at a lightplate, and its something i will definitely be doing again.  Especially for pedals with LFO's.  I recorded this video as i was putting it together.  Theres probably not much info in here thats of use to my fellow builders.  It was intended to show aspiring pedal builders a snippet of our world.  Anyway, hope you like it.
Paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6bxAOcUEUQ

[madbean]

Nice and detailed. Great job! This would be a perfect addition to a new category on the re-designed mbp website. With your permission, of course.

[chromesphere]

Hi Brian,
Please feel free to use it and thanks for the compliment!
Paul

[keysandguitars]

Great video. I think it's cool that you're making them, they'd have been a huge help when I first started. Luckily, you wrote a few manuals for me! Seriously, you're a great teacher. Now I'm going to have to get into making light plates for my chorus and Tremulus Lune.

[nzCdog]

great build and video... nice job

[andersom]

Nice demo!

[chromesphere]

Thanks guys.  Keys, thanks for the compliment mate i appreciate it.

Yeah i think im going to have to build another one of those lightplates!  They look pretty sick!  I think i might even do a tutorial on them as well.  Pretty easy to put together but a few tips might save people some time / broken plexiglass (i snapped 3 before i learnt my lesson lol)

Paul

[marmaliser]

Excellent video and build.

I have just done a light plate for a Pork barrell chorus but used 3mm plexi so there was no chance of it snapping.  What did you use to get rid of the lip on the bottom plate of the enclosure as I still need to do that bit.

[chromesphere]

Hi Marmeliser,

I used 3mm too!    The problem i had was i cut the board close to the edge of the enclosure, then when i went to drill the holes, the edge would easily snap.  I got around this but leaving some meat on the edge of the plexiglass, drilling, then cutting it down further.

I used 60 grit sandpaper and an electric sander to sand of the raised lip part of the lid (or base).  It was a bit of a pita, i must admit.  I cant imagine a file would be easier though.  A belt sander would probably rip through it, the only problem is clamping the stupid thing while your trying to sand it.  Would an angle grinder work? ive never used one personally.

Anyway, hope that helps!
Paul

[LaceSensor]

Great work. might try a light curtain myself sometime.

[marmaliser]

I used 3mm too!    The problem i had was i cut the board close to the edge of the enclosure, then when i went to drill the holes, the edge would easily snap.  I got around this but leaving some meat on the edge of the plexiglass, drilling, then cutting it down further.

I left a bit extra on mine and trimmed it off after i had fastened it to the enclosure with a dremmel type tool on a very slow speed.  Did you get a smell of Garlic whilst you were cutting / drilling the plexi glass  

I used 60 grit sandpaper and an electric sander to sand of the raised lip part of the lid (or base).  It was a bit of a pita, i must admit.  I cant imagine a file would be easier though.  A belt sander would probably rip through it, the only problem is clamping the stupid thing while your trying to sand it.  Would an angle grinder work? ive never used one personally.

Mmm I have an Angle grinder although it migh be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut  
I tried the dremmel tool on it and it was pretty useless.
Thanks  

[glowsheep]

I've heard of people heating the bottom plate and pushing the plexi into it so the lip melts a groove in the plexi. Than you don't have to shave off the lip and it's a nicer fit.

[marmaliser]

I've heard of people heating the bottom plate and pushing the plexi into it so the lip melts a groove in the plexi. Than you don't have to shave off the lip and it's a nicer fit.

Sounds like a plan to me I think I will give it a go and report back, saves being out in the shed in the cold angle grinding

EDIT: Turned the oven on and went to get the bits.  Looking at the ridge it is almost as high as the plexi is thick so hardly any plexi would show (if any).  Also the bits around the outside of the lip would be so thin they would probably snap.   Going to go back to plan A and get the Angle grinder out at the weekend.

[chromesphere]

Sounds like you might need a 5mm sheet for the melting approach.  Be interested to see the results with this method.

As i was drifting off the sleep last night i was thinking about angle grinders    lol  Yeah i actually meant...not sure what their called, but my dad had one in his garage, mounted onto a bench, and you sharpen chisels and stuff with it.  Its got 2 spinning discs.  Its probably also called an angle grinder...?  and its probably also overkill.  Anyway, try an electric sander if you get stuck.  You just have to sand one half at a time.

Smell of garlic..?  The smell is hte same as...You know those womens fake nail shops you walk past and the fumes hit you?  Those nails are acrylic, and they smell the same. 

Paul

[jkokura]

Bench grinder.

Jacob