More modeling!!!

Oops!

It seems I have forgotten to log A LOT of progress. I am reaaaalllyyy sorry about this, and I'll try to do it more often.

Log

I have done quite a bit of modeling so far. I have added almost all of the visual aspects to the gun, and I think it looks really cool. It did end up being a little short, but I don't think it will matter much when I put a stock on it (I decided to make a stock attachment point, and I can either print one or buy a airsoft one later). All that is left is adding some components! I was just realizing how empty the whole thing will be... it would be interesting to make one as small as possible. Now you can see for yourself the awesomeness of this thing (Beauty in the eye of the beholder I know.)

Photos

Awesome right? RIGHT?? rIgHT?/????/?/??/??///???

Started modeling!!

Log

Today I finallly started modeling the actual gun. I decided to make it look a bit like a ar-15, but without all the unneeded parts and shenanigans. I pulled an ar-15 grip from grabcad and started with that.

Photo

You may not see it, but this was a hard place to get, more practice with the surface editor I guess.

Changed it up!

Log

Today I changed it up! I decided to switch to the SFH 4550 Led, it ended up being much more powerful and actually cheaper. I also decided to change the raspberry pi pico to a pico w, it would save a good bit of money, and makes team management easier! For the receiver I went with a TSOP2256-ND because it works with the OpenLaserTag modulation system. I wanted all the systems to be wireless, so I am going to get a TP4056 from addicore, It ended up being cheap and had good protection for the battery. I learned that I should probably use a lens to focus the led. I went with a lens that was 20mm diameter, and 200mm focus length. This will help make the beam less large. With a calculation from ChatGPT, at 50m, the beam would only be 1.25m diameter.

Photo

I know it's probably frowned upon, but I used chatgpt to calculate spot distances. Why? I didn't want to learn physics and trigonometry at the same time.

Found a display.

Log

Yesterday, I found a display to use! After a lot of research and decision, and with a great tip from slack user Rudy I went to aliexpress. This was my first time shopping for something there, and BOY was it a experience. After many cheap and good displays flirting the 3pc max at me, I was able to find a kit from the YouKeyi store that had 4. I went ahead and bought it because it was only 99 cents and it looked like it was gonna price hike. (4.35 dolla saved for hq lol)

Specs

Size: 1.8 inch diagonally.
Resolution: To not buy from aliexpress again
Screen: In front of your eyes
Pins: 8
Pixels: 128x168=20480
Controller: ST7735S

Real data sheet

Final notes:

Please bear with me as I figure out markdown, It will be different almost every time, as I develop a style I like.

Picked Led

Main

I have FINALLY landed on a led I want to use for my project. I want to use a SFH 4550-EWFW Infrared emitter. It seems that this led has the least (they call it viewing angle, but you can't actually see the light) angle, a low current and voltage draw, and the right wavelength. (6 degrees, 100ma, 1.5v, 860nm, respectively) so it seemed like a good choice.

Notes on the part selection

Power:

I wish I could use something more high power for the ns, but I didn't wanted to blow out the raspberry pi pico I'm using for the controller by running an amp through it.

Wavelength:

I decided to go with a 860nm wavelength, mainly because it was easier. If they offered a led in the 950 range (860nm leds have a faint glow to them), I would've gone with that, but they don't. Hopefully visible light doesn't get in the way...

I finally found it!!