Senior Scouts Adventure Hike & Christmas project

From the 11th Dec to the 23 Dec I was in the Cederberg....which is here 


This is what I 'had' too wake up to every morning

Terrible right ;P

A panoramic of our site

I was a base Staff on the Senior Scout Adventure Hike (More details on the hike: website). Our base was the Electronics base (The base's website: link). Our goal is/was to introduce the scouts to the wonderful world of electronics and the making there of.

We had 2 activities running at this base, conveniently named Activity A and B. A was compulsory, where B was optional but had a competition (will that too that shortly).

In Activity A each scout received a package with all the necessary components to create a project. This year the made a 3 segmented displayed digital thermometer (with indoor and outdoor temps + min/max). Previous years they made a voice modulator, and a GPS. We then thought them the basics about the components they'd be using and how to solder (It's pronounced SOL-DER, not bloody SOD-DER, anyway). We then put them to work and assisted them as they worked. A wise man once say that if you can fart you can solder...apparently not. The amount of de-soldering we had too do was over 9000. Also I've learned than 90% of people just don't read instruction manuals...who knew?

Activity A tent

Andrew (Base staff member) doing the Activity A Presentation

Scouts working hard on their project

Me working hard on either fixing a scouts project we found was faulty during calibration, or me tinning the 3 meter wire that the scouts need for the outdoor thermometer.

Activity B was all about breadboard'ing (prototyping electrical circuits and reading basic electrical circuit diagrams). Again we started of explaining how the components they will be using work and how too read circuit diagrams. They then had too make a basic press button to make LED shine by reading it off a circuit diagram.

Then we took it a step up and had then make a press button to switch LED off (using a transistor) once everyone completed the first circuit.

Now that they have warmed up, we announce for the 3rd and final circuit we are upping the game...it's competition time.They  had to make a fully functional flashing LED with a 555 IC, LED, capacitors and resistors. First one to make a working one won a over-sized t-shirt (might not sound spectacular...but if you have been hiking for a week a clean shirt was amaze-balls)

Activity B tent

One of the scouts hard at work building his circuit on the breadboard 

Our base leader (Robert...guy with the beard on right) vigorously explaining to the scouts what they are doing wrong

2 of our many winners

Some of the base staff got ever excited

A patrol had between 8 and 11 members in it, we had (I believe) just under 40 patrols come through our base (each spending a total of 3 days and 2 nights with us)...safe too say, we where busy.

Somehow I got nominated as the base's designated 1st aid person, which in it self is not a problem. You'd think the worst I'd deal with is blister from walking and maybe someone deciding to pickup a soldering iron on the wrong end...but alas I was not that lucky. Here in the Cederberg temperatures hitting 40°C walking a common occurrence, that also means that while hiking water is something of a scarcity....see the problem here? So more than once I had too strap on my running shoes and run out a hour hike route under 20 min for dehydration cases. Luckily as the event proceeded the scouts where warned too pack in extra water, so our dehydration cases decreased.

Fun times.

Also, while there my drawing hand stared too itch (that, and I didn't have time too buy my brother a Christmas gift...oops) so I decided I was going to make him something.

He has/had this OC of is, a post-apocalyptic sniper wit a gas-mask (think stalker and you are on the right track)

So I stared off with the sketch:

The sketch

I then had a brain fart...I'm sitting on an electronics base with components such as red LED's, 555 IC's, resistors, transistors, capacitors....see what I'm getting at? No? Take a look at this circuit diagram

Faading LED's....FOR HIS EYES!!! I thought this was brilliant, so with some help of other base staff (who has some more experience soldering small components) I ended up with this:

I then cut out the eyes of the character and covered them with 2 pieces of an Energade (an energy drink) bottles matt-plastic to diffuse the light

The final result had the effect as if the character was breathing, the eyes would glow...looked bloddy awesome (especially in dim light)

Totally not Photoshop'ed gif (because...well I dont have it anymore...it's a gift remember)

Anyhow, going to participate on the Global Game Jam 2015, so stay tuned too see what monstrosity comes out that XD

Cheers

Small update: Airsoft related

Found this recently, IMHO it's SUPER useful.
DIY air-smithing (like gun smithing...but with air ^^, jokes. Airsoft rifle mods).
Things like AOE, shimming, mosfets, etc.
Airsoftct: Air smithing-guide

This guys youtube'z is also super interesting if not very helpful
Airsoftology: Reviews, tips, tricks, gear, etc.

so, ya.
Small update, but I find these SUPER useful.

Also, in a few weeks I'll be unveiling a new project...can't say much (mainly because it's still being conjured by a bunch of lvl 23 wizard scrubs...that and teasing about something before unveiling seems to be the in thing makes it sound more exiting)

But first, I'm writing exams...so all current projects are put on hold (ie the tavor repaint)

Cheers

Mosfet Mayhem

Recently someone asked me where/how I make the mosfets I use in my airsoft rifles. So I decided to share my "secret".

First of, definition on WTF is: Mosfet.
In airsoft terms it is a component that sits between your battery, trigger and motor. It reduces the current traveling through your contact plates of your trigger, extending the life of the trigger plates as well as increasing battery life, trigger response and ROF (rate of fire) [ever so slightly].

There are many different types of mosfets. Some do fancy things like burst fire and active breaking (with fancy micro controllers, wizardry and pixie dust) where as others just drop the current to the trigger.

Everything I've learnt, I learn't off the internet. Here are the different sites where I found the different types of DIY mosfets (in near future I'll do my own walk through of the making processes, but for now here are the web sites)

Simple Mosfet (just does the basic current drop to trigger)

Active breaking Mosfet (Does the basic current drop to trigger as well as some fancy foot work in terms of preventing over rotation of the motor/gears)

555 burst Mosfet (Uses a 555 timer chip to do burst fire and the usual current drop to the trigger)

Currently I'm trying to merge the last 2 types of mosfets are one (so, a 555 burst with active breaking). How that goes...I'll let you guys know when I've tested it.

A lot of people are against active breaking on airsoft aeg (automatic electric gun) as it adds extra tension on gears, motor and battery (seeing as it effectively send a reverse current to the motor to stop it from over rotating). I can definitely see their point, but some of my reading up has shown that if done softly/lightly it will not effect your gears/motor/battery.

In any case hope you guys enjoyed/learnt/at least read through this post, If you have any questions or requests I'll look into them and respond promtly.

Cheers