Introduction: Lego Real Stereo!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfCJgA-_Fm0&feature=plcp
Because i had two weeks until my vacation was over, and my studies were gonna start, i've pulled myself up form the dark, and took the decission of doing something different and new for one times sake.
I decided to build something!
Therefore I looked in our basement, and found some old speakers, which i pulled apart, took all the different parts out, and started this projekt: A Real Lego Stereo!
I guess i spent 1,5 day on it, so - different from many other projects i made - this was a quick one.
This is how the project came to place:
... I'm Danish btw, so i'll excuse you guys for my bad english.
Because i had two weeks until my vacation was over, and my studies were gonna start, i've pulled myself up form the dark, and took the decission of doing something different and new for one times sake.
I decided to build something!
Therefore I looked in our basement, and found some old speakers, which i pulled apart, took all the different parts out, and started this projekt: A Real Lego Stereo!
I guess i spent 1,5 day on it, so - different from many other projects i made - this was a quick one.
This is how the project came to place:
... I'm Danish btw, so i'll excuse you guys for my bad english.
Step 1: Finding Those Old Speakers!
In order to get this projekt to work, you have to find some speakers.
These speakers have to be 'active', which means, that they don't need an anplifier on the side, in order to work.
You know if yours is active, by checking if one of them got a control panel, either on the front or on the back, like shown on the picture below.
This projects includes some electronic ofcourse, and because no active speakers are build exactly the same way, that electronic step it kindda hard to show in this instructable.
Mine though, wasn't that hard to pull apart, and not that hard to rearrange and assemble afterwards. You should cross your fingers, that yours aint too.
These speakers have to be 'active', which means, that they don't need an anplifier on the side, in order to work.
You know if yours is active, by checking if one of them got a control panel, either on the front or on the back, like shown on the picture below.
This projects includes some electronic ofcourse, and because no active speakers are build exactly the same way, that electronic step it kindda hard to show in this instructable.
Mine though, wasn't that hard to pull apart, and not that hard to rearrange and assemble afterwards. You should cross your fingers, that yours aint too.
Step 2: Room for a Big Speaker
The first part in this project, is that you gotta make room for one of the big speakers.
Like shown on the picture, the speaker is held up by a (1 brick, 1 brick, 1 plate) Lego thing in the back, while on the front, I made a groove for the speaker to slide into - just in order for it not too seem loose.
Like shown on the picture, the speaker is held up by a (1 brick, 1 brick, 1 plate) Lego thing in the back, while on the front, I made a groove for the speaker to slide into - just in order for it not too seem loose.
Step 3: Placing That Big Speaker
It's now time for you to place that big speaker!
Simple put it into the groove in the front, and let it relax on the bricks in the back.
After placing it, and being sure that it fits good, hotglue it tightly onto the Lego bricks around it. Now it can't move in any way.
Simple put it into the groove in the front, and let it relax on the bricks in the back.
After placing it, and being sure that it fits good, hotglue it tightly onto the Lego bricks around it. Now it can't move in any way.
Step 4: Four Speakers in Place
So now this project took a big step!
Primally because i forgot to take some pictures in a couple of hours.
First of all you have to do 'part 2/3' the same way on the other side.
After that I meassured my iPhone, and made a hole for it at the front of the system.
At the top of the hole, i removed a brick, so i - later in the project - would have space to pull a jack stick out.
Furthermore i made a small path in the front, for 2 reasons:
1. It looks cool. 2: My iPhone really didn't fit that well into the hole i made ;-)
After building those two rooms for the big speakers, i builded two other rooms for the 2 smaller speaker.
I decided to place these smaller speakers op top of the bigger speakers.
This was a lot easier and more straightforward, because of the smaller size of the speakers.
In the middle, right on top of the iPhone hole, i hotglued the 'controller panel', which were inside one of my old active speakers, which is shown in 'step 1'.
Also easy and straighforward. Just make sure that you build something on the back of the control system, that it can rely on.
Primally because i forgot to take some pictures in a couple of hours.
First of all you have to do 'part 2/3' the same way on the other side.
After that I meassured my iPhone, and made a hole for it at the front of the system.
At the top of the hole, i removed a brick, so i - later in the project - would have space to pull a jack stick out.
Furthermore i made a small path in the front, for 2 reasons:
1. It looks cool. 2: My iPhone really didn't fit that well into the hole i made ;-)
After building those two rooms for the big speakers, i builded two other rooms for the 2 smaller speaker.
I decided to place these smaller speakers op top of the bigger speakers.
This was a lot easier and more straightforward, because of the smaller size of the speakers.
In the middle, right on top of the iPhone hole, i hotglued the 'controller panel', which were inside one of my old active speakers, which is shown in 'step 1'.
Also easy and straighforward. Just make sure that you build something on the back of the control system, that it can rely on.
Step 5: Control Panel Glued to the Front
The magic trick in this project is glue.
I glued the Control Panel to the front, by using hotglue on the Lego bricks around it.
I used the hot glue on the backside, so it wouldn't be visible from the front.
I glued the Control Panel to the front, by using hotglue on the Lego bricks around it.
I used the hot glue on the backside, so it wouldn't be visible from the front.
Step 6: Hotglue Places Shown From the Back
This is where i used hot glue seen from the back.
As you see i used a pink Lego plate to hold the control panel up.
This is imo a pretty important step, because the control panel else would have the risk of falling down, after finishing the assempling of the stereo system.
As you see i used a pink Lego plate to hold the control panel up.
This is imo a pretty important step, because the control panel else would have the risk of falling down, after finishing the assempling of the stereo system.
Step 7: Cable Work
When i pulled the speakers apart (step 1) I also snapped almost all the cables over with a tongs.
After gluing the parts into your Lego Stereo, you have to assemple them in the same way again.
You've got 2 options:
1: Use muffs - this is the 'right' way, and probably also the way, it'll hold together the best.
2: Twist the cables around each other, put lots of gaffa around them, and cross your fingers, that i'll hold.
Option 2: I did this with all the small cables.
Option 1: I did this with the 230 v cable, and a few of the larger cables.
After using the muffs, i then used gaffa around it.
Why? Then you have the oppurtunity, to hotglue the gaffa, and glue it onto other Lego bricks, or the board like shown on this picture.
After gluing the parts into your Lego Stereo, you have to assemple them in the same way again.
You've got 2 options:
1: Use muffs - this is the 'right' way, and probably also the way, it'll hold together the best.
2: Twist the cables around each other, put lots of gaffa around them, and cross your fingers, that i'll hold.
Option 2: I did this with all the small cables.
Option 1: I did this with the 230 v cable, and a few of the larger cables.
After using the muffs, i then used gaffa around it.
Why? Then you have the oppurtunity, to hotglue the gaffa, and glue it onto other Lego bricks, or the board like shown on this picture.
Step 8: Building the Back Wall
Now I've put all the wires together.
I've made a small hole on the side, so that the 230v cable is able to make its way out, and into a socket.
Now it's time to build the back wall!
Because the Lego bricks can't be held together with the front wall, in the natural Lego way, you have to use contact glue as shown on the picture.
contact glue is used instead of hotglue, because it doesn't take up as much room as hotglue.
I've made a small hole on the side, so that the 230v cable is able to make its way out, and into a socket.
Now it's time to build the back wall!
Because the Lego bricks can't be held together with the front wall, in the natural Lego way, you have to use contact glue as shown on the picture.
contact glue is used instead of hotglue, because it doesn't take up as much room as hotglue.
Step 9: My Two Best Friends:
Two things in this project, i couldn't have done without.
Step 10: How to Fix That Back Wall Problem 100%!
Just for safety's sake i made this, so i could be 100% that the back wall would hold together with the front wall.
I hotglued some lego brick just over the crack, from the inside of the Stereo System.
Remember still to use Contact glue inside the crack itself.
I hotglued some lego brick just over the crack, from the inside of the Stereo System.
Remember still to use Contact glue inside the crack itself.
Step 11: Back Wall Finish!
..and now the back wall is finish!
It's now time for the ceiling. Which should turn out to be one of the tougher things in this project.
Most of all, because i wanted it to be atleast so strong, that i could place my coffee cup on it, without having it to break apart.
It's now time for the ceiling. Which should turn out to be one of the tougher things in this project.
Most of all, because i wanted it to be atleast so strong, that i could place my coffee cup on it, without having it to break apart.
Step 12: Make the Ceiling!
As described in 'part 11' it's kindda tricky to make the ceiling, because it has to be straight and strong.
What i did was that i took some normal 4x2 Lego bricks, and hotglued them to the inside of the Lego Stereo.
Afterwards I put Lego plates in different sizes on top of them, and made sure it fitted.
My advice here, is to use small Lego plates under the visible Lego plates. So that the visible Lego plates, also is held up by eachother, and not just from the hotglued Lego Bricks on the sides.
If you want to be 100% sure, that the construction is gonna end up strong enough, use contactglue on the small sides of the visible Lego plates, and glue them together that way too.
I did this with some of them, because some of them were a bit unstable.
What i did was that i took some normal 4x2 Lego bricks, and hotglued them to the inside of the Lego Stereo.
Afterwards I put Lego plates in different sizes on top of them, and made sure it fitted.
My advice here, is to use small Lego plates under the visible Lego plates. So that the visible Lego plates, also is held up by eachother, and not just from the hotglued Lego Bricks on the sides.
If you want to be 100% sure, that the construction is gonna end up strong enough, use contactglue on the small sides of the visible Lego plates, and glue them together that way too.
I did this with some of them, because some of them were a bit unstable.
Step 13: Hacksaw That Board Away!
Now Hacksaw that unnecessary Lego board away!
An advice is to contactglue the bottom Lego bricks to the Lego board on the edge the whole way around.
You can simple bend the Lego board down a little, and then contactglue inside the groove which shows.
This sure will make it hold 100%.
An advice is to contactglue the bottom Lego bricks to the Lego board on the edge the whole way around.
You can simple bend the Lego board down a little, and then contactglue inside the groove which shows.
This sure will make it hold 100%.
Step 14: Lego Real Stereo - Finish!
Now the Lego Real Stereo project is finish!
I thought the control panel were kindda ugly, so i made a small Lego plate, which has the possibility to bend up and down, and put that in front of it. Check out the video, to see how that works.
I uploaded a video of my Lego Real Stereo on youtube,
here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfCJgA-_Fm0&feature=plcp
I thought the control panel were kindda ugly, so i made a small Lego plate, which has the possibility to bend up and down, and put that in front of it. Check out the video, to see how that works.
I uploaded a video of my Lego Real Stereo on youtube,
here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfCJgA-_Fm0&feature=plcp
