Portal 2 Companion Cube Audio Speaker

3D printing is a big hobby of mine. I use it a lot of time to create fan works of my favorite movies and games; usually of stuff I want but can't find in stores or online to purchase.

One of my favorite games of all time is Portal 2. As a project idea I wanted to make something useful out of the weighted companion cube from the game and decided on audio speakers to teach myself more about electronics.

What you will be making:

Requirements:

• Gikfun Mini Electronic Transparent Stereo Speaker Box DIY Kit Sound Amplifier for Arduino EK1831
• Soldering Iron with small tip.
  • *** Manufacturer of the DIY Speaker kit recommends a 30W (110V) Soldering Iron. I used a 60W which worked fine for this project. The one I used: Link.
• Soldering Wire.
• Super glue.
• Downloadable digital files: Link
• 3D Printer.
• 3d printer filament.
• Screw driver.
• Paint (optional).

Step 1: Soldering 101

If you have no experience soldering, it is recommended you watch/read tutorials on how to solder and PRACTICE prior to proceeding with this tutorial.

Tips on soldering:

1. Brand new solder irons need to be tinned.

• Check the manufacturer's instructions related to tinning the tip.

2. To solder, heat the connection with the tip of the soldering iron for a few seconds, then apply the solder.

• Heat the connection, not the solder.
• Both parts that are being soldered have to be hot to form a good connection.
• Hold the soldering iron like a pen, near the base of the handle.

3. Keep the soldering tip on the connection as the solder is applied.Solder will flow into and around well-heated connections.Use just enough solder to form a strong connection.

4. Remove the tip from the connection as soon as the solder has flowed where you want it to be. Remove the solder, then the iron.

5. Don't move the connection while the solder is cooling.

6. Don't overheat the connection, as this might damage the electrical component you are soldering.Transistors and some other components can be damaged by heat when soldering.

Step 2: Begin With the Power Amplifier

1. The Gikfun kit provides all the electronic components you will need. Begin by taking one of the two PCB boards. Flip to the backside.

2. On the back side look for U1. Note the notch in the outline. Place the power amplifier with its notch on the same side as the notch of the U1 outline of the PCB. Solder all eight pegs of the amplifier component to the board.

3. Repeat steps 1-2 to the other PCB.

Step 3: U2 Ka Resitor

Place the KA2284 resistor at U2. There is a notch on the component. Face the notch toward the D1 side location of the board. This will put the marking on the back of the component facing the R4 resistor location.

Step 4: Resitors

1. Find the 10k resistors

2. Take 2 of the 10k and bend the legs. Place at R2 and R4. Solder into place on the back of the board.

3. Take 1 of the 22k resistors and bend the legs. Place at R1 and solder into place on the back of the board.

4. Take 1 of the 330k resistors and bend the legs. Place at R3. Solder into place on the back of the board.

Step 5: Capacitors

Warning! These ones are polarized, they have to go into the PCB in a particular way. Take one of the capacitors and look at its legs. You’ll see that one is longer than the other. The long leg is the ‘positive' side and the short leg is the negative. The negative corresponds to the shaded (diagonal lines) of the next locations.

1. Find the 1uf capacitors.

2. Place the 1uf capacitors at C3, C4, and C5.

3. Find the 10uf capacitors.

4. Place the 10uf at C2 and C6.

5. Find the 470uf and place at C1.

Step 6: LEDs

Warning! These ones are polarized, they have to go into the PCB in a particular way. Take one of the LEDs and look at its legs. You’ll see that one is longer than the other. The long leg is the ‘positive' side and the short leg is the negative. The 'positive' side goes into the areas marked with a '+'.

1. Place and solder the green LEDs into D1, D2, and D3.

2. Place and solder the yellow LED into D4, and the red LED to D5. Clip off LED legs.

Step 7: Potentiometer

Place the 503 potentiometer into RP1 and the 103 potentiometer into RP2. Solder into place on the back of the board.

Step 8: Wiring

1. Take the black and red wires and cut in half. Pull the red and black wires apart from each other.

2. Solder the red wire to the positive connector of the speaker and the black wire to the negative.

3. Solder other end of the red wire to the VO+ and the black to the Vo- on the board.

4. Repeat for the other speaker.

Step 9: Wiring PCB 1

1. Find the chord with 4 wires inside. Strip the wiring for the red, black, green, and yellow at each end.

2. Find the chord with 3 wires inside. Strip the wiring for the red, black, and yellow at each end.

3. Find the USB cable. Cut off the DC plug and strip the wires at the cut end.

4. Take the red wire of 4 chord cable and twist the end with the red wire end of USB cable. Solder in +5v on the board.

5. Take the white wire end of the USB cable and twist the end with the black wire end of the of the 4 chords cable. Solder the end into gnd.

6. Twist the end of the yellow wire of the 4 chord cable with the yellow of the 3 chord cable. Solder into the in+ on the board.

7. Solder the red wire of the 3 chord cable red to area between in+ and in-.

8. Twist the green wire of the 4 chord cable with the black of the 3 chord cable. Solder these wires into in-.

Step 10: Wiring PCB 2

1. On the 2nd PCB solder the other end of the red wire of the 4 chord cable to +5v.

2. Solder the black wire of the 4 chord cable to gnd.

3. Solder the yellow wire of the 4 chord cable to in+.

4. Solder the green wire of the 4 chord cable to in-.

Step 11: Audio Plug.

1. Unscrew the audio plug.

2. Thread wires of the 3 chord cable through the insulator.

3. Solder the red wire of the 3 chord cable to the short prong of the audio cable.

4. Solder the yellow wire of the 3 chord cable to the opposite prong.

5. Solder the black wire of the 3 chord cable to the largest prong. *I do not know what the correct term is.

6. Rescrew the audio plug back into the insulator.

Step 12: Test Your Speakers

At this point, plug in your speakers to your computer via the usb and headphone jack. Turn on some music and adjust the potentiometers (primarily the 503 potentiometer at RP1 as that is the volume) with a small flat head screwdriver. The other potentiometer controls the LEDS and can be adjusted if you wish but is not needed for this project.

Step 13: Print the Housing Boxes

The 3d printable files were designed with the intent for printing in multiple colors: grey, white, and pink.

The main housing is two parts: the top and the bottom. The bottom is designed as a lid in case I would need to reopen the speaker box in the future. When assembled there is a hole for the wires to come out of.

Print Settings:

Print 2X of the box and the lid. Print in a grey filament (or paint afterwards).

Layer height: 0.3 mm

Fill: 15%

Supports: Yes.

Rafts: Optional.

Post Processing

I printed originally in a grey filament but decided to spray paint a lighter grey onto the box. Afterwards I wet sanded the housing box down for a weathered look and then applied pink paint to the inner seams.

Step 14: Attach Speaker to Housing

Using the screws that come with the Gikfun kit, screw the speakers into place.

Step 15: Print Border Rims

Print the inner circle border.

Print Settings:

Print 12X of the border rim file. Print in a grey filament (or paint afterwards).

Layer height: 0.2 mm

Fill: 20%

Supports: No.

Rafts: Optional.

Step 16: Print the Faceplate (Pink)

Print Settings:

Print 10X of the faceplate-pink.

Layer height: 0.3 mm

Fill: 15%

Supports: no.

Rafts: Optional.

Step 17: Print the Heart

Print Settings:

Print 10X of the heart in pink.

Layer height: 0.3 mm

Fill: 15%

Supports: no.

Rafts: Optional.

Step 18: Print the Inner FacePlate (White)

Print Settings:

Print 10X of the faceplate-white in white.

Layer height: 0.3 mm

Fill: 15%

Supports: no.

Rafts: Optional.

Step 19: Assemble the Faceplate

1. Place heart into white inner face plate.

2. Glue pink outer faceplate onto inner white faceplate.

3. Push pink faceplate into grey border rim.

4. Push faceplate into housing holes.

Step 20: Print the Edges

Print Settings:

Print 24X of the edge file in white.

Layer height: 0.3 mm

Fill: 15%

Supports: yes.

Rafts: Optional.

Step 21: Print Corners

Print Settings:

Print 16X of the corner file in white.

Layer height: 0.3 mm

Fill: 15%

Supports: yes.

Rafts: Optional.

Step 22: Glue on Edges and Corners

Glue on the corner pieces to the housing. Glue edge pieces in between the corner pieces. On bottom glue edge and corner pieces to bottom only so that if needed you can remove the speaker housing cover.

Step 23: Final Result