amachinetech

I would suggest instead of using stepper motors use model airplane servos. Then when you let the joystick go and it snapped back to center the servos would follow and self level the playing field. They also would move much faster and react much faster as well. The physical structure of the game is well done but the stepper motors just react to slow to be able to precisely control the ball. Nice first attempt. I may make something of the same version with the servos.

@MTKapp27 Sure. The Cord is only attached at one place on the door and that is where it goes into the grey junction box. As the door retracts open the cord reel above takes in the slack. The spring tension of the reel keeps the cord more or less up tight against the door as it retracts. You will need to mount the cord reel in a way to let the cord move up and down freely but not get fouled in the rollers on the edge of the door. This drawing should clear up the wiring of the system. I attached mine to the existing garage lighting so the whole system is already switched by the wall switch. When the door opens and the lights are on then the door LED bars will also light. The limit switches can sometimes have more than one set of contacts. Those contacts can be normally open, normally close…

@MTKapp27 Sure. The Cord is only attached at one place on the door and that is where it goes into the grey junction box. As the door retracts open the cord reel above takes in the slack. The spring tension of the reel keeps the cord more or less up tight against the door as it retracts. You will need to mount the cord reel in a way to let the cord move up and down freely but not get fouled in the rollers on the edge of the door. This drawing should clear up the wiring of the system. I attached mine to the existing garage lighting so the whole system is already switched by the wall switch. When the door opens and the lights are on then the door LED bars will also light. The limit switches can sometimes have more than one set of contacts. Those contacts can be normally open, normally closed or one of each. You will want to use a set of normally open contacts that close when the switch is moved by the edge of the door. Hope that helps.amachinetech

All portable propane tanks have this little screw. Some of them are star shaped. it connects to the dip tube that shows the level of liquid propane in the tank. If you open this it will vent the tank around the float overfill protection valve. If your tank is somewhat full it will take awhile but it will get it done.

The fast way to get rid of the smell is about 2 cups of rubbing alcohol. Remove valve, swiril and dump in a place where the smell that lingers wont offend

Easiest place to find a perfect motor for the job is a old swamp cooler. You can also use the giant pully inside to gear down the motor RPM

I built one very similar based on a plastic 55gal drum. Two things I added; a sheemetal funnel to capture the sorted material and narrow it into a smaller target area and set the wheels far enough apart so that I could place a wheelbarrow under the trommel as it was operating as well as one at the end. One to catch "product" and one to catch "waste and rocks"Cheers

Add this image to your instructable. Ill make it easier to understand.amachinetech

I have been making a variation of these for years using strips of either cardboard box from the recycle bin or strips of newspaper. Either one is rolled into a little cinnamon roll and held in place with a small band cut from a towel or toilet paper roll. I go to our local "donate your stuff" thrift store and drop off a 5 gallon bucket for any candles or wax that is available. For 5 bucks I have more wax that I can use in a year. The wax is melted in a thrift store pot over low heat and the rolls are dipped until soaked then set on tin foil to harden. Another 5 gallon bucket holds the finished product next to the fire. When lit they burn for about 4-5 minutes straight and are hot enough to light full size wood.

What software did you use to edit your video? very clean transitions and easy to follow. well done

Since this is the first of your instructables here are some tips for your next one. 1) Give links to where you got stuff, store or website, model numbers, power required, sizes, quantitys, prices, shipping the more info the better. If those reading your instructable are not able to get exactly what you have they will have the specs to be able to substitute with other things2) Share your failures and successes. If you tried something and it didn't work then share that and pictures of how it failed. Much more is learned from a valiant attempt and epic failure than a success on the first whack.3) If it succeeded but still isn't quite what you were aiming for then feel free to come back later and update the instructable with version 2.0 or 3.0 if needed. Ask for feedback from the instructable…

Since this is the first of your instructables here are some tips for your next one. 1) Give links to where you got stuff, store or website, model numbers, power required, sizes, quantitys, prices, shipping the more info the better. If those reading your instructable are not able to get exactly what you have they will have the specs to be able to substitute with other things2) Share your failures and successes. If you tried something and it didn't work then share that and pictures of how it failed. Much more is learned from a valiant attempt and epic failure than a success on the first whack.3) If it succeeded but still isn't quite what you were aiming for then feel free to come back later and update the instructable with version 2.0 or 3.0 if needed. Ask for feedback from the instructables community. Thousands of people will see your efforts and will freely give hints to help you improve your idea. Just ask.4) pictures, pictures, pictures...and a few more. Some of the people that are reading your instructables have english as a second or third language. The more arrows, pointers, diagrams and drawings you can give us the reader the better. Somethings that are crystal clear in your head don't always make the translation to english, then to cyberspace then back to english then to someone else's head.5) a short video of how it works when it is all done is very helpful for someone who is adapting your creation to their situation. If you have, for instance, a video of you in a beach chair under a popup, with the misters pumping out streams of cooling fog, then pan about some so we can see not only your imaginative invention but how you ended up using it this will give the reader a feel for how your invention made your world better. It is best if you post the video first before you get into the how to part of the instructable so we the readers have an idea as to what we will end up with after we're all done.6) never stop inventing. The more you do it the easier it becomes. We are your tribe and we are here to cheer you on. Good first effort on a worthwhile invention. I will make something like it myself. When I complete it Ill share the pictures with you.amachinetech

A way to substantially reduce the cost is to use the little magnetic door switches that are used for alarm systems. They are only a few dollars, are very light and can be mounted with double stick tape so no holes are drilled in the dorm room. By the look of the prox switch it is something that you had lying around so use what you have but if buying new look for it.

I have found that if you were to want to be completely evil you could make a stack of these wheels and place them in the treasure hunt. In the characters on the wheel place a word or a series of symbols that would identify that one wheel different to the others. The codes could change at every clue. This is just the basic hardware of the thing. Use your artistry and make it spectacular! If you a make it, please share as I am actively making a treasure hunt and could use all the ideas that I can get on this front.

I agree for the standard scrawl to remind myself of the cat or the groceries this is a bit cumbersome. But for that special touch it's a tool in my bag to make the wife go awww. That and I use them for my treasure hunts to print clues on and stick to things.

Most of the Serial.prints I commented out when I was getting toward the end of the build. Would that work for the lcd.print("blah blah"); ?

or more specifically lcd.print(f("blah blah"));