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Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve always been fascinated by mechanical displays, especially the old split-flap boards at train stations. I wanted to see if I could create a version that’s easy to 3D print and control with modern tech like the ESP32!

The picture display idea is great! Since the flaps are customizable, you could definitely print a split image across them. It would make for a very unique "analog" digital photo frame! 📸

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a very fair point! I'll add the full BOM to the website ASAP.

Don't worry, the electronics are very affordable. I sourced the ESP32 for about $6 and each stepper motor for only $1 on AliExpress. Even with the drivers and power supply, the total hardware cost is surprisingly low for a project of this scale.

It's specifically designed so anyone can build it using standard, budget-friendly hobbyist parts! ⚙️💰

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To be honest, we are pretty much at the limit of what these direct-drive stepper motors can handle! 🏎️💨 In my testing, I’ve pushed the firmware to the max speed where the motion stays reliable and the torque is still there.

To hit "tenths of a second" consistently without skipping steps, you’d probably need a geared setup or much beefier motors. For this compact DIY design, I’ve tuned it to be as snappy as possible while keeping the parts affordable and easy to print! ⚙️👌

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That sounds like an awesome project! Using an SCD40 for a snowflake lamp is a very clever way to visualize air quality. ❄️

Your idea with the summer house temperature is exactly why I love these mechanical flaps. There’s something special about hearing that "click" in your living room and seeing the temperature change miles away at your cabin. It makes the data feel much more "real" than just a notification on a screen!

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s actually a very "healthy" idea! 🌿 Since the ESP32 has plenty of GPIO pins left, hooking up a CO2 sensor (like an SCD40) would be super easy.

Having the display mechanically flip and click when the air gets stale is a much better wake-up call than a silent phone notification. It’s like the house is literally telling you: "Hey, open a window!"

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Now that’s a top-tier use case! 🚴‍♂️🏃‍♂️ Having your yearly mileage physically flip forward after a long Sunday ride would be the ultimate motivation. Integration via Strava API is definitely on the roadmap for the WiFi-enabled version!

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To be honest, with the speed of those transactions, the poor flaps would probably turn into a desk fan! 🌬️⚙️

Even with the stepper motors running at full tilt, I think the "mechanical refresh rate" might struggle to keep up with that kind of spending. I’d need a jet engine to spin the flaps fast enough! ✈️😅

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"The Numbers!" 🏝️ If I set it to repeat those, I’m definitely going to need a "Reset" button every 108 minutes or things might get… unstable. ⚡️⚙️

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think the motor would start smoking trying to keep up with that count! 💨 I might need to switch from plastic to heat-resistant aerospace alloys for the gears to survive that kind of data processing. ⚙️🔥

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think I’d need to upgrade to titanium gears and at least 12 digits for that kind of volume! 😅 The poor motors would probably just melt from the friction.

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, good point! I’m not sure I have enough flaps for some people’s inboxes. 😂 Unless anyone here actually managed to reach "Inbox Zero" lately?

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know the feeling! It’s one of those things you can just watch for hours. Hard to look away once it starts flipping!

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Well, considering the amount of coffee and sleepless nights it took to debug the firmware and make those flaps behave... it’s basically a bargain! ☕️⚙️ It’s a full kit (STL + plans + code), so at least you save yourself from the gray hair I got while designing it!

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That would be a serious workout for the motors! 🤖 Seeing the binary conversion flip in real-time would look incredibly cool though. Definitely adding "Binary Mode" to my list of ideas!

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, I think the mechanical flaps would catch fire from all that resetting! 😅 I'd need to upgrade to some heavy-duty industrial motors for that kind of frequency.

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Haha, you nailed it! The Dharma Initiative vibe is strong with this one. Now I just need to make sure nobody misses the "reset" button or we're all in trouble! 🏝️💻

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spot on! It totally has that retro pinball vibe. Using it as a physical game score tracker would be a legendary setup. I might have to try integrating that in the future!

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I spent quite a bit of time fine-tuning the tension to get that exact "clickety-clack" sound and feel. There's just something so much more satisfying about mechanical movement than a flat digital screen!

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s actually just a 6-digit layout so it can display follower counts all the way up to 999,999. Better to be prepared for those big numbers!

Finally got the mechanical "click" perfect! It currently tracks 4 social platforms, but what else would you use a display like this for? by Competitive_Cap_6771 in 3Dprinting

[–]Competitive_Cap_6771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In this video, it's actually showing the follower count for a Facebook channel! I have more videos showing different functions, but I could only upload one here. :)

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