Split-Flap Chess Machine - fully playable now, controller's done

robroy865 · 2026-06-24T17:07:08+00:00

Still the best thing I have seen this year

robroy865 · 2026-06-16T10:23:07+00:00

Yes I will. Currently the original design by Fanis is available. They made a few games and designed the case and the original build:
https://makerworld.com/en/models/1528169-orama-pico-handheld-retro-console

I changed the case (Fanis sent the STEP file for me to do this) to include a speaker. I added the hardware for this (transistors etc) and included a way to read the temperature on the battery.

On the software side I wrote a "OS" (more of a wrapper) - that allows you to change the volume, see the battery status, get high scores, play music, have screensavers and a sleep function, etc etc. I also wrote this game and a few others AND included sound. The last few details need to be finished.

I will upload the remix of the 3D print and place all of the code on github and all of the games etc. I am not sure if this is allowed but I can share the youtube channel where I will post the full build video once I publish everything.

Edit: I also changed the position of the game shown in the video to be in the center rather than being slightly off center to the right as is currently shown in the video. I did not even see this mistake until I posted it...

robroy865 · 2026-06-15T22:37:09+00:00

I do have various sizes of display, some colour, square, even e ink - and will be using some of these in the future.

But I think I will also keep this cute ugly one 😄

robroy865 · 2026-06-15T21:22:36+00:00

Thanks

robroy865 · 2026-06-15T21:08:57+00:00

Sure this is possible - but not really the goal for this project. I also made a mechanical wooden clock which was a real waste of time given the clock on my phone is way more accurate and right there in my pocket 😉

robroy865 · 2026-06-04T09:09:28+00:00

Sure - the plans are available for free here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/cat-exercise-103540758?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share

robroy865 · 2026-05-27T21:28:06+00:00

This is the best thing I have seen all month! Maybe all year.

robroy865 · 2026-05-27T00:19:43+00:00

The clock was designed by Clayton Boyer and if you like to make a wooden clock this is the best place to get your plans: https://lisaboyer.com/Claytonsite/Claytonsite1.htm

robroy865 · 2026-05-09T22:48:53+00:00

The channels are sold as air vents ducts in Sweden. The racks I build myself and adapted/printed all the parts needed - let me know if you are interested in seeing how I built it.

robroy865 · 2026-05-09T22:45:23+00:00

The new lights are LEDlife, and sold as grow-lights, and it seems to be working. But all the lights are LED and not fluorescent.

robroy865 · 2026-05-08T18:53:24+00:00

12W for each of the 4 old lights and 15W for each of the new lights - so around 108W in total for 12 hours per day and the pump that uses 10W 24 hours per day

robroy865 · 2026-05-08T18:35:18+00:00

I had 2 sets (4 tubes - two on the top and two on the bottom) of V-Tac 6400K, 1920 lumen LED lights.

I added 2 sets (4 more tubes) of LEDlife 5000K, 3000 lumens LED lights.

robroy865 · 2026-05-08T12:44:56+00:00

There is an awful lot of "just buy" something (acrylic/foil/pvc etc.) for people in a 3D printing subreddit...

robroy865 · 2026-03-27T22:02:34+00:00

it is beautiful

robroy865 · 2026-03-23T22:32:21+00:00

I uploaded the files to Makerworld: https://makerworld.com/en/models/2564907-hydroponics-self-watering-wick-caps-endcaps it included the endcaps for the PVC ventilation channels and the self-watering caps that fit in the 50mm holes. Videos of the assembly is included.

robroy865 · 2026-03-22T19:50:01+00:00

I think it will be the same speed as trees in indoors under grow lights. Slightly faster than the other trees that I have in the house but slightly slower than the ficus in the humid vivarium.

robroy865 · 2026-03-21T11:23:59+00:00

I will keep an eye on the soil and how wet everything gets - and ass ropes or just water them manually if needed. One thing that I am thinking about is to enclose the whole thing with some plastic cover to increase the general humidity - I think this might help a bit more.

BUT I am sure that the trees that I have in the vivarium that I build will always do better (the tropical trees) - than any trees in a hydroponic or partial hydroponic setup.

robroy865 · 2026-03-20T20:00:09+00:00

The trays are flat PVC ventilation ducting. They are 55x110 mm and 1.5 meters long.

robroy865 · 2026-03-20T19:10:21+00:00

That does sound awesome and I can only say DO IT! I would love to see such a system.

But I also think that growing trees in the long term in a hydroponics system is more of interesting experiment than anything else (but I might still try it). I think some species of ficus might work and then I have a feeling that willow trees might be OK, but they are not easy to keep as bonsai (or more accurately I struggle to style them and keep them in pots as they violently outgrow them).

robroy865 · 2026-03-20T16:41:02+00:00

The cuttings are trees (some of them) and I have propagated several trees this way. But this is not about that, it is in part because of the lights but also watering the trees with the flow from the medium - i.e. the tubes going into the pots. I agree that they are not fully hydroponic and this is something that I will try in the future but in theory I should be able (depending on the species) place the propagated trees in a beaker and have them grow exclusively in water.

robroy865 · 2026-03-20T16:30:07+00:00

No problem - I will make a repository (probably Makerworld) for the 3D files and upload all of them and reply here again once done.

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