Comments on: Harrison’s Box http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/ Join the resistance. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:36:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jeff http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-6163 Jeff Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:12:17 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-6163 Ben, Adding an MP3 player is a great idea, I wish I had thought of that! :-) Good luck with your project and have fun creating it, I'm sure your twins will love it! Jeff Ben,

Adding an MP3 player is a great idea, I wish I had thought of that! :-)

Good luck with your project and have fun creating it, I’m sure your twins will love it!

Jeff

]]> By: Ben Smith http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-6162 Ben Smith Tue, 29 Jun 2010 10:54:28 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-6162 Awesome control panel and great insperation for the one I am about to create for my twins. I am doing a similar project with led's, joysticks, etc but I am going to install a trigger MP3 player with a couple of little speakers as my twins are now 2 and love music. I am still trying to convice my wife how awesome this would have been as a kid when the imagination is alive! Thanks Awesome control panel and great insperation for the one I am about to create for my twins. I am doing a similar project with led’s, joysticks, etc but I am going to install a trigger MP3 player with a couple of little speakers as my twins are now 2 and love music.

I am still trying to convice my wife how awesome this would have been as a kid when the imagination is alive!

Thanks

]]> By: Bill McKirdy http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5250 Bill McKirdy Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:46:09 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5250 To Scott Lawrence: Thanks for the comments. The case was made as a "one off", no drawings. I simply arranged the parts on the panel--that gave me the size. The sides were made to fit the panel. Material is 3/8" ply from Home Depot with 3/4 square screw-to support battens. Remember to make the bottom removable for battery changes, maint. etc. Finish with Verathane, also H/D. The biggest design problem was to figure the height. Was the little guy going to sit with legs going under and operate the thing or stand up using it as a bench? After some hemming and hawing, I chose the latter. The height became about 16", with about a 15 degree slant up away from the user position. There is still room under the panel for his legs, but he never sits to operate it. Remember robustness. This thing gets picked up, carried around, and slammed down, and is expected to operate flawlessly. Also remember light weight. The more things to operate, the greater the fascination, so put in as much as you can find. A number pad that operates lights equal to the number pressed is a counting teacher. Our little guy was a bit frightened by the horn, but since has gained mastery of that detail. Don't forget to have a knowledgeable electrical guy do the hook up, in this case, Mr. Mighty Ohm.com. When you're finished, you'll get raves from the other parents and adults, and a great alternative to TV. Good luck. To Scott Lawrence:
Thanks for the comments. The case was made as a “one off”, no drawings. I simply arranged the parts on the panel–that gave me the size. The sides were made to fit the panel. Material is 3/8″ ply from Home Depot with 3/4 square screw-to support battens.
Remember to make the bottom removable for battery changes, maint. etc. Finish with Verathane, also H/D.
The biggest design problem was to figure the height. Was the little guy going to sit with legs going under and operate the thing or stand up using it as a bench? After some hemming and hawing, I chose the latter. The height became about 16″, with about a 15 degree slant up away from the user position. There is still room under the panel for his legs, but he never sits to operate it. Remember robustness. This thing gets picked up, carried around, and slammed down, and is expected to operate flawlessly. Also remember light weight.
The more things to operate, the greater the fascination, so put in as much as you can find. A number pad that operates lights equal to the number pressed is a counting teacher. Our little guy was a bit frightened by the horn, but since has gained mastery of that detail. Don’t forget to have a knowledgeable electrical guy do the hook up, in this case, Mr. Mighty Ohm.com.
When you’re finished, you’ll get raves from the other parents and adults, and a great alternative to TV. Good luck.

]]> By: Scott Lawrence http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5245 Scott Lawrence Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:28:09 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5245 Hi there. I've got a 9 month old, and I've been inspired by this. i'm going to be building him something similar for his birthday in December. I have a few questions about the non-electronic construction; What did you use for the case? was it home-made, or repurposed from some other piece of furniture or something? If it's all new, do you have any info about construction? (plans, finishing ideas, etc.) Thanks! This is really awesome! Hi there. I’ve got a 9 month old, and I’ve been inspired by this. i’m going to be building him something similar for his birthday in December. I have a few questions about the non-electronic construction;

What did you use for the case? was it home-made, or repurposed from some other piece of furniture or something? If it’s all new, do you have any info about construction? (plans, finishing ideas, etc.)

Thanks! This is really awesome!

]]> By: Jeff http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5097 Jeff Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:41:56 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5097 You are very welcome! You are very welcome!

]]> By: GBeeson http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5093 GBeeson Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:42:15 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5093 Great post - I have three grandkids that NEED something like this. Heck. I NEED something like this. Thanks for the deets. Great post – I have three grandkids that NEED something like this. Heck. I NEED something like this. Thanks for the deets.

]]> By: Jeff http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5090 Jeff Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:07:23 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5090 Cool! Do you have any pics? I would have loved something like this when I was small. I did have a poster of the control panel of the Space Shuttle, and I used to poke wires through holes I made in the poster, such that touching the wires with my multimeter would make the meter move... Ahh, memories! Cool! Do you have any pics? I would have loved something like this when I was small.

I did have a poster of the control panel of the Space Shuttle, and I used to poke wires through holes I made in the poster, such that touching the wires with my multimeter would make the meter move… Ahh, memories!

]]> By: Phoghat http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5085 Phoghat Sat, 08 Aug 2009 01:19:11 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5085 A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when Stars wars came out and my kids were small, I built something like this. It was supposed to be the control panel for an x wing fighter, but was used as just about anything they could imagine. A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when Stars wars came out and my kids were small, I built something like this. It was supposed to be the control panel for an x wing fighter, but was used as just about anything they could imagine.

]]> By: Michelle http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5078 Michelle Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:25:49 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5078 I think the box is fantastic. I'm sorry to hear Madox's lament that the latest little fun one is a niece instead of nephew. I would encourage Madox to promote the interest of science and electronics and how things to all little fun ones girls and boys alike. I am afraid it was that type of thinking 35 years ago which discouraged me from being an engineer. I think the box is fantastic. I’m sorry to hear Madox’s lament that the latest little fun one is a niece instead of nephew. I would encourage Madox to promote the interest of science and electronics and how things to all little fun ones girls and boys alike. I am afraid it was that type of thinking 35 years ago which discouraged me from being an engineer.

]]> By: Fiid http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5071 Fiid Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:21:44 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5071 Such a great idea! Nice Job! Such a great idea! Nice Job!

]]> By: khritteroo http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5070 khritteroo Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:55:17 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5070 @Madox aww, girls like sound too :) @Madox aww, girls like sound too :)

]]> By: Madox http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/08/harrisons-box/comment-page-1/#comment-5066 Madox Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:57:30 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2140#comment-5066 Wow..impressive. Too bad my latest little fun one is my niece instead of nephew... Wow..impressive. Too bad my latest little fun one is my niece instead of nephew…

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