Ammo Shell Whistles

I thought it would be a neat idea to have a whistle made from spent ammo casings.  Did a little internet research and found several sites.  I wanted to keep the process simple, use common hand tools and easily available parts to make the whistle.  I ended up using different size rifle casings and wood as an insert for the venturi.  I created whistles from .223, 7.62x54, and .50 caliber casings.

DIY Relay Shield

Created a DIY Relay shield from a SeeedStudio prototype shield kit and from a SeeedStudio Relay shield v1.3.  I salvaged parts from the Relay shield and installed them on the protoshield.  I was only interested in having 2 relays to control, so thats all that was installed.  Pics to follow.

Standalone AVR Chip Programmer

I ordered an AVR chip programmer shield from Adafruit Industries.  The kit is pretty easy to assemble.  The software needed to program an UNO is located at:  https://github.com/adafruit/Standalone-Arduino-AVR-ISP-programmer

Create a folder called adaloader in the Arduino folder where the sketches are located and copy the files into that folder.  I use Arduino IDE 0022 to load the programmer sketch.  Then install a blank 328 chip in the programmer shield socket, press the button and about a quarter second later its programmed with a bootloader.

Something to keep in mind for the chips programmed with the adaloader bootloader - In the IDE select Tools ---  Board --- Arduino Duemilanove w/ ATmega328, in order to load sketches.  If that last part is forgotten, there will be sync errors for any other board type.



UPDATE:  I wanted to be able to program 328 chips with the UNO bootloader.  Found a website that has taken all the guesswork out of how to do that.

Just grab the ZIP from this website  https://github.com/sowbug/adaStandalone, create a folder with the name of the INO file, in your sketch folder.  I've only used this sketch with 1.0 Arduino IDE, load the sketch and now the UNO board w/programmer shield is able to program blank 328p chips with the UNO bootloader!

 

In a previous post I put together an Arduino Uno Clone.  I decided to use that board for this project so that this will be a dedicated 328 chip programmer.  I already started working on a case for the project.  I have installed pcb mounts and mounted the circuit boards.  The cover will have an opening to access the zif socket and icsp port.

 

CAT5 Tester, Remote Tester

Here are a few images during the construction of the remote tester unit.

Starts out like this...

Added an RJ45 socket, and circuit board mounts.  This RJ45 socket did not have a shield.  So I made one from a piece of aluminum from a soda can.  I made paper template of the shield then cut one and installed it.

Heres a pic of the leds in place to determine final location.

 

At this point the unit is working but the top cover needs to be modified for final use.

Taped up and ready to cut.

Cover removed, almost finished.

Here is the completed remote.

Completed remote.

Here is a video of a standard CAT5 cable

 

Here is a video of a shielded CAT5 cable

Altoids Tin Project: Cat 5 cable tester version 2

Here is the schematic for version 2 of the tester.

Here are some pictures of the completed Main Unit

67' Mercury Cougar - incandescent to LED conversion

 

Replaced most of the interior lighting bulbs with LED modules.  The LED modules were custom made by myself.  I re-used the bulb style bases and put in each an LED and resistor taylored to the voltage and polarity of the lighting circuits.

Altoids Tin Project: Cat 5 cable tester version 1

This is the schematic used for this CAT5 tester 

Here are some pictures of the completed tester and remote unit...

Main Unit

Remote Unit