Went ahead and made another another another last run of the kits. This may really be the final run since several of the parts are getting much harder to find!
Apparently not… Kits are nearly done, and I also have a smaller run of Gizmo holsters with integrated 9V battery clip that are available. Instructions should be done in a day or two.
Current version of the kit:
Current Build Instructions: https://www.ghostlab42.com/img/gizmo/Gizmo_Building_Instructions_V3p0.pdf
Previous Build Instructions: https://www.ghostlab42.com/img/gizmo/Gizmo_Building_Instructions_V2p2.pdf
Previouser Build Instructions: https://www.ghostlab42.com/img/gizmo/Gizmo_Build_Instructions_v2p1.pdf
Seller Info:
- Doug Keithley
Boise, ID USA
Doug @ GhostLab42 . com
The printed Gizmo label that you can attach to a plastic or styrene board looks OK, but I really want an actual circuit board for my Gizmo build. A real PCB that looks like an older board and have all of the holes drilled will make mounting parts much easier.
I have been trying for months to find some printed circuit board manufacturer that will make a PCB that could resemble the ones made in the 80’s and have found that the brown circuit board material is hardly ever used. If I use the normal board build process the board ends up bright green and does not have that authentic retro appearance.
One of the kits being offered after it is nearly completed:
Here is a picture of the Sanyo ICC-808D board next to a 3D rendering of the one I am designing. Notice the hole placement is virtually identical, the traces are curved and it has real gold card edge fingers at the bottom (even though the 3-D render does not show them in gold):
I did add a few additional holes at the top underneath the area where the Nixie tubes will be located. These holes would not be seen or would be covered by parts in the Sanyo board, so will not detract from the authentic looking board. I still have a few more to add in the blank area in the upper left had portion of the board where a large Capacitor normally covers in the Sanyo board. The additional holes will enable adding a small through-hole part, a power switch an adjustment potentiometer and 8 Orange LEDs that could be used to somewhat illuminate the Nixie tubes from the base. This would be low power and require a 9V battery and would just continually cycle through a light pattern. If you don’t want that feature, you do not have to add those parts!
I am offering several different parts for those that don’t want to track down all of this stuff. If you want to keep the cost the lowest, you would need to construct/make the main integrated circuits (the white and Black rectangular parts) since they are no longer available. You could also make your own Nixie tube shelf and purchase Nixies or make your own Nixie-like display. Soldering would be the preferred installation method for most parts, but you could glue in the parts if needed since they are non-functional. I do not know of a source for the single Sanyo black part that has the Red leads - you will have to make that one, but the basic parts kit will contain some Red Heat shrink tubing so you can cover your wires with that.
Here is a picture of the board with the basic parts soldered down.
The board with the Integrated circuits parts installed:
New illumination of display tubes (Kit A):
The previous LED kit in action (same LEDs as can be added to Kit B, but now also includes error box illumination):
The new fixed display shelf shown (sitting on a new blank board):
The Error Box:
Daughter Board DB1 for either one of these:
Daughter Board DB2 is no longer available. A black version of the gizmo and the black DB2 are available here:
The following is a a reference photo of the previous kit’s DB2 implementation:
Here is a description of the included parts kits:
- Printed Circuit Board, Brown color real printed circuit board with tinned pads and Gold plated card edge fingers.
- Basic Parts: 8 large Capacitors, 22 Resistors. 10 transistors, 4 diodes, 1 rectangular white cap and enough Red and White tubing to have your resistor leads covered and spare to cover the Sanyo black part’s leads when you make one.
- Integrated Circuits: 4 Black thicker and 4 White thinner laser cut Acrylic pieces and 144(!) real Gold flashed 90 degree pins to solder under the white parts. 4 Gold foil stickers with two color printing and 4 sets of White Rub-on transfers.
Includes a black 3D printed pillow shaped part, enough red wire for the leads and a rub-on transfer.
- Error Box: A black acrylic one piece hollow box with plastic film graphic cover and silicon rubber overlay. Also enough Red insulated Wire to make 6 Error Box connections.
- Display Tubes: 8 Nixie/Numitron tubes and enough black, red and clear tubing to cover the leads.
- Illumination: Thumbwheel speed and pattern selection pot, PIC controller, caps, power regulator to light up the display tube center segments and 1 Red LED to light up the error box. 9V battery holder and connector with wire leads. These parts are not included in Kit B.
- Shelf with Legs and Grommets: Fixed shelf design in unfinished aluminum. Some sanding and painting required. Includes 9 grommets and enough Black double sided foam tape to secure the Nixie tubes if desired.
- Daughter board printed circuit board, belt clip and all parts needed to build either of the two DB1 versions shown in the above photos.
- Shaver cord to connect the Gizmo and the Daughterboard together (glue to Gizmo, solder to Daughterboard)
Pricing:
** Kit A**: This version uses IV-9 display tubes that light up the center segment directly. IV-9 tubes are now in scarce supply.. ** No longer offered **
** Kit B**: This version uses display tubes that are the same as those used in the black gizmo kit and do not light up directly, but are illuminated by LEDs. $179
Real Leather Holster: $45
Shipping charges:
- $9 for a full set (with Daughterboard) within the USA
- $6 for holster within the USA
- International Shipping - Only through eBay since they take care of all of the paperwork and VAT collection.
these will be AWESOME!!!