Small electronics project help

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mdf

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#2089587 12-Sep-2018 21:49

Not my area of expertise, but...

I'm not sure you want anything relying on physical contact with the nails or the thumb tab/spring. At some stage, something will jam up.

But some kind of proximity sensor should be able to do the trick. Either something looking for the thumb tab (i.e. near = on/sound alarm) or something looking for the absence of something (say the nails in front of it (i.e. not near = on).

You've got plenty of power on board if you're willing to tap into the tool's battery. But someone more knowledgeable than I would be required for that (ideally AvE will have done a skookum BOLTR tearapart of that particular tool and you can see up its skirts for its internal chooch factor).

Ropata

318 posts

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#2089590 12-Sep-2018 22:05

geocom:

Depending on tolerances in the track you could use the nails as a conductor by placing a wire on the body of the nail gun and put some copper tape in the track(you may need to attach a spring connector of some type to make good contact) you should be able to find if this is even possible by using a continuity tester(multimeter) put one probe on the body and the other one on the nails in the track.

Just remember it will be an open circuit when the nails stop making contact with the copper tape and closed when in contact so either you will need to do this as a everything is ok circuit with like an LED(when it goes out check the nails) or make a circuit that will activate when the switch is open.

Body is all plastic.

Ropata

318 posts

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#2089591 12-Sep-2018 22:12

mdf:

Not my area of expertise, but...

I'm not sure you want anything relying on physical contact with the nails or the thumb tab/spring. At some stage, something will jam up.

But some kind of proximity sensor should be able to do the trick. Either something looking for the thumb tab (i.e. near = on/sound alarm) or something looking for the absence of something (say the nails in front of it (i.e. not near = on).

You've got plenty of power on board if you're willing to tap into the tool's battery. But someone more knowledgeable than I would be required for that (ideally AvE will have done a skookum BOLTR tearapart of that particular tool and you can see up its skirts for its internal chooch factor).

Ha ha, I emailed him about it a while ago, no reply, he hates wood. You're right though, I always had some sort of proximity sensor in mind but I think closing the circuit with a small piece of steel will be the most reliable and repeatable way. I think I need to look for a tiny 3.7 volt speaker ( I may have one from a big printer tear-down) and a small housing which i might have to make. It's the electronic side that always has me stumped. AvE does both quite well with a few beers in him.

Ropata

318 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#2089592 12-Sep-2018 22:17

Masterpiece: This why trades have apprentices, run out of something, apprentice goes to get it.

Ha ha, Who do you think gets them now? It's certainly not me. He's no Olympic go-getter though, that's the problem.

gzt

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#2089594 12-Sep-2018 22:22

$3 Kmart: https://www.kmart.co.nz/product/black-pedometer/1230067

I'm not sure but I believe these have a coil and traveling magnet to generate a small pulse and that counts as a step. Feed something in instead and you have a counter. It's possible there is enough stray on the metal parts when firing to do it.

Just a crazy idea. An alarm is better ; ).

Edit: multiple articles say it's a switch on a swing.

Goosey

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#2089633 13-Sep-2018 07:21

Aint you wearing a builders apron? Isnt that what they are for?

worzel

4 posts

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#2089794 13-Sep-2018 10:25

I'd try a magnet and reed switch as the sensor. Magnet on the slide, reed switch (you need the Normally Open (NO) kind) connected to a small coin battery and a buzzer. You can find the magnet and reed switch sold as a pair as a window sensor for a burglar alarm system, but those are typically the Normally Closed (NC) kind. With a little bodging or experimenting you could either dig the magnet out of the housing to make it easier to attach to the slide, or substitute with a small powerful rare-earth magnet like you can buy from a hardware shop (you'll just need to get the magnet direction worked out) glued on with some epoxy. Hopefully rugged enough to handle the abuse, no physical contact needed, mostly dust proof (buzzer may not be, but cheap to replace).

Parts List:

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/security-alarm-reed-switch-double-throw/p/LA5070

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/pc-mount-buzzer-3-30v/p/AB3458

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/cr2032-vc-3v-pcb-mounting-lithium-coin-battery/p/SB1762

For a deluxe version add a switch to turn it all off, and maybe a push button to test (by shorting out the reed switch).

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frankv

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#2089821 13-Sep-2018 10:57

Worzel's solution looks good. Or you could just use a microswitch instead of the magnet/reed switch combination... just depends on the physical layout of the gun. Think about 3D-printing a housing to hold the bits in the right place.

Ideally you want a circuit that only draws current when a switch is closed, not something that's active all the time monitoring the state of a switch. That way there will no battery drain if the buzzer isn't sounding so batteries should last for a long time.

Or, write these words at eye level on your ladder:

"Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself... Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

DarthKermit

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#2089848 13-Sep-2018 11:12

Ropata: I think I need to look for a tiny 3.7 volt speaker ( I may have one from a big printer tear-down) and a small housing which i might have to make. It's the electronic side that always has me stumped. AvE does both quite well with a few beers in him.

I got a few tiny PCB mounted buzzers that are about 15 mm in diameter by 10 mm tall. Something compact like them might be a better option.

chimera

506 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2089912 13-Sep-2018 11:32

A nail "counter" would be hopeless, I often put half "reams" of nails in my gun (as I may strip off a couple nails to manually hammer in) so there aren't always the same count of nails every time.

Small reed switch as worzel pointed out is the best idea, as easy to mount a magnet on the slide, plus the reed switch has the wires off it so connecting that up would be easier. Have a buzzer make a tone when you have say 3 shots left - don't want it to buzz continuously with 3 shots left either though... so some form of timer maybe needed. Using a voltage regulator and connecting to the nail gun battery would make life easier - as stated by frank, only draw current when circuit closed so you don't drain your nail gun battery inadvertently.

I have a Paslode nail gun myself, so will have a go wiring something up.

Good idea by the way...! Simple yet handy solution.

DarthKermit

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#2089921 13-Sep-2018 11:45

I just measured the buzzers. They're 21 mm diameter * 12 mm tall. Dunno if you can get even smaller ones.

Ropata

318 posts

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#2089971 13-Sep-2018 12:27

worzel:
I'd try a magnet and reed switch as the sensor. Magnet on the slide, reed switch (you need the Normally Open (NO) kind) connected to a small coin battery and a buzzer. You can find the magnet and reed switch sold as a pair as a window sensor for a burglar alarm system, but those are typically the Normally Closed (NC) kind. With a little bodging or experimenting you could either dig the magnet out of the housing to make it easier to attach to the slide, or substitute with a small powerful rare-earth magnet like you can buy from a hardware shop (you'll just need to get the magnet direction worked out) glued on with some epoxy. Hopefully rugged enough to handle the abuse, no physical contact needed, mostly dust proof (buzzer may not be, but cheap to replace).

Parts List:

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/security-alarm-reed-switch-double-throw/p/LA5070

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/pc-mount-buzzer-3-30v/p/AB3458

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/cr2032-vc-3v-pcb-mounting-lithium-coin-battery/p/SB1762

For a deluxe version add a switch to turn it all off, and maybe a push button to test (by shorting out the reed switch).

Awesome, thank you. Exactly what I'll try.

Ropata

318 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#2089973 13-Sep-2018 12:30

chimera:
A nail "counter" would be hopeless, I often put half "reams" of nails in my gun (as I may strip off a couple nails to manually hammer in) so there aren't always the same count of nails every time.

Small reed switch as worzel pointed out is the best idea, as easy to mount a magnet on the slide, plus the reed switch has the wires off it so connecting that up would be easier. Have a buzzer make a tone when you have say 3 shots left - don't want it to buzz continuously with 3 shots left either though... so some form of timer maybe needed. Using a voltage regulator and connecting to the nail gun battery would make life easier - as stated by frank, only draw current when circuit closed so you don't drain your nail gun battery inadvertently.

I have a Paslode nail gun myself, so will have a go wiring something up.

Good idea by the way...! Simple yet handy solution.

So you feel my pain then ha ha. Definitely trying this.

Masterpiece

247 posts

Master Geek

#2090337 13-Sep-2018 21:13

Apart from the apprentice going to get the nails,

I'd maybe try a light beam setup, when there is a gap, ie no nails replacement near.

Or a variable resistor strip.

Or simple proximity sensor, as this does not need a magnet and reed which will get false positives when being used and banged about.

All require a trip for the apprentice to get the nails.

Me:"I'm not a robot!"

ET: "Maybe; you have some freewill, but you chose your path by arrangement"

Me "That sounds like a program with no freewill?"

ET: "We will catch up when you end this cycle"

Me: "Sounds like a 'KPI'!"

ET: "Did you read the terms and conditions?"

Me: .....

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