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GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 7:14 pm
by dragonator
Show off the great GlaDOS lamp you made here. Already, kudos, the GlaDOS lamp is one of the biggest and most complicated builds I have ever made. Made it tracking, added the witty remarks about your weight, added neurotoxins (hopefully not)? Share it here.

Re: GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:07 pm
by Simon
Hi,

I'm in the process of building one, and am unsure how to fix the LEDs in the hexagonal spaces -- the heatsink would fit into the space, but there is a bit of distance there due to the cables.

Image

Should I just glue them and hope that nothing breaks, or is there a better approach?

Also, I need the drivers for the LEDs nearby. For the base, that's not a problem, I just place them on the inside, they stay in position mostly because of the bus cable, but in the head I'd need a huge cutout for the driver board (42.5x25x5mm), do you think that is possible to do?

Image

Simon

Re: GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 9:07 am
by dragonator
Hello Simon,

The leds can't touch the plastic, there is no space, so your observation is right. Simply gluing them in place is good, although you can't use hot glue. Be aware that you also need additional heatsinks on the backs of the leds and good airflow to keep them cool enough, especially if you are using 3W instead of 1W.

Does the driver really need to be that close? 0,5m is not really a long distance for a simple constant current driver. I don't think the driver can fit in the head, there is not much space for simply the led.

Re: GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 10:12 am
by Simon
Hi,

so I definitely need to build an insulating layer -- these LEDs have 8W when all four channels are at 100%, and I've already managed to desolder one of the cables during my burn-in test, so I'll have to grumble at the guy who told me a temperature sensor would be "overengineering". Currently pondering to make custom heatsinks with the CNC mill...

The driver for the eye LED can indeed be placed anywhere, as long as I can route 8 cables between it and the LED without it looking weird, so it can go into the base (the spokes are 4x +5V and 4x GND, 4x PWM for the servos and 4x PWM for the eye LED then).

I still have trouble finding the right servos, I have a HXT500 for the head and a HXT900 for the neck now, which seem to fit for the most part, but the head only has a few degrees of motion this way:

Video of head movement

SImon

Re: GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 9:10 pm
by dragonator
I think getting rid of a full 8W is going to be a big challenge. I already had trouble with 3W per led. The 40mm fans were quite noisy and 24W of LED light is quite much for most rooms. At 8W per led you will need proper airflow (active, not passive) and some good fans.

Luckily for the wiring, glados is supposed to have wires going from the base to the body.

The head seems to be mounted the wrong way around (hard to see) and the motor linkage is not mounted on the right place. There is a blind hole on the inside where the linkage is supposed to go. With that, you should have more movement in the head.

Re: GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2017 4:14 am
by Clutch57
Hey Dragonator, I am building this lamp as well. I have about 60 hours of printing into this and at least that on the build, I intend to do this at the highest level my skills will let me. My intentions are to go with the 1 watt LEDs and Arduino controls and if possible audio files and a wall mounted remote for my Grandson who loves GlaDOS, when he moves the head it will trigger some dialog just for fun. I wanted to let you know how great this model is but finding a way to print it in a way that I am not perpetually filing and priming and sanding has been the challenge. I am also looking at a second head for this (after I finish the original) so I can automate her eye some, I hope you do not mind me dissecting the STL's a bit to get this to happen.

Clutch

Re: GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2017 6:53 am
by dragonator
Hello Clutch,

Great to hear you making a GlaDOS. When you are done I would love to see the pictures.

The design is a bit of a challenge to print. I myself also spent a great deal sanding. While GlaDOS was more challenging for me too, I have never had a 3D printed prop that could be used straight from the printer. If there were a way I would love to know it.

If you have the right CAD software there are also STEP files (and Solidworks files) available. These are easier for some to modify. All my stuff is shared so others can play with it. This includes modifying it.

Re: GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:55 am
by Simon
dragonator wrote:If you have the right CAD software there are also STEP files (and Solidworks files) available.
That sounds like a viable Plan B in case I can't get the temperature under control — extend the model by 1mm on each side, print, pack into sand, burn, fill with aluminium, CNC the excess off :)

Re: GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 1:56 am
by Clutch57
dragonator wrote:Hello Clutch,

Great to hear you making a GlaDOS. When you are done I would love to see the pictures.

The design is a bit of a challenge to print. I myself also spent a great deal sanding. While GlaDOS was more challenging for me too, I have never had a 3D printed prop that could be used straight from the printer. If there were a way I would love to know it.

If you have the right CAD software there are also STEP files (and Solidworks files) available. These are easier for some to modify. All my stuff is shared so others can play with it. This includes modifying it.
I am carving up the head with MixMesher (which is slow and tedious) and I am learning how to do this though the process. Pictures and STL's to follow

Re: GlaDOS lamp

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2018 6:39 am
by SeanZep
Hello, I am building the GLaDOS lamp right now but I am having trouble attaching the gear onto the servo. After attaching the plate onto the gear and press fitting the 624 bearing, I found that the 16mm screw is too short to go all the way through the gear and the part that holds the two gears together. Because of this, the screw will not screw into the servo. Were there additional parts not included in the part list that was used to attach the gear or am I just doing this wrong?

- Sean