Tuesday, November 25, 2008

I didn't enjoy your ghettoblaster being destroyed, but I enjoy you living to tell about it.


About two months ago my friend Wade kicked me down an old boom box radio that didn't work. I have had the idea to put a bunch of gadgets into an old radio shell so it could be used as a stand alone music/noise maker of some kind. I also my wanted it to look as stock as possible using the radio's knobs, switches and dials to control the gadgets.

The first gadget to go into it would have to be some type of signal generator. I can easily fit it into the radio. It has only one dial and I can wire it to the radios existing antenna. Justin has built many Theremin in his life so I figured that would be the best bet. Harrison Instruments has a cheap Minimum Theremin Kit ($44) so I ordered it and have now begun the boom box project. I will keep everyone posted as the project moves forward.

The outside of the box containing the kit.


Conflicting box instructions? No, all x-rays are scans but not all scans are x-rays apparently.

Simple map that came with the kit. No instructions but it really is basically a paint by number type project. Resistor R1 goes into the PC board on top of the R1 picture printed on it. A snap.

Every component came packed in it's own zippered bag.

My favorite. Like it needed to be labeled. I guess this is a kit put together for beginners.

This isn't even the smallest part in the kit. Looks about the size of a sesame seed with a high E guitar string through it. By the way that isn't dirt under my nail it is dried blood from an unfortunate run it with a rogue cardboard box flap. Paper cuts...Weeeee!!!

A little bit of my handy work. Not so good with the soldering pen yet but give it some time. I do shake a bit so that could be the excuse for awhile.

It can also explain the R9 resistor standing at attention in this shot.

Here is where I stopped. Notice the blob of solder bridging over to the next solder point. I have no way of fixing that so off to Wade's shop I go to use the little unsolder tool thingie.

In the next installment of Minimum Theremin kit assembly I hope top have it done and testing and mounting will begin. See you then.

Nowadays you can't be loud enough!

~John Bonham

Couple of shots of the finished Monolith cab that Wade built. Tolex covering covered at siemprelaluna.com.

The full Monty.

Mud!

Dust!

I love the dirt and grime on the donor speakers. Very organic. Can't wait to hear what this thing sounds like when a matched set of speakers are loaded into it.

Shoogagoogagunga!

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.

Hi all! It seems like an eternity since I last posted a personal link. Got out the camera this weekend and went for a sunny, albeit brisk, Sunday stroll.

Point...Click!!

They are multiplying!

Great wheat paste two blocks down. More of them in the hood but I see them in passing and forget to take note. Next time.

First of a few flora pictures. Mind you these were taken Sunday, November 23. Green and flowering. Love it!

No not the first bud of spring...one of the many rose buds of winter. They grow like weeds here.

I love these types of berries. The tree is completely stripped of all leaves but it still has these vibrant yellow-orange berries.

Even better berries. It is almost too bad the leaves on this tree aren't ashy-white. Would be kinda patriotic.

Thank you Shane for the heads up on this particular plant. It is a Clerodendrum.

And I leave on a textured note. Always loved the bark on the trees in my yard growing up. Sometimes so much I brought the sappy stains from them into the house on my clothes, skin and hair.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Is that a head on your shoulders or something you use for ornamentation?

While I was making yesterdays Candy Apple Grey 180 gram vinyl post I found out about The Gang Font featuring Interloper. The Gang Font is a project involving The Bad Plus and Greg Norton from Hüsker . I knew about Grey Area, a short lived project of Mr Nortons that has not released a single track to this date, but The Gang Font is new to me.

There's only one virgin and she don't fly