Dome Work

I've been doing a lot of work on the tinted dome now that I have all the parts I need for it and electronics soldered together.

Lets begin with cutting the front logics display into an acrylic tinted dome. I used my laser cut styrene dome to help me trace were all the panels go. After I painted the black panels on the inside of the dome. I marked where to cut in the logics, PSI and HP next.

Here I drill a series of holes and slowly remove material and then file it away very slowly until I reach the size hole I want to make.

Now I have both front logics cut in. They'll hide behind the paint somewhat. Next I'll need to drill holes in them, paint them and mount to the Teeces Logic display. I was worried that small black bar between the logics in the dome would break. So far its holding up nicely.

Again sitting by the pool either soldering parts, painting or cutting up something in Arizona. I'm typically shirtless in our awesome weather working on droids. Here I'm marking where I'm about to cut open the rear logic display by using blue tape that I copied after I put a laser cut styrene outer dome shell over this one.

I drill several dozen small holes into the area I want to cut out. I slowly bust this out with a 4-40 threaded rod to finish the same holes and connect them.

Later I file it until the logics fit in.

Now I drill out the PSI hole with a drill by a series of small holes.

Then I used a round file to remove more material until I got close to the circle I made with a silver marker. I put blue tape over the dome to protect it in case I get carried away and accidentally hit the dome with a file or drill during construction. I highly recommend doing this if you choose to follow this route. Protect your investment in product and painstaking time not to damage as you build. 

You're not going to make a perfect circle with a file and a line. To get a better circle the old method is using a wine bottle with sandpaper on it. So I used 80 grit sandpaper on it and pulled it to tweek the fit for the Holoprojectors to fit actually how I wanted them too

For my dome bumps I bought 2 carriage bolts for 60 cents each. I cut the head off, painted it black and will glue them in for installation. 

Now I'm cutting out the top HP in the dome. I put some blue tape around incase my drill slips. After I drill out the hole. I had some left over 4-40 threaded rod. I use that as a round file to connect the holes and remove this piece of material.

Now all of the holes in the dome are cut out for the front side.

This is the backside with all holes cut preinstallation of the Teeces logics and other parts.