These instructions involve tools that can be dangerous if used incorrectly or carelessly. If you are uncertain you can perform a task in these instructions safely, DO NOT ATTEMPT IT. Ask for help.
CHILDREN, ASK AN ADULT FOR HELP ASSEMBLING YOUR BLASTER.
Warning: Burn Hazard
Soldering irons can burn you severely. Do not touch the iron or your work while they are still hot. Be careful not to drip hot solder onto your skin or clothing. Do not place a hot iron on your workbench or desk--return it to it's cradle.
Read the instructions for your soldering iron, and follow them.
Parents, instruct your children how to solder safely, or do it for them.
Warning: Cut Hazard
Miter saws can cut your fingers off. Use clamps or other supports to hold your workpiece--keep your fingers away!
Read the instructions for your miter saw, and follow them.
Parents, instruct your children how to use a miter saw safely, or use it for them.
Once your ESP32 is soldered to the 2024A, the jumper will be inaccessible!
Identify and make note of the USB connectors
While you have your board upside-down, identify which USB-C connector in the communications port (usually labelled "COM" or "UART"), and which one is the USB-OTG port (usually labelled "USB"). You will need to know which is which later.
2. Program your ESP32 to make sure that yours works.🔗
You don't want to solder a bad ESP32 to your shiny new 2024A. Programming instructions are here.
Pro Tip: Use a breadboard to keep the pins straight.
If you put the header pins into a breadboard before soldering them to the DevKit, the breadboard will hold the pins at roughly the correct angle.
4. Using the side-cutters, snip the pins flush with the board.🔗
This will keep them out of the way of the wires later.
5. Check that the board powers up properly using the USB-Micro power connection on the main board (J9).🔗
Verify the NeoPixel flashes. If it doesn't flash, here are some things you can do:
Check to see if your ESP dev board has an RGBjumper near the NeoPixel. If it does, solder it closed.
Check your solder joints, and make sure you haven't created any solder bridges.
6. Solder the audio amplifier on to the main board.🔗
Use the seven header pins that came with your amplifier for the control pins (yellow in the photo below). For the outputs (+ and -), use two single header pins or short lengths of wire.
Double-check the orientation of the amplifier board, and that you are soldering it to the correct side of the 2024A (the side with the board outline). The back side also has the pins labelled, to make debugging or tinkering easier.
Before installation
After installation
7. Solder the speaker connector (J3) to the main board.🔗
Connect the speaker to the speaker connector, and reboot the ESP32. You should hear the startup sound through the speaker. If it sounds scratchy or otherwise distorted, make sure you are powering your 2024A from the Micro-B USB connector (J9) and not one of the USB-C connectors on the ESP32 DevKit.
Solder the remaining connectors (J1, J2, J4, J5, J6, and J8) to the board. Note that all the connectors are oriented the same way, with the opening for the key toward the center of the board.
Pay careful attention to the polarity of the IR LEDs (emitters). The longer lead is the anode (+), and goes in the hole closest to the center of the board. The shorter lead is the cathode (-), and goes in the hole farthest from the center of the board. There is also a flat spot on the anode side of the LED. Sparkfun has a nice writeup on LEDs if you want to learn more.
Make sure the dome of each receiver faces outwards. There is some play in the holes for the receivers--use this to angle the receivers towards the center of the board. This mean the leads on the other side of the board, which you are soldering, will be angled out. It should look something like this:
The display board is optional, now that the 2024C receiver board includes forward-facing NeoPixels as well as the upward-facing NeoPixel common since the 2020TPC. If you want one for your blaster, here's how to do it.
Solder the pigtail to the board, with the wires pointed towards the center of the ring. Make the following connections, but be careful with the colors. Your pigtail might use different color wires than ours!
Drilling the Hole for the Accessory SwitchThe Accessory Switch, installed
4. Solder the 2-pin connector pigtails to the switches.🔗
You may need to add length to the wires. The trigger wire should be at least 35mm long, and the accessory wire should be at least 22mm long. Insulate the connections with heat-shrink tubing (better) or electrical tape.
For extending the wires, use stranded wire, not solid, since it is more flexible. 22 AWG "servo wire" is an economical choice. Here's an option that comes with heat-shrink tubing:
PVC Part 9 needs a slot made in it so it won't hit the trigger switch when it gets inserted into PVC Part 3.
Insert PVC Part 9 into PVC Part 3 as far as possible.
Really: as far as possible?
If you were thinking this would it difficult to remove later when it's time to install the switch, you were correct. BUT, it ensures the switch will not get smashed later on. If you need to, use a tongue & groove pliers to carefully remove Part 9.
1. Trace the trigger switch hole with a pencil as shown.2. Trace a line along the bottom of PVC Part 3 with a pencil as shown.3. Remove Part 9 from Part 3. It should look something like this.4. Using your traces as a guide, draw the outline of the slot you need to cut to provide clearance for the trigger switch nut (shown).
The Completed Trigger Slot
6. Make a clearance slot for the accessory switch.🔗
PVC Part 10 needs a slot made in it so it won't hit the accessory switch when it gets inserted into PVC Part 7.
The procedure is almost identical to what you did for the trigger switch slot in the previous step.
The Completed Accessory Slot
7. Drill a hole (or a slot) in PVC Part 4 to accommodate the USB extension cable for the flash drive.🔗
The hole needs to be large enough to accommodate the USB-A female connector. If you don't want a hole that big, you can make a slot by drilling several holes in a row. A ½" wide slot should work with all but the fattest cables.
The Completed USB Slot
8. Drill holes in PVC Part 5 for the receiver zip tie.🔗
Drill Templates
To drill the holes for these steps in the proper locations, you'll need the KTag Drill Templates. You can download the latest version here:
If you made a display board, you'll want to make your display assembly now.
Thread the connector and wires from the display board through one of the slots om the display holder.
Seat the Neopixel ring around the cylinder in the center of the display holder.
Insert the display holder into the end of the display pipe with the Neopixels facing out.
Thread a zip tie through the hole in the pipe, through the slot in the display holder, across the top of the Neopixel ring, through the slot in the center cylinder, and similarly out the other side. The zip tie holds the ring to the display holder and holds the display holder to the pipe.
You can see that we had to use two zip ties to hold our display in place. This is because our zip ties are not long enough to go all the way around the pipe. If yours are, there's no need to use two.
4. Test all the electronics before final assembly.🔗
Now that you have all the parts fabricated, it's a good idea to test them all together before assembling your blaster. All the connections are labelled on the 2024A PCB.
Power (top left, USB Micro) and Speaker (center left) ConnectorsRemaining Connectors, from top left to bottom right: Accessory Switch, IR Receiver Board (2024C), Trigger Switch, Effects NeoPixels, Barrel Board (2024B), and Display NeoPixels
What about the Grove I2C and Quiic I2C expansion ports?
The Grove I2C and Quiic I2C expansion ports on the 2024A are not yet functional. The hardware is complete but untested, and there is no software written. If you get one of these working, please let us know.
2024A with all the connections made.
4. Install the barrel board assembly into the barrel.🔗
At this point, you will begin assembling the PVC parts. We recommend you just press them together and rely on friction to hold them in place (this is called a press fit). We DO NOT recommend using PVC cement or other glues. There is a simple reason for this:
You will need to take them apart again.
Whether it is to make an enhancement or a repair, sooner or later you will need to disassemble your 32ESPecial. When that time comes, you'll be glad you didn't glue it together.
If you are concerned about your blaster falling apart in the heat of battle, our years of experience have taught us two things: first, this is a valid concern, and second, it is easily mitigated. Simply wrap a bit of tape around any loose pipe before pressing it into the fitting. Painter's tape works particularly well for this purpose.
And now, because we know you'll need it, here is the PVC parts diagram again:
Press PVC part 8 (the barrel) to one end of part 7 (the accessory switch tee). Then press part 10 into parts 12 and 7, according to the diagram. Be careful to route all the wires through the tee toward the back of the blaster as shown.
Press PVC part 2 (the display) to one end of part 3 (the trigger switch tee). Then press part 9 into parts 11 and 3, according to the diagram. Be careful to route all the wires through the tee toward the front of the blaster as shown.
If you did not make a display, simple leave the left side of part 3 open to the night air.
Be careful of orientation here: the 2024C "Light Brigade" Receiver Board actually has three infrared receivers. The one in the middle points to the front (the same direction as the barrel).
Press PVC part 4 (which has a hole or slot in it) to the rear of part 5 (the receiver tee). Press part 6 into the front of part 5. Route the receiver wire to the front.
The receiver, attached. The front is to the right in this photo.
The final step is to connect all the wires to their proper connectors on the control board in such a way that the control board can be slid into the body of the blaster. No fasteners are used or are necessary to keep it in place.
Final assembly showing the approximate lateral (left-to-right) position of the control board.Final assembly showing how the control board is inserted into the body.
If you put the header pins into a breadboard before soldering them to the DevKit, the breadboard will hold the pins at roughly the correct angle.
