WIP: Talking Bandolier - Tusken, Jawa and probably other Denizens

[fleasome]

I originally bought a nice Sound Glove here via one of the members and had two issues with it, though not the fault of the person who made it. His work was group but....

a) It was difficult to get it inside the glove I had already made.
b) The sound on the Pinky finger was unreachable by my pinky finger. I guess I just have small hands but I would have to reach across and trigger it with my other hand.

Eventually after 2 years it quit working. Again, most likely my error. I changed the 3 batteries in it and still couldn't get it to work.

As I hated getting the sound glove into my Tusken gloves I decided I wanted to do something different and decided to make a Talking Bandolier. I know, probably crazy and it is still a WIP.
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The idea was to figure out a way to turn the Sam Browne Buttons into mechanical/electronic buttons to trigger my sounds. There are 5 pouches thus 5 buttons as an option. After much brainstorming I decided I needed something to push against and I am currently on my 4th version of an insert for the pouches. This also helps the pouches look used instead of collapsed.

Above is the 4th version of my British 1903 insert. Regrettably other version I printed with the big opening at the bottom, on the build plate and I forgot to rotate this which made it difficult to clean out the box.

I finally got it cleaned out but had a few cracks from getting over zealous.  But, I am still in the refinement stage so it still works.

Semi cleaned up version.

Over aggressive clean out with screwdriver cracked it top right and left was where a hole was for wiring options and it was just too close to the seam and came out

Bottom or back side has several holes and grooves for wires to pass depending on what you are doing.

Another crack from being over zealous at clean out.

Several ways to wire but just passed through the two larger holes in the back, top.

I measured the location of the Sam Browne buttons on the bando pouch and marked it with sharpie. Backs of buttons came with double sided tape so I taped it there. The middle channel had holes for wires but didn't feel it was necessary.

Sam Browne button on exterior of pouch now aligns with the electronic button inside. The PLA plastic is pushed all the way in. I did run into a problem with the button staying in the pushed in position so I sliced a little foam and stuck it on the inside between the leather and plastic. I think it was just because the leather had a memory of the more collapsed position.

I poked a hole in the back and ran the wires out. I will wire it better later but this was the initial test. I am looking at possibly wiring it via an RJ48 (10 wires) loom and jack but not sure yet. I may use a better sound board with 5 Tusken sounds and 5 Jawa sounds as I will use this for both characters. I have not decided if I will use two interchangeable sound boxes or just a better sound card. IF I do the interchangeable one it will be with the RJ48 or RJ50 so I can just make the wiring all the same and just a quick clip in. Still working on design.

[fleasome]

The large speaker is bluetooth and I always used it with the sound glove. I just wore BDU pants inside my Tusken robes and I put the speaker in my leg pouch/pocket. The black square is a bluetooth transmitter/receiver, obviously in transmitter setting via a switch. Again, just a temporary 1/8" mono jack out and into it. The soundboard pins at top need 2 pins per sound. (5 sounds on this board so 10 pins). TaoTronics Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter/Receiver, Wireless 3.5mm Audio Adapter (aptX Low Latency, Pair 2 at Once, for TV/Car Sound System, Volume Control https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Projector-Headphones/dp/B09JRWJDM6/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=TaoTronics+Bluetooth+5.0+Transmitter%2FReceiver%2C+Wireless+3.5mm+Audio+Adapter+%28aptX+Low+Latency%2C+Pair+2+at+8-1

V4 model of this insert. The bottom (right side in picture) is too thin so I will make V5 thicker. Came apart in print. Or I may just leave it open.

The box for the bluetooth transmitter, soundboard and wires are on the printer now.

Box and lid. Small ridges in bottom will help keep items in place. Once it is printed there may be other versions.

The USB port on the soundboard has an opening so you can glue or tape it in place but still update the sounds without taking it out.

Not sure how wires will be routed so I left several opening. V2 of the box may be different.

[fleasome]

Proof of Concept Video

 

[fleasome]

After the first box print I realized the configuration wasn't going to work well so I moved the Keystone RJ-45 (CAT5/6) jack that will take the wires to the bandolier to the right side and turned it 90 degrees so the push down wires would face the sound board.

Keystone jack on front moved a little left which is for the mono phono jack. The one I bought initially I didn't like as it sticks out pretty far though that COULD protect the power button. I have ordered a different one for mock-up. The point of the AUX out jack will be so I can hard wire to a speaker if for some reason my bluetooth fails due to a battery or interference issue.

Moved the round hole from left to front now for the super size power switch to make it finding it easier with big fat gloves on.

I am considering just painting this weathered brown instead of putting it in a pouch as it will be under the robe, near the back or bottom of the bandolier, out of view with the robes. I suppose if I was doing a Bantha Rider I would get a pouch. The one I have is just slightly too small.  If I just paint it I will need to install some clip(s) on the back to secure it or maybe even just a velcro strap.

I am not sure if I am going to screw the lid on or just use velcro. Velcro would make it easier to deal with batteries or other issues if something went wrong at a Troop.

 

For the Lid I will want to mark them up for the two boxes since one will be Jawa and one will be Tusken. I just grabbed some coloring book art offline but cannot figure out how to contact the owners to see if it would be permissible to use. I may revert to my grade school art skills and try to draw something myself. The Tusken art was actually from an online art class on how to draw a tusken. I could just leave it blank and write on each box with a sharpie but this has been fun so far.

If I make in inset, then I have to dig the little pieces though I think that would look cool. Paint it all black inlay and then the main part of the box being black.  If I raise it up a mm then I wouldn't have to dig it all out but wouldn't look as cool.  What to do....



One of the B1903 pouches previously had a very heavy duty Neodymium (Rare Earth) magnet in it.   - https://www.kjmagnetics.com/

That magnet is 1/2" x 1/2" x 2" and connects the B1903 to the other bandolier behind it.  So I made one of the 5 boxes with a channel (Well, it hasn't printed yet.....I need more printers).




The gray box below was the first printed version which showed that the wire jacks and power jacks needed moved. New box will be printed by end of day and then I can start some of the wiring if all goes well.

Still not 100% sure how I am going to do the ground wire across the entire length of the bandolier but it will come.