Wanco vertical mast arrow board

[frizzen]

A while back I noticed one thing that i see *everywhere* around construction equipment, but i don't see it anywhere in 1/14 stuff online...

I need an arrow board!
http://www.wanco.com/products/detail.php?prd_id=148&type_id=10

Little math and caliper time later, i broke out the solder station.
http://www.555-timer-circuits.com/flashing-led.html

http://i.imgur.com/us80Eael.jpg

15 yellow 3mm LEDs, a 555 timer chip, 2 resistors, a capacitor, an on/off switch, and 3 position switch. I can turn my board on and off, or set it to point either direction, or as a center line for slow moving hazard.

I have it set as mono flash instead of sequential since that's all i ever see around here, and the circuit is much easier to build. Right now i'm sitting around 4 sec on 4 off, i need to play around with component values to get the flash rate up to 1/2 - 1 hz.

Then i'll need to get brass stock and build the trailer!

-----
Edit
Their site now shows the 15 light boards having 7 modes.
Mine has 2 modes. It can be 3 mode if you use a 3 position center off switch, but it's not the full line.

[Hofabooz]

Hi

That looks great cannot wait to see it completed.

Thanks for sharing

[Bg416]

looks good !! following along so post lots of pics :)

[frizzen]

I missed that theres some interest and you're following so let's go build one instead of just a couple random updates.

LET'S GO SCREW UP SOME TRAFFIC!!!

The arrow board is 4x8 foot, at 1/14 scale is 3.4" by 6.8". I used 0.040" styrene.

I like using a dial caliper to do this lay out, use what you like just try to be exacting.

The center row has 7 leds, so mark the horizontal-center line the full length, then find center of that line. That's first hole everything is based on, then go 1" out from there on the horiz line on each side for next 3 leds on each side. So center, +1" +1" +1" last light to edge should be around 0.400"
Grab a square, make a line square in line with 2nd led from each outer side.
Mark 1" from center up and down on that line.
Split the distance between the hole you just marked and the outer led.
Drill for leds, poke them in holes. I like to keep same orientation anode/cathode so that it form bus-bars easier

I don't want to do the sequential light boards with cascade circuits or microcontrolers, if you do please tag on and extend this thread.

If you want all the lights to go on/off together like the more common board:
Wire the 3 center horizontal and both far outside leds together.
Wire the 4 leds on 'arms' of the arrow, and the opposite side 2nd from outside leds together
Do it again.

Now you can build the timer circuit and hook up the switches.
Power and ground out of the 555 go to center line(throw a resistor on power leg).
Tie both grounds on the directions into center circuit.
Tie power off the center circuit to the center of a 3 pos switch, each outer side of switch goes to power side of a direction circuit.


I think the real one uses 2" box tubing, but thats 0.142". BUT 1/8 brass stock at 0.125" is scaled to 1.75" box tubing. Close enough for me. I just didn't buy enough to be a meaningful update yet

[bobby1154]

this is neat great idea

[frizzen]

I'm using a 555 timer chip in mine. Due to the chip being used to teach electronic theory, there's not a lot of help in figuring timing other than "well here's the formula."

http://houseofjeff.com/555-timer-oscillator-frequency-calculator/

Plug in how you want it to flash, and it suggest components that will get you there.

[Nikaem]

I have 5 of these on trailers made by fisher price go them for about a dollar each at the thrift store

[frizzen]

Post up a pic!

[skeeter]

Frizzen, do you have pics of the wiring on this thing. I'm fairly challenged with electronics when reading about them ONLY, but with reading, & some pics to show what's going on, I understand better what to do, &/or NOT to do.

[frizzen]

I don't want to post this, the interconnect wiring in really ugly. It's temp install to prove it works, once a base is built it'll be redone.

https://i.imgur.com/lc48gwJh.jpg

It's wired up in 3 buses. A center bus, and each arrow.

The 555 is wired dead-bug, it powers the center bus. The top left switch is a takes the power side of the center bus, and outputs to power side of whichever arrow bus. Grounds between bus are all tied together.

[skeeter]

As I suspected, It's a COMPLICATED circuit. Even with pics I'd be hard pressed to re-create that. I LOVE the idea you have, & the fact that it functions is cool too.

[frizzen]

It's not that bad, just go 1 connection at a time. It would look less complicated if i'd spent a bit longer doing hookups. Or color coded things better.

Make the board, put all the leds of a bus in facing same way so you can connect anode to anode, cathode to cathode. This way you really only have to insulate where it has anything crossing a bus.

All the buses are made in parallel. The arrow arms probably don't need the line to 2nd led opposite if you want to get lazy and save a few connections, but the real ones drop out the 2nd column center row light on the arrow side, this was easiest way i could think of.

Power comes off a 9v battery into the 555, the chip can be a little confusing, then chip output hits the center bus with ground, and power has a drop resistor. If you prefer solid, don't even worry about blinky circuit.

If you have a broken toy or old packaging from something that had an LED blinky light, you can save even more work by reusing the circuit.

I liked the 15 light board, it's most of what's here, and it's electrically easy to get the 3 patterns i usually see.. Unless you're feeling like a badass don't do the 25 led board that can do 12 patterns

This project started because a friend of mine ordered a bunch of components off ebay, gave me some, and i was trying to figure out how to use them. Got stuck in construction traffic...

[frizzen]

https://i.imgur.com/m1iTo7mh.jpg

I hate construction zones!

There isn't even anybody working on it! It's like they just put up a sign to screw with people.

[skeeter]

LOL! They're either not working, OR they've got 2 miles of road necked down from 4 lanes to one, just so they can work on 1 lane, for a thousand feet of it.

[frizzen]

Found this out in the real world, didn't have a tape measure but got some better reference pics.

https://i.imgur.com/tgDWT1Zh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/lkZFXj7h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ytlLBO4h.jpg

Need to restock on brass square tube, and my local hobby shop has closed down.

[Finster]

Now you need to make like 6 or so figures. One shoveling and the other 5 standing around leaning on their shovels, smoking or drinking coffee :)

[frizzen]

Hahaha good point! We need a PortaPot, a guy with a Slow sign, several guys with coffee or cigarettes, an off-duty cop hanging out, another bunch of guys in dump trucks with impact absorbing trailers, millions of cones and barrels...
But seriously, i'm just glad there are people that do it! I wouldn't want to be out there in traffic on a road crew. People drive bad.

My friend anthony was asking more about how the wiring in this thing is actually set up. My bare wire ugliness earlier was pretty hard to follow, so here's a mock-up of the light board. Some leds poked in, and a flashlight behind it. (I'm pretty high tech, it's basically a LiteBrite.)

https://i.imgur.com/anQUMSHh.jpg
I went color coded here as if it were marker lights, because it makes sence to me, and the fuction is easier to see as circuits

Yellow light is your "center" channel that is powered all times by the timer circuit, if the circuit is on it's flashing.
Red is your "left" channel
Green is your "right" channel
Move RIGHT gets yellow and green lights ON, red stays off
Move LEFT gets yellow and red ON, green stays off

Wire the positive side of the yellow channel to a 2 or 3 position switch. 2 pos gives you Left/Right only. 3 pos switch gives you Left/INOP line/Right.
Then each outer leg of the switch feeds power back to either Left or Right channel. I'd suggest installing the switch so toggle points how you want arrow pointing.

All led grounds just connect together, and back to the battery, along with ground for the timer.

I'm apparently still too lazy to grab my computer, fire up paint, and make a real wire diagram of this.

Do you want the flash timing fixed around 1hz like the real ones around me are usually set, something faster, or just however the timing ends up working out? Or you could throw a pot in as a variable resistor and change the rates during use.

-
I should probably mention frizzen has no affiliation with or approval from the Wanco company. They are just *the* company you think of for arrow boards, i'm making no claim to their work or intelectual property. My project is inspired by their works because their products and others like them impress me, and their company has some kickass pdfs that really helped me get that far.

[skeeter]

Thanks Frizzy!
Any timing is swell, as long as it blinks!

[frizzen]

Here's operation.

https://youtu.be/zdlbW4NUUKw

[skeeter]

I LOVE it! Thanks for building the complicated part for me.

As soon as it arrives, I'll spend the following weekend(s) fabricating the trailer so I can tote this to various jobsites. This will be an AWESOME addition to the RC playground! I know the guys in the club will appreciate this........................once the Corona has left the area, & we are allowed to gather again.

[skeeter]

I couldn't resist, I had to share the video on PNWSTE Facebook page, so the guys can see the latest addition!

[jrdido]

In need of your help, I've built an arrow sign, and wired the leds so that I could have an arrow in either direction. Or just center line, I've watched a few you tube videos on making a pc board. my problem is. I don't have the ability to solder on such a small pc board, can you please help me. I want to be able to change arrow fron my radio. TIA

[jrdido]

Frizzen, I've built an arrow sign, so that I can either have a center line, or arrow in either direction, I've bought everything to make the pc board, and watched a few you tube videos, the problem is. I don't have complete control of my hands, they shake, I can't make the flasher pc, can you please help me

[frizzen]

Skeeter, awesome let me know what you think when it arrives.

Jrdido, You'll have a pm soon.
Hmm, adding remote controlled arrow changing is going to add some complexity.

My quick & dirty idea on that would be to add a tiny servo that could just operate a "microswitch". Then you could hook up the output from the timer to the 'COM' pin, then one direction arrow to the 'NO' pin, then other direction to 'NC' pin.

You'd either need a radio that lets you bind 2 RX at same time and has more channels than your (truck?) needs, or maybe get something like what the Rock Crawlers use as an Add-a-Channel style Winch Control?
---edit
https://youtu.be/kEPff6pSmpU
It's way overkill but if it must be stand alone and remotely switchable, you could grab something like a heyok add a channel, to run a servo, to push a switch to go between Left and Right directors
---/edit

I'm sure someone else has a nicer / cleaner way to do it, but i just heard the problem and i'm a hack that likes discrete components or off the shelf parts.

[jrdido]

Thank you, yea micro servo. or Airplane wing servo, Inside inside sign box. Good idea. Please contact me. When you can. Please

[frizzen]

Jr.... I was thinking about your idea for 'Remote arrow change' (or maybe powering a conveyer system i was thinking about) and came across this device. There are some between 6-24v dc input, and different amperage relays, there are even some with more channels. What really does it for me on this is it has solder pads for Com, NC, NO. Plus it's 12v with a working voltage down to 3.7v

https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Control-Controller-Receiver-Transmitter/dp/B077ZQMQDZ

Tx is a remote fob like cars keyless entry, it could be fastened to your radio with Velcro, Lanyard, whatever.
Rx looks to be able to do latched or momentary switching. It's voltage range should give enough options like a RX pack, 9v batt, Stick pack, 2s lipo...

[frizzen]

If a guy knows a tamed pooping-robot, he might want to stick one of these on a trailer kinda like this

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3857245

https://youtu.be/8HU2aZumxQQ

It's a Vertical Mast trailer. He's setup to run 2 or 3 of the LED name tags. It could probably be adapted fairly easily?

https://www.thingiverse.com/Goodsons_Hobbies/collections/ghst-goodsons-hobbies-scaler-trailer mr goodson has several other cool trailer designs that might be adaptable.

Looks to be designed as scenery for 1.9" rock crawlers. I haven't tried it, no connection to the maker. Looks pretty sweet if it works though.

[frizzen]

Jrdido sent this great looking arrow board over for me to help out with some electronicals and wizardry.
He already had it built and 5mm leds bussed together, so i just tweaked on the wiring a little and put together a flasher. Wasn't sure what brand board he's building no i didn't want to mess up how they tie together.
I love those sunshades around the lights.

Bring the thunder!!!
https://i.imgur.com/qdXhVPnh.jpg

Guts

https://i.imgur.com/ufJhhNoh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/RX2w9KQh.jpg

I didn't know your planned wire routes, switch location, or what power source to set up for. So i'll throw in some heatshrink to help you finalize that stuff once you get to it.
I like the flash rate i have hooked up, but i've set the others a little different if you like those more. Also your boards have some solder bars on the outputs to help make swapping easier if you want.

Hopefully this setup makes more sence when you get it in your hands

[Wombii]

There is something very pleasing about directly soldering circuits like this. I like your design.

[skeeter]

I LOVE Jeremy's arrow board design! Even with having one in my hot lil hands, I Still am not capable of reproducing the masterpiece that he made!

[frizzen]

Thank you wombii, it took a while to figure out how i could reduce it down to this design. I was hoping it might be less intimidating for a hobbiest following along at home. I didn't want to design and etch boards, or learn programming, or any thing like that.

You're being far too generous skeeter, i'm sure you'd get it. Although for simpler on the flasher side i probably should have just sent a fixed flasher, but i was low on parts and really wanted to see if the variable resistor would work for adjustment. Plus i knew you run videos, so i didn't want you stuck with it looking funky if i sent something that happened to be a freq that didn't play nicely with your frame rates

I really do need to just grab one of these and draw up the schematic already.

[frizzen]

I just found some 3D printed options, and it's got to be easier than diy.

Arrow board
https://thescaleking.com/contruction-site/912-arrow-trailer.html

Text sign
https://thescaleking.com/contruction-site/904-construction-sign-trailer.html

Light generator
https://thescaleking.com/contruction-site/911-tower-light-trailer.html

[skeeter]

I just found some 3D printed options, and it's got to be easier than diy.

Arrow board
https://thescaleking.com/contruction-site/912-arrow-trailer.html

Text sign
https://thescaleking.com/contruction-site/904-construction-sign-trailer.html

Light generator
https://thescaleking.com/contruction-site/911-tower-light-trailer.html

Those are some FANTASTIC looking trailers......but DAM! for the price they are asking I'd expect that they'd be made of metal, rather than 3D printed!

[frizzen]

Skeeter has called me out a couple times about needing to *FINALLY* get a trailer built under this board. I think it got to him too much, and this great looking 3D printed setup arrived over here!

https://imgur.com/LMOa7tRh.jpg

It tucked in a little closer to the tow rig than i wanted, so i stuck an aluminum link before the ball coupler.
Then i opened up and chamfered holes in outriggers, chunk of toy rc stainless antenna wire for the battery lid hinge.

Looks like i'll have a little brass work, some paint & epoxy, poke a couple holes, and some wiring to make it all reach.

This is awesome, thank you so much man!

[frizzen]

Ugh, what now?

https://imgur.com/FJYUrwAh.jpg

Traffic is backed up in the hallway due to construction, try to avoid that area if possible

https://imgur.com/tVeuuT9h.jpg

[skeeter]

Skeeter has called me out a couple times about needing to *FINALLY* get a trailer built under this board. I think it got to him too much, and this great looking 3D printed setup arrived over here!

https://imgur.com/LMOa7tRh.jpg

This is awesome, thank you so much man!

:):bounce:
I'm happy it arrived safely. This is the least I can do for you helping me..............OK who'm I kiddin, doin the HARD & COMPLICATED part of the arrow board for me!

I like what you've done with er. It'll be a nice addition to the fleet once you get er all did!

[frizzen]

Thanks again man! This is a really sharp trailer.

I'm not great at backing trailers in RC, so i threw on a tongue extension link. Not playing that in Expert Mode. (Erm wait, i mean "So that i can use it with other trucks that have more overhang past the hitch")

I soldered a couple chunks of brass box-tube into a square, made a crossbar so it can hinge at the board. Punched some wire holes under trailer. Roughed and epoxy putty the mast to trailer. Dropped some phone-cord through to get blinky and direction up top with On/Off and Right/Left switches down at battery box.

Once I got to that point decided before i paint the mast, i probably needed to make a lever on the mast with a linkage to move the board between Vertical / Horizontal.
Somehow it stalled again at: cut a slot in mast, solder a 90 to bottom of board, drill a couple holes, insert a couple pins and run a linkage.

Part of me wants to find reference pics to do it 'Correct' style, the other says Just Send It! If board goes up/down happy you're good, bonus if it latches.

[frizzen]

Wait. What kind of weirdo has a HOBBY that would involve reading stuff like Federal Highway Administration manuals?

Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices
https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2003r1/part6/part6f3.htm

So my 4x8 foot panel Flashing Arrow Board is a 'Type C' panel, and is suitable for High-speed, High-volume traffic flow control projects

[Zabco]

Well, now that you mention it, I am one of those weirdos. I love the MUTCD. I really like the models I build to look like what they do in the real world. And standards like the MUTCD are a great resource in determining sizing, clearances, functionality, etc. I've been in the standards world for most of my working life and have learned that there are standards for almost everything, just have to figure out which organization writes the one(s) your interested in.

I like to make items that no one else does and that add some variety to the operations of our models. As an example here are a few of the models I've made that are in fact based on the MUTCD like Frizzen's arrow board. If you've been to the Indy or Ohio meets the last few years you've probably seen them.
Portable, Changeable, Message Sign (PCMS for short). The one I made meets all the MUTCD criteria for size, height above ground when deployed, font, maximum number of characters and lines of text, and color.

https://i.postimg.cc/4y003tgK/PCMS.jpg (https://postimg.cc/QKpm4FVs)

The traffic cones around the sign are also scale 28" high with proper 6" and 4" reflective bands so they can be used on all roads under all light conditions.

Another item I made is a set of temporary traffic contol lights. The MUTCD dictates size of light heads, their color, color of trailer, height of the individual light heads above ground when set up and more. The MUTCD also provides guidance in how to set up traffic control zones.

https://i.postimg.cc/gctQ49ZY/Traffic-Lights.jpg (https://postimg.cc/5jvsNRgG)/img]

I think signs add a nice touch of reality to our scaled down world when we get together for meets. I've seen a number of different signs in use over the years but almost none of them really resemble their real world counterparts. The MUTCD has a whole ton of standards dealing with size, shape, color, wording, permissible fonts and sizes. height above ground, placement and on and on. Can you imagine the confusion that would exist if everyone made and placed signs as they saw fit to do?

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/6qqSwcDJ/Scale-Sign.jpg (https://postimg.cc/p5NkJfWq)

The top sign in this photo is correct to scale 48" by 48" 'square on point' (government verbosity at it's finest) with correct font, size and placement and colors. The bottom sign is ???.

Just a few examples of why I like 'standards'. And Frizz, I absolutely take no offense to the term 'weirdo.' I am. But the general public probably considers us all to be a bit weird in being grown ups playing with our "toys."

[frizzen]

Zabco, I didn't intend for anyone to take offense or feel called out. I love seeing your work and how much more it kicks up the realism!
But i also randomly like to Shake the Monkey-Tree, to see if anybody is paying attention.

Those portable stopsigns look very sweet! Are they functional and coordinated too?

My hackjob of an arrow board started as Stuck in traffic watching one, designed the rest of circuit sitting in traffic. The tougher part was trying to learn the correct name, to find a manufacturer with listed specs or a scaled pdf drawing. Wanco had the documents available, so it 'won'.

The industry i work in is even more full of standards and regulations, often with differing regulatory bodies overlapping all over the world with similar or conflicting things. Somehow it feels fairly natural to try digging into the various guidelines to see what's going on. The minutia of a "square on point" sign, or how many flashes per minute isn't that exciting, but it still beats watching a bunch of millionares playing Sportsball.

I try to build most of the world to 1/14 scale. Then a lot of the cars i've converted are somewhere 1/14 - 1/16, or just not scaled correctly. The semis are usually claimed to be 1/13.5 scale. The excavators 1/12 - 1/16 scale...

Mostly i'm trying to hype myself up to make a stow/deploy handle, do the final wiring, and finish this thing in case i hear about a Winter indiana meet.

I dunno. I've gotten similar to reactions when people find out i'm into "Hobby Grade RC'' stuff, but i absolutely don't care about how fast the latest project can go. It cost how much? You're NOT racing? Mind blown!

[Zabco]

Frizzen, I in no way have taken offense to your post, I liked it. It's just that I've gotten some grief over the years whenever this subject comes up and I just wanted to make a point that there is a use for these standards even in 1/14 scale. Like I said, I want what I make to look, and act, like it's real world counterparts.

Yes, the signal lights function just like the real ones. There is a radio link between them and the 'master' unit does all the timing and controls the 'slave'.

Keep up your work on your "toy" conversions, I like watching how you find solutions.

Oh, and by the way, the link you had to the MUTCD is for the 2003 edition and is way out of date. The current edition was just release in July and is referred to as the 2009, 3rd revision and can be found at https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno_2009r1r2r3.htm

[jerry56]

:bounce:
LOL face it...we are grown men playing with toy trucks... in the dirt... sometimes in public...You have to admit that does sound a little strange.... ;)
At least with RCs we don't have to crawl around pushing them making motor noises...