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Projects => Build Reports => Topic started by: Bret608 on December 03, 2018, 03:17:08 PM

Title: Hypotenuse (Sharkfin build)
Post by: Bret608 on December 03, 2018, 03:17:08 PM
Can anyone remember on which episode of Star Trek TNG the word "hypotenuse" was uttered, and who uttered it? Even though this was hilarious to me when I watched as a teenager back in the late '80s, I cannot remember it was Data or Worf said this, so I'm presenting this build as a bit of an inside joke with myself, complete with LC Data in full-on sleuth mode. I was going for a bad meme, first-time-Photoshop-user-gone-mad kind of look, and I think it just about works.

Anyway, this is a Sharkfin that our own jubal81 kindly PIF'd to me, and I think it was originally PID'd to him from the Bean, judging from the fact that it looks like a proto layout that a few other folks built post-PIF season back in 2015-ish. I have never really used an envelope filter, and certainly not a sample & hold circuit, but I really liked Jon Patton's demo of his build so thought I'd have a go at it. It sounds awesome and is a lot of fun! It can do the funky stuff for sure, but can also get quite menacing depending on what/how you're playing. I put it in front of my Buzzaround and it was just nuts with harmonic sweeps...one of my kids came running into the room to see what was going on!

I had a few challenges with the build, mainly just related to drilling this rather thick 125bb. Don't look under those pot washers!  ;)  Also, I thought I would push it and use a 3mm bezel for the S/H rate indicator, but that was not a fantastic idea. Lug 3 of the decay pot was just shorting out on the bezel, even though I had tried to insulate it with electrical tape. Basically, if I turned decay all the way CCW, the entire signal was getting dumped to ground. I ended up pulling that tape out and just slipping a small chunk of a glossy business card in between the pot leg and bezel. Simple DIY hack for the win! Thanks to Brian for pointing me in the right direction on that debug.
Title: Re: Hypotenuse (Sharkfin build)
Post by: thesmokingman on December 03, 2018, 04:57:17 PM
I honestly wish I didn't know the "Lore" behind this build
Title: Re: Hypotenuse (Sharkfin build)
Post by: gordo on December 03, 2018, 05:26:18 PM
Nice choice on the EHX-ish knobs.  Great build.
Title: Re: Hypotenuse (Sharkfin build)
Post by: Bio77 on December 03, 2018, 06:31:40 PM
Cool build. The label came out great.
Title: Re: Hypotenuse (Sharkfin build)
Post by: nzCdog on December 03, 2018, 06:39:26 PM
Trekkie ftw!  Data is the best! 8)
Title: Re: Hypotenuse (Sharkfin build)
Post by: Bret608 on December 03, 2018, 07:35:54 PM
He is, isn't he? Good ol' Brent Spiner. I love the Lore reference too...that was one of my favorite episodes!