Jewelry Box FAQ
Along the way, I’ve gone back and forth between components, boards, displays, and the lack of using parts I listed in my Parts post. I hope this sorts out the hurdles, and helps someone that stumbles across my site.
So, what happened with this project?
Woodworking is not something I’ve ever done. While it looked really good on paper, it was not an ideal build. I read a few articles online for getting started, and it did come together. However, the electronic components were not something that I could include in the build, so I designed an electronics-free jewelry armoire. I got the pieces cut at a local hardwood shop, and I pieced it together. I still intend on working with electronic components, and focus on the motorcycle aspect, for the overall design.
Why did you get the Arduino Pro Mini if you were going to test on the Arduino Uno?
In short: the Pro Mini is a smaller version of the Uno, which shrinks the microcontroller storage. The Arduino Pro Mini and Arduino Uno have the same ATmega328 microcontroller, and I’d be using the same pins. The Pro Mini doesn’t have headers to use with cables, and I’d have to set it up with the USB 2 Serial converter, onto a solderless breadboard. The Uno, however, is simply plug-and-play for programming and usage.
Why not settle on the small project, instead of going from Uno/Pro Mini, to Mega?
Easier said than done. If I knew this project was going to grow the way it did, then my idea wouldn’t have been as small as it was at first. This started as a small trinket to present my girlfriend, with something to show for our time together. The small chest I had in mind was too small a gift, and served no functional purpose, other than a day counter. The idea grew to a small jewelry chest, holding a few things, and display pictures, but it wasn’t until piecing the code together that it became evident: the sketch is too big for the 32kB storage capacity. The next step up is the Mega, and the base of my version 3 design can house the board without much issue.
What was the purpose of the parts that are no longer in use?
The Arduino Pro Mini was to be used for its size; compact, easily fitting anywhere. In the first concept design, the base was to be tall enough for the components I needed hidden. The thin design of the Pro Mini lent itself to only increasing a minor size from soldering cables, and not female header pins rising from the top, such as that from the Arduino Uno.
The prototype boards are small in dimension, which make it easy for minimizing the space needed to wire the Pro Mini, and cables going to the components. With the latest designs, I may not be needing them at all, since the Mega has header pins that I will use to connect directly.
It needs power, but I wasn’t sure about the power source. The female power jacks can be setup in one location, and wired to the microcontroller or board at another location. The Mega has the power and USB ports next to each other, making the design have slots for both, to provide power, and a means of updating the sketch as necessary.
When will the sketch be completely done and finished?
Honestly, while I’m in the development stage, I have a lot of “what if I do this now, for later” moments. I’ll have a finalized design, ready to go, but then I think about giving myself an option for something I could do with it later. I’m building a Swiss army knife when all I need is a screwdriver. In this case, I’ve had to stash the electronic portion of this project, and focus on the core project: jewelry box. The electronics will be going to the next project, as the main focus.