Reply to *Build Log* DIY Controller From Scratch

Hello! I've been djing small house parties for a while now, nothing too crazy, mostly just friends. For the longest time i've used Winamp of all things along with a third party crossfader plugin. Well the bug has bitten and after doing some research and seeing Ean's AoTS bit, I got my hands on a copy of Traktor Pro and started looking at controllers.

There are quite a few out there, to my surprise! After looking at a few, and actually getting to play with some, I was not satisfied by any one in particular. So I decided to go ahead a build my own. I am an avid DIY'er and this project will keep my occupied for some time.

So, here we go! I really like the layout of the VCI-100, so I am purloining some of the design cues from that controller. I also had trouble locating a suitable enclosure, so I opted for a Midi-Fighter like open sided setup.

I'll post updates here has I go

Parts so far:

$16 - Lowe's - 18x12 1/4 Inch Acrylic sheet for the top and bottom panels
$5 - Ace Hardware - 3/8 Inch bolts with 1 1/2 Inch spacers to space the panels
$16 - DJTT - 8 Arcade Buttons for Play/Pause, Cue1, Cue2, Cue3 on each deck
$4 - DJTT - 2 Arcade Buttons, one on each side of the top panel for Shift functionality
$39 - DJTT - Green knob pack from the DJTT store for Faders, EQ, Fx etc...
$75 - UHID - UHID Board for interfacing it all to the laptop
$20 - Wirecare - 1/8 Inch flex weave wire sleeve
$8 - Sparkfun - Green LEDs
$8 - Sparkfun - Blue LEDs
$12 - Sparkfun - Rotary POTs
$9 - Sparkfun - Jumper Wires
$2 - Sparkfun - Heatshrink
$4 - Sparkfun - 10 Segment LEDs

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Total cost to date: ~$215

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Freebie - Micro-ATX power supply on board to provide 3.3v 5v and 12v for LED lighting, the USB interface, and some future parts that I have not acquired yet

No longer being used:
Griffin Powermates for the jog wheels
And last but not least, a couple of old cannibalized hard drives

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The assembled enclosure. protective film still covering the acrylic top and bottom. The controller is 18x12 and around 2 1/2 tall.


Horray arcade buttons! The green buttons do not match the green knob pack nearly as close as I wish they did. I was going to use the green buttons for my Shift and Play/Pause. After speaking with Zach @ DJTT on the phone yesterday I will be using all Black buttons. Thanks again for your help yesterday sir!


Knobs! Self explanitory here~


Eyeballing a potential layout for the controls. The two that are spaced wide at the top will be Master and Headphone vol/gain. They are spaced to provide a place for one of the components I have not gotten my hands on yet. You can also see the UHID board under the top panel, just below center.


The UHID board that will make it all work. I will actually need to run a second 8 input board to handle a few more knobs. This thing is REALLY tiny.


The first Powermate, still assembled, beneath the top panel. I will cut a hole in the top panel to allow access to the Powermate.


Old'n'Busted hard drive. Time to gut it!


Hard drive top cover removed.


The platter, the only piece I wanted~


Scrap parts.


Removed the top knob from the Powermate. You can see where I am going with this...


Jog wheels


Sitting on top of the top panel, just to get an idea.


Removing the friction material from the Powermate so it can free-spin.


And the platter is attached to the Powermate. I do not like the current screws I used, so they will be changed soon. It free-spins pretty good when I want it to, and the 'click' functionality of the Powermate is maintained. Nothing as sensitive or versatile as the Vestax wheels, but I am sure I will find a use for it.


That's it for now. More to come!