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This is the “easy” way to order the parts for your splitflap display (United States only). It optimizes for simplicity in ordering, not the lowest possible cost.
If you’d like to review other options, which could be somewhat cheaper, check out the full ordering doc, but if that’s a little overwhelming, you’re in the right place here!
If you have questions, please ask in the community Discord server!
Supplier: Elecrow has reasonable quality at a decent price
Material: Acrylic
The v2 design officially supports either 52 flaps per module or 40 flaps per module. The 52-flap design is the default recommendation here and is perfect if you will be buying the pre-printed "Epilogue" flap sets, but you can check out the advanced ordering instructions for details on the 40 flap variant.
For reference, the front face of each module is approximately 82.6mm wide and 143.53mm tall.
- Use this file to order a 52-flap design, made of 3mm acrylic (Matte Black (P502) is recommended): zip
- Go to Elecrow acrylic laser cutting and upload the zip file
- Enter dimensions:
- Select thickness: 3mm
- Engrave: No
- Acrylic color: Matte Black (P502) is recommended
Full ordering instructions, and alternative files for acrylic/mdf or for 40- rather than 52-flap modules can be found here.
I’ve previously recommended ordering from Ponoko - and while I still believe they have great quality and customer service, they’ve gotten too expensive to be my default recommendation any longer 😞
Supplier: Bezek Labs (yes, I’m biased in recommending my own store, but it really is the easiest purchasing option since these are custom boards and I also include all necessary accessories).
- Chainlink Driver (1 for every 6 character modules)
- Ribbon cable length: 45cm
- Add motors? Yes, add 6x 28BYJ-48
- Sensor kit v2 (6x with magnets and headers) (1 for every 6 character modules)
- Include cables? YES
- Chainlink Buddy [T-Display] (1 for your entire display, up to 36 total character modules)
- Include ESP32 T-Display Module: YES
Supplier: Bezek Labs (again, I’m biased, but there aren’t any commercial alternatives and making them yourself requires a lot of time and patience)
Two good options (this tradeoff is totally up to you):
- ”Epilogue” pre-printed v2 flaps save a TON of time and look great, but are definitely more expensive. 6-packs and 24-packs are available at a small discount. Only available with white text on a black card.
OR
- You can buy blank flaps and apply letter stickers to them yourself
- blank flaps (purchase the 1x52 or 6x52 packs for a 52-flap design. The 6x packs are available at a small discount)
- vinyl letter stickers (from Amazon). Blank flaps are available in white or black, and vinyl letter stickers are available in many different colors. (1 sticker pack for every 2 modules)
Supplier: McMaster-Carr (reliable, but somewhat pricey especially with shipping) or find these common items elsewhere
- M4 x 10mm button-head. 10 bolts needed per module (so you’ll need at least 60x for 6 modules). Must be button-head style (e.g. taller socket-cap bolts will likely cause clearance issues)
- McMaster-Carr pack of 100
- M4 hex nuts. 10 nuts needed per module (so you’ll need at least 60x for 6 modules)
- McMaster-Carr pack of 100
Supplier: many options, no specific recommendations
For 1-12 modules:
- 22AWG wire for 3.3v power (gauge is not critical as this is low-current; solid wire is preferable to stranded for use with screw terminals)
- 12V power supply capable of at least 1.5A for every 6 modules, plus some margin. Searching for “12V CCTV” or LED power supplies is a good way to find supplies that will have the correct barrel jack connector to plug into the Chainlink Buddy [T-Display].
- Assume that the current ratings on supplies sold by Amazon, AliExpress, etc are overstated, so make sure to account for this and select a supply with a higher current rating than needed.
- 20AWG (or larger diameter, depending on length & number of modules) wire for 12v power and ground
OR, for 13-36 modules:
- 22AWG wire for 3.3v power (gauge is not critical as this is low-current; solid wire is preferable to stranded for use with screw terminals)
- 12V power supply capable of at least 1.5A for every 6 modules, plus some margin. You must connect the power supply to the screw terminals of the first Chainlink Driver directly. Do not use the Chainlink Buddy’s barrel jack connector with more than 12 modules, as it cannot handle the current requirements!
- Assume that the current ratings on supplies sold by Amazon, AliExpress, etc are overstated, so make sure to account for this and select a supply with a higher current rating than needed.
- 16AWG (or larger diameter, depending on length & number of modules) wire for 12v power and ground
OR, more than 36 modules:
Warning
Special considerations apply for displays with more than 36 modules! You must have a strong understanding of the limitations and risks involved with high-current DC power supplies, and should take all reasonable precautions to protect against damage/injury. Make sure to read the Chainlink Driver user guide for more info if you will be building a large display with 36+ modules.
For instructions on assembly, see the Splitflap v2 Assembly Guide and Chainlink Driver Electronics User Guide
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