Hello everyone, it’s been a good
while since we last updated here. The past year had us working hard to pull in
more commissions to improve Crafty Prop’s bottom line, so we were swamped with a
ton of projects. As a result, this blog ended up on the back burner. However,
sorting through the project templates and pictures after the fact, it did occur
to us that they would make for fantastic talking points for this blog, so we’ll
probably try and condense our thoughts and methodologies on any projects of
interest here going forward. Look forward to those.
Today however, we have a more
current topic to talk about. With the coming of 2019, we’d resolved to
experiment a bit more on different aspects and gimmicks we could include in our
builds, and one of the first things that came to mind were LED’s and
Electronics. Lights themselves add a lot of dimension to how a prop looks,
giving it an extra pop. These range from simple linear circuits, to programmed,
sequenced arrays of dazzling lights, Think of the projects done by the
illustrious Kamui Cosplay.
Regardless of the complexity of
the build, the first matter to address is acquisition. Where or how does one go
about obtaining the relevant parts and tools? Plenty of online vendors for
electronic parts exist, the items might cost a bit more however, and then
there’s the matter of shipping. Nevertheless, if you’re looking to purchase
kits for LED lighting, or buying in bulk, I’d recommend sourcing them that way.
However, if you’re looking for smaller scale purchases, or are looking to build
your own desired circuits from scratch, there are plenty of relatively
accessible locations in Malaysia. Today we’ll be talking about one such
location, located smack-dab in the middle of Kuala Lumpur.
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Figure 1; Map location of Jalan Pasar. Area is
within the blue outline
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Jalan Pasar is a small district
located in the Pudu area of Kuala Lumpur, its situated nearer to the border between
Pudu and the Imbi area, and by extension, the more well known Bukit Bintang
shopping district. Well-known for its otherwise high concentration of shops
specializing in the sale of electronic items, it attracts a mix of people to
its locales, be it those who are there on business or those who are simply
looking to nurture a hobby. It’s a short walk from the Ampang line LRT Pudu
station, so the LRT line presents the easiest mode of travel there. It’s a
rather straightforward path from the station to Jalan Pasar, just proceed along
a small slip road next to the station, indicated in red in the figure below,
and you’ll get there in no time.
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| Figure 2; Jalan Pasar map, area outlined in blue, directions from Pudu Station in red, |
The area itself isn’t very large,
but it consists of many shops in close proximity to one another. These are
concentrated in the areas within the blue outlines in the figure above. Items
for sale vary from shop to shop, but they can generally be divided into several
broad categories. There are ‘Specialist shops’, these sell specific types of
electronic devices, for example, audio devices such as microphones and
speakers, or surveillance shops specializing in the sale of security cameras
and intruder alarms and sensors. These types of shops will have SOME basic
electronics, but they tend to be limited in selection and compliment the other
products sold there. Next, there are the ‘Auto Accessory shops’, these have a
plethora of electronic devices, however they tend to come in modules or kits
that are geared specifically for use in cars or motorcycles. They have hardly
any electronic component on sale, except for the occasional fuse, vacuum tube
or switch. However, some of the modules on sale, such as lighting or LED sets,
and even some of their audio setups, can be modified to run with an Arduino
system, so it can be a good idea to give these a look. Sometimes you might find
something unexpected that you can use in your projects.
Finally, there are the ‘General
Electronics stores’. These will fill in the majority of your shopping list as
far as electronic parts are concerned. They tend to be distinguishable from the
rest by the lack of any obvious electronic devices on sale, with a great number
of them displaying otherwise small electronic parts in glass counter displays. Most
will have the basics, breadboards, resistors, LED’s, transistors and
capacitors. They also have a lot of the tools needed, in case you’re starting
from scratch. Heck, they even tend to keep stock of a lot of the rare analogue
parts that keep some older devices running, however, that is beyond our
purview.
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Figure 3; a selection of basic items and tools
available at general electronics stores
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But if you’re looking for
something a bit more specific, then you’re going to need to ask around, as not
all shops keep ready stock. One glaring example was the lack of a specific kind
of Programmable Integrated Circuit (PIC) chip that we needed for a current project.
However, in our recent shopping run, we did encounter a shop that does go a
LONG way in helping you get what you need. If you’re not careful however, you
might just miss it.
Nestled in between the myriad
shops in Jalan Pasar is a rather unassuming stairwell with an overhanging sign.
Frankly speaking, I missed it twice, and it wasn’t until my friend pointed out
the sign that I saw it. MSC Supply and Service.
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Figure 4, the stairwell leading up to MSC
Supply and Services
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Entering the doorway, and taking
the stairs up, we expected to arrive at a landing to find another door into the
shop proper. Instead, the stairwell opens up directly into a moderately lit storefront,
bathed in a yellow-brown hue. Upon stepping on the landing, we were greeted
with an electronic jingle emanating from what seemed to be a small transmission
tower. Upon closer inspection, we realized that these were IR arrays set up to
act as motion sensors, alerting the owner to customers. They were custom, built
from an array of electronics and hobby sensors. A damn good flex I’d say, no
better way to push your wares. As a whole it was a surreal sight, the light
made it seem like we stepped into an antique shop, or just straight back in time.
And the items on display added an anachronistic flair to everything, relatively
modern Arduino circuits and PIC sat in the glass counter at the front, along
with, strangely, some vacuum tubes. The area immediately behind the counter was
populated with a stack of boxes that formed a small island between the office
at the back and the counter, shielding it slightly from view. These were filled
with parts that spilled out slightly of a few of the boxes, a testament to the
variety of wares the shop offered. That, combined with a row of drawers forming
a partition on the left hand side of the shop and the assorted machinery that
lay off to the side gave off an odd feeling, as if the entire shop was just a
bit removed from time.
It didn’t take long before the
owner stepped out to entertain our request. With the myriad and occasionally
confusing array of items on display, I simply decided to ask her directly of
what I’d need. Looking at the PIC designation I pointed out on my shopping
list, she nodded in affirmation, and asked if I’d need anything else. I
proceeded to simply list out some additional items I might need, of which she
took note before disappearing into the back office. In the short time she was
away, me and my friend started to look around the storefront, many of the
things there were old, perhaps by several decades. However, most of the items
and parts for sale were decidedly in mint condition, even such items as
analogue vacuum transistors as well as a selection of Nixie Tubes which by all
accounts should be archaic at this point in time, so their presence was
surprising to say the least. Still, the area is known to stock up on some of
the older parts to help service the older utilities we had running in and
around KL. But even by those standards, the selection visible at a glance was
considerably extensive.
After a short time, the owner
stepped back out to the counter and presented the items that I requested, a
PIC16f877a integrated circuit, with the IC socket, as well as several versions
of a power supply board. However, alongside those there was also something
extra. She mentioned that the parts I’d requested made it seem like I was
embarking on a little arduino project, so the thought she’d bring out some
additional items that might help me along. One of them was a development kit
which allowed a user to customize various circuit schemes to experiment with
the PIC and any additional output device. It also included the PIC I needed as
a little bonus. The development kit also came with a special port which would
allow me to interface with the IC’s firmware and enact any possible changes to
any desired effect. While it wasn’t something that was thrown in for free, her
insight was really a boon to us that day, the kit had plenty of useful
functions that ended up helping a lot in the following work. Satisfied with her
suggestion and the rest of the wares, we proceeded to round up a few more
items, LED strips, Resistors, and some tools for good measure, all of which she
simply pulled out with minimal fanfare, as if there’s a secret compartment full
of anything you could ask behind the counter.
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Figure 5; The assorted wares, courtesy of MSC
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After all of that, we settled on
what we needed for the time being and checked out. While she was tallying out
bills, I took the chance to engage in a bit of idle chit-chat. Apparently the
shop has been around for ages…..which was odd, since I’ve been running around
the place for almost 2 decades, and I never noticed it. Nonetheless, the shop
is testament to that fact, which helps to explain the odd anachronistic
selection of wares among the shelves. Stranger still was the fact that people
looking to furnish little projects, of varying scale, such as ourselves were common
clientele here, along with those looking for rare spare parts for analogue
devices, such as vacuum tubes, of which she had plenty more, hidden in a
drawer. What makes that last line strange was the fact that A, there’s not a
single review on this place, and B, its more prominently listed on Google Maps
than anything else in the area. There was a moment of internal facepalming
there. Naturally we proceeded to give a 5 star review for the place on our way
out, the lady deserved it.
But yes, MSC Supply and Service,
look it up. Good service with a comprehensive supply of wares, one can hardly
ask for more. While I’d still recommend paying the rest of Jalan Pasar a visit
first for the more mundane parts, you could opt to beeline for this place
instead, I’m sure they have whatever you’ll need. The lady behind the counter
is knowledgeable about most projects and has had experience dealing with many
requests, so don’t be afraid to ask her for help. However, I’d still urge you
to come prepared with some degree of knowledge about what you’re looking for,
it’ll help make her job easier and will get you your parts faster. Just
remember to pay attention to the stairwell between the shops lest you miss it.
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Figure 6, location of MSC, red marker.
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Figure 7, view of entrance stairwell to MSC
from the street
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Alright, that about wraps up this
post, we’ll be posting more content in the future as this current project
proceeds, as well as any other interesting tidbits that pop up in our design or
fabrication process, so stay tuned, any suggestions or input would be
graciously appreciated. Also, if you have any of your own hangouts for
electronics and parts elsewhere in the Klang Valley and beyond, do share, I’m
sure plenty of other crafters could use a lead. Till next time.
