Mini Pinball project

[melon]

Hi there guys,
After finishing my mini galaga now I'm into another project, a really small virtual pinball. So let's begin.
Here's a drawing of what I want:



As you can see, its really small, it'll have a 18,5' 16:9 monitor for the playfield and a 14' 4:3 monitor for the backbox:



I decided to use mdf (1cm thick) and I've screwed it, as you can see the backbox:



And you can see how it is attached to the playfield, like the real pinballs, but made of wood:



And here with the monitor, just to test how it fits:



And here is everything:



And checking that it closes correctly



And here is the backdoor, there will be a fan extracting the hot air, thats the hole you can see:



I'll keep posting more images (I have thousands of them!)
Hope you like it.

[ninjasquirrel]

Nice work melon 

I loved your mini galaga can't wait to see where this one goes!

[opt2not]

Good looking start, this thing is going to be awesome! I'm really liking the size, as well as the top attachment.
More pics please! 

[Sjaak]

Looking good!

[reptileink]

Sweet! Virtual pinball machines rock! 

[melon]

Well, I have some updates.

The lockdown bar:

The idea behind this mini pinball is making a mini replica of a real one, so it will have all the things that a real one has, but scaled down. So it will have a mini lockdown bar and, mini plunger, mini coin door... Now let's work on the mini wooden lockdown bar.

I used 3mm MDF to make it:



I glued it, so it looks like this:



I sanded it to round the edges:



Well, more sanding and I can prime it:



That has been three coats sprayed.

I painted it with a black satin spray and it's ready:



And finally in its place:



From another angle:



And that's the mini lockdown bar

[filuren33]

I want to build one to.... This looks great, good job. 

[shrunkenmaster]

Looking great! I've been wanting to build a minipin myself, as I can't stretch to a good quality full-size playfield LCD. What model screens are you using?

[More Cowbell]

Very cool! I've wanted to do a virtual pin for a while but always come back to the fact that it's a big investment (flat screen tv's) that could come out crappy in the end. Using monitors seems like a feasible way of getting it done without breaking the bank. Great idea. Keep up the updates.

[NIVO]

very well done so far melon.

[jbarnatt]

What do you use for hole filler?

[Mr.Ian]

Yet another awesome project. I will keeping an eye on this one

Love your work..............Now i have to justify one to the Mrs !!!!

[melon]

Hey, thanks for your comments

Very cool! I've wanted to do a virtual pin for a while but always come back to the fact that it's a big investment (flat screen tv's) that could come out crappy in the end. Using monitors seems like a feasible way of getting it done without breaking the bank. Great idea. Keep up the updates.

This one isn't going to be a very big investment. Mine is small, so I'm using monitors. A 18,5 inch acer monitor for the playfield (it was 80€) and a 14 inch Airis for the backglass I got from eBay (it was about 30€). About the electronics, it will be the most expensive thing. The Motherboard, processor, graphic card, memory, hdd, PSU, audio amplifier, controls... something about 400€.

Well, I have more updates.
Lets paint it. First I primed the backbox:



And here a photo with my mini galaga



I painted the backbox and the back panels with a black satin spray paint.



And another shot...



The next is the fake coin door, based on the work I did in the Galaga, but a little improved.

[Mr.Ian]

Beautiful !!!!!

Love the pic with the galaga machine

 

 

 

[More Cowbell]

Nice! I will be really interested to see everything that goes into the electronics setup from layout to splitting the monitors to software to computer specs once you get there. With pics. That's always been a big holdup for me as well. Does anyone have links to that type of info as well?

[Yvan256]

I really like how the backbox can fold on top of the playfield like a real pinball machine. At that size you should be able to put real coin mechanisms at the front, or at least home-made but fully working and scaled-down ones.

[melon]

The plunger, part 1:

As I said before, the idea behind this mini pinball is making  a mini replica of a real one, so it will have all the things that a real one has, but scaled down. So it will have a mini lockdown bar (allready made) and a mini plunger.
I cut a piece of MDF and sand it until it gets the shape I want:



I also cut some pieces of a 3mm MDF to make the edges:



I glue it, apply woodfiller, sand and prime it. Also attach another piece of MDF so that it fits in the front of the mini pinball:



Now I cut out a hole in the front panel for the plunger (there is also the hole for the "coin door"):



The attachment system consists on some MDF screwed at the backside.



When I want to fasten the plunger system I only have to screw it from the backside:


And now the secret behind the "coin door"...
Hope you like it.

[Bender]

love the little details like the area rounded molding around the plunger plate and the little coin door on galaga cab, just great!

[chris77]

hey melon, great work!! I love those mini projects   

can't wait to see it finished

cheers
chris

[wonderpuddle]

Damn melon, you are a talented dude.  I didn't realize you built a mini galaga, too.  You're creating quite the collection.   Can't wait for you to finish this project.  You are going to love it.  My mini pin city is still probably my favorite toy.

[melon]

The "coin door", part one.
The aim of the coin door will be to make something that looks like a coin door, but it will really be a mechanism that will have all the controls hidden (volume control, some auxiliar buttons, an USB port, etc). Let's see some images.
First I get a CD case. Its one of these that you push and opens, push back until you hear "click" and it is closed:



I dismounted to see the mechanism that leads into:



The mechanism dismounted to see it better



The black piece moves towards the small blach lane. It has a spring inside that makes the strength to move out. When reaches the bottom there is a small plastic piece that holds the mechanism. The way to get rid of the closure is pushing a little click and the black piece is released (sorry if you don't understand it well, my english level is not so good to explain this kind of things)
Well, I have to attach it to the cabinet, so I make a little support:



Now I srew the mechanism:



I also make a small MDF piece to hold the small plastic piece that holds the mechanism:



So, the result is this:



I guess you know what I want to achieve...
I cut more MDF pieces to get the front of the coin door attached to the mechanism:



And this is the thing I have at the moment. The coin door closed:



If I want to change the volume, or use some auxiliar control (exit the game, reset the game, or whatever wich doesn't mean play) i only have to push it until I hear 'click'...



... and it opens, showing what will be a complete auxiliar control panel:



Well, and this is the actual state of the machine. I'm working on it right now, installing the monitors and the electronics, I'll upload more pics soon.

[ninjasquirrel]

Nice scavenging by using the cd holder Melon! Keep it up 

[njay]

nice work melon i like your mini pin and TAF

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Really looking forward to reading more about this. Excellent.

[opt2not]

Hey melon,

I'm assuming that 3mm MDF is the same as hardboard? How do you like working with that stuff? I've used it for other projects and find it to flake off pretty easily, sometimes hard to get a clean cut or a solid enough piece that doesn't crack under a small amount of pressure.

[kizer]

Super cool project. Added it to my list of bookmarks to follow.

[WhereEaglesDare]

Any updates yet?

[emphatic]

Spectacular. 

[drventure]

Very nice with the CD mechanism! 

[melon]

Hey, sorry for the delay, I've been sooo busy, but I have some updates to show 

Hey melon,

I'm assuming that 3mm MDF is the same as hardboard? How do you like working with that stuff? I've used it for other projects and find it to flake off pretty easily, sometimes hard to get a clean cut or a solid enough piece that doesn't crack under a small amount of pressure.

Well I neved worked with it before, but I'm satisfied with the result at the moment, I hope the lockdown bar hold.

I made a support for the playfield monitor. It will be foldable, so that I can access to the electronics when I need it, it consists on 2 pieces of MDF, joined with hinges... well, better watch the pics, as it's hard to me to explain it in english.



Here attached to the monitor:



Here the system screwed to the cabinet:



Here opened:



Here the monitor installed:



And if I want to have access to the electronics, I can open it:

[Pinball Wizard]

Your creations are amazing. Very ingenious approaches to concepts of how to access things. Not only that, you will sit down and actually think everything out not just jump on it.

[Kurt]

That's awesome man well done.

[Mr.Ian]

I Hate you

Perfect execution of a perfect idea, i love your work, and cant wait to see more results....that will make me even more jealous !!!

[dkssprs]

great idea
cant wait to see the final result.
Many gratz 

[Paladin]

I love the flip up monitor!  Keep the idead and pictures coming!

[milkit]

just curious.. what type of pc setup are you planning? it seems like that is the biggest cost of these virtual pins usually with the need for high end cpu/video

[melon]

Thanks for your comments guys 

just curious.. what type of pc setup are you planning? it seems like that is the biggest cost of these virtual pins usually with the need for high end cpu/video

That will be the next step. But I can tell you it wasn't expensive, PSU, motherboard, memory, processor and Graphic card were about 300€ (370 USD).
Well, I've painted it. Black satin spray, but it will be covered with vinyl (it will be an addams family mini replica)



Here a shot from the front:



Manual and automatic plunger, and a little start button at the fron of the cabinet.
I've also made a system to fasten the lockbar:



And in the cabinet:


So I only need to push the lockdown bar to lock it.
Here with the lock bar attached and with the monitor, backbox and buttons:



Here a closer view of the little start button:



And that's all for now. I'm working on the electronics, so stay tuned

[Pinball Wizard]

So I am probably stealing this entire design someday soon. Truly amazing and good looking. I have been thinking about getting a pc together for this to convince myself to spend the money. Your setup is so much cheaper than most and I like it better.

[melon]

So I am probably stealing this entire design someday soon. Truly amazing and good looking. I have been thinking about getting a pc together for this to convince myself to spend the money. Your setup is so much cheaper than most and I like it better.

My PC is adjusted to what I want. It will run only visual pinball (I don't like future pinball), and as my screens are small I won't have a huge resolution (1360x766 for the playfield and 800x600 for the backbox, maybe more) so I won't need the same PC that I would need if I ran it at full HD. My GFX is a 9500GT, wich is a cheap one, but powerfull enough to run everithing with my config. I'm testing it right now and I can run  Hyperpin, visual pinball and visual pinmame with no problem and it's smooth (I've only noticed some little problems in one table with multiball, with GI and flahers effects at the same time, but barely noticeable)

[Pinball Wizard]

That is the video card I have in my mame pc. It runs linux not windows. Best part was that I got the video card for free. Great to have a friend into video editing where they are always upgrading to the newest and greatest often

[melon]

Well, I've begun to put things into the cabinet:



The Motherboard is a P5KPL-AM, micro ATX format, it had to be small as you can see, put all the electronics inside is almost like playing tetris there is also a 2.5" 160GB HDD (a 3,5" doesn't fit inside)

The graphic card is a 9500GT, low profile and I had to cut it so it doesn't hit the monitor:



Another shot of the motherboard, GFX and PSU:



Here installing the OS (a windows XP UE7):



And finally, I CAN PLAY!!!



I can't tell you how excited I'm right now!
Ehm, and here a shot of my Addams family table:



I must say I love playing tables this way, it's awesome.
Next I have to connect all the buttons, the audio, the second monitor, install the frontend...

[rablack97]

  - outstanding

[Pinball Wizard]

Very nice work! Once you get the frontend installed can you tell me if you have any performance issues? I currently his a slowdown but I think it has to do with my hard drive being 5400 rpm.

[emphatic]

Thanks for making me drool like some idiot. 

[njay]

Good work melon !

[Ond]

melon is the maestro of the miniature arcade! 

[shrunkenmaster]

Top stuff Melon. Is this gonna be a bar top or have you got some crazy plan for mini legs up your sleeve???

[Silas (son of Silas)]

Thanks for making me drool like some idiot. 

+1

[melon]

Thanks for your comments
I must say that I enjoy a lot making these mini cabinets, though sometimes it's difficult to put all stuff into a mini cabinet, it's worth the effort.

Very nice work! Once you get the frontend installed can you tell me if you have any performance issues? I currently his a slowdown but I think it has to do with my hard drive being 5400 rpm.

I just installed hyperpin today and haven't noticed any issue, everything has been ok in the test I made.

Top stuff Melon. Is this gonna be a bar top or have you got some crazy plan for mini legs up your sleeve???

I still don't know. The first idea was to make a bartop. But now I'm thinking if I should use some kind of legs...

Well I've made some updates:

The plunger, part 2

For the plunger mechanism I'm using some screw, nut, washer, spring, microswitch...



Here I attach the washers to the screw so it can pull the spring:



I'm also using a metal bracket so that when I release the plunger it doesn't hurt the DM support that I made:



Another shot from outside of the cab:



One from above:



And here the mechanism in action. I'm using the NC contact of the microswitch, so that when it's in it's normal position the switch is pulsed, and the contact is open:



When I pull the plunger, the switch opens and the contact is closed, so it works like a normal button.



Ehm, and it works! here testing it with my Addams table:



And that's all for now. Hope you like it.

[emphatic]

Hope you like it.

Rest assured. 

[chris77]

I don't like it - I love it!  

[javeryh]

This thing is wicked pissah.   

[swaffar]

almost a month with no update... how's the build coming along?  love the project so far.

[More Cowbell]

Another week gone by. We're dying to know where this stands. 

[Mr.Ian]

Hell yeah, im hanging on this beautiful project

Need........more......photos !!!!

[Jouster]

I had a thought on the plunger.

It looks now, at least from what I can see, that as soon as you pull the plunger out far enough, it will trigger the switch and launch the ball.

Why not try to extend the shaft through the stopper...move the washer up toward the front of the machine and maybe put another spring behind it.  Then put the switch or some sort of lever behind the stopper to trigger the switch when the plunger is let go and snaps back into the machine.

You may not have enough room behind it, hard to tell from the picture exactly where the flipper button will be.  But this way the plunger can be pulled out (and can be held without triggering the ball launch) and when released, the two springs will allow it to shoot throught the stopper just far enough to hit the switch (triggering ball launch) and then return to the rest position.

I hope the attached pic helps my explanation...sorry but I don't have Photoshop on this computer or it would look better.  Considering your skills, I think you could pull this off to make it even more realistic.

Jouster

[Johnny]

Hi Melon,
Very nice pinball cab.

Can You give more info on the lock's for the Lock down bar?
the English name for the items would help a lot.

I need something like that for another project (not arcade/pinball related) I have. 

Best Regards
Johnny Andersen
Oslo - Norway

[yeertha]

This is pretty awesome man. I just came across it and am definitely following it now. Keep up the amazing work.

[blastAgain]

Hi Melon,

Your work is terrific!
The detail is awesome and it's fantastic you have a power to become idea to reality!!!

I'm newbie here, and made small Robotron cabinet(50cm high). I didn't know your mini Galaga, I thought it was
fortunate for me not knowing your project before I make mine, otherwise I might not made mine.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=106245.0

Cheers!

[geomartin]

I love the plunger idea, one recommendation is to shield the PCB on the SATA drive.  Eventually you will have metal dust raining down on it as it wears, or possibly a loose metal object falling on it if something comes loose.  Fantastic looking project and I can't wait to see more!

[LeedsFan]

This project looks absolutely stunning!    I'm definitely following this one. I've dabbled a little with PinMame and FuturePinball etc. but I found them difficult to get to grips with, though I never did try Hyperpin as the FE.

In fact I like the look of this one so much that I've ditched putting pinball buttons on my next project. So that I can do one like this next! I do notice that there are no "nudge buttons". Is that a conscious decision? I'd also be interested in how you set up the two monitors. Maybe it's easy but off the top of my head right now I'm not sure how I would do it.

What sort of Gfx card is needed to run this anyway? I have a Radeon 9800 Pro lying around and an Athlon 3200+. Or would I need a dual core?

[monkeychunkuk]

Just good enough to make me want to build one !

[TheShaner]

Did you ever finish this Melon?  I would really like to see some finished pics of this bad ass minicab!

[Mbresnan]

Melon, more pictures please!  I love the project, it looks great. 

Has anyone else built a mini like this?

[monkeychunkuk]

Hey Melon any updates?

[mcseforsale]

Wow...a pin that I can get through the executive branch!

sub


scribed!



AJ

[Superfrog]

Inspired by this thread im building my own

Don't get me wrong,  but I think it's better to start your own tread and leave this one to Melon.

Anyone got news of Melon?

Hope this nice mini pinball got finished one day by Melon. 

[monkeychunkuk]

Inspired by this thread im building my own

Don't get me wrong,  but I think it's better to start your own tread and leave this one to Melon.

Anyone got news of Melon?

Hope this nice mini pinball got finished one day by Melon. 

Will do

[swaffar]

Don't anybody get their hopes up... Melon is as good as gone.  He was a regular at the vpforums, and was even a visual pinball table creator.  Sadly, he was last seen 18 May 2012.  I too would have loved seeing this project completed.  My own pincab was not mini (a medium to 3/4 size build), but inspired by this project nonetheless.

[monkeychunkuk]

Man that's sad I wonder if this machine ever got finished

[melon]

Hello there.
First of all I would like to apologize for disappearing so suddenly from these forums, especially because I was very well received and I felt at home here.
We could call this machine the damned machine.
The backbox monitor stopped working. Bought another, also broke (both from ebay, second hand). Bought also another one. This time new and a little bigger (15"), and had to make the backbox again because the new monitor didn´t fit into the old one.

Then, someday the graphic card also stopped working. Four capacitors exploded. Then, at that point I gave up.
Also lots of personal stuff (new job, new house...), almost no time to spend in arcade things.

Good things are that now I'm in the mood of finishing this mini pinball. And I'm also making a mame cabinet (a lowboy)
So, let me organize everything and I'll post lots of new pics of this machine.
Regards.

[Superfrog]

Welcome back Melon 

That's a good timing, I'm right now in planning stage of a pinball machine by my own.
Can't wait to see more.

At last our prayers where heard 

[Yvan256]

I'm glad to hear this project is not dead, I'll be looking forward to updates!

[LeedsFan]

I remember posting in some really cool pinball project thread on here.... and this is it! really nice looking and I'm planning my own right now. Will be stealing some ideas from this one already. The lockdown bar looks really inventive. Dunno if I could make one the same way. Like the simple way of attaching it. Glad to hear it isn't an abandoned project. Too much work invested for it to be left.

[Richie_jones]

Wow...I have read this thread a few times over the years and thought it was a shame youd disappeared but now your back and im looking forward to it finished. I'll to be making a mini pin soon inspired by this thread. ..

[swaffar]

   I've been following this thread here and at vpforums since you made your first post.  I especially like your custom lockdown bar.  This build inspired me to make my own small cabinet.

I remember you releasing your Adams Family table a few years ago and then starting this project.  Then you just disappeared.  I was worried something bad might have happened.  Good to have you back.

[BobA]

Nice to see you back Melon.   Keep on trucking.  errr cabing

[a1pharm]

Hooray!  I was worried that you were dead melon, I'm glad to see that you are still with us.  I have been kicking around an idea almost identical to what you are making, and I will be stealing from you (heavily) when I build a pin.

Cheers!
 

[melon]

Thanks everybody for your comments.
I have some pics to show you. Exactly from where I left the project.

Lets do something with the electronics:

First I bought a very simple USB controller. Open it and solder some wires to a DB25 connector, like I did on my mini galaga, to conect the electronics with the auxiliar panel, which will have 8 auxiliar buttons, an USB port and the volume control:




Here are some cheap spekers I bought:



Now lets open so we can see what is inside:



We can see the speakers,the transformer and some electronics (amplifier and power source).
I remove the stereo potentiometer from the board, as I will attach it to the auxiliar panel and solder its 6 wires to the DB25:



So everything related with the auxiliar control panel will go to the male connector, some kind of plug and play.
And here is the board finally inside the cab:



You can also see where the little buttons will be.
Here is also the front of the "coin door" in the mechanism, with an iluminated button to give credits.



Here is another board, with the transformer and a 12V relay:



When I turn on the computer, the power source will give 12V to the relay so I power on the monitors and the audio amplifier.
Here inside the cab:



With 3 faston connectors direcly to the AC current.

Here another shot of the inside:



And finally, lets see if it works...



yessss 
Well, and thats it for now. I have more pics, so stay tuned as there will be more updates soon whenever I organize everything I have.
Cheers.

[Sarver Systems]

Can you fit a Kinect in there too? So you can make it 3D?

This thing is awesome. You have some mad woodworking skills, thats fo-sho!

[Richie_jones]

Thanks for the update looks great...are you having any type of feedback in the pincab?

[a1pharm]

 
 
 
 
 

Great job!  Keep those updates coming!

[ViriiGuy]

Holy Crap!! It's Melon!!!

I know some folks over at VPF would LOVE to hear from you too!!

Welcome back!

[melon]

It's been almost 2 yesrs since I'm not in in Visual Pinball scene, so I guess something must have been improved

Can you fit a Kinect in there too? So you can make it 3D?

This thing is awesome. You have some mad woodworking skills, thats fo-sho!

Kinect?, OMG I need to cath up with that stuff.

Holy Crap!! It's Melon!!!

I know some folks over at VPF would LOVE to hear from you too!!

Welcome back!

Yes, I'll have to go there to let them know that I'm still alive, but I don't think I'm making Visual Pinball tables again...

Well, I have more pics of the pinball.
The 'coin door' is finally mounted. Here is it closed, for normal play:



If I want something, change volume, buy credits, exit the table, see the flyer or instructions, put an USB hub for keyboard and mouse to add tables... I only have to push, and an auxiliar panel will open:



I'm also working in the artwork. I'm redrawing the addams family sideart, almost finished:



That's the actual state of the machine. This week I'll buy a new graphic card so I can play again.
Hope you like it.

[Richie_jones]

Draw looks great mate...

[Richie_jones]

Where are your speakers going?

[Pinfritz]

...im very interested on your project... do have any problems about your harddrive? I see, you had mounted on the frontside and i think maybe there's a problem by nudging or the plungershocks?!

[Generic Eric]

If I want something, change volume, buy credits, exit the table, see the flyer or instructions, put an USB hub for keyboard and mouse to add tables... I only have to push, and an auxiliar panel will open:

That little admin door is cool!

[swaffar]

Melon, I'd love to see a vid of this little guy up and running!  Whadda ya say?

[Slippyblade]

Just found this thread while looking for mini-pin projects.  Can't wait to see if it ever completes!

[XNIF]

I wonder if there is a build that toko longer to complete on this forum

[yamatetsu]

Take a look at Pixelhugger's "Mission Control" ...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,13118.0.html