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PowerBall: 24"/17"/5" TZ-themed mini-pinball
MikeDeuce:
We'll see if I actually finish this...
Post #1: Where Mike gets in over his head (again):
Hey folks, it's been a while! Now that I'm through a hellish period at work and have a little garage space to call my own it's time to unleash the project(s). First up is my attempt at a mini pin cab, mostly because I had all these parts sitting around (and mini because I don't have a closet full of 42"->46" screens).
I know this much:
- It will have somewhat of a Twilight Zone theme, just because it's my favoritest machine ever... Leaning towards TZ gumball machine imagery on the side.
- It will have the word "Multiball" (I know) in the name because it just makes sense for a pin emu cab. Runner up is "Powerball" for a stronger tie-in with the theme... I'm conflicted. "Powerball" is the current winner of the name debate.
I'm really shooting from the hip with this one, with barely any planning (I don't ask for directions when I drive, either).
On to the project log:
First I glued up a box (not pictured, I was busy fumbling with clamps)... all 1/2" MDF with poplar battens.
Then I whipped up a corner drilling jig with some scrap. I ripped a right angle out of some laminated baltic birch ply, glued on some scrap, then hit it with the drill press so I'd have a drill guide. It's held here with a couple clamps (one being a strap clamp):
Success -- clean hole! I was pretty darn pleased with myself after this:
Slapped on the Stern legs... with the levelers pretty far out, it's at a perfect height for me:
PC for my bench test, it's an C2D E8400 with an 8800gt. The chassis is from a yet-to-be-completed-non-emulation project.
Shot from above of the test bench. There's a Dell 24" for the playfield, and a 17" backglass. Pictured is a xenarc 7" touchscreen which is temporarily filling in for DMD duty while I hack up a spare 5" LCD I had sitting around. It's surprisingly playable like this, but I can't wait to ditch the keyboard. Note that the backglass screen looks all screwy because of a wide-angle lens on the camera.
Even without the cabinet, the effect is fairly convincing with the lights off:
That's all for now, I'll try to squeeze in the next update before 2011 :)
-mike
jimmy2x2x:
Looking great!
I especially like the junk drilling jig ;)
leapinlew:
MikeDeuce!
Dude, where have you been?
MikeDeuce:
--- Quote from: jimmy2x2x on June 22, 2010, 01:08:04 am ---Looking great! I especially like the junk drilling jig ;)
--- End quote ---
Thanks! One man's junk is another man's jig :)
--- Quote from: leapinlew on June 22, 2010, 01:40:14 pm ---MikeDeuce! Dude, where have you been?
--- End quote ---
Great to see you, Mr. Lew, sir! The day job + 'Real Life™' had started to encroach upon my happy fun time, but things are looking better now. Good enough to allow me to scratch itches like these, at least!
MikeDeuce:
Post #2: Where Mike gets crafty with a file and a drill press
Nothing too exciting to report, just worked on the ball shooter and the drilling template for it.
The stock version is way too long* for the mini... the tip would be occupying space the playfield monitor needs :\
So I experimented at the drill press and filed in a groove for the E-clip, which worked out pretty much as I had hoped:
A few seconds at the bandsaw, and it's now at a perfect length:
*Note that the first photo is technically out of sequence... By the time of that photo I had already filed in the groove and cut the spring.
I'll probably end up doing one of those microswitch based shooters to keep things simple and low-buck.