"DOOM'D!" -- A return to Super Turbo Turkey Puncher 3

[DirtyDachshunds]

Sorry to hear that. 

I'm actually cutting my CP plexi in the next couple days.  I'll keep those lessons in mind. 

Good to see you're doing it right by re-sanding and painting.  Can't wait to see the finished product.

[AlienInferno]

Sorry to hear about your issues with the plexi.  Allthough you have to rework the control panel a bit is the cut plexi at least useable?

[Rick]

Sorry to hear that.  I'm actually cutting my CP plexi in the next couple days.  I'll keep those lessons in mind.  Good to see you're doing it right by re-sanding and painting.  Can't wait to see the finished product.

Thanks.

I was pretty proud of the sides of the control panel, which need to be gray to match the original...  I had laid down a nice, even layer of painter's tape for the edge, and then followed up with another layer behind it to secure the newspaper to protect the red.  Once it was done, and the paint was dry, I removed the tape, and voila:



You'll notice that you can also see some of the damage to the front in the pic above...  ... when I decided to throw away much of my hard work with the nice, deep router cut into the control panel.



Now, I'm trying to decide which direction to go.  I'm leaning towards sanding, resealing and then painting, but I COULD use my 45 degree router bit to put a slight edge on the top, all the way across the front.  (That would include the two 'wings' on either side, but not the sides, themselves.)  My only concern with using the router is the difficulty I'd encounter if I had to rebuild a hard edge, if I didn't like the result.  That's pretty much why I'm leaning towards just sanding the small slot that I've cut into it (there's actually similar damage on the right side as well - dammit) and not mutilating it too much more.

Sorry to hear about your issues with the plexi.  Allthough you have to rework the control panel a bit is the cut plexi at least useable?

It's usable, and all in all, it looks pretty good.  There's another 1/4" that has to come off on one side, but I'll use some flat, scrap stock for that.  (No sense in doing the same mistake twice!)  I read up on cutting plexi AFTER I did my cutting, and it looks like the issue with melting is caused by the speed at which my router runs.  Supposedly, it's too fast, and causing too much heat.  (Very strange.)  Now, that being said, when I did my first cut, and saw all the melting, I did a second pass, which pretty much trimmed everything away.

[Rick]

HA!  I figured it out.

After the horrors of my mistake with the router, and two or three 'miscoats' because of sheer laziness, I went ahead and stripped back much of the paint I had painstakingly laid, until much of the bare wood was showing...  It had to be done, simply because my cuts were much deeper than I had thought.  I had hoped I could just spot sand the parts, but after a few coats of paint, I noticed too much pitting and the router marks were far too visible.  So, a week and a bit later, I give you this.



That's a pic from my deck in natural light, and you can see the shine is a little dull yet - the base coat is after 150 grit paper.  There's more green painters tape on the sides, since I've covered them off to redo the complete top and front, properly.  Here's a pic from inside, which helps to convey the paint colour even a bit better.



I just noticed you can see a bit of the surrounding reflection from the other items - the chair and the pizza box - in the paint's finish!  Nice!  Regardless, if you haven't noted already, these pics were taken with my digital camera, rather than my phone, so if you blow them up, you'll probably be able to pick out the problem areas I have yet to fix.  The 'next steps' are to go to Home Depot to replenish my supplies - I'm out of sandpaper, and my second can of spray paint is now empty.  (Yes, I've used two complete cans of spray paint so far.  I'm hopeful that I can rectify that little wastage before continuing with the other parts of the cab.)  I already have my gray and clearcoat ready to go, so once I've sprayed a couple more layers of red, I'll be ready to remove the tape, fix up the sides (one of the grays needs redoing) and then, we're onto clearcoat!

I'll post more pics of the control panel once the it's constructed.  By that time, I hope to show you it clearcoated, with the art put on, the plexi installed, and assembled with joysticks and buttons.  But if the weather holds out, you might see more pics of something else by Monday!

 

[BurgerKingDiamond]

Nice. The paint job is looking pretty sweet.

[JustMichael]

Looks awesome but how many turkeys did you punch today?   

[BadMouth]

Much better.  Can't see the seam at all.   

[severdhed]

looks great.

[Rick]

Well, the snow is falling, so it looks like completing the paint work will have to wait for a bit...  ...at least until it's warm enough outside to finish up.  Don't worry, though.  In the interim, I'm not sitting on my hands!  I've been doing some serious detail work on the Sketchup plans, to get everything 'just right'.  I've actually done a lot of redrawing on the back of the cabinet, if you believe that.  (Yes, I'm quite insane, thanks for asking.)  I think that the work speaks for itself, mind you.  Here's a pic of the bottom quarter of the back...



...and here is my rendition:



I looked around, and it looks like isn't a true 'vent' available that will conform to the contours or size of the plan, so I'll either be working to make this out of 1/4" aluminum plate, or else, I'll build it out of wood.  Either way, I have a sneaky little idea for the back as well - hopefully - that will help to make the back more of an integral/functional part of the build.

I also found some authentic looking HAPP parts in the available Sketchup models, and have incorporated them into the pic.  It definitely helps to 'flesh out' the look of the pics.  Until this point, I was really only looking at the pictures I had created.  Having these on the pic makes me want to assemble it now!



To keep me FULLY in the mood, I also put together this wallpaper.  It definitely helps to keep me 'on track', and focused.



In other news, for those of you who haven't read this thread, I have been in contact with id Software (!) and have received a response from Media Artist, and creator of the Super Turbo Turkey Puncher 3 game in Doom 3 Pat Duffy (!!!) who is planning on sending me original artwork that he did to create it! (!!!!!)  I cannot tell you how exciting it is to be able to tell you that.  (I've updated my Blog - link in my sig - to tell more of this story.)  I'm amazed.  Simply, amazed, and honored that Pat likes what I'm doing enough to go out of his way to help me out.  It's overwhelming, to say the least.

While it's snowing, I do have plans to get out and cut more wood.  Specifically, I'd like to complete the interior frame for the cabinet.  I'm planning on getting a bunch of 2x2's to build a full frame, and I'm pretty sure I'll be making this my next focus.

The build continues!

 

[Donkbaca]

You are nuts!  Good luck! At this rate you will be done by 2015, I imagine, but it'll be worth it! 

[Rick]

You are nuts!  Good luck! At this rate you will be done by 2015, I imagine, but it'll be worth it!

Thanks!  I figure, as long as I beat Pixelhugger, I'll be safe from ridicule!

 

[Donkbaca]

no, no ridicule at all!  I started my build in October, have yet to complete the CP box!  I am sure yours will take forever because of all the detail.  I am married and have an 18 month old with another coming next year, so I know hobby time is at a premium!  Plus, since I don't spend that much time actually working on the project, I spend a lot of time thinking about all the stuff I can do to it. Which has made it much more complicated and will probably take me longer to complete it.

I love following this thread, please just don't abandon it!

[HaRuMaN]

Thanks!  I figure, as long as I beat Pixelhugger, I'll be safe from ridicule!

Nope.

[Wadeduck]

For the small vents on the side look at (insert large chain hardware/ lumber store) for outdoor deck lighting.  I saw a louver for lights you attach to the posts near ground level. I think they were to just illuminate the floor.  I bet they would be just about the right size and shape for what you are doing.

Hope that helps a bit.

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

You need to do a case mod like the classic Mars City one for your pc and let it live outside the cabinet :p

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=802808
in case some missed this gorgeous project

[Rick]

That was one of the ideas that spurred me on. I read up on this guy's work about six months ago, and he spared no expense on that mod. It's well beyond any build I've ever seen in how complex it is. The guy really went all out. It is really worth reading every post - I did.

(Actually, because of his mod, I have a plan to build a '550MW power cell' inside the case - sure, it'll never be seen, except in a future reveal, but it's something I'm toying with.)

[jipp]

You need to do a case mod like the classic Mars City one for your pc and let it live outside the cabinet :p

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=802808
in case some missed this gorgeous project

thats my new fav case mod.. that guy/gal went all out.  amazing model skills.

chris.

[jipp]

That was one of the ideas that spurred me on. I read up on this guy's work about six months ago, and he spared no expense on that mod. It's well beyond any build I've ever seen in how complex it is. The guy really went all out. It is really worth reading every post - I did.

(Actually, because of his mod, I have a plan to build a '550MW power cell' inside the case - sure, it'll never be seen, except in a future reveal, but it's something I'm toying with.)

if you are planing on having a keyboard.. maybe you could use the doom keyboard like the guy used..  that case mod is amazing.  im just now starting to read it from the first post to the last.  so far very entertaining read.


http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/zboard_3.jpg

and you are right.  he sunk some major cash into it.. just hope he made it so he could replace the guts easy to keep it current.

chris.

[drventure]

Yeah, there's some cash there.

I thought that sound module he used might be nice to use for the "startup" sound in my cab, but whoa. I think the one he picked was 185$ 

Ouch!

[Bender]

That Mod is SICK! Are there any finished pics from that thread, it just seems to stop all of a sudden, or am I missing something?

[Rick]

That Mod is SICK! Are there any finished pics from that thread just seems to stop all of a sudden, or am I missing something?

This is the link I have...  For those who don't want to wait, here you go.







...and 'the Man' himself...

[Bender]

Thanks! the other thread was a bit of a tease, I had to see that thing done!

[Rick]

Thanks! the other thread was a bit of a tease, I had to see that thing done!

No worries.  I loved every piece of this build, and didn't realize the other link was incomplete.

For those of you who are expecting my cab to be at this guy's level of quality...  ...I don't think I'm going to make it.  (Seriously - have you seen that thing?!  It's INSANE the amount of work he put into it.)  On a good note, my arms aren't as hairy as his, so the pic of me posing with my completed cab should hopefully be a bit more pleasing to the eye.

 

[jipp]

i do not think anyone is expecting a model for a arcade cab.  model makers are a interesting group of people tho.  i do not have the skill, patients, or what not to even think of said projects they take on.  my step dad.. now he is all into that model stuff, model trains is his thing.  the funny thing about him he is a engineer by trade.  and when it comes to his models he is all anal about detail..  anything that is not to do with his work, or his models.. he could careless about the finer details. odd. heh. guess its all about what one enjoys. 


your project will turn out great.  just keep positive.

chris.

[Donkbaca]

Yeah, patience, you don't want to go the way of great projects that never got quite finished, you know which ones I am talking about.

Its AMAZING how freaking long it takes to build this stuff.  I thought at first, hey no prob, 2 weekends, tops.  Here it is 3 months later and I am ALMOST done with my CP, haven't even started the cab, and am about 1/4 of the way done with setting up my FE. 

[eds1275]

ANy updates on the STTP?

[Rick]

No updates at the moment - but the Holidays are now over, and my Wife made the comment yesterday (while we were working on yet ANOTHER home reno - this time, the laundry room) that if we could get some of our miscellaneous crap posted on Kijiji, she didn't mind if I continued working on the cab...

We own a two-story wartime house which has the added bonus of no basement, so storage is at a premium.  So, yesterday, we ripped out the carpet in our laundry room, and I built some purposed shelving.  Thus, we went from having a single shelf to house three boxes to a shelving unit taking up a wall, which will now house twelve boxes of stuff.  (It's definitely needed - our landing has had a few boxes sitting on it without a home for a couple of months now.)

I've been to Staples a couple of times so far to print the overlays for the control panel, to no avail, because they continually resize the art.  So, either the button holes are too far apart, or they're too close together.  I spoke with the girl behind the counter, and she said if I put the info in the 'notes' field on the online submission form, they will get the sizing spot-on.  So, that's one of my next steps.  I've got some wet sanding to do, a couple more coats of paint, and some touch-up work on the plexi, and then the control panel will be 100% complete and ready for buttons, wiring and electronics.  I'm going to hook it up to the Media PC I built, attached to our 42" Plasma as soon as it's done, because I know my Wife will play all the classics, and then, she'll want me to continue working on the rest!

(I've already designed plans for my next cabs - and they also have "Wife Approval"...  Nothing as in-depth as these - simple, slim cases with LCD screens...  Something for the kids to play while Daddy's playing on the STTP3 box!)

I hope to have more pics up early next week - if the weather holds out, and I can get that plexi and paintwork done.  Stay tuned!

[Donkbaca]

I love the "I'm 100% done, except for the buttons, wiring and electronics" part

[shfifty]

I'm going to hook it up to the Media PC I built, attached to our 42" Plasma as soon as it's done

this is a dangerous move, because then many valuable hours of build time will be spent 'testing' various games or 'tweaking' the front end. Dont get distracted from the main event. I really want to see this cab in action, and not turn into a Duke Nukem Forever

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

...and not turn into a Duke Nukem Forever

Does that mean he'll be finished with the whole project by May? (:

[Rick]

this is a dangerous move, because then many valuable hours of build time will be spent 'testing' various games or 'tweaking' the front end. Dont get distracted from the main event. I really want to see this cab in action, and not turn into a Duke Nukem Forever

It's not for me - it's for my Wife.  I figure once she's enjoyed the awesomeness that is the cab, I'll have carte blanche to finish it up.  On the weekend, we did a bit of reconfiguration of our kids' toyroom, and she got me to do it up in Sketchup... ...to which I promptly imported my cab model and put it in the corner.  Good news, it fits perfectly.  She rolled her eyes, and then laughed when she noticed how good it worked in the room.

Win win.

 

[mgb]

Nice,
work it, work it.

[Rick]

Sorry for being away for so long, but we've had a bout of really bad weather recently that blew away my work area.  Yes, my semi-permanent work 'shell' blew away in the wind, shortly after being dumped on with about a foot and a half of snow.  So, it actually buckled under the pressure, and then blew away.  Nice.  NOW, however, I'm excited, because I've recently upgraded my tools with one BIG beast, that I'm sure will help out a LOT with the fabrication of many of the parts for the machine.  Check THIS BEAST OUT:



Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I bought myself a Carvewright.  (For those who don't know what this is, check out their website: www.carvewright.com.  There's a great video online of it in action.  Oh, and don't get discouraged thinking it's just a 'wood printer' - I've upgraded the software to do vector work, so it's more of a CNC machine now than the video shows.)  I didn't know these things existed, but in my excitement to find myself a local CNC shop, I came across one of these locally, and called the guy up to see a demonstration, and then bought it on the spot.  He was great.  Even though he'd only used it for 25 hours, and sold it to me at a GREAT DEAL, he gave me a free set of 10 bits, a brand new 'collar/chuck' that he'd never installed, and a 3D scanner.  (That's a cool item - basically, you put 'something' in the machine, and this scanner goes back and forth and creates a 3D image of it that you can reproduce on the machine itself!  Talk about awesome!)

Anyhow, I've been toying with the machine for a few days now, and am in the process of transferring a lot of my sketchup plans into the software, so that I can run the project and have it cut my pieces...  ...so I'm hoping, if successful, that it should just be the fabrication of larger or unreproducible parts and then, assembly!

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Very nice.

So now you're going to have a little Doom 3 'cuckoo' clock next to the cab where a 3D Pain Elemental pops out on the hour, right?

[Rick]

So now you're going to have a little Doom 3 'cuckoo' clock next to the cab where a 3D Pain Elemental pops out on the hour, right?

LOL.  No, but I have been toying with carving up a nice "Doom" logo for the kids' room.  In 3D.  Awesome.

 

[emphatic]

So now you're going to have a little Doom 3 'cuckoo' clock next to the cab where a 3D Pain Elemental pops out on the hour, right?

LOL.  No, but I have been toying with carving up a nice "Doom" logo for the kids' room.  In 3D.  Awesome.

 

Pictures please!

[Donkbaca]

Wow, your wife must either
a) really love you very much; or
b) secretly hate you very much

to let you do what you are doing without much resistance

[yotsuya]

Rick's going to win the award for most expensive cab ever before all's said and done.

So when will you start taking pre-orders for custom wood cutout thingies? I'd like to get my place in line. 

[Donkbaca]

hmmm. can that thing cut things out of plexiglass?

[Rick]

Pictures please!

When it's done, I'll definitely post pics here!

Wow, your wife must either
a) really love you very much; or
b) secretly hate you very much

to let you do what you are doing without much resistance

She loves me very much!  We recently received our bonuses from work, and that bought me the CarveWright, and her a computerized Embroidery Sewing Machine.  We're working on building a secondary business at the moment, building signs, plaques and other items.

So when will you start taking pre-orders for custom wood cutout thingies? I'd like to get my place in line. 

Soon!  Right now, the CarveWright is sitting in my kids' toy room / soon-to-be arcade, and when it runs, it's LOUD.  I actually carved out a couple of test signs, and my Wife and kids had to leave the house for me to do it.  So, it was quiet for a minute, and then loud for the next half an hour.

 

hmmm. can that thing cut things out of plexiglass?

Yes.  Yes, it can.  It is limited to a width of 14 1/2", however, so some larger applications would require some joinery...  ...such as the larger signs I'm considering making.