Author Topic: Spinal Tap/Marshall amp arcade - updated 4/16/2015 - Glass (Read 46938 times)

eds1275 · « **Reply #80 on:** February 10, 2011, 10:41:39 pm »

Today I picked up a 1 1/8 bi-metal hole saw and a mandrel. I drilled from both sides to minimize tearout and it worked perfectly until it got too cold and dark outside. I'll finish up in the morning. I drilled the brass from the back just in case something slipped, i'd hate to gouge up the brass. I also drilled the pinball flipper buttons!

I also painted the CP black just because the brass is a hair shorter on each side, and it'd totally piss me off if the MDF colour was visible when all was said and done. And I was also painting my new DVD shelves that I built, so it was a good time to do it.

And of course I decided that with the black I'll paint in and around the screen area, just in case. Though I plan on covering these areas with vinyl; we'll see how it works out.

eds1275 · « **Reply #81 on:** February 26, 2011, 01:55:25 pm »

Well finally an update! I sold some recording equipment and decided to spend a portion of it on the arcade machine. I picked up the vinyl and cut it to approximate sizes. I also ordered the t-molding and the slot cutter. I should have done the slot before I built the thing but I'm sure it will just be a minor inconvenience. I ordered the molding and cutter from groovy game gear. THAT was n excellent transaction. Some websites take FOREVER to get to the checkout, GGG was smooth. I will be ordering from them again! The spinner and buttons for sure.

Here's the vinyl!

mgb · « **Reply #82 on:** February 26, 2011, 02:12:24 pm »

Where di you get the vinyl?
it looks nice and thick, Is it actually amp vinyl?

eds1275 · « **Reply #83 on:** February 26, 2011, 02:22:29 pm »

No actually. The amp vinyl is 3x more expensive, and not as nice to the touch. This stuff is upholstery vinyl, and was $25 for 54x80" rolls. It's a little shinier than the stuff on my amps, and has a slightly different "skin" pattern on it but for the price, and the fact that it is a little softer to the touch was the deal breaker. Plus, I could get it local without having to order online. I have used similiar stuff in the past on some amps, one of which I own - the Marshall 1936 2x12 [pinkish one on the right]

I got the black vinyl at fabricland but they have similiar stuff at walmart for the same price in the craft section.

mgb · « **Reply #84 on:** February 26, 2011, 02:37:42 pm »

Local stuff is always nice. I guess you will use spray adhesive?

By the way, that Gibson V in your avatar is pretty nice.
I used to have one in black with a white pickguard just like Kirk Hammett used to play sometimes in the old days (seen in Cliff 'em all) but it got stolen

Good luck on the project.
Will you be slotting for the t-molding before applying the vinyl?

eds1275 · « **Reply #85 on:** March 01, 2011, 06:32:19 pm »

Yeah I'll be slotting before applying the vinyl. I really want to do the vinyl right now while I have nothing going on but that could only end in disaster. I think my vinyl is a little too thick to do the "tuck and roll" style of application - but I'm going to test that out on some scraps when the slot cutter and t-molding arrives. Which by the way was shipped this morning!

I'll be using water-based contact cement for the vinyl - spray adhesive is messier and I don't like it as much. Contact cement goes on with a brush and is easier to keep under control in my experience.

The V is IMO the sweetest guitar ever built. I had it custom made for me a long time ago and it's still my number one. It is a Gibson, definitely my favourite "off the shelf" guitar brand. I've played a bunch of boutique and custom builds and alot of the extra cost is decoration. Who needs that when you can get some aluminum diamond plate and call it a day!?!!?

eds1275 · « **Reply #86 on:** March 09, 2011, 03:05:05 pm »

I have no patience whatsoever. It's been just over a week since I ordered from GGG and I can't wait any longer! Around 4am this morning I was tossing and turning and dreaming of the arcade machine. So here's a little story of my coin door.

I used to have a Marvel Vs Capcom machine. It asplode for various reasons, mainly I was beating some guy up and he grabbed a mic stand and threw it through the screen and ran away. Anyway, I sold all the parts from it and kept the coin door. A few years ago I stripped down all the stuff that it didn't need to make it smaller and to make it lighter, and also to make it less pointy out the back side. I cannot explain away why I wanted to do this, for it no longer makes sense to me. I made a perfectly functional coin door not work.

So I am planning on wiring the coin reject buttons to insert a credit. And I just figured I might as well make the coin door work for the sake of authenticity. I came up with various plans involving welding, gorilla glue etc etc and I make a prototype with construction paper. And it works perfectly! So why redo it, when if in the future it breaks it will cost me 3 minutes and a trip to the dollar store? I folded some paper over to steer the coin down to the coin microswitch and put some butterfly clips on it. Ta da!

I'm going to wire the coin switches in parallel so that either one will trigger a credit. And same thing with my pinball flippers and the 7th button on my control panel... that way if some jerk standing next to the machine mashing the pinball flipper it won't be an issue for most games.

newmanfamilyvlogs · « **Reply #87 on:** March 09, 2011, 04:22:35 pm »

That's awesome.

eds1275 · « **Reply #88 on:** March 15, 2011, 10:53:07 pm »

Note that I hold no grudges against GGG - they were a pleasure to order from as I described above. However USPS has not updated my shipping info since the 2nd, and that was just saying that it had been sent. I'm a little discouraged - though for all I know it is sitting at the border [but if it had been dropped off there I ~~would~~ should have received an update on my tracking]. Maybe it will show up tomorrow, who knows. Definitely not me!

In the meantime I have made some good progress doing little things here and there.

For starters, I sprayed a bunch of truck bed liner into the gun holsters. That should be tough enough to withstand the in and outs of the guns. Spraying aeresol cans point-blank into a hole is bound to leave some splatter, so it looks like an emo kid crying now. I wiped down the overspray and sanded it smooth, it's just really bad looking right now.
Next thing I did was go to the dollar store across the street and get an 8" cake pan. I drilled a hole in it, and using the bottom bolt from the coin door [extra long one] I can now have something to catch those coins! And as a bonus, it totally makes THAT SOUND. *Clink* Here's a peek down a joystick hole.

Next thing I did was cut 2 holes in the back for the vents I'll be using. They're standard 4x10 floor register covers I found at home depot. The ones on there right now are plastic, but there are some very ornate brass ones I'm looking at, and then I'll mount 2 PC fans inside each of them. I also had a tiny lip on the back so I smeared some bondo on there.
And finally what I did today was made a new menu. Screenshot with marquee above on the left, game lists on the right, game info on the bottom left. I've got nearly all the info stuff I need - except controls.ini and mameinfo.dat. I have them but not for my version [137] and I can't seem to find them. It'll all come in due time though. All that's left to do it make something to go right down in the middle of the menu - I was thinking a little explosion with a knob on 11.

I also made my own rendition of the marquee and sent it along with instructions to my graphic design friend. Hopefully it will come back good.

secret80sman · « **Reply #89 on:** March 19, 2011, 09:18:27 am »

Nice work brotha, from one guitar player to another I greatly appreciate what you are trying to accomplish with this. I am in the midst of a Ms. Pac Man restore myself. Can't wait to see the completed photos. Any particular reason why you didn't use the legendary Spinal Tap logo? That would look glorious on the maquee for sure.

eds1275 · « **Reply #90 on:** March 19, 2011, 11:55:21 am »

Quote from: secret80sman on March 19, 2011, 09:18:27 am

Any particular reason why you didn't use the legendary Spinal Tap logo?

Don't worry, it will be up there. I just had to do a quick sketch to show my artsy friend how to make it - sent her an email with my ---smurfy--- sketch above and some measurements. I told her she can do it after she catches up on her "paying" jobs as she just got back from a tour of Europe. So this may take a few weeks.

Nephasth · « **Reply #91 on:** March 19, 2011, 12:42:34 pm »

Does that cabinet go to 11? Or will you just make 10 louder?

Edit: found this has already been mentioned...

eds1275 · « **Reply #92 on:** March 19, 2011, 01:28:08 pm »

Quote from: Nephasth on March 19, 2011, 12:42:34 pm

Does that cabinet go to 11? Or will you just make 10 louder?

Edit: found this has already been mentioned...

But it never gets old!

I have decided to put numbers to 11 around the trackball. I was deciding between the trackball and spinner - the trackball wins.

DrumAnBass · « **Reply #93 on:** March 20, 2011, 01:58:27 pm »

Sounds like some serious technological jiggary pokery going on there...! Looking forward to seeing it completed!

http://mixonline.com/video/mixtv/recording/in_studio_spinal_tap_part1/

Rick · « **Reply #94 on:** March 21, 2011, 04:37:59 pm »

Quote from: Nephasth on March 19, 2011, 12:42:34 pm

Does that cabinet go to 11? Or will you just make 10 louder?

Edit: found this has already been mentioned...

...maybe a better question is, "Will it blend?"

emphatic · « **Reply #95 on:** March 21, 2011, 06:06:24 pm »

It would be really funny with a tiny Stone Henge somewhere as well.

gryhnd · « **Reply #96 on:** March 21, 2011, 07:41:39 pm »

Quote from: eds1275 on March 15, 2011, 10:53:07 pm

Note that I hold no grudges against GGG - they were a pleasure to order from as I described above. However USPS has not updated my shipping info since the 2nd, and that was just saying that it had been sent. I'm a little discouraged

That's 100% typical of USPS. I frequently will not get any updates on any USPS shipped item until the day it actually arrives. Always ticks me off. No wonder they are losing money.

eds1275 · « **Reply #97 on:** March 21, 2011, 08:40:47 pm »

Oh really? I would have assumed that once it crossed the border I would get an update that it's in someone else's hands. I wonder if it'll show up tomorrow [yes I still have not received it - 20 days after it left GGG]

gryhnd · « **Reply #98 on:** March 21, 2011, 09:05:27 pm »

Quote from: eds1275 on March 21, 2011, 08:40:47 pm

Oh really? I would have assumed that once it crossed the border I would get an update that it's in someone else's hands. I wonder if it'll show up tomorrow [yes I still have not received it - 20 days after it left GGG]

If it's any consolation, it took 13 days for a package (not GGG who I had no issues with) to get up the east coast from MD to MA. Really not that far.

You're west coast in Canada, so you've got customs to deal with too, always a delay.

I feel your pain.

eds1275 · « **Reply #99 on:** March 25, 2011, 11:17:45 pm »

FINALLY my order came... as I was heading out of town for a few days. I called a friend, we threw the machine outside, I routed the slot for tmolding, we put it back in the house, and then I ran like hell to catch a boat. I made it, surprisingly. Then I drank with buddies for 2 days, watched guy movies, and played Zombies!!! the board game. Now I'm back with the fiance.

I got home at noon today, and started spreadin glue!
Here it is as of ten minutes ago. I need to buff that brass up - my metal brake is unkind. I'll wait until right before the controls go in.

And finally the coin door is in and on. I'll be spraying the bolts black when I get some paint. But they are the least of my concern.

eds1275 · « **Reply #100 on:** March 28, 2011, 12:49:02 pm »

Well I got around to wiring the button on the top [stolen from my x-arcade] to the motherboard to power it up. And then, the floodgates of business opened. Being self employed has it's definite perks, for example not having a boss. And if it's something you really love doing - for example I am a composer. It looks like I will do very little building in the coming weeks as I have just been swamped. Might do a few artsy things here and there as well as finish the game selection menu and figure out VP for the fiance... but after I get over this flood of work I should have some cash!

I will be ordering the marquee, buttons, trackball, and joysticks to start. That'll get me a good gaming start! And then as funds allow I'll pick up the spinner, guns and whatever else to get it done.

DataWest · « **Reply #101 on:** March 31, 2011, 02:04:43 pm »

I dont mean to hijack your thread but I had a question.

It looks like you only used wood glue and clamps. How sturdy is that?

VanillaGorilla · « **Reply #102 on:** March 31, 2011, 02:16:21 pm »

I typically have a hard time with 'slim' cabs, but the depth of your control panel really has me looking at it differently, its very attractive. Too bad you couldn't have used real tolex on the outside, but I understand, that crap is way overpriced.

It's looking great - are you still doing the Spinal Tap marquee, or a Marshall type marquee? The word Mame would look cool in the white marshall logo script, over some grille cloth...The spinner with the numbers around it going to 11 is a first class idea!

eds1275 · « **Reply #103 on:** March 31, 2011, 06:36:29 pm »

Quote from: DataWest on March 31, 2011, 02:04:43 pm

I dont mean to hijack your thread but I had a question.

It looks like you only used wood glue and clamps. How sturdy is that?

Way more sturdy than if I had used just screws. I actually also used biscuits, it's freakin rock solid. If your parts are tight-fitting then really screws aren't necessary. I actually used screws and glue for a few places.
1) The base, holding the 2x4's together and also putting the plywood on to the 2x4's.
2) The gun holsters, I should have made them triangular so that there was more surface area to glue, and also so that I could stand them up to be glued. I ended up gluing them and then using screws to pull it together, because they couldn't stand on their own.

Real tolex is wayyyyy to expensive for what it is, VanillaGorilla. I'm doing a spinal Tap marquee, once I figure out my art problem I even get it printed for free. The numbers to 11 are going around the trackball instead of the spinner. I don't want them hidden if I have a steering wheel attached. Thanks for the kind words on my slim, widescreen machine... I know not everyone is down with either of those. I really like 2 things about my cab - one is the side profile. Definitely arcadey enough that there's no second guessing what it is [even though it's pretty slim at just 21 5/8 at the bottom], and the other is that the controls will fit between the sides of the machine. Not that there's anything wrong with having a "front porch" but this really simplifies a few things. Like not needing a bottom of the control panel - just take off the back and climb right in!

This relatively smooth vinyl is actually quite close to the covering on several of my other amps - my Marshall MG head, my epi valve junior, and my Warwick 4x10 [except the warwick is grey].

I'm actually repairing a JCM900 SL-X and the tolex is almost completely removed. The owner took one look at my arcade machine and asked if I could recover it in that stuff for him.

eds1275 · « **Reply #104 on:** May 22, 2011, 02:09:31 pm »

Arty art art!

The printer was kind enough to give me 2 copies of the vinyl decals "to 11" in case I messed one up. I went to a nice little automotive art printer in Langley BC that does fantastic work. I need some more money coming in before I get the controls but this is really starting to look good and come together. In the meantine, my nephews will be out with me all summer and I zipped up a little mini arcade for us to build together. They are 12 and 13 years old so about the age when they need to get some good hobbies going before they pick up some bad ones! So here is my little arcade that I have designed, I'll be letting them make any design changes and design the front end. I have all the pieces for this one, and it can all be cut out of one sheet of MDF [which is the only part I don't have besides t-molding - have the comp, screen, speakers, and x-arcade screaming for a new home].

The printer I used for all you people in Vancouver that may be interested is called Payton Thomas Industries and the marquee cost me $35 to get printed. It truly is beautiful! So I figured I'd add a link to their website and facebook pages.

http://www.paytonthomas.com/

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=pa.261504418639#!/pages/Payton-Thomas-Industries-Ltd/261504418639

Woodshop Flunky · « **Reply #105 on:** May 22, 2011, 06:55:49 pm »

I really like your slim cab! The CP is nice.

I also like that mini cab!

GibsonRiddler · « **Reply #106 on:** August 20, 2011, 07:38:34 pm »

Quote from: eds1275 on March 01, 2011, 06:32:19 pm

The V is IMO the sweetest guitar ever built. I had it custom made for me a long time ago and it's still my number one. It is a Gibson, definitely my favourite "off the shelf" guitar brand. I've played a bunch of boutique and custom builds and alot of the extra cost is decoration. Who needs that when you can get some aluminum diamond plate and call it a day!?!!?

Did you have the V made at Gibson Custom shop? You have a nice guitar, more of a one of a kind. The diamond plate gives it a nice touch. I've seen it used on on some other custom Gibson's also. They are also making a 7 string V now.

Nice work on the cabinet can't wait to see the finished results. I'm also following the Lime Arcade also.

eds1275 · « **Reply #107 on:** August 21, 2011, 02:19:16 pm »

Yeah it's a gibson custom shop. I actually had a mirror pick guard for it originally - but diamond plate is the shizz. I dunno if I mentioned before but the neck is a '59 les paul profile - nice and thick.

The lime arcade is a great experience for my nephews - I'll put up some pics in a few mins of yesterday's progress.

eds1275 · « **Reply #108 on:** November 29, 2011, 07:29:22 pm »

It's been a while, and I have done very, very little to this machine. But a friend came to visit the other day and he came bearing gifts. He was cleaning out his mom's shed and came across something so awesome that he knew I just had to have it.

After several consultations where I asked people where it would best fit, I decided front and centre.

The brass fits really nicely in with my theme. Of course. I may get some brass bolts and bolt it to the machine though because I've heard screws don't hold well in MDF. Better safe than sorry.

Unfortunately for me the reasons I have not been working on this as much as I'd like is because I am out of work and only making a little bit right now from my home-based business. Right in the middle of a big project my old studio computer bit the bullet and I needed to buy something new right away to get it done, so at least the little money I have been making went to a good cause. My new 'puter is smokin fast. As soon as I start bringing in the monies I'll be getting back on board with this build. It's epic and my friends are always disappointed when they ask if it's done yet and the answer is no.

Nephasth · « **Reply #109 on:** November 29, 2011, 07:52:09 pm »

Cap catcher?

TopJimmyCooks · « **Reply #110 on:** November 29, 2011, 08:44:03 pm »

Plus 1000 points if you figure out a way to coin up by inserting a bottle cap into a slot on the machine.

eds1275 · « **Reply #111 on:** November 29, 2011, 10:06:39 pm »

Quote from: Nephasth on November 29, 2011, 07:52:09 pm

Cap catcher?

It's funny you mention that. I have an idea for basically a cookie sheet with a lip on it that goes under the machine, and when the bottle cap drops it lands in the lip and goes under the cab. Then I can just pull the cookie sheet out and pour it in the trash at the end of the night.

Time and time again I have considering modding a mech to take bottle caps, and one day I might try it if I get another coin door. That would be really cool.

eds1275 · « **Reply #112 on:** May 06, 2013, 08:41:53 pm »

It stings a little when you get the warning that your topic is dead, and to make sure you really want to bring it back to life.

So I won't bore you with the details of my financial woes, except to let you know that they are gone (well, on the way out!) Being self employed is a tough business, and while I was down I am not out; I just decided to throw a few resumes out there and see if I can get some work, a real job, on the side

Turns out someone was impressed and I landed a nice paying job in an unrelated field. I still do my audio and sound stuff though so I have extra, extra income!

Here is a fun picture for today that I'm very excited about.

I ordered some stuff today. Not everything; I'm going to order two guns and a spinner as well in the near future. I just figured I'd start out a little smaller and see if I want the restrictor plates for the u360's. If you look through this thread you'll see that I have been bad and hosted my pictures elsewhere and now all the links are dead. I'm going to go through and attach them tomorrow morning; they are all uploaded to this site now, like they should have been.

Nephasth · « **Reply #113 on:** May 06, 2013, 09:04:01 pm »

Glad to see this iron is back in the fire!

mgb · « **Reply #114 on:** May 06, 2013, 09:08:29 pm »

You're back!!

glad to see you're back at it.

eds1275 · « **Reply #115 on:** May 06, 2013, 09:12:03 pm »

I am going to redo the control panel. While I like the original brass idea, which looked great at the time, isn't really Marshall authentic. Also I didn't heed the advice of everyone here and elsewhere. I didn't realize that the tarnishing would be so... hideous and destructive. I thought it would be just a wipe of the cloth and occasional buff procedure, but there are some serious issues going on with the brass now. I looked into clear coating but the (sexy) curves I put into it leaves a little flexing and I imagine that would just crack. The new plan is to laminate a new control panel with some Formica Deco series laminate in a brushed brass finish. I ordered a bunch of samples and one of them looks really close to the real thing. I did some comparisons and my marshall amps are all a slightly different colour. I took some pics but it's hard to show how close it is in person; the brass catches the light so my sample looks brighter but it's actually quite close.

The new control panel will feature a strip of white t-molding across the front edge or perhaps a black bumper/corner guard. Haven't decided on that yet. Same layout with the spinner in the front and all that. I will have brass mounting bolts on top for the joystick and trackball. I think it will not only looks slick but in my mind more arcadey - I can't recall a single arcade game that didn't have the bolts on top. I'll have to fiddle the the trackball and see if that's going to get in the way and if it will the trackball will have the hidden bolts. It may or may not also include some plexi over top. Decisions, decisions.

And here is the machine, I wiped it down a snapped a photo of it in the current state.

yotsuya · « **Reply #116 on:** May 06, 2013, 11:23:53 pm »

Quote from: eds1275 on May 06, 2013, 09:12:03 pm

I will have brass mounting bolts on top for the joystick and trackball. I think it will not only looks slick but in my mind more arcadey - I can't recall a single arcade game that didn't have the bolts on top.

I've come around to this way of thinking as well. Carriage bolts on top just seem more authentic.

kingchimp · « **Reply #117 on:** May 07, 2013, 07:31:25 am »

Good to see you back on this.

mgb · « **Reply #118 on:** May 07, 2013, 07:41:19 am »

Yeah, I like the look of carriage bolts on the control panel also

eds1275 · « **Reply #119 on:** May 11, 2013, 09:52:10 pm »

My parts arrived yesterday morning.

I unfortunately had to work then and today. I sat there all freaking day daydreaming about getting back at it!

I got home and cut a hole in the old control panel for the trackball. It for some reason doesn't work with Mala properly. I can use it to select games and whatnot however if I start a trackball game it doesn't let me play or assign it, but loading up a trackball game without a front end it works fine. So fine in fact that me and my wife had a great round of golden tee and then a few rounds of marble madness.

So I suppose it's a good thing that the brass control panel I had originally tarnished. Since I had already planned to scrap it, discovering that the trackball is too big to be that close to the joystick is less of an issue; I can simply move the joysticks a little further away. I'm also going to put the trackball lower on the panel than it was before, and then move the spinner over to the right parallel with the P2 joy. Should be better to play and still look fairly symmetrical. Today I went out and picked up some acrylic to use on the marquee area as well as a bunch of brass hardware. Tomorrow, weather depending, I'll zip up a new control panel and give it a whirl.

The bolts here are just temporary ones until I make the new panel and hide them under the laminate.


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