Maple Leafs Bartop - first Project

[SgtSlaughter]

So.. I joined the forms in September 2007, and now here I am, on my first build...  I spent the first 4 months reading through everything to do with creating a stand up build from scratch and built a parts list, then I bought Saint's Project Arcade book (http://www.projectarcade.com/), which may of saved me 3 of those 4 months... hah!  Well back in 2007 I was realizing since I had no tools, this was going to cost an arm in the leg, so I've spent that last 7 years, using every excuse necessary to buy the tools required - then I see Rick's thread for Bartop kits in the GTA (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133905.0.html).  I figure I'd start small and since this was a kit it'll take no time right? 

Anyways. my concept is using Rick's Galaxy model, I plan on doing a Maple Leafs theme.  My wife love for the Maple Leafs triumphs over her hatred for video games, so I got the go ahead!

I know a lot of people love sticking with Retro, and I love them myself, but since this is a bar top, I figure the Maple Leafs theme worked (at least in the GTA). 

Feel free to give me advice or opinions, I'll be posting as I go.

Here are my parts list:

Galaxy Kit (From Rick @ Gameroomdesigns.ca) $150 shipped

Dell 19" Ultrasharp (I previously owned)
Old Dual Core 3Ghz CPU & gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 motherboard.  (Motherboard is huge so not really recommended, but it does have the auto power on feature in the bios when power is reconnected so that is a bonus.
750Watt Corsair Powersupply (Only one I have kicking around, but too powerful, too heavy, and too many wires coming out of it (may find a new one)

From Divemaster:
U360 Joystick - $59
U360 Wiring Harness - 18 (extra $9 was for shipping it since I forgot first time! Doh!)
Hard Spring for Ultrastick   3
Wire Kit (with stripper) - $22

From Randy (GroovyGameGear.com)
T-Molding   $16
Buttons w/ leaf switches and leds   $87
LED-Wiz+GP   $40
Marquee LEDs   $18
Quick Connects -  $6 (GGG)

2TB Hard drive - $70 (NCIX.ca)
Power Socket   $6 (http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Built-In-SPST-Rocker-Switch-AC-250V-15A-IEC320-C14-Power-Socket-Fuse-Holder-/310770387246?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item485b5bc92e&_uhb=1)
Laminate   75 (http://mcfaddensdirect.mcfaddens.com/c-506-nevamar-laminate.aspx) - Pickup available in Oakville

Home Depot:
Plexi   $41 (http://www.homedepot.ca/product/clear-acrylic-sheet-080-inch-x-24-inch-x-48-inch/924841)
PL Premium - $7
Contact Cement - $20

Tools:
Bosch Trim Router - $141 - Amazon.ca
Wagner Heat Gun - $28
Heat Shrink Tubing - $8 (http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00E36ZYNU/)
Amana Mini Flush Trim ROuter Bit (MR0102) - $35 (Ebay.ca)
Button Wrench   - $2 (Divemaster)
Tmolding Slot Cutter - $20 (GGG) - Although you shouldn't need it if you but the kit from Rick

Additional:
SNES Controller Adapter for PC USB (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IXZ5DE/) - $15
2 - Retrolink NES USB Adapter (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PDOTXG/) $14 (+$34 shipping with item above)
2 x SNES Original COntrollers - $30 (kijiji)
2 x NES Original Controllers - $30 (ebay)

Running Totals:
Parts: $638
Tools: $234
Additional: $123
Shipping Costs from States: $92 (For GGG & Divemaster shipments)

I did purchase a few different joysticks from GGG so my shipping was probably a little higher as result, but oh well.

Not to rip on Divemaster or anything, but the Quick connects in the wiring kit sucked compare to the Quick Connects I purchased from GGG. Maybe I was doing something wrong, but I found that the metal "crimp" part to be very short on the quick connects and I had to crimp right close to the quick connect end where the ones from GGG basically extended the entire plastic portion.  Either way I wanted to use 2 separate colours, so I still used both styles and they got the job done so I can't really complain (just had a couple wasted ones as the crimp didn't hold despite squeezing hard.

Anyways I'll post the pictures as they come and update this post with totals and parts lists.

[yotsuya]

Here's your side art, bro:



Just kidding! Good luck on the build! 

[SgtSlaughter]

Here's your side art, bro:



Just kidding! Good luck on the build! 

haha, I knew I'd get some flack for choosing Leafs, they are a difficult team to defend these days that's for sure.

Alright, here starts the Images...

This is the garage I work in... it's a disaster... No room for anything, and I got to store all the crap that can't fit in my house (since I'm renting currently and have no basement).  Not to mention it has been freaking cold here lately and that little heater can barely keep the garage above 0.



Dry fit Cab from Rick (with Cat considering to use it as a litter box)


Here is the making of a Joystick Jig from Timoe's thread (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=51235.0).  Probably not necessary since I was only installing 1 joystick in the next foreseeable future, but I liked the tutorial.



Lining the jig up on my CP:


Tracing out section I need to route for flush mount:


Joystick Mount Finished:


Gluing the laminate on:




Using the  3/16 Laminate Trim bit to cut the speaker slots (1/4 bit was just too big and had to be jammed in (even though it was a 1/4 slot).


Installing my speakers:  I just used some cheap ones I've had lying around for over 10+ years, I may box them in if I find the sound is flat.


I took the external USB connector from my gigabyte motherboard, and wired it onto a USB double jack I found at Sayal in Burlington.  I guess you could do this with 2 regular USB cables as well for any other motherboard (or if you have an old case just rip it out of that (I only found out afterwords that I had one already in the old case that I probably didn't have to do any soldering with if I would have used it)



I hot glued the connections to make sure they don't bend and touch each other (also to hide my horrible soldering job)


Now the Cab is in Gluing phase (It is completely glued together with PL Premium (and is nice and solid now):



I should have mentioned the laminate is a nice touch, as the PL wipes off pretty easy, and when I had to paint the slots white the paint also wiped off fairly easy (or scratched off if it dried).

I'm pretty pumped to get this thing going, but I found out my sub, power supply and motherboard just aren't all going to fit together unless I figure out a way to mount the power supply higher up, but I think I may just buy a new one that isn't so high wattage as it seems like such a waste. 

[Rick]

Damn, man. You make my cabinet look good! (I'm LOVING the laminate on the sides. AMAZING work with the trim bit!)

[bobfrankly]

The Sharks fan in me says to diss on your team, however the arcade fan in me says it's looking good. It's quite the conundrum...

[yotsuya]

Just marking my territory.

Good job so far, especially with your space constraints.

[opt2not]

I'd throw down a Canucks logo, but they're playing like ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- right now. I mean c'mon, we got beat by the worst team in the west! 

Eck, well because this project is a hockey cab, I can get behind it. 

[ChanceKJ]

Nuts to that, i got your side art right here....





Anyone else find it funny that a few months after the Habs are sold to the Molson Family, Molson releases a light beer called "Molson 67".  I always thought that it was a HUGE rip on the Leafs.

Whatever, I'm a Flames fan since childhood. And we're currently 3rd last. I've accepted that.


Anyways. I'm digging the build so far.  ...and what appears to be a baby Ocelot.

.... I mean c'mon, we got beat by the worst team in the west! 

And also in a line brawl against us i might add...

[yotsuya]

Whatever, I'm a Flames fan since childhood. And we're currently 3rd last. I've accepted that.

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Flames. I was rooting for them to win the cup during the Lanny MacDonald years.

[Rick]

I'd throw down a Canucks logo

I'm just gonna walk out now.

[ChanceKJ]

I'd throw down a Canucks logo

I'm just gonna walk out now.

Rick, if your taking off make sure you check your car for flaming rags stuffed into your gas cap, you know how those Canuck fans can be.

[opt2not]

Rick, if your taking off make sure you check your car for flaming rags stuffed into your gas cap, you know how those Canuck fans can be.

Not unless he drives a cop car.

[Malenko]

Better than a Sabre's cab. I cant really say much, Im a Flyers fan and the Leafs have 4 more points right now (Metro division is weak, thank god)

[ChanceKJ]

Rick, if your taking off make sure you check your car for flaming rags stuffed into your gas cap, you know how those Canuck fans can be.

Not unless he drives a cop car.

 

Or whatever that was....

[opt2not]

   yeah....

Well our Mayor knows nothing about this city, which I guess is better than having a crackhead in office, but c'mon...you don't invite the entire city of Vancouver to show up in our small downtown, at noon on a hot day, for beer gardens and festivities...while people have been drinking all day in the hot sun, to watch the Canucks lose and not expect it to get crazy.
Have we not learned anything from the 1994 riot??

[ChanceKJ]

Completely agree, (about Rob Ford too...)

Any idiot could have called it that there was going to be riots win or loose. I was more shocked that they didn't preemptively have a greater police presence in the city knowing full well that it had happened in the past and that Boston was steamrolling them.

Anyways, I've derailed this thread long enough. We should just have a section on here for hockey, (no Tampa Bay fans allowed!)


...Tampa Bay Sucks.

[VoltaTom]

I love the idea of a Leaf cab. I am going to built a Canada themed (red and white) cab and now seeing Rick's products I will probably use his as my woodworking skills are limited.

PS I'm your neighbour - kinda (from Burlington, but I work in Oakville!)

[mike boss]

Great thread. Looking forward to following the progress.

[TheDude]

Looking forward to following this !:)

[SgtSlaughter]

Haven't had a chance to work on it much lately as we just bought a house this week, woohoo!  FInally I'll have some space for my tools! 

Nuts to that, i got your side art right here....

Hah! That's a good picture.

I love the idea of a Leaf cab. I am going to built a Canada themed (red and white) cab and now seeing Rick's products I will probably use his as my woodworking skills are limited.

I highly recommend the kit... makes it an easy start.  I'd lean towards seeing if he could do melamine instead of laminating the cab though.

So I cut the plexi today, first time working with it... realized very quickly that you can't use a wood drill bit through it (luckily on a scrap) - worked good with a dull mason bit though.  And cutting with the trim router worked out great.



I screwed up the plexi infront of the screen and cut it approx 1/4" too short so there is a gap at the top (which you can't see in the pictures), but shouldn't be a big deal in the end.



Picture from the back showing the monitor mount...



I used the regular motherboard mount screws and just traced out the motherboard holes and hot glued them in.  Worked pretty good (if I tighten them too much though it will twist them out of the hot glue).  Either way it is working to keep it steady.



Found out my power supply and sub woofer will fit so I'm pretty happy bout that, but wow this is going to be a packed machine!

[SgtSlaughter]

So I was wiring everything up on my Cpanel to test things out, and all my LEDs are screwed...  (Well not all but 5 or the 12 RGBLEDs from GGG won't show 1 or 2 of the 3 colors (even when I directly connect a good wire directly from the LEDWiz to the RGB terminal on the board.

I don't think I would have fried them as I have a 1A inline fuse for 11 buttons.  It was my first time turning them on after plugging it in though. 

Anyone have any idea if you can fry just 1 or 2 colors of the 3 in an RGB LED?

Besides that most of the CPanel went good... Except when it wasn't going on right so I put a little extra pressure and crimped one of the cables for my U360 harness which no longer works... doh!  Oh well, I'm sure it won't be the last time I have to bring out the soldering iron.

[mcseforsale]

Sorry aboot the LEDS....subscribed, y'all

AJ

[ChanceKJ]

Mmm yes. I've had to order a ton of RGB LEDs for my project and I had a couple that were bad. Missing one colour or firing the same colour on two different leads. Not sure why. Paradise shipped me replacements both times.  I will always order a couple more just as spares/replacement parts too.

Randy at GGG is a good guy, I can't speak for him but I'm sure everything will work out.

[Billy_Goatfeet]

  As a fellow, long suffering Leaf fan I support this theme!!  Looks great so far! 

Go Leafs Go !

BG.

[SgtSlaughter]

Mmm yes. I've had to order a ton of RGB LEDs for my project and I had a couple that were bad. Missing one colour or firing the same colour on two different leads. Not sure why. Paradise shipped me replacements both times.  I will always order a couple more just as spares/replacement parts too.

Randy at GGG is a good guy, I can't speak for him but I'm sure everything will work out.

Ya unfortunately I only ordered 1 extra (Noob!) heh.  Either way I'm in talks with Randy now.

I'm heading to Arizona tomorrow for a week so unfortunately no new progress will be updated, but not too much is holding me back at this point so that's a good sign!

[SgtSlaughter]

So Randy told me what I did wrong... Hooked up the 12V instead of the 5V to the RGBLeds... Can't believe I made this mistake, I even looked up which wire to use, but then at 1:00am when I was doing it I just winged it assuming the yellow was 5V. 

Well, that's what happens when you rush it!

[VoltaTom]

Damn that's unlucky. From my experience red is usually 5v and yellow is 12v.


Sent from my iPhone

[yotsuya]

Mmm yes. I've had to order a ton of RGB LEDs for my project and I had a couple that were bad. Missing one colour or firing the same colour on two different leads. Not sure why. Paradise shipped me replacements both times.  I will always order a couple more just as spares/replacement parts too.

Randy at GGG is a good guy, I can't speak for him but I'm sure everything will work out.

Ya unfortunately I only ordered 1 extra (Noob!) heh.  Either way I'm in talks with Randy now.

I'm heading to Arizona tomorrow for a week so unfortunately no new progress will be updated, but not too much is holding me back at this point so that's a good sign!

What part of Arizona, bro?

[mcseforsale]

Mmm yes. I've had to order a ton of RGB LEDs for my project and I had a couple that were bad. Missing one colour or firing the same colour on two different leads. Not sure why. Paradise shipped me replacements both times.  I will always order a couple more just as spares/replacement parts too.

Randy at GGG is a good guy, I can't speak for him but I'm sure everything will work out.

Ya unfortunately I only ordered 1 extra (Noob!) heh.  Either way I'm in talks with Randy now.

I'm heading to Arizona tomorrow for a week so unfortunately no new progress will be updated, but not too much is holding me back at this point so that's a good sign!

What part of Arizona, bro?

I'd say somwhere near the desert.

AJ

[ChanceKJ]

The hot and dry part.

[SgtSlaughter]

Mmm yes. I've had to order a ton of RGB LEDs for my project and I had a couple that were bad. Missing one colour or firing the same colour on two different leads. Not sure why. Paradise shipped me replacements both times.  I will always order a couple more just as spares/replacement parts too.

Randy at GGG is a good guy, I can't speak for him but I'm sure everything will work out.

Ya unfortunately I only ordered 1 extra (Noob!) heh.  Either way I'm in talks with Randy now.

I'm heading to Arizona tomorrow for a week so unfortunately no new progress will be updated, but not too much is holding me back at this point so that's a good sign!

What part of Arizona, bro?

Scottsdale.  I'm looking forward to some warmer weather!  Any good arcade type shops in the area?

[yotsuya]

Mmm yes. I've had to order a ton of RGB LEDs for my project and I had a couple that were bad. Missing one colour or firing the same colour on two different leads. Not sure why. Paradise shipped me replacements both times.  I will always order a couple more just as spares/replacement parts too.

Randy at GGG is a good guy, I can't speak for him but I'm sure everything will work out.

Ya unfortunately I only ordered 1 extra (Noob!) heh.  Either way I'm in talks with Randy now.

I'm heading to Arizona tomorrow for a week so unfortunately no new progress will be updated, but not too much is holding me back at this point so that's a good sign!

What part of Arizona, bro?

Scottsdale.  I'm looking forward to some warmer weather!  Any good arcade type shops in the area?

https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&q=castles+n+coasters&fb=1&gl=us&hq=castles+and+coasters&cid=14386602448939149210&ei=6030UvX8GKLbyQGBwICwBw&ved=0CJYBEPwS

[yotsuya]

The hot and dry part.

---smurfette---, please-



http://www.weather.com/weather/5-day/Scottsdale+AZ+USAZ0207:1:US

[SgtSlaughter]

I'm liking the weather forcast.

I didn't know about the castle's and coaster's place... now how to drag my wife with me...  might not be so easy!

[yotsuya]

I'm liking the weather forcast.

I didn't know about the castle's and coaster's place... now how to drag my wife with me...  might not be so easy!

There's a mall next door. Let her go shopping.

[SgtSlaughter]

There's a mall next door. Let her go shopping.

Genius!  You've done this before haven't you?   

[yotsuya]

I live 5 minutes away from Castles N Coasters, so yes. 

[ChanceKJ]