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Multi-Williams / Mame Project
quanlee:
I started reworking the final control panel. It had a layer of adhesive on it from the original Joust control panel overlay. I tried using Goof Off to remove it, worked on it for about 2 hours and barely put a dent in it. I ended up taking it to a local wood re-finishing business. They stripped it down to bare wood for $10.00. Wow...
I still need to fill in the original holes, and drill new ones for my button and joystick layout. After reading about different methods of doing this I chose to use bondo. I covered the back side of the holes with duct tape to keep the bondo from falling through during application, and to get a nice smooth finish on the back side without sanding.
I can't say enough about BONDO, it's pretty cool. It adheres to anything, and is very durable. I had to do two applications to fill in the voids. After each application I let it dry overnight and then sanded it smooth with my Dewalt 1/4 sheet palm sander. Once the original holes were filled, I used the control panel overlay to transfer the hole locations for buttons and sticks.
I drilled the new holes using a multi-spur 1" 1/8" bit I picked up from Lowes, cost about $10 but was well worth it. My past attempts at drilling these holes with a paddle bit were very messy. The holes with the multi-spur bit turned out very clean and neat. After the second application of bondo there were still a couple very small imperfections, which I filled with drywall spackling. The spackling is going to be covered anyway so I wasn't worried about it being too strong. I hand sanded it one more time, once it was all smooth, I put a coat of black primer on the entire piece. This was so the overlay would have a consistent surface to adhere to rather than wood, bondo, and spackling on different parts. Not sure if that was an issue or not, but it couldn't hurt. Unfortunately I didn't take any pics of the primed control panel. Once the primer had dried overnight, I used 3M Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive to attach the new overlay to the control panel. I sprayed a layer of adhesive on the primed control panel, and on the back of the overlay. It went on well, but had to peel it off and put back a few times to get it lined up just right. You have just a few seconds to do this before it is stuck permanently.
I transferred the mame usb interface, all of my buttons, the two joysticks, and wiring from the prototype control panel to the finished cp. I made a couple of changes to the button colors, no reason other than personal preference as to how they looked on the cp overlay/artwork.
I re-installed the control panel into the game. The only hitch I ran into, was the placement of the 1-player and 2-player start buttons interfered with the shelf the glass bezel rested on. I used a dremel to cut out a notch in the center of the shelf, just enough to be able to close the cp tight to the glass. I think it looks pretty cool, and it plays GREAT!! I played Stargate for about an hour and have no issues with any of the button or stick locations or feel. It's spot on. The only difference is the width from left joystick and right hand buttons, and the clicking sound you get from the joystick since it's a micro switch type vs. the original leaf sticks they used back in the day. The reverse button is spot on, right where it needs to be so you can flick it with your thumb to reverse the direction of the defender/stargate ship.
Here's a picture of the machine with all of the artwork in place.
I did some work on the sound system. I soldered the arcade machine's original speaker wire/connector to one of the PC speakers. The sound generated by the PC will be amplified by the powered PC speakers, and fed to the arcade machine's original speaker below the marquee.
I mounted the main/powered PC speaker just inside the coin door, so you can easily reach the volume control. The second non-powered speaker is mounted beside the LCD monitor behind the bezel/glass, out of site. The arcade machine speaker is connected to this speaker. I'll post pictures of that later.
I'm very close to having this thing done... just a few more things:
1. Finalize the placement of the LCD monitor and method to secure it there.
2. Decide how to secure the PC inside the cabinet.
3. Touch up some of the black paint on the front of the cabinet.
taylormadelv:
I love translucent IL buttons but I must say that translucent leaf switch buttons, while much more difficult to work with, look cooler with that tri-spoke pattern on the top, especially in Williams games. I have cabinets with both. Where did you get the MW bezel artwork file? Can you share with us? ;D
eds1275:
How much was the stuff from Staples? Did you do your marquee there, and does it look good backlit?
I was thinking of ordering one from one of the online sources but since mine is going to be mostly black with some silver lettering in the center it might be easy enough for one of the local printers to do a decent job.
quanlee:
Securing the LCD monitor... I thought about removing the LCD panel from the plastic frame/casing but as I thought about how to mount the LCD panel I honestly could not come up with anything any better than the frame it was in, "if it's not broke, don't fix it" came to mind. The only real issue was how to keep the LCD pushed up close to the back of the glass/bezel. I ended up putting it in place and attaching the monitor base to the slide out montir shelf with a couple of screws. I had to use some shims, since the monitor was cocked to one side for some reason. It was used, so who knows what the previous owner did to it. To hold it in place, I positioned the monitor up against the glass, and put another very long screw through the middle of the adjustment arm, holding the arm in the lowest position, right where it needed to be. With those screws in place, the monitor won't move.
The original monitor shelf can still slide out. But... it's even easier to get to the monitor if you go in from the front, and just take out the bezel/glass.
Since I removed the original CRT and black plastic frame (between CRT and bezel/glass) I still had to replace that black frame with something. I remembered an old product from back in the 90's called a "Screenie"
These cardboard screen frames were available at game stores and specialty computer shops, they fastened to the monitor with velcro. I took this same concept and cut a screenie of my own, out of black posterboard, fastened it to the monitor with velcro.
I think the monitor turned out great, no complaints. Almost done, kids are starting to ask to play it, my son is playing Ghosts and Goblins, wanted to know how to change weapons?? Sorry son, back in my day we only had the choice of one weapon... well kind of.
I removed all the cladding from the PC to make it smaller and easier to get to stuff. PC is now secure inside the cabinet with a single screw through the bottom of the PC case.
I added a light below the control panel to light up the translucent buttons.
I'll have to break out the satin black paint this week, get it done.
quanlee:
--- Quote from: eds1275 on March 12, 2011, 02:03:31 pm ---How much was the stuff from Staples? Did you do your marquee there, and does it look good backlit?
I was thinking of ordering one from one of the online sources but since mine is going to be mostly black with some silver lettering in the center it might be easy enough for one of the local printers to do a decent job.
--- End quote ---
The stuff from Staples was around $80 for all three pieces. The marquee is not great when backlit, so I will probably not light it, or try to get one that looks better at some point. Does anyone know if the marquees you can purchase from some of the arcade sites are any better?
The control panel overlay turned out great, the laminate is perfect, the finish looks just like my original Stargate.