Tron Legacy - Update 05/03/2016 - Mala Woes

[rablack97]

what thickness is your laminate man... 1/16/ or 1/32 i have some 1/32 that i use in my builds, black....

Also when routing.....order some of these, they are awesome....



http://woodworking.rockler.com/ppc/bench%20cookies?sli_sid=v9113&gclid=CMec_6rm7roCFUwV7AodXzIABw

Another idea, is get you a router mat.

http://www.rockler.com/non-slip-router-mat?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=CNy3tIvn7roCFVFk7Aody00AnQ


This has elimimated the use of clamps on alot of my routes......

[mcseforsale]

I'm getting some of those bench cookies.  Those are wicked cool.

AJ

[wp34]

I've got those cookies but of course they are Chicago Bear orange and not Cowboy blue.     They are quite handy.

I like your idea but in this case I have to clamp a guide piece over the laminate so that all my cuts will line up properly with the controls.  My problem was the double-sided tape on the PVC template.  It started to give while I was routing.  More tape and less sawdust should fix that problem.

Thanks for the offer on the laminate.  I appreciate it.     I already ordered a new sheet from Home Depot though.

The routing mat is a great idea.  It looks a lot like toolbox liner and I have some of that around I will try.  Thanks for the tip.

what thickness is your laminate man... 1/16/ or 1/32 i have some 1/32 that i use in my builds, black....

Also when routing.....order some of these, they are awesome....



http://woodworking.rockler.com/ppc/bench%20cookies?sli_sid=v9113&gclid=CMec_6rm7roCFUwV7AodXzIABw

Another idea, is get you a router mat.

http://www.rockler.com/non-slip-router-mat?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=CNy3tIvn7roCFVFk7Aody00AnQ


This has elimimated the use of clamps on alot of my routes......

[rablack97]

Sweet man , enjoying this build, sorry to hear your chilling on it for a bit.....

Anything to help out...

[mgb]

Very Nice.
I like where this is going. Keep it up

[jordanshadow]

I really like the liberal use of the light rings. Really makes the cab.

[wp34]

I really like the liberal use of the light rings. Really makes the cab.

Thanks. 

I was going to use neon rings on the side originally like you are for your build.  The first rings I bought came broken and I had to return them.  I also had a mishap similar to yours when cutting the circles which left the hole a little too big for the neon rings.   

[wp34]

Great call on the non-slip mat and the bench cookies.    I've been using the heck out of them.  I still have to clamp but not nearly as much.   

what thickness is your laminate man... 1/16/ or 1/32 i have some 1/32 that i use in my builds, black....

Also when routing.....order some of these, they are awesome....



http://woodworking.rockler.com/ppc/bench%20cookies?sli_sid=v9113&gclid=CMec_6rm7roCFUwV7AodXzIABw

Another idea, is get you a router mat

http://www.rockler.com/non-slip-router-mat?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=CNy3tIvn7roCFVFk7Aody00AnQ


This has elimimated the use of clamps on alot of my routes......

[wp34]

We are in the home stretch finally!

Here are some shots of making the mount for the Turbo Twist High Low Spinner.

This is the template that ships with the spinner.


A 2-3/8 forstner bit works great to create the main opening.


The shoulder for the spinner should be as level as possible so that the spinner is parallel to the top of the CP.  The throat on my drill press was about 1/2" from being able to reach the spot I needed.   Vigo had a great tip here which I used to use my hand drill to create a straight hole. 




To cut the middle opening I used a 1-3/8 hole saw.


I tried this on a scrap piece first and at this stage I tried to use a pattern bit with the supplied template.   The bit slipped off the template cutting both the template and the wrong part of the wood.


For the final piece I ended up using my wood chisels to finish out the cutting.  It went fairly fast and MDF is actually a lot of fun to chisel.


Test fit looks great.

[wp34]

For this build I made a few rectangular routing templates for the joysticks and monitor.  After some trial and error I found that the easiest method was to use my chop saw to make 4 cuts.  With this method you end up with some over-cuts.  Since I was using a routing template it really didn't matter that the template had notches in the corner because the brass template stops the bit before the over-cut.





With the monitor opening the other advantage of using the routing template was that I could use a 1/16" straight bit.  This left me with an almost perfect right-angle in the corners.  With a normal bearing-based pattern bit you always end up with a rounded corner.

[wp34]

When I ran out of laminate and had to order more I decided to go with a micro-dot pattern.  I like the contrast with the plain black laminate on the rest of the cabinet.  But I had to be careful to make sure the dots were straight when I cut.

[wp34]

The mount for the happ analog trigger stick was an odd duck.


But it turned out nice.


Here is the finished CP.


And with a coat of black paint.

[yotsuya]

Looking good, my friend! Can't wait to see this one finished!

[wp34]

Thanks yotsuya.  It feels great to be nearing the end!

[Gatsu]

Lookin good. Wish I could route that cleanly. 

[Hoopz]

Great job and good job sharing the detailed pics.   

[wp34]

Thanks Hoopz and Gatsu.   

[wp34]

In order to light up the pattern around the Tron stick I had to find an EL panel big enough to fit the opening.  The closest I could find was 8"x5" and it was actually too big.  In order to make it fit I had to cut a couple of inches off one end and then cut a circle out of the middle of it for the joystick opening.  It sounds insane but EL panels are designed to be able to cut and still light up.

The EL panel came with 4 wires attached to it.  The idea being you can cut it into 4 separate shapes if needed.



Here is the initial cut.  Make sure you use sharp scissors.


It is important that you reseal the cut end with clear tape as the inside of the panel has an electrical charge.



The inside hole was fairly easy to cut with an exacto knife.   Again I sealed the hole with clear tape.  It may need just a little more trimming but I'm leaving it as is for now.  I have to admit to being thoroughly surprised when this worked.   


I had to route a channel on the CP for the insulated portion of the wire to fit in everywhere there was an EL panel.


Here is a test fit with the laminate top.

[Le Chuck]

WOW!  That is so freaking sharp bro!

[wp34]

Thanks Le Chuck.  High praise coming from you.   

[BadMouth]

   Good to see you back on this. 

[wp34]

Thanks BadMouth.  Not getting much done tonight.   

[ChanceKJ]

This has to be the best looking stick lighting i've seen.   

[emphatic]

Very well done!

[Vigo]

  Looking good!

[wp34]

Thanks guys.     

Hoopz gave me the idea to do my wiring in front of the TV.  Turns out I am too easily distracted.

[wp34]

I wanted to have my admin buttons light up but wasn't sure exactly how.

First I tried a half circle but was really not happy with the look.


Then I tried a full circle.  I really liked this look but had a lot of trouble getting 4 of them in a row to line up perfectly.  Between the laminate and the plexi things would get just off enough to bug me.  Again this is where a CNC would simplify things. 



Finally I settled on trying to mimic this shape from the original Discs of Tron CP.


To make the shape I had to route a 1/2 circle that was slightly larger than the button hole.  Then I had to route a 1/4 circle that is slightly larger than the 1/2 circle. 

To line all the circles up properly I drilled my circle patterns at the center of intersecting lines. 


Then I could line up the patterns using the intersecting lines.  Here I added another board so that when I routed I ended up with a half-circle.


Then I added a larger circle and a board with a 90 degree cutout that left me with a 1/4 circle.


Which left me with this pattern.


Here it is unlit.


And lit.


Here is the completed laminate.  Time to start putting everything together.

[Santoro]

Whoa. 

[Xarcade]

wow freakin awesome man

[wp34]

Thanks Santoro and Xarcade.   

[wp34]

Inching closer.  lining up the joysticks, trackball and lights has proven to be more tedious than I expected.

[wp34]

I’m building a cabinet based on the Tron Legacy theme.  The basic design is borrowed from Gamester with a few modifications.  I’ve been planning this for several years so I’m sure I’ve stolen ideas from many other projects.  In addition to Gamester you should see (hopefully) some influence from Martijn and Eypx as I reviewed their projects frequently while planning.

Like Johnny Cash and his Cadillac I obtained my parts “One Piece at a Time” over a number of years.

•   P1 U360, Project Arcade Book I – Christmas 2007
•   TT2 / Electric Ice Trackball – March 2008
•   P2 U360 – Christmas 2008
•   Coin Door – September 2009
•   Wells Gardner D9800 – August 2010
•   Project Arcade Book II - January 2011
•   Tron Stick Parts – March 2011
•   Black Laminate – September 2011

…with many orders for buttons spread in between. 

Pretty pathetic timeline but hopefully worth it in the end.

[mcseforsale]

Wow.  pretty sad.   

AJ

[wp34]

Wow.  pretty sad.   

AJ

Whoops.  I meant to modify the date on my first post and must have clicked qoute by mistake.

And to your point that time line is pretty sad. 

[ChanceKJ]

At least it's getting done and not sitting derelict in the corner of a garage.

Mission Control took what? 10 years?

[wp34]

Wow.  pretty sad.   

AJ

Whoops.  I meant to modify the date on my first post and must have clicked qoute by mistake.

And to your point that time line is pretty sad. 

[wp34]

At least it's getting done and not sitting derelict in the corner of a garage.

Mission Control took what? 10 years?

Great point but my project shouldn't be in the same sentence as Mission Control.  That thing is a work of art.

[wp34]

I've made a lot of progress this summer but have not had time to post pictures.  I apologize for the dumping all these pictures at once.

I decided AFTER the cabinet was built that I wanted a vandal switch for power.  Originally I was going to just have the machine turn on when plugged in like a dedicated cabinet.  This change led to me having to drill into a basically finished cabinet.  Yuck.

The nut for the button would not quite reach so I had to use a forstner on the back side. 

[wp34]

To cut the plexi I first made a starter hole with this step bit.


Then I routed each hole with this fluted flush trim bit.


What a wonderful mess.   


I didn't come up with this method but it worked perfectly.  Apologies to whomever came up with this idea but I can't find the original thread to link to. 

[wp34]

PinballWizard79 had this crazy idea 4 years ago to light up a Tron stick from the inside.  I fell in love with the concept and spent quite a bit of time working on implementing it.   See his original thread here.

One evening this summer I spent several hours trying to jam two wires up the middle of a hollowed out Happ Analog Stick.  It was amazingly frustrating.



Success!


In the example I linked to you could make out the individual LED dots through the blue plastic.  To minimize that effect I tried to reverse the LED strip.  What I mean is that I had the LED's point inward as much as possible.  This acted to diffuse the dots.   

Reversing the strip made the back of the strip visible in daylight and I did not like this look.  To get around this I lined the back of the UV strip with silver duct tape thinking this would blend in somewhat with the silver joystick. 

To get more light coverage I looped the UV strip around the wide base of the Tron stick and also packed the top of the base with LED's again pointing away from the plastic.







This was easily one of the most challenging portions of my build.  I spent hours just trying to get the UV strip to fit properly in the stick casing.  I would get it all packed in and then find that the trigger button no longer worked.    Then I would have to take the stick back apart and start all over. 

That being said I'm very happy with how it turned out.  Pictures really don't do it justice.  There are a few LED's visible on the right-hand side but I'm living with that for now.  It is not noticeable when you are playing.  Also when I tried to point this defect out to my family they looked at me like I was absolutely nuts.