The Quarter Slayer, small footprint 19in LCD slim first attempt....

[harveybirdman]

Well this weekend I plan on making some sawdust at least on a scaled down model to test the design.  I have a bunch of particle board from an old entertainment center and I figure that I'm not going to be able to work out all the details of this thing until I put my hands on wood.  That's what she said.... anyways....

I thought about calling the thing Nuclear Fusion and featuring Utsuho Reijui prominently in the side art.  After all I am using some sick ass renditions of her theme music as the background music in Mala, but right now Quarter Slayer just sounds cooler.  Haven't gotten as far as conceptualizing the artwork, but I think it will be more spacey than medieval.

The machine will be an upright around 70 in tall and 26 inches or so wide.  I tried to use sketchup to build a model but I don't seem to have a knack for it. Here are the 2d models


prototype2 by harveybirdman1, on Flickr


prototype3 by harveybirdman1, on Flickr


prototype5 by harveybirdman1, on Flickr

prototype4 by harveybirdman1, on Flickr

With such as small panel the interface will be mounted lower in the machine and I will have wires from the interface and the controls terminate in some kind of connector (molex).  If I do this then there is no reason why the control panel couldn't be swapped out.  One of the ideas I'm kicking around to make this "relatively" easy to accomplish is to use a recessed batten that the panel(s) would set in and be locked down with something like a chest latch.  here's a (poor) graphic of what I mean.


modular panel idea by harveybirdman1, on Flickr


I have mocked up the panel and I am using Zippyy's fight sticks from GroovyGameGear, even though those in my Sketchup file aren't Zippyy's.  Here's a mock up of the panel.  As you can see from the sketch up I've decided on another admin button for Pause not pictured below.


Control Panel Mock 1 by harveybirdman1, on Flickr


Other Planned features....

Storage for future Panels
Sound System
Stereo output so that instead of housing the sub in my cab it can have audio out to any stero system
Push button Power on with smart-strip
much more to come....

[GregD]

I like your design.  Any way to bump up the size of the monitor to cut down on what will be a pretty large bezel?  Also, you probably dont need 26 inches of width if youvare going two player with six buttons and no trackball.  Good luck.

[DaveMMR]

Like the design. I'm doing something similar right now too with swapping panels (figured most people only really use joysticks when they play).  I'm just going with simple panel latches available from many vendors. Cheap, easy and effective.

GregD is correct though, you should probably go a little narrower. I am designing for 23" of width and that's with a rotating 19" LCD. Too much bezel really detracts.

[yotsuya]

Here's another vote for 23 inches wide or so.

[Le Chuck]

Here's another vote for 23 inches wide or so.

18" on a 6x6 is straight up comfortable with two player unless you're OCD about rubbing elbows. 

[Nephasth]

Here's another vote for 23 inches wide or so.

18" on a 6x6 is straight up comfortable with two player unless you're OCD about rubbing elbows. 

If you're OCD about rubbing elbows, you put P2 on their own monitor...

[Le Chuck]

Here's another vote for 23 inches wide or so.

18" on a 6x6 is straight up comfortable with two player unless you're OCD about rubbing elbows. 

If you're OCD about rubbing elbows, you put P2 on their own monitor...

I'm OCD about ceiling height

[harveybirdman]

  I thought I was cutting down on bezel... at 24.... So glad I have some experience to keep me on point.

I'm going to look into monitor Upgrade GregD, after all with a cab shaped like this my Galaga ship shouldn't be shooting hairs instead of alien devastating bullets.  Or if it is It should at least have a smaller bezel.

I'm nervous about CRT because that also means a graphics card (which I need anyway) but there is a whole lot of things I don't understand about hooking one up to a CRT.  I think S-video sounds like it could be a good option based on some stuff I've read from you guys.  In fact I have an old graphics card out of my Dad's machine that I'll remove and investigate.

After further review it seems to be an ASUS RV370SE/TD/128M with the ATI/Radeon X300 SE graphics engine.  I have no idea if it works or if it is good for this kind of application.  Anyone have any thoughts?

I guess that I can look for an LCD solution that is larger than my current monitor?  Anyone know somewhere for some good deals?

[TopJimmyCooks]

23" is about the minimum for a rotating 19" in it's case.  even then you may have to decase, and possibly lose your easy vesa mount, or rout out clearance into the sides.  I have 23" between the sides (24 1/2" total cab width). 

On the swap panel, look into pogo pins instead of molex (no offense Nephasth  ).  I am going to do them someday for my swap panels when I've got $60 handy but already have a keg of beer.  Therefore not having anything pressing to spend $60 on.

[harveybirdman]

Spent all morning playing in the shop.  Taking stock of what I have, and testing out some ideas.  I used a plunge router for the first time today.  I'm really glad I decided to practice on scrap particle board before I attempt the real thing.

Today I learned several things.  One of them is that routers have more control moving one way than they do the other and that I shouldn't try to cut an entire curve with it in one motion without a jig. Small passes up to the mark and then sanding makes tons more sense.  I ended up with an uneven curve that was much farther into the piece than I wanted (see below).  Good thing this is just a cheap broken former entertainment center.

I also need to learn more about my tools before going all gung ho.  Our table saw seems to be cutting at a very low rpm and I need to understand if this is a setting or something else going on.  We also have a neat router table.  All bits have the bearing on the end for flush cutting and such.  I can mount the router in the table easy enough but I can't figure out how its supposed to stay on without me holding down the button.  I can think of all sorts of uses for it in the table (cutting t-moliding slot for instance) so this is something I'm going to have to  research.

I also learned than a dust mask is a must, especially if I will be working with MDF eventually.  I had safety glasses but really wish I had breathing protection.

I've also learned that table sanders can fix router mistakes.... at least to a point.  Here are the scaled down 25% side panels I ended up with today.  Hope to post more progress on the model next weekend.  And I'm going shopping tomorrow for Mothers Day (and hitting the flea markets looking for a cheap CRT tv)


Test Panels by harveybirdman1, on Flickr

[DaOld Man]

The router should have a lock near the switch to keep it turned on, might be a small button on the side of the handle.
Also, routers are designed to cut in one direction of travel. There is a good write up on here somewhere (cant find link right now).
And yes it is true, sanders are your friend (I like the small palm sized mouse type).

I like your design, however after building my first juke I will never use particle board again. But it looks like your is laminated so that may make it stronger. If you install t molding be very slow because a slightly angled router will cut a wider path, and the t molding may not grip the particle board very well.

Anyway I can talk you into using MDF before you get too far along?

[harveybirdman]

The router should have a lock near the switch to keep it turned on, might be a small button on the side of the handle.
Also, routers are designed to cut in one direction of travel. There is a good write up on here somewhere (cant find link right now).
And yes it is true, sanders are your friend (I like the small palm sized mouse type).

I like your design, however after building my first juke I will never use particle board again. But it looks like your is laminated so that may make it stronger. If you install t molding be very slow because a slightly angled router will cut a wider path, and the t molding may not grip the particle board very well.

Anyway I can talk you into using MDF before you get too far along?

Thanks for the router tip, I'm going to check it out when I get back out to the shop to see if I can determine if my router has this functionality.  Failing that I'll search the model # online.  I'm starting to wish I had a PC in the shop like OND. 

To be clear this particle board exercise is just a scaled down model to work out the design kinks.  For the actual cabinet I will use hardwood plywood or MDF.  It's a good thing to because I can't route worth a turd.  I have a lot of learning to do.

[elkameleon]

Here's another vote for 23 inches wide or so.

18" on a 6x6 is straight up comfortable with two player unless you're OCD about rubbing elbows. 

If you're OCD about rubbing elbows, you put P2 on their own monitor...

You should talk with that 2-headed beast

[lcmgadgets]

Nice looking design. I'm reading the tips carefully for that day when I find the magic door to my fantasy workshop in the extradimensional space attached to my house.

[Nephasth]

Here's another vote for 23 inches wide or so.

18" on a 6x6 is straight up comfortable with two player unless you're OCD about rubbing elbows. 

If you're OCD about rubbing elbows, you put P2 on their own monitor...

You should talk with that 2-headed beast

 

[harveybirdman]

Trying to pass the eternal days before I can get back to the shop this weekend, here's a marquee idea but as with most things I'm pretty lame at photo editing. 


marquee test by harveybirdman1, on Flickr

[Uncle Monkey]

Trying to pass the eternal days before I can get back to the shop this weekend, here's a marquee idea but as with most things I'm pretty lame at photo editing. 


marquee test by harveybirdman1, on Flickr

That's not a bad start really, but I would would switch the fonts. I really like the mechanical dragon for the "S", but I would make the "layer" match the mechanical look, and if you want the graffiti look, use it for the "Quarter". It would work well, 'cause the dragon's already looking that way, so it would give the impression that's he was just hanging out with his fellow letters, and some jackass arcade geek tagged his sign, and now he's kinda pissed about it.....

[Nephasth]

Quarter     

 

[harveybirdman]

Thanks again Daoldman, I was able to get my router in the table and learned a good deal about it.  Now I'm comfortable switching bits, keeping it running in the table, and setting the bit depth without depending on the hand lock.  I still need to figure out how to decrease the RPM (if it even has this feature) so that I can use larger bits...

Using the Router in the table I cut a grove for my base.  The base on the final machine will be on casters.  I want to make sure that the base is nice and stout even if i do end up using an LCD monitor.  I've made my first mistake, good thing this is just a model!  I routed this grove all the way through, making the grove for the base visible on the front of the machine (at least when the kick plate door is open)  I will mark it on the final project so I can route up to the mark and it won't show.  The grove on the back I did with the table saw.  As of right now the plan is to make the back plate from tempered hardboard, so it can slide up for easy rear access.  If when I get the model together I'm not satisfied with the sturdiness of it I'll add some battens and put in a back plate and figure something else out for rear access. (yes I realize I have the finished side of the particle board facing in on the model, I guess routing the base grove was really my second mistake  )




Here is a pick with the battens attached to one side, the control panel and speaker plate will be mitered on the back to set flush with the bezel.  I am undecided on a full shelf or half shelf in the cavity, I guess it depends on how much room I need for components and what kind of panel storage I want.  Next week the trick will be to match the battens on the other side.  I definitely think I'm going to try to make a template like flunky did for when I do this for real.



I also picked up a 20 " RCA TV from the thrift store.  It may not end up going in the final machine but for 7 bucks it was a hard buy to pass up


I am thinking about buying one of these:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=vga+to+s+video+converter&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1013&bih=649&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=1087187778715664863&sa=X&ei=fWi5T4C6PKn0sQLwqZmLDA&ved=0CNcBEPMCMAQ

and connecting to the TV via AV jacks



There are better ways I'm sure, but I think I'll investigate this method unless someone tells me I'm a moron.

[harveybirdman]

Quarter     

 

Guitar hero made me hate reigning blood....

[dren]

I don't know how good those AV converters are.  You might be better off finding an older video card that outputs the yellow component plug.

[Nephasth]

Quarter     

 

Guitar hero made me hate reigning blood....

Seasons in the Abyss is my Slayer album of choice... Besides metal and little plastic guitars don't mix.

[NiN^_^NiN]

I am thinking about buying one of these:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=vga+to+s+video+converter&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1013&bih=649&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=1087187778715664863&sa=X&ei=fWi5T4C6PKn0sQLwqZmLDA&ved=0CNcBEPMCMAQ

I have used composite and component and I would give it a go with composite it's pretty good with those devices if not get a TV that supports svideo I did some testing with the exact same device for my racing cab and a Video card that outputs S-video and the above device has no difference what so ever so check out the composite and if your not happy go for S-Video

[harveybirdman]

I am thinking about buying one of these:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=vga+to+s+video+converter&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1013&bih=649&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=1087187778715664863&sa=X&ei=fWi5T4C6PKn0sQLwqZmLDA&ved=0CNcBEPMCMAQ

I have used composite and component and I would give it a go with composite it's pretty good with those devices if not get a TV that supports svideo I did some testing with the exact same device for my racing cab and a Video card that outputs S-video and the above device has no difference what so ever so check out the composite and if your not happy go for S-Video

Thanks for the input, I'm going to give it a whirl at least, if nothing else to determine if 600x400 land is really where I want to live.

[harveybirdman]

Small update as I didn't get to work much over the holiday weekend due to setting up a soft pool for my in laws... Stupid unlevel ground.....

Anyway I got the prototype together, and of course I rushed and it isn't square 

I wonder if the shop floor isn't exactly level?  Any neat tricks for easily ensuring square from you veterans?

Here are the pics... Even with the mistakes I've made I still like the look of the design. 



Next chance I get I'm going to put in the keyboard tray and work out how it will sync up with the control panel and kickplate.  Also I'm going to get some tempered hardboard and try out my back panel idea.