Kim Possible Cabinet (Full size from scratch) [2015 illuminated bat-tops update]

[MacGyver]

So I have been working on this thing for forever, mostly due to procrastination, but also due to the fact that the woodshop I have available is only open one day a week (It was also closed for a long time).
So I figure I have only two weeks (2 days) left before it's done. That's funny in hindsight.

So, some background.  I live in Germany, and I'm building this for my daughter.  The problem is that her room is on the third floor, and the stairwell is much too narrow to bring a full cabinet up the stairs.  So I came up with a design in which the cabinet can come apart and be moved one segment at a time.  There is a base segment, a control-panel/motherboard segment, a monitor/marquee segment, the back, and the two sides.  It will all bolt together with eye-bolts (tool less), and (should) appear like it doesn't come apart at all (no visible bolts on the outside).

I am still researching where to get the artwork printed, so some input on that would be nice.
I still need to make some side art, but here is what I have so far:








Now remember that I'm not Bob Villa, so be nice.  You can't see it in the pictures, but that is the left side clamped to the table, with a dead router sitting on it.  It's about halfway done, but the router died, I hope to finish it the next day it's open.


I painted the bolts so I would know where to cut the threads.

Forgive the mess in the bottom, I have to make everything fit in/on the cabinet at the end of the day.
As you can see, it's way overbuilt but we move a lot, and I wanted the individual segments to not be flimsy but durable on their own.


That light colored circle is a wood plug for the T-nut holes.

You can't tell, but the front has forward/back only wheels, and the back has fully rotatable lockable casters.

That's all the pictures for now, oh I also finished the CPO (a while back).


I'll put the exact controls here later, but for now:
2 -JLF joysticks with hollow shafts and Red and Blue LEDs in each balltop. (Magstiks shown)
2 -Turbo Twists with Angle Eyes LEDs under the CPO.
1 -Trackball - illuminated green.
12 -translucent IL pushbuttons -illuminated Red and Blue.
2 -player select buttons -illuminated green.
2 -Area51 Lightgun shells with Aimtraks in them.
1 -Ledwiz
1 -ipac
1 -28" HannsG 16:10 LCD monitor
1 -i7 2500K Intel CPU
1 -64gb SSD
1 -8gb RAM
Win7, MAME, DICE, and Sega M2,M3, Daphne, and Hyperspin.

I'll post more as I go.   Soon will be the black pica vinyl, Bondo, rear door, and Pacman grills.

BTW it's dimensions are 6' x 30.5" x 30-34"

[MacGyver]

Here is the rough idea for the side art.


I mean rough. 

[Well Fed Games]

Ha, nice. Your daughter is very lucky! KP is a great theme, and I particularly like the bezel! 

[MacGyver]

Thanks WF 

I am interested in where you would go to get all that art printed if you were me.  I've read some threads, some are old, some are good, some are bad, some only print this or that but not everything.  I was wanting to have the same place do all of it at the same time so the colors would be the same (after I make them match myself ).  I would lean toward quality over speed and price, but not if the prices are so crazy that no one here would pay it.

[Seith]

http://www.gameongrafix.com/ is widely recommended around here.  Their prices seem reasonable.

[yaksplat]

I love it!

Great theme.  Too bad the show isn't on disney anymore though.

If i wasn't so far on my Mystery Inc. themed cab I'd be doing Gravity Falls.

[MacGyver]

Thanks yaksplat.  She's older now than when I started, so when I couldn't find the KP artwork files, she wanted me to change it to "Journey to the Center of Hawkthorne" from Community, I started doing the art, but found the KP artwork again and decided to stick with it.




Seith, their prices seem fine, my only question is how well does the art hold up over time and to things like cleaners or water.  Also, how dark is the black on the marquee with it blacklit?  How does it compare to emdkays Duratrans marquees?

[MacGyver]

So today was Saturday, woodshop day.
I got some stuff done, mounted the monitor, mounted the 6x9s and Pacman grills, installed the coin-door (for testing purposes, they'll be removed to put on the vinyl),  cut the bezel, mounted the bezel retaining strips (just marquee retaining strips).  I installed the bolts that connect all the pieces together, they are the ones with the wingnuts.

Next week I hope to get the back done (3 pieces, 1 piece has a door with a piano hinge, the other 2 have the air intake holes at the top and bottom).
I'll try to get the monitor hole cut in the bezel, and start the mount for the CPO.

Here are the 3 middle pieces with the bezel in its retainers.



Here are 3 of the 6 pieces without the bezel so you can see the monitor (I had to finagle the sides a bit to get it in).



In the end it will be the 3 pieces you see above with 2 sides and 1 back (so it can be carried up and down the stairs easier). 



I would really appreciate if some one shared how they were holding their bezel and plexiglass in (or an example of how its done commercially), I have looked at hundreds of pictures, and no one ever shows a close up of that area.

[PL1]

I would really appreciate if some one shared how they were holding their bezel and plexiglass in (or an example of how its done commercially), I have looked at hundreds of pictures, and no one ever shows a close up of that area.

Here's a thread on marquee retainer options.  As long as the materials you choose are the correct thickness and strength for your bezel and glass, these methods should work fine. 

Also have you thought about a painted bezel on the inside of your glass?

DrChek's Spike before:


And after:



Scott

[darthpaul]

Also, how dark is the black on the marquee with it blacklit?  How does it compare to emdkays Duratrans marquees?

Blacks are really tough to make look good on a backlit Marquee, it looks more gray than black when lit. I ultimately redid my marquee for that very reason.

[TheShaner]

I used gameongraphix for mine as well, the marquee is heavily black, and the end result looks really good.  I dont think it looks gray at all.  I will say though, I ended up using the LED marquee lights from groovy games, if that makes any difference.

[MacGyver]

PL1, I was undecided about whether or not to have the bezel graphics printed on the plexi or not.  My original idea was to have it printed on card stock and just sandwich it between the 3mm Medite and clear plexi.  I'm curious as to how happy people are with their printed-on-plexi bezels.   I entertained the idea of just using tinted plexi and no bezel or artwork, but I think it would be too dark (not just the screen, but the whole area).  I also was concerned about the looks people would give me if I tried to check if it was IR invisible (for the Aimtrak IR strip).  I think they would be worried about a man with a wired device (IR LED hooked to a battery) using a modified web cam (stripped of the IR filter) hooked to a laptop, playing with various tinted plexiglass sheets. 

I have decided based on the posts I've read and user recommendations to have gameongraphix do the printing.  Thanks guys. 

[mgb]

Very nice.
I think the KP theme is a great theme.

[MacGyver]

Thanks mgb.

Oh in case anyone out there was wondering or looking; on that HannsG monitor, the VESA mount screws are M4.  They are not real common and I only had 2 laying around on Saturday so I had to go buy some more today.

[apfelanni]

a rock solid build , looks very promising . i hope u dont ruin it with a crappy " goodname " china screen . hannsg is a brand i will definetely never buy again . a cab project taking 100 reds of bucks and countless hours deserves a good ips panel ( or a crt , of coz).

[MacGyver]

I know, but my options were limited at the time.  If you know of a nice IPS screen that is as square or more square than a 16:10 and is 28" I'm all ears.  I didn't de-case it because I didn't think it would last very long.

[MacGyver]

So I was working on the side art, I think I should stick with the oval from the rough mock-up not the current upsidedown Donkey Kong circle thing.

I was entertaining the idea of adding the new ServoStiks and my Sanwa JLK-GF2-AT analog flight stick to my control panel (I have to take it all apart anyway, and a third joystick change would degrade the panel severely, so if I have to cut a new one, I might as well shoe horn in the analog stick I already have).

Here is the panel with the technical diagrams as an overlay, making sure everything fits underneath.


Here is what it would look like as a template.


The one below is the current one sans flight-stick.


So what do you think?  Do you think it would be too crowded?  I hate to let the analog stick go to waste, but I also don't want any more of Franken-panel then I already have.

[MacGyver]

So it was another Saturday, and that means the woodshop was open, so updates.
I had a huge list of things I wanted to accomplish, but sadly, the router was still dead, so that nixed about half of the things I wanted to do.

First, I got the new control panel built (sans parts of course), although after hearing mcseforsale talk about his issues with the same hinges, I wonder if maybe I shouldn't switch to a piano hinge.


You can also see I got the bezel cut without a router (jigsaw, rasp, and one hour of my life gone).


This gives you a good idea of the CPO size I have to work with for the question I ask in the post above.


The hinges I might replace now. (especially if the screws rip out)
Also note my over-done VESA mount.  And is that a left-side template clamped to the table in the background?




CPO opened.


You can now see the 6x9s and their framing in all their glory.

I did get the back top and bottom vents cut, and the lower grills put on. (really just a big waste of time to do this with a drill-press and a jig saw, and 2 hours worth of filing with a rasp because I had no router)

Here are some closeups of the possible problem hinges.




You can barely see the CPO clasps in the back


It is taking a lot longer than I hoped, mostly due to my inexperience in building arcade cabinets, and also due to the holdup from a lack of a working router (doing some of the things I did this weekend without a router added easily 4-5 hours more work, mostly from needing to clear a 2" holesaw 8 times, and rasping and filing and sanding wonky jigsawed cuts).

I checked that the flight-stick would not obstruct the view of the screen in the test location from the post above.  I also plugged everything in and checked where the placement of the Aimtrak emitter would fit (and work).

Time to make a work wish list for next week,  hopefully the Area51 holsters I ordered will come in by then.  Until then I will work on the software at home. (I need to scrub that list REALLY well, I found a game named "Funny Bubble" still in there, it appears to not have the correct "mature" description in romlister. )

[MacGyver]

Well Saturday again.  The router got fixed, and I was able to give the cabinet something it has been missing, the left side.

Replaced the marquee retainers I used as bezel retainers with aluminum ceramic tile retainers.

Added the screens to the vents, and the power button and the volume knob, it connects to a Pyle 30 watt amp.
Is that a left side? 

Notice the color-coded eye-bolts, there are 4 different thicknesses of support frame, so this was the only way to keep them separate.

Added the power plug and master power switch. (Yes I know it's upside-down, I'll fix it later)



It looks pretty ugly, but soon it will be time for Bondo, slot cutting and vinyl and T-molding.  (In reality I have a much bigger list.)

[Well Fed Games]

Looking good. As someone who has always savaged existing cabs, I am always impressed by you guys who build from scratch. 

[MacGyver]

Thanks WFG,  but know that if I were back in the States I would have done the same as you.  I had to build it due to the lack 80s and 90s cabs available here in Germany. I also would have built it like a real one if it didn't have to come apart to make it up 3 flights of stairs, crazy narrow stairs. 

I envy you guys back there, you have so many options, everything I buy I have to append with "I guess I can make that work." 

[MacGyver]

Finished fixing the colors and errors in some of the graphics, and placed the order to GameonGraphics to the tune of about $105.
Here's what they looked like.  I'm still working on the sideart.

[yotsuya]

Thanks yaksplat.  She's older now than when I started, so when I couldn't find the KP artwork files, she wanted me to change it to "Journey to the Center of Hawkthorne" from Community, I started doing the art, but found the KP artwork again and decided to stick with it.




Seith, their prices seem fine, my only question is how well does the art hold up over time and to things like cleaners or water.  Also, how dark is the black on the marquee with it blacklit?  How does it compare to emdkays Duratrans marquees?

That would be an AWESOME theme!

[MacGyver]

So I finished up the side art, I can't decide what size to get printed, but I created them at 30 inches by 20 inches at 300 dpi, so any size up to that should be fine.  What is a standard size for side art on a 6' tall 33" wide monster?

Left side


Right side


A bit better quality from the rough ones I post earlier, eh.  Remember these are 800 pixels wide jpegs and not the 6000 pixels wide originals so forgive any artifacts.

Still working on a 300dpi re-do of the bezel.

[MacGyver]

Finished redoing the bezel, it's now300dpi and 24.5" x 29" ready for printing.

...Unless I can find a to scale technical drawing of the Aimtrak emitter board, then I'll make some sort of camouflage artwork on the bezel where the LEDs will need to peak out from.

[yaksplat]

Clever bezel, I like it.

[MacGyver]

Thanks yaksplat.

[MacGyver]

So I added some graphics in an attempt to hide the IR LEDs from the Aimtrak emitter.

I'm no artist, so if it looks bad, let me know. 



Here's a close-up of the camouflage.

[griffindodd]

I think the artwork looks great, that's an awesome bezel. 

[MacGyver]

So it comes down to the sideart to have printed.

The first one I did:


Or the new one:


I'm pretty sure I'm going with the new one, it seems less busy.

I also got the email from GameonGraphics, the Marquee and CPO are on the way.

[griffindodd]

Agree I think the second one is more Arcadey (yeah it's a word  )

[yaksplat]

Something about the thickness of shego's green lines bothers me.  I think it's her eyes.....

[darthpaul]

I agree but other than that the artwork is great.

[DaOld Man]

This project is looking great!
I bought a couple of those same hinges you show on your CP. I agree, I think they are way too stiff and may pull the bolts out of the MDF.
HOWEVER: I found that you can remove the cylinder in the center and then it becomes a regular hinge (open/close force wise anyway.)
The cylinder is actually two cylinders with a strong spring inside, pushing them apart.
A well placed screw driver will pry them right out.

[MacGyver]

Thanks guys.

I worked on it again (only open on Saturday), but this time there were no lights on in the shop so I pretty much just used hand-tools.
I Gorilla-Glued all the T-nuts in (all 28), and GG'ed the 10 back T-nuts in as well (I got glue inside a few of them  ).
That stuff is crazy, and when they say it expands, they really should show a picture, as I was unprepared for that level of expansion.
I tried my hand at Bondo (or the German equivalent), I think I'll stick with my day job.   I got it in the holes, but it took getting a lot outside of them as well.
I fixed some other minor things like replaced the coin door locks, re-centered the bezel retainers, and glued and screwed the back sub pieces.

Here you see the t-nuts drying (and Gorilla Glue oozing)


Re-centered retainers, the t-nuts for the back, and how I deal with Germany's aversion to black bolts and screws (I can find sold titanium, but not powder-coated black  )


New locks, my lack of Bondo skills, and some soon to be cut eye-bolts.


Notice the lack of lights.


I still have a laundry list of things to do:
finish top
cut eye-bolts
fill all 28 side holes with bondo
drill wire holes in CPO section
make holes for guns?
route both sides for t-molding
cut holster holes, build holster mounting shelf inside
cut new CPO for controls
paint all edges black
sand everything smooth
clean surfaces
apply cabinet vinyl and new CPO vinyl
install t-molding
install speaker and volume knob plug(s)
mount amp
install marquee lighting (and plugs)
wire coin door (plugs)
wire power plug
install new bezel graphics
install side art
get tinted glass
fix software (missing cfgs, broken stuff)

Until next week...
 

[MacGyver]

Here is an example of how long it takes to boot from the bios screen to playable (and my custom Kim Possible Win 7 startup animation).


And just a general lighting test before I rip this test panel apart to build the final one.

[Slippyblade]

14 seconds for a boot, dang, that's quick.  Any chance you got links to help me do that?

[MacGyver]

Not really any tricks, pretty much brute force.  It's a i5 3.3ghz, with an SSD for a harddrive.  I did turn off mostly every service except those that let it boot, and the ones needed for networking.  It could be a little faster if I replaced the Win 7 shell with Hyerspin, but I'm still working on the software so I still want the shell to be explorer for a bit.  I'm pretty sure it's mostly the SSD.  It took a while to acquire all the parts, but it was worth it.  I did modify Win 7 to not have a lot of its normal software, but that was really just to reduce its footprint.

Here is the SSD I used:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004W2JKZI

[MacGyver]

I had a problem with my camera/phone, namely, I dropped it and it broke, so no pictures.  I did borrow my wife's phone, and snapped an update picture.

I hope to have it finished in the next few days, and I'll steal her phone and post some detailed pictures.

Until then.

[MacGyver]

So I spent some time wiring the control panel.  You would think it would look better after 5 hours worth of work, almost done in this photo.

I wired up the LEDs for the joysticks even though I don't have hollow JLW shafts yet, in fact they don't even exist yet.  I have money saved for them, I just can't buy something that doesn't exist.



I made such a huge mess. 

Everything worked perfect the first time, but the TurboTwists need to be swapped around for Hyperspin.