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My First Build - Dual Stick Controller Project
chemikalguy:
I just got started on my first build, which is my take on the X Arcade dual stick controller. This is going to hopefully be a stepping stone to get me up to feeling comfortable building a bar top cabinet. I'm going to document the hell out of this, in case anyone else follows in my footsteps. I did some searching for this type of build, but didn't find much that was middle-of-the-road. It was all single controllers or monster cabs.
Background:
I currently have a Windows 7 media center PC connected to my TV (a 42" Vizio LCD). It's primarily used for internet, photos and music playing through the home theatre system, but occasionally I do some light gaming on it. I've used MAME in the past on my desktop, but always used the keyboard so never got much enjoyment out of it. What I'd like to do, eventually, is to build a wireless bartop MAME cabinet, but don't think the wife will go for that just yet, so my hope is to build this, get the kids, the friends (and hopefully her) playing on it, and then put forth the request. I'm building a dual joystick controller so that I can simply unplug it and toss it in the closet when we're not using it, and I don't want to pay $150+ for an X Arcade, when I can do it myself and get something custom, and have a good experience if I have all of my fingers and toes when it's done. :)
The hardware:
2x Happ Competition 8-Way joysticks (1 Red, 1 Blue)
Happ Controls buttons - 8 Blue, 8 Red, 6 White, 1P and 2P
i PAC2 Controller Board (USB)
USB hub
CAT5e Cable
various bolts, screws, etc
Running on a Dell Optiplex 760 with a Core2 Quad CPU, 4GB RAM, running Windows 7 Ultimate
The Build Plan:
Phase I - Wood cutting and dry fit of parts. (Completed) Assembly and gluing of wood pieces.
Phase II - Wood touchup/filling and attaching exterior wrap.
Phase III - Installation of Electronic components and wiring.
Phase IV - Software installation and testing. Final exterior customization.
chemikalguy:
I started out with a 4'x8' sheet of 1/2" MDF that was cut by the nice gentleman at Home Depot. :) I had to do this because I didn't have a table saw to do the rip cuts. I made a plan so that I could have them cut the long boards, and I would trim them to size.
The first piece that I cut started out as a 14" x 48" piece that HD had ripped for me. I chopped it down to 14"deep x 32" wide, which is the first pic.
The second pic shows my initial measurements of the basic layout of the top panel.
The third pic shows the top panel after the corners had been cut.
The fourth pic shows the bottom panel, which came from a 12"x48" HD cut, that I trimmed to be 12" deepx 29" wide. It's lying on top of the top panel for a sizing comparison.
chemikalguy:
Don't think you have enough room to do any woodworking? Look at my workshop. :D
chemikalguy:
The first two pics are from cutting the front, back or sides. Note the laser (he says in his best Dr. Evil). The Rear is 6", and the front is 5" to give a nice ergonomic slope of the control panel.
The third and fourth show a dry fit of the panels, which show the angle that the side panels need to be cut to give the slope.
The fifth shows the angle cut.
The sixth shows the dry fit of all the pieces so far.
chemikalguy:
Cutting square wood stock for internal bracing
Dry fitting bracing
Dry fitting all bottom and sides
Fitting all pieces so far - left side. No glue, just screws. Will countersink screws when gluing.
Fitting all pieces so far - right side. No glue, just screws. Will countersink screws when gluing.
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