Author Topic: Mission Control Project: 5 years on, what to do with the leftovers? (Read 692890 times)

patrickl · « **Reply #1040 on:** March 19, 2007, 04:42:45 pm »

armax really, knock it off already

blueznl · « **Reply #1041 on:** March 19, 2007, 04:54:06 pm »

Quote from: Pixelhugger on March 19, 2007, 04:31:57 pm

Quote from: blueznl on March 19, 2007, 10:15:50 am
(I wonder if he would mind if I would steal that boomerang idea...)
That's what it's there for.

Okay, it's official! We are allowed to steal his idea!

Unfortunately, a secret project called P38 will have to go first...

armax · « **Reply #1042 on:** March 19, 2007, 05:20:26 pm »

patrickl, don't get your panties in a bunch. Pixelhugger's a big boy....he can handle some hazing (I'm sure he expected some of it given the timeline)....even if some here can't.

Santoro · « **Reply #1043 on:** March 19, 2007, 07:41:46 pm »

Quote from: armax on March 19, 2007, 04:08:18 pm

Well this is sorta what happens when you put so effort into hyping a project instead of actually building one.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1044 on:** March 19, 2007, 07:50:48 pm »

So here is the minimarquee update.

I wanted the marquee to feel inlaid in the walnut the same way the nav panel does, but also wanted it backlit which required floating it. This was the design I settled on which allows me to swap out the artwork down the road.

Basically the plastic and walnut get routed with the inlay bit set just like the nav panel except in this case the walnut gets cut completely through and the plastic floats in the center, instead of resting in a recession. To hold the plastic in place I decided to cement 1/4" or so tabs around the edges. A deep rabbet cut on the back of the walnut gives them somethin to press against and allows for a rear piece of plastic to sandwich the art in place. The design allows for the marquee plastic to protrude slightly from the walnut without any visible fasteners. Woot.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1045 on:** March 19, 2007, 08:21:43 pm »

The inlay process and all the template stuff is covered for the navpanel, so I won't repeat any of that explanation.

Here are some links if anyone missed it and wants to know.

Navpanel templates
NavPanel cutting. Final navpanel with temporary art

Here is the minimarquee template, pretty much like the one for the navpanel only narrower.

Below is the result of routing out the walnut. The rabbeting bit will be run around the inside edge to give me a recession for the plastic tabs and rear plastic that will hold the art in place.

And the result of the rabbeting below....

Next I rounded over the front edges (and later sanded out the burn marks

) You can see the lip created by the rabbet behind the front edge.

Next it was back to the jig to route the plastic. This piece was about a half inch thick so I had to make a billion passes.... cleaning out the pixie dust each time.

You can see how thick the plastic is by the screwdriver sitting in the hole left behind.

Next I cut the plastic tabs and used fancy acrylic glue to fuse them to the sides. I got the sense this stuff would melt your eyes if you were to squeeze the bottle too tightly and get in in your face.

Backside of the plastic with tabs cemented on.

Sitting in the walnut. You can also see the piece of plastic that goes on the back to sandwich everything together.

Lots and lots of polishing ahead. I removed some scratches with 600 grit paper, but now I've got to remove what that left behind.... it's always something.

And here's how it looks from the front. Once I get the cleats on the back the plastic will be flush with the walnut.

javeryh · « **Reply #1046 on:** March 20, 2007, 10:17:20 am »

Wow. This project is definitely worth the wait!

Where does this mini-marquee go on the cab?

(+_+) · « **Reply #1047 on:** March 20, 2007, 10:46:27 am »

Pixelhugger, don't mind armax. I just think he's jealous. Keep up the good work. I personally think your stretching it out because you love what your doing.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1048 on:** March 20, 2007, 11:21:55 am »

It goes beneath the big marquee set back right above the bezel. It'll be used a bit like an instruction card. You can see it below.. the strip of blue above the monitor.

arcadefever · « **Reply #1049 on:** March 20, 2007, 01:43:06 pm »

i love the control panel

take your time

kizer · « **Reply #1050 on:** March 20, 2007, 04:46:55 pm »

Quote from: (+_+) on March 20, 2007, 10:46:27 am

Pixelhugger, don't mind armax. I just think he's jealous. Keep up the good work. I personally think your stretching it out because you love what your doing.

Personally as long as your making progress Im watching.

Heck my machine isn't even in the design phases yet so keep it up so I can get more ideas.

psychotech · « **Reply #1051 on:** March 20, 2007, 07:58:30 pm »

Cool

I've been spying ever since I found the site/forums. That really is (will be..) an awesome cab. Still, I'm not sure about my life expectancy ....

KeEp up the great work !!!

Loki · « **Reply #1052 on:** March 21, 2007, 06:07:16 am »

This has to be the coolest cab I've seen

Can't wait for 2009.... when this cab is finished

* Loki grins

psychotech · « **Reply #1053 on:** March 21, 2007, 08:53:07 pm »

Quote

Can't wait for 2009.... when this cab is finished

So, you really meant 2015? It's really not that far away...

Anyway, awesome ..we just need more updates

armax · « **Reply #1054 on:** March 21, 2007, 09:20:57 pm »

What happened to routing the sides? I'm confused about the order in which the project is proceeding...

1. Cabinet renders
2. Sideart
3. Garage floor
4. Marquee plexi
5. Control panel
6. Side panels (almost teased us into thinking construction had truly begun)
7. Nav panel

It seems like you were set to put the cabinet together when you cut the side panels but then got scared. Maybe it's just me but it seems like you are doing everything else in order to avoid the task of actually building the cabinet. Cmon man, no guts no glory. It's absolutely a beautiful design. Let's see some cabinet work. Everything so far has been great. Take the plunge man...

psychotech · « **Reply #1055 on:** March 21, 2007, 09:24:42 pm »

..hush...

RetroACTIVE · « **Reply #1056 on:** March 21, 2007, 09:30:18 pm »

sick... just plain sick...

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1057 on:** March 21, 2007, 09:32:48 pm »

Quote

It seems like you were set to put the cabinet together when you cut the side panels but then got scared. Maybe it's just me but it seems like you are doing everything else in order to avoid the task of actually building the cabinet. Cmon man, no guts no glory. It's absolutely a beautiful design. Let's see some cabinet work. Everything so far has been great. Take the plunge man...

I don't want to route the sides until I am ready to assemble. There are a couple of very important reasons for that.

1- All the dado and mortise locations depend on the horizontal pieces that go in them, so it makes sense to remove any variables with those first.

2- If I were to route the sides out just because they exist, then take time to finish everything that goes in between them, I'd only be giving them more end grain surface area to absorb moisture through while at the same time reducing (however slightly) their rigidity so they can cup, bow or twist. A problem I'm already having to deal with. Routing the sides has no functional purpose until I'm ready to glue up.

You are right in that I very consciously put off the side panel routing until the horizontal structures are done. But not for fear. Well not as far as I know.

That said, yes the process makes me nervous because the sides are irreplaceable.

I totally understand people's frustration with the lack of progress. I am absolutely guilty of that and deserve the jokes about when I'll finish. The slow pace frustrates me more than anyone... I can promise you that.

psychotech · « **Reply #1058 on:** March 22, 2007, 12:20:18 am »

Not sick .. Just ... perfection. .. Well, it's just around the bend ;

Still,

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1059 on:** March 22, 2007, 12:34:15 am »

theCoder · « **Reply #1060 on:** March 22, 2007, 12:46:50 am »

Quote from: Pixelhugger on March 21, 2007, 09:32:48 pm

...That said, yes the process makes me nervous because the sides are irreplaceable.

No doubt. Those sides are what, 3" thick old growth from 700 year old trees?

Love your inlay work! Very nice.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1061 on:** March 22, 2007, 12:48:20 am »

As part of my new push to fund cabinet progress through arcade artwork commissions, I did some work for a fantastically skilled BYOAC member, Cornchip. If you haven't seen what this guy is capable of you've missed out on a whole new definition of "building" your own. His project is one of those once in a blue moon bar raising feats of cabinet engineering that leaves us all in the dust. He milled his own illuminated joystick handles and spinner top, and designed and machined his own custom (and beautifully engineered) gears to rotate his monitor. He gives me a serious inferiority complex in the construction department. I did some art for his cabinet in exchange for a bunch of these these incredibly cool palm sized rocketsprocket logos which he waterjet cut from solid stainless steel...about 1/8" thick. Purdy hefty. Not shown here is an additional 8" logo out of the same stainless that will be used as a clock in my workshop. Or maybe a clock in my yet to exist game room. I'm really excited about these! I just love computer controlled industrial cutting machines! If I had this stuff at work I'd never leave. As opposed to not having this stuff at work and still never leaving.

One of these goes on the front of the cab as a handle on the flip down keyboard panel as shown in the render below. Another 2 go on the back of the cab covering bolts that secure an access door in place.

Each gets a piece of perf panel recessed a bit below it to add to the dimension.

Aww.... yeeaaaaaaah.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1062 on:** March 22, 2007, 01:03:18 am »

The following pics were taken by Cornchip. I've got movies of the process for my website, too!! The last images are taken with his cab in the background. Like I said, he does amazing stuff. Oh, yeah... he also cut his CP overlay out of stainless.

Cornchips CP in the background:

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1063 on:** March 22, 2007, 01:10:29 am »

Quote

No doubt. Those sides are what, 3" thick old growth from 700 year old trees?

When you put it like that the treehugger in me feels bad.....

DrewKaree · « **Reply #1064 on:** March 22, 2007, 05:54:18 am »

The funny thing is, since it's already gonna be a MAME machine and thus "can't" be MAME-d, armax' grandkid will buy this at some auction and promptly turn it into a desk or firewood for a camping excursion

ChadTower · « **Reply #1065 on:** March 22, 2007, 09:24:17 am »

Only if he brings a boom crane with him to move it.

Santoro · « **Reply #1066 on:** March 22, 2007, 09:38:01 am »

Those gears would make awesome martial-arts weapons. Pixel, you could become some sort of new uber-villain, and the Rocket-Sprocket Chinese Stars lodged in victim's necks could be your 'trademark.'

And imagine, I don't even read comics.

Kaytrim · « **Reply #1067 on:** March 22, 2007, 09:58:55 am »

Quote from: Santoro on March 22, 2007, 09:38:01 am

Those gears would make awesome martial-arts weapons. Pixel, you could become some sort of new uber-villain, and the Rocket-Sprocket Chinese Stars lodged in victim's necks could be your 'trademark.'

And imagine, I don't even read comics.

Geese, I was thinking the same thing.

Cornchip · « **Reply #1068 on:** March 22, 2007, 09:26:18 pm »

Those logo's are look'n good. Where'd ya get them?

Cornchip.

Cornchip · « **Reply #1069 on:** March 22, 2007, 10:43:47 pm »

I thought the logo would make an excellent bezel for a simple clock. I decided to make an extra one for myself. The wood backing is African Padauk. It has an amazing red color, even without the finish to bring out the depth. I still need to round up the parts to finish (movement and hands).

Cornchip.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1070 on:** March 22, 2007, 10:54:01 pm »

AWESOME!

I can hardly wait for the mail person to get here!!! Those canoe rivets look niiiiice. Think I'm gonna mount mine on Koa... maybe carve digits in since I won't have the numeral positions on the gear. Can't afford much more that a board foot of that stuff, so it'll be the perfect project to use it on.

Thanks again Cornchip.

Aurich · « **Reply #1071 on:** March 22, 2007, 10:57:21 pm »

Love the logos. For my first cab my marquee was a piece of steel I had cut on a waterjet with a backlit print behind it, nothing else quite like the effect of the perfectly cut metal.

vrf · « **Reply #1072 on:** March 23, 2007, 01:18:49 am »

Man, this project keeps getting more and more awesome.... I love the little steel logos! Will you sell me a couple?

Last night I was thinking about your cab (not sure why) and I had an idea. When your cab is finally DONE, you should rename it to....

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

AmericanDemon · « **Reply #1073 on:** March 25, 2007, 02:40:19 am »

I am constantly in Aw of this project. PH you will go down as a legend in this hobby.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1074 on:** March 25, 2007, 11:08:12 am »

Hey AD!

Long time no hear!

MYX · « **Reply #1075 on:** March 28, 2007, 02:39:47 pm »

Quote from: AmericanDemon on March 25, 2007, 02:40:19 am

I am constantly in Aw of this project. PH you will go down as a legend in this hobby.

I have to agree. Though, I have been impatient about the finished result, I have totally enjoyed watching the inventiveness of the thing.

melarky · « **Reply #1076 on:** March 28, 2007, 05:00:34 pm »

Quote from: Cornchip on March 22, 2007, 10:43:47 pm

I thought the logo would make an excellent bezel for a simple clock. I decided to make an extra one for myself. The wood backing is African Padauk. It has an amazing red color, even without the finish to bring out the depth. I still need to round up the parts to finish (movement and hands).

Cornchip.

Looks great, but wouldn't it have been better to position the rivets in the "number" places for a clock, so they could pull double duty as rivets and represent the 12 hours? It's so close, it just seems odd you wouldn't have lined them up that way (what do I know though).

I am currently making a clock (we just carved a Mayan calendar with our CNC machine for fun, and figured we may as well make a clock out of it). We have it on a 2' pine table top though, so we have to find a good clock movement and some long hands to fit it. It was a lot of fun to cut, but I don't think I'd ever use pine for a project that detailed again in the future (too soft, many of the details kind of "folded" over on themselves while cutting).

Cornchip · « **Reply #1077 on:** March 28, 2007, 06:47:38 pm »

Count again, there is exactly 12 rivets.

DrewKaree · « **Reply #1078 on:** March 28, 2007, 10:17:18 pm »

Quote from: melarky on March 28, 2007, 05:00:34 pm

Quote from: Cornchip on March 22, 2007, 10:43:47 pm
I thought the logo would make an excellent bezel for a simple clock. I decided to make an extra one for myself. The wood backing is African Padauk. It has an amazing red color, even without the finish to bring out the depth. I still need to round up the parts to finish (movement and hands).

Cornchip.

Looks great, but wouldn't it have been better to position the rivets in the "number" places for a clock, so they could pull double duty as rivets and represent the 12 hours? It's so close, it just seems odd you wouldn't have lined them up that way (what do I know though).

Ummm.....whuh?

Mebbe lay off the paint thinner for a bit or summink?

Mebbe you've gotten too used to your digital watch and can't remember exactly how the numbers position themselves on your clocks?

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #1079 on:** April 13, 2007, 03:03:12 pm »

WOO HOO!

Just bought the Betson Imperial 27" arcade monitor and am leaving work right now to go pick it up! Been waiting for this purchase for YEARS!!!!!

Best. Lunch break. Ever.


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Author Topic: Mission Control Project: 5 years on, what to do with the leftovers? (Read 692890 times)