Author Topic: Mission Control Project: 5 years on, what to do with the leftovers? (Read 552622 times)

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #960 on:** November 11, 2006, 07:28:25 am »

Well for what it's worth, I am still so addicted to the project that I'm currently checking this thread from a hotel lobby in Central America.

As I mentioned a bit ago, the progress got (uncharacteristically) slow

as I had some other commitments going on. Today marks the last day of all that so I'd expect more progress (read: inching forward) fairly soon.

Um... after I catch up on all the other stuff I'm behind on.

theCoder · « **Reply #961 on:** November 11, 2006, 10:32:25 pm »

Your use of walnut on the admin panel inspired me to go with an exotic wood on my current project. Thanks.

danny_galaga · « **Reply #962 on:** November 12, 2006, 12:55:03 am »

you guys with your 'walnut' this and your 'new zealand' that. all those exotic trees dying! on the other hand there are heaps of mdf trees so they arent missed

AlanS17 · « **Reply #963 on:** November 12, 2006, 01:36:35 am »

I have no idea how to check, but I'd be willing to guess this this both the oldest active thread and the longest thread anywhere in the forums.

I'm gonna start reviving my old threads for the heck of it - just to have one older.

DrewKaree · « **Reply #964 on:** November 12, 2006, 02:06:15 am »

Quote from: danny_galaga on November 12, 2006, 12:55:03 am

you guys with your 'walnut' this and your 'new zealand' that. all those exotic trees dying! on the other hand there are heaps of mdf trees so they arent missed

I'm still trying to get some seeds from the money tree he's using for this project.

I threw a few coins in the ground and watered 'em over the summer, but I'm guessing it takes a few years for it to sprout

MYX · « **Reply #965 on:** November 12, 2006, 12:41:12 pm »

Quote from: Pixelhugger on November 11, 2006, 07:28:25 am

Well for what it's worth, I am still so addicted to the project that I'm currently checking this thread from a hotel lobby in Central America.

As I mentioned a bit ago, the progress got (uncharacteristically) slow as I had some other commitments going on. Today marks the last day of all that so I'd expect more progress (read: inching forward) fairly soon. Um... after I catch up on all the other stuff I'm behind on.

Woo hoo!!!

danny_galaga · « **Reply #966 on:** November 14, 2006, 08:12:58 am »

Quote from: DrewKaree on November 12, 2006, 02:06:15 am

Quote from: danny_galaga on November 12, 2006, 12:55:03 am

you guys with your 'walnut' this and your 'new zealand' that. all those exotic trees dying! on the other hand there are heaps of mdf trees so they arent missed

I'm still trying to get some seeds from the money tree he's using for this project.

I threw a few coins in the ground and watered 'em over the summer, but I'm guessing it takes a few years for it to sprout

i think you have to water it with THAT hose, but not with children around. drink plenty of Coke (tm)

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #967 on:** November 14, 2006, 05:38:05 pm »

I've finally gotten the upper and lower panels that form the marquee "box" pretty much finished. Because the marquee is "dimensional" I couldn't just cut the usual slot to hold the plastic in place. I needed to cut a wide channel that followed the contour of the top and the bottom of to the marquee. It had to be about 3/4" across to allow for the forward pitch of the plastic. I had to create another template/jig thingie to route the channel. Because the marquee is angled forward I couldn't just trace it's footprint onto MDF for a jig since the actual footprint to cut was about 1" up the face, IE where the platic would exit the channel. Sorry, pretty confusing but importatnt. So I stuck a block as tall as the channel would be deep to find the actual measurement I needed to trace out for a template.

Using that measurement I offset a line on MDF to cut along. I then placed my router bit at the edge of the line and screwed down blocks to run the router base along.

That left me with a template for the top channel.

I flipped the marquee upside down to test the fit.

Here is the final top template ready to be used on the walnut top panel.

and the 3/4" straight cutting bit in the router. Unlike the blocks used to guide the edge of the router to cut the template, the channel will be cut with the bit following the edge of the template (with a top mounted bearing).

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #968 on:** November 14, 2006, 05:41:12 pm »

Having learned the hard way earlier on in the project, I decided to cut the channel in two passes.

Pass one

depth of cut mark for pass two:

and the final result from two passes:

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #969 on:** November 14, 2006, 05:44:41 pm »

I followed the same procedures for the bottom panel. Veeeeery time consuming. Especially considering it all would have been a single, straight 1/2" cut with practically no setup had the marquee been flat. As with everything else on this project, the simplest things have become massively time consuming (and resource intensive) just to accommodate some crazy non standard dimension/shape/inlay etc.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #970 on:** November 14, 2006, 05:46:13 pm »

The plastic in place on the bottom panel.

You can see how deep it sits into the walnut here:

You can also see above how my dumb ass "measure once cut twice" mentality resulted in building up the panel. 3 joints no less!

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #971 on:** November 14, 2006, 05:52:05 pm »

The backside of the channel. This'll get a wedge stuck in along each side that'll put pressure on the plastic to draw it together and hold it tightly in place. It's removable so I can change the marquee artwork should it ever fade, or should I decide I've been seriously one upped in the artwork category and need to improve it. Pretty likely since I've already redone the art a couple of times.

Hehe

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #972 on:** November 14, 2006, 05:53:53 pm »

Here are both panels in place, yet to be trimmed along the diagonals. The bottom panel will be fixed, dadoed into the cabinet sides, while the top panel will be hinged to allow light replacement and artwork tweaks.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #973 on:** November 14, 2006, 05:55:55 pm »

Gratuitous angles.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #974 on:** November 14, 2006, 05:59:39 pm »

And here are the panels with the diagonals rough cut...

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #975 on:** November 14, 2006, 06:03:19 pm »

And more gratuitous angles.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #976 on:** November 14, 2006, 06:11:12 pm »

Not shown in these last pics.... lots of cleanup to the edges with a stationary belt sander to remove the roughness left by the circular saw.

I've also bullnosed all the edges pretty heavily (surprize) so the whole thing is very smooth.

Next up is wet finish sanding (600 grit) with oil to fill the open pores of the walnut. Then I'll stain it to match the previously shown CP trim, so it'll a bit darker and richer than it would otherwise be... and significantly darker that the raw wood seen above.

javeryh · « **Reply #977 on:** November 14, 2006, 06:12:40 pm »

Wow. Looking good!

theCoder · « **Reply #978 on:** November 14, 2006, 07:05:31 pm »

Nice self portrait in the reflection. Beautiful work. I really like large diameter bullnosed edges. It just invites people to touch it.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #979 on:** November 14, 2006, 07:16:00 pm »

Quote from: theCoder on November 14, 2006, 07:05:31 pm

Nice self portrait in the reflection.

Heh. Thanks for noticing.

Timoe · « **Reply #980 on:** November 14, 2006, 07:30:45 pm »

Good job taking your time Pixel, I hate the fact that I'm done with my cabinet.

Also, I love walnut.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #981 on:** November 14, 2006, 08:26:16 pm »

Quote from: Timoe on November 14, 2006, 07:30:45 pm

I hate the fact that I'm done with my cabinet.

What is this... how do you say.... "done with cabinet"??

Zakk · « **Reply #982 on:** November 14, 2006, 09:47:02 pm »

can you get a pic with some big gumballs in there?

HoopstarsGarage · « **Reply #983 on:** November 14, 2006, 10:48:39 pm »

3 years for a marquee...??!!

gamenut · « **Reply #984 on:** November 15, 2006, 04:39:40 pm »

If it were me, and i was as close to finished as you are, with as much time invested as this project has got, I'd quit my job just to finish it.

no not really

AmericanDemon · « **Reply #985 on:** November 15, 2006, 05:49:39 pm »

Dude that looks tight! I am duly impressed and I cannot wait....as well as many others....to see this hit its completion. This is a marvel amongst our kind.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #986 on:** November 15, 2006, 05:55:25 pm »

Hey AD - good to hear from you!! I'm not on IM at work anymore

so it's good to errr... see a familiar face.

danny_galaga · « **Reply #987 on:** November 17, 2006, 05:48:41 am »

subtle, subtle...

javeryh · « **Reply #988 on:** November 17, 2006, 08:34:20 am »

Quote from: danny_galaga on November 17, 2006, 05:48:41 am

subtle, subtle...

heh, I didn't even notice that... but I agree.

Mark70 · « **Reply #989 on:** November 17, 2006, 08:22:48 pm »

Man, that backlit frosted look is The Sh.... uh The pooh.

Awesome.

You're going to have to print your marquee art on acetate and have plenty of clear and translucent areas to take advantage of that. And light it with a good lamp type.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #990 on:** November 17, 2006, 08:28:09 pm »

Yeah, it'll be lit with a much cooler lamp(s). That yellow tungsten is coming from my floor lamp in the background.

I'm planning on having mamemarquees print everything. They did such a beautiful job on the CP and I've heard great things about their new marquee backlit film. Super excited to get that installed!

Neilyboy · « **Reply #991 on:** December 14, 2006, 02:36:22 pm »

man. I wish I had more freetime than the few minutes I get to myself when I get up in the morning before I go to work. I get no free time with this new girl friend.. I may have to cut back on her a bit to give myself some time to finish my cab.

I LOVE your cab so far PH!

Neil

danny_galaga · « **Reply #992 on:** December 15, 2006, 08:20:45 am »

Quote from: Neilyboy on December 14, 2006, 02:36:22 pm

man. I wish I had more freetime than the few minutes I get to myself when I get up in the morning before I go to work. I get no free time with this new girl friend.. I may have to cut back on her a bit to give myself some time to finish my cab.

I LOVE your cab so far PH!

Neil

i actually decided to be celibate while i built my cab

. worked though, only took a couple of months or so to complete

GadgetGeek · « **Reply #993 on:** February 20, 2007, 12:47:17 pm »

UPDATES PLEASE!!!

As if you needed another idea running through your head, have you thought about having an embroidery shop do custom barstool covers with your mission control logo on it? You've already gone all out and done hats, keep pushing the limit!

HoopstarsGarage · « **Reply #994 on:** February 21, 2007, 10:33:00 pm »

Quote from: GadgetGeek on February 20, 2007, 12:47:17 pm

UPDATES PLEASE!!!

You'll have to wait another 12 months..

(+_+) · « **Reply #995 on:** February 22, 2007, 11:12:26 am »

Quote from: Pixelhugger on November 14, 2006, 05:59:39 pm

And here are the panels with the diagonals rough cut...

Hey, that looks like me taking the picture. But it isn't, so I don't want to be taking any flack for not posting updates recently.

Aurich · « **Reply #996 on:** February 22, 2007, 12:26:44 pm »

Quote from: Pixelhugger on November 17, 2006, 08:28:09 pm

I've heard great things about their new marquee backlit film.

Super happy with how it works, much better than any other backlit print I've used before. Doesn't wash out.

ChadTower · « **Reply #997 on:** March 05, 2007, 02:36:49 pm »

Finally caught up on this... as always I'm in awe.

So many bullnoses, it's like a hot dog factory in there.

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #998 on:** March 05, 2007, 03:06:06 pm »

And more bullnosing to come...

I've got an update to the MiniMarquee which is almost done... and I also redid the NavPanel walnut. The piece I had originally used for the NavPanel (seen finished earlier) was too lightly colored and mottled. It didn't take stain very well and ended up looking really thickly and unnaturally stained. So I found a better board and rerouted it. Another upside to the redo was a cleaner cut so the plastic fits even better. Not really postworthy in itself, but it shows my continued obsession with the project if nothing else. Pics of both will be up later this week once I finish sanding and staining.

After finishing layout lines on the sides next weekend, I hope to be dadoing them a week from sat! After cutting the dados the next step will be the interior structures (the base... monitor shelf etc) and then... gasp... assembly. It's crunch time now since we're hoping to have another baby this year or early next, before which point the project has to be completely finished. The wife agrees and has ceded control of weekend free time (the honey-do list) to the cause. WOOT!!

ChadTower · « **Reply #999 on:** March 05, 2007, 03:39:16 pm »

Quote from: Pixelhugger on March 05, 2007, 03:06:06 pm

The wife agrees and has ceded control of weekend free time (the honey-do list) to the cause. WOOT!!

Well, at least we will forgive putting the focus on the honey-do list if you're trying to have a baby. You can post pics of your wife instead and we'll mentally fill in the "do".


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Author Topic: Mission Control Project: 5 years on, what to do with the leftovers? (Read 552622 times)