Unfinished projects.. The Support Group/Encouragement Thread

[Howard_Casto]

I've noticed a re-occurring theme in a lot of threads here where people will mention stuff they need to get around to finishing, but still haven't.  I thought maybe we could start a thread to list our unfinished projects as a way of nagging each other to get them done.  It's summer afterall, when most of us have some free time and good weather to get things finished. 

So post your long unfinished projects and update us throughout the summer.

I'll start us off  (pics will be added tomorrow)

1.  Door Chair:   I built a "man-sized" chair by cutting an old panel door in half.  I got everything done but the arms and finish work but had to start on something else.  Things got piled on the chair and it's been sitting on my grandma's back porch for a few years now.  I've got the materials so all I've got to do is cut out the arms and put a nice coat of stain on it. 
    *Update*  Bought the casters yesterday....  it's raining HARD today so my guess is I"ll be stuck in the house this evening so I'll work on 2-5. 

2.  Uber-Pac:  Around pac-man's 30th I started a 30th anniversary mame cab built to as exact specifications to a real cab as possible.  The plan was to make a custom FE, paint on custom sideart and a custom bezel/marquee.  The cab is painted, mostly finished and the custom FE is installed.  Unfortunately it's in working order so I've been playing it, as-is for the past couple of years.  I just recently cut some plate glass for the bezel and marquee, so I need to finish the custom artwork and have it sent off as well as paint on my custom sideart.

3.  Raging Dragon Remodel:  My original mame cab is still around believe it or not.  I started a remodel a year or so ago... brand new vinyl on the cab and a new hanns-g lcd.  Atm the cab is non-functional because I took all the roms off of it in preparation for a mame upgrade only to have the hdd sitting on the desk I'm currently typing on.  Also I need to install a sensor bar since I'm now using a lcd.  Tons of cosmetic things as well.

4.  Troubleshooter 2 2.0:  I need to get this out but it's pretty weather and I hate coding in the summer.  I might release a 1.5 that has all the bug fixes and feature changes and add all the fancy scripting stuff in this winter when I'm stuck in the house. 

5.  Mamehooker 5.0:  See above

6.  Outrun 2k6 enhanced edition:  See above.... actually I could probably churn out the basic feature set in a couple of weeks, but I'm not working on it to encourage myself to work on 4 and 5, which are long overdue.   

[BadMouth]

Not sure anyone wants to read this wall 'o text, but here goes:

I put a whiteboard up in my home office/project room.  It's helped when I feel like working on something, but am overwhelmed by the number of things needing done.  For the most part I ignore it and get excited about new projects before finishing old ones.

I did actually finish two things recently, a dual analogue trigger-stick CP which I haven't created a gamelist for or used yet, and an analog xbox360 control panel that dragged on for six months.

The current undone and their state:

1. Make:Electronics book projects - got halfway through the book in two weeks and haven't got back to it since.  The projects are more complicated
    and take longer to assemble.  I don't want to just sporatically assemble small parts of the schematics on different days.  I want to really understand
    everything that is taking place and how I can utilize it in other projects.  When I do have the necessary time, I'm in the mood to work on something
    else.  The final project in the book is a little cart robot.  I bought an old Tomy Verbot like the one I had as a kid and plan to use that as a platform instead.



2. Neo Geo Evolution slim rotating LCD cab - 90% done. 
   
     Waiting on artwork to make final control panel.
   
     Need to make 4/8 way switching circuit that works by changing the sensetivity of the optical switches used in my joysticks. 
     I have the parts and it would only take an evening.

     Rotary function.  I haave custom extended joystick shafts and mini open bore encoders. Need to make the yoke. 
     I thought the housing would keep the disc aligned, but reading up on it, it might not, so another way might have to be
     devised. CANCELLED

     Scripts for some games need tweaked to make transitions smoother.

     It has an area for instruction cards.  Either need to make up some or make a placeholder.  Current plan is to make one that has instructions for all
     my favorite games on one card.

     Have experimented with 3rd party Wii guns, but system crashes when trying to use two. 
     If I can get one to automatically pair and work without the user having to do anything, then I'll incorporate just one.
     

3. Twin racing cabs/current cab upgrade/? (all the driving cab stuff blurs together)
 
     Sega driving cab control panel(s) - I plan to redo the wiring in my sega CP to utilize mamehooker for the lights.
     I just secured an immersion arcade pcb to interface my happ ffb, but I'd still like to work out all the issues with the servo amp hack. 
     Also picked up a matching CP and Ketz shifter for the other cab. 
     If I want a matched pair, I'll have to pick up another happ ffb setup, LED-wiz, & immersion pcb.   

     Optical 360 degree steering wheel add-on.  The happ steering setup in the above mentioned sega control panel has a quick-release
     stearing wheel adapter welded onto it.  I plan to make a self contained 360 degree wheel that can be swapped in. I have the steering
     wheel, some encoders, some badlands parts.  It's just a matter of spending a day figuring out how best to utilize them.  Also thought
     about just going with a wireless optical mouse to make things easy.


4. Act Labs guts into Happ Recoil shell and shotgun - Not high on the priority list, but I've been collecting parts.  I picked up another pair
    of Act Labs S-video guns (I'm hoarding them), but unlike my current ones these move the mouse pointer 2 inches above where you're aiming. 
    It could be compensated for duing calibration in games, but I'd rather figure out what's wrong and correct it. CANCELLED


5. Sound system in my truck - After helping my girlfriend's son install a sound system in his truck I realized how much I missed working with this stuff. 
    This is what I'm currently excited about and the only thing I want to work on right now.  I sold my kegerator to get money for it instead of it coming
    out of my regular budget.  I've spent most of my free time this week doing research and finding deals.  It will be decent equipment, but not super
    high end.  Everything but the subwoofer should be here by weekend. The interior of the truck will be completely removed and I'll go about applying
    sound deadening material to the doors and back of cab. The A-pillars will be modified with fiberglass to house tweeters.  The doors have molded in
    plastic speaker grills that are probably only 60% open.  I am going to try cutting them out with a heated knife and add metal mesh grills if I can find
    an exact fit.  You might see me in best buy with a slide caliper.  I'm leaving the subwoofer until last and considering it a different project.
    I enjoy designing enclosures and want to save that part until everthing else is already installed and set in stone.  That way my focus will be only on it.
    This will be for sound quality, not boom.  I listen to talk radio and audiobooks on my commute.  It will hit the low notes if I put on some old school
    Techmaster P.E.B. though.  DONE

    6. Paintings - The walls in my house are pretty bare.  I went shopping at department/discount stores for cheap artwork and it was all
        ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- I thought I could paint just as well.  If I'm going to have ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---
        artwork throughout my house, it should at least be done by me.  So I bought a boatload of oil
        painting supplies and acquired some Bob Ross episodes.  I've only done one painting so far.  My mountains look pretty good, but my sky and water
        suck.  Once I get the clouds down, I'll be ready to do the painting I want for my living room.  The one for the kitchen is going to look like cave
        paintings of people hunting and cooking animals, so it shouldn't be hard once I get the background right. ONE DOWN 
        What I need to accomplish right now is practice my clouds.  I might try to do a spray paint space painting for a different room.

[Ond]

Nice to see a support thread like this especially for procrastinators like me!  Like an AA meeting except for procrastinators and time challenged folk.

@ Badmouth - I happily read your 'wall 'o text'  and on my commute to work.

I might log something other than my cab builds in here (but still related).  It's kind of a secret project, but I feel like documenting some parts of the effort without necessarily revealing all. 

[Xiaou2]

To Do: 

 1)  Lambaste Malenko.

Not sure anyone wants to read this wall 'o text, but here goes:

 Please, your killing me with your post length.  My eyes were bleeding with each passing letter.

 My fingers were cramping up from 20 miles of scroll-wheel-hell.

 My brain was burning from all that reading effort and the hate that it brings !

 Two sentences is     WhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaY    more than u need to infuriate people with.

 DONT YOU EVEN REALIZE THAT EVERYONE HATES YOUR LONG POSTS?!!!   EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD!!!!!

 OMG! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING !!!   STOP IT NOW!!!

 Everyone HATES YOU!   You should do and say what I do and say.. and then maybe you might become like almost as COOL as me!   

 Umm, Ok... To tell you the truth, Im sorry, you will never be as cool as me.   But if I let you be my punch-bag 'friend',  Ill get at least most of the world to stop hating you.   But I warn you, I can take all that wonderful glory away from you, with a single sentence post, to my worldwide fan followers.

---

 Finished.   

 

[yotsuya]

TL;DR

[Ond]

Please! this is a support group, warm fuzzy stuff only!

*remains hopeful*       <---- apparently I use this a lot

[wp34]

5. Sound system in my truck - After helping my girlfriend's son install a sound system in his truck I realized how much I missed working with this stuff. 
    This is what I'm currently excited about and the only thing I want to work on right now.  I sold my kegerator to get money for it instead of it coming
    out of my regular budget.  I've spent most of my free time this week doing research and finding deals.  It will be decent equipment, but not super
    high end.  Everything but the subwoofer should be here by weekend. The interior of the truck will be completely removed and I'll go about applying
    sound deadening material to the doors and back of cab. The A-pillars will be modified with fiberglass to house tweeters.  The doors have molded in
    plastic speaker grills that are probably only 60% open.  I am going to try cutting them out with a heated knife and add metal mesh grills if I can find
    an exact fit.  You might see me in best buy with a slide caliper.  I'm leaving the subwoofer until last and considering it a different project.
    I enjoy designing enclosures and want to save that part until everthing else is already installed and set in stone.  That way my focus will be only on it.
    This will be for sound quality, not boom.  I listen to talk radio and audiobooks on my commute.  It will hit the low notes if I put on some old school
    Techmaster P.E.B. though. 

I've thought about getting back into that hobby as well. The equipment was (or seemed) so much more expensive 25 years ago. I wouldn't mind seeing pics of what you come up with. I listen to audiobooks myself but typically through my iPod with just one earbud while driving since the stereo is so old in my truck.


Sent from my Atari 800 mobile device using Tapatalk

[Howard_Casto]

Please! this is a support group, warm fuzzy stuff only!

*remains hopeful*       <---- apparently I use this a lot

I think he's kidding.  Keyword *think*    <----This is my emoticon of choice. 

I started working on some of my stuff.  As I figured having it posted on "teh internetz" shamed me into working on it.  What do you think guys?  Update my original post?  Or add a reply. 

[Ond]

Please! this is a support group, warm fuzzy stuff only!

*remains hopeful*       <---- apparently I use this a lot

I think he's kidding.  Keyword *think*    <----This is my emoticon of choice. 

I started working on some of my stuff.  As I figured having it posted on "teh internetz" shamed me into working on it.  What do you think guys?  Update my original post?  Or add a reply.

Yeah I guess I should know by now when Xiaou2 is kidding, anyway maybe we should try and leave some of that baggage, if you know what I mean, at the door of this particular thread.

I think you should update with a reply, heh, I forget the guys name who used to update his project thread mainly in his first post, it got a bit tricky to follow after a while when the thread got longer. 

The shaming method undoubtedly does work.  What can also work is declaring an achievable short term goal,  I do that, I say "I'm going to do x, y and z this weekend".  Once I've gone and told everyone that's what I'm doing, well, I generally get it done for fear of being shamed AND I've firmed it in my mind, pictured the thing finished if you get me.  The mistake I've made, several times  is declaring large goals with the same thinking only to miss my target.  I'll keep those big goals to myself.  Basically what I'm saying is baby steps, declare your next baby step here and then check back with the group after your target date has passed.  Group praise then follows if you made your target and encouragement if you didn't.      It's basically what happens in individual project threads, but this is more for hard core procrastinators, or for that BIG project you've been putting off starting for like, EVER.  Get it started here.

[BadMouth]

    <---- apparently I use this a lot

If that is in reference to the "who am I?" game thread, that was a clue because your avatar (or at least the avatar that used to be there) wears sunglasses, not that you use the emoticon a lot. 

To tell you the truth, Im sorry, you will never be as cool as me.

 

[Ond]

    <---- apparently I use this a lot

If that is in reference to the "who am I?" game thread, that was a clue because your avatar (or at least the avatar that used to be there) wears sunglasses, not that you use the emoticon a lot. 

Ahhh, of course!     god I'm dopey sometimes.  I'm retiring that avatar, fresh start and all that, my all new shiny one will be along any day now.

[Xiaou2]

You guys are kidding me right      

 Yeah, I was just playing around.   It was in regards to Malenko's attack at my lengthy 'Wall'  posts.

 Badmouth, your probably way cooler than me   heh

 Ive got a list that would make every procrastinator feel incredibly at peace.
I think I tried to get a list written up... but I never finished it.  I ended up putting it off...

 Ugg..

   

[DaOld Man]

Unfinished projects.. where do I start?
Bubbas Arcade.
Lucky 8 Lines bartop.
Gayles JukeBox (a juke for my sister).
Lean-to on my shed to supply storage for my trailer.
Replace doors on the house (sun damage).
Pressure wash the house (the vinyl looks like crap.)
Start building a garage with extra shop area.

Software:
Finish up "Control Choose" plugin for Mala.
Put final touches on my "PCFE", a front end for your desktop PC that allows you to test games and play them on your PC. I have it to the point where it works, now that I can use it Ive gotten lazy on putting all the final touches on it.

[Malenko]

TL;DR

I<3U, no homo

I'll give him credit for trying though! He made a to do list then did it, so I appreciate the joke.

My to dos, in no particular order:

1) get a kick plate for my Galaga restore / 60 in 1 so I can call it finished

2) Order T molding for the ShoRyuKade and put another coat of paint on the sides, then decide what to do with it. X in 1 board, MAME, Generic Jamma, whatevs

3) Finish setting up the software on Checkered Past, consider building addon seat or just sticking with the stool (no , not poop)

4) Reposition the monitor on the Dreamcast Barcade

5) Finish commissioned Weecadestyle bartop powered by 2060 in board. Realistically Im waiting for Paradise to send me the parts they forgot to ship.

non arcade related : Finish framing the bathroom and utility closet in the basement to get operation "arcade room" in gear

[Howard_Casto]

I  forgot to mention one and I've been busy actually working on it, so I haven't had a chance to update. 

I've got a 92 Camaro that I'm trying to get ready for paint.  In the past week I've painted and smoothed a rusted out body panel, re-aligned a door, replaced a window sweep, lubricated all the door lock/door latch linkages, re-aligned and lubricated the glass, removed and re-painted the door handle and door locks and started to straighten and repair the door card. 

And that was the easy door.  I'll start on the driver side, which doesn't have the original door, tomorrow.  Hopefully it'll go smoother now that I know what I'm doing. 

After that I've got to strip and re-paint all the black trim on the car, remove, repair and re-align the metal portion of the rear hatch, re-align the nose and then it's off to paint!

[ark_ader]

Well the weather is nice and sunny, but I still have non procrastinate-able responsibilities that stop me. 

Maybe next month:

Fix Felix Weecade - Artwork, Bezel and wiring - everything else is done.

Android Dragon's Lair Project. - Wood cut, artwork mixed in with Weecade  looking at buying this to replace a hacked Scroll II tablet.

   

[Howard_Casto]

I took everything off the driver side door today.  Started this morning, and just finished about an half hour ago.  Man was it roached. 

I'll start paint tomorrow. 

[wp34]

I took everything off the driver side door today.  Started this morning, and just finished about an half hour ago.  Man was it roached. 

I'll start paint tomorrow.

I used to help my dad restore cars.  It was not something I had a knack for but it was a lot of fun and very rewarding.  Post some pics if you think about it.  I love those old Camaros.

[Howard_Casto]

Sure thing.  The paint is completely dead so right now I'm doing body work and spraying areas that the painters won't get (under door seals, ect).  Once I get all the body work done I'll post some pics and then again once it's been painted. 

I'm actually only the second owner, but the thing is 20 years old... minor things just start piling up after that many years, especially considering there was a period of two or three years where it wasn't under a car port or anything.  It completely ruined anything rubber on the car and cracked the dash to pieces. 

[Howard_Casto]

Well more car work (joy).  Spent the last two days working on the driver side door.  I got the area where the door sweeps go smoothed out and re-painted.  I got the new sweep installed as well.  I've still got to install the triangle seal tomorrow and re-align the window.  There are two more sections of the door that need smoothed out and re-sprayed, so I'm hoping I can get done with the painting at least, tomorrow. 

I borrowed an industrial buffer to try and work on the dead paint.  I did the side mirror (since it was off the car anyway) and it did pretty good.  Of course my porch is now white because I put too much wax on the buffer, but oh well. 

After I get these doors done I'm taking a break.  It's just too damn hot and I have arcade projects I could be working on. 

[BadMouth]

 

Thread not working. 

Life keeps throwing roadblocks in front of me.
The sound system in the truck should be completely done by this weekend.
(It's done, but I need to redo a couple things  )
I had planned to post a build thread on a forum specific to my model truck, but might just throw the pics in a flickr album and post a link here.
It's a LOT of pictures.

Haven't made any progress on anything else, but the motivation is building to knock out a couple things on the Neo Geo Evolution cab.

[Malenko]

Thread not working. 

I know right? I cant believe its been a month and I got almost none of that stuff done, except extra coat of paint on the SRK

[Howard_Casto]

My racing stuff totally went on the back burner. 

I've spent all my free time on my car and I keep running into weird issues. 

And now MK is out on the pc... and it's moddable, so that's been a huge distraction.  Expect "Ultimate Mortal Kombat" to be released sometime in the future. 

Plus I keep getting these migraines, so it's hard to work on anything artistic/high level. 

I'm tellin ya though, I'm going to get at least one thing scratched off that list before September hits.   

[jennifer]

     My name is Jennifer, And I have unfinished projects ...  #1, Finish paint booth (and stop dumping money into design changes)
                                                                                      #2, Enduro racer, get the side art done.
                                                                                      #3, Getaway high speed, Get preped for paint booth, and strip playfield.
                                                                                      #4, Galaxy, Finish playfield, and prep for booth.
                                                                                      #5, Popeye, and Donky kong...Recap chassis, prep for booth
                                                                                      #6, Ms pac, Just clean that mess up, and finish stripping it.
                                                                                      #7, Pac man...Hold off on that for awhile.
                                                                                      #8, Tron, Finish putting the stickers on, and put a new ground wire on the harness,
                                                                                             (Dont ask)
                                                                                      #9, Recap the Leader 400, (Pattern generator)
                                                                                      #10, Find a boyfriend.

[jennifer]

                      #11, Figger out how to install a toilet.
                      #12, Finish the Rockola 440, (Rebuild the credit unit is about all left on this)
                      #13, Build a huge shelf to hold like 70 Tvs.
                      #14, Find my Fluke multimeter...
                      #15, Fix Tommy gate on the truck...And maybe get some new shocks.
                      #16, Convert Smash tv back into a Frogger.
                      #17, Make dinner....
                      #18, Go ask sister if I can store 2 Spy hunters in her garage.
                      #19, Bring Xenon up to the shop...(Fix Tommy gate first)
                      #20, Get nails done. 

[Xiaou2]

Plus I keep getting these migraines

 Two things stopped these from happening to me:

 1) no more artificial sweetener
 2) no more products with soy in them

 The soy.. never used to have an issue, but it because a huge problem all the sudden.
Sadly, they are putting soy into just about Everything now.   Probably genetically modded, packed full female hormones, and pesticides.

[Howard_Casto]

I just need to go to the doctor really... been putting it off.  You never know, I could have a tumor or something. 

About the only thing I eat/drink that has artificial sweetener in it is Pop, and I don't drink that after 10pm, and I mostly drink water regardless. 

Genetically modified veggies is a GOOD thing btw.  We've been doing it since the 1600's, just in a more primitive manner.  Ever wonder how maze became corn?   The hippies act like there are people in a lab doing mad experiments, but in terms of plant life, modification is generally just done via clippings, splicings and selective cross-breeding.  You get the same results and it's substantially cheaper than doing things in the lab.

[Dawgz Rule]

Plus I keep getting these migraines, so it's hard to work on anything artistic/high level.

My wife has been suffering from migraines for years.  We tried everything including strict diets and none of those worked.  Two things that seem to do the trick:

Botox Injections - Approved for use in the treatment of migraines.  Seems to help minimize the severity.  Also makes you look younger!!
Sumatriptan Injection - Air injected shot that takes out the migraine in minutes (sometimes seconds).

[Malenko]

Jenn, if you do #10, you can make him do #11 (PS, its easy peasy)

[Howard_Casto]

I'm pretty sure your ability to install a toilet and your worth as a human being are linked. 

If you've never done it before fair enough, but if you can't do it you might as well give up now.. life only gets harder from here. 

[rpgposer]

I hope Xioau feels better now that he has vented.
Replacing a toilet is one of the easier home fixit tasks.
I envy Howard because his projects actually are cool, where mine are more pedestrian:

1.  Replace every piece of major infrastructure in the 300+ year old house we bought 2 years ago.  (This will take years).
2.  Tile the mudroom.
3.  Move arcade cab into said mudroom.
4.  Add 3 buttons per player to CPO.
5.  Hook up Dreamcast and PS2 to said cabinet.
6.  Retire (HA), take nap, play old games on old hardware in old cabinet.

Edit: 7.  Understand how CJH/Dick Turpin fooled me into believing he was two different people.

[Howard_Casto]

I'm pretty sure it was actually three people, but I don't have any proof. 

I had my suspicions all along but I believe in people getting a second (or third) chance, so I didn't mention it. 

I dunno... the list looks kind of fun.  I actually like remodeling believe it or not.  Mind you I usually take three times as long as I should with projects like that, but they always turn out really nice. 

[rpgposer]

I'm pretty sure it was actually three people, but I don't have any proof. 

I had my suspicions all along but I believe in people getting a second (or third) chance, so I didn't mention it. 

I dunno... the list looks kind of fun.  I actually like remodeling believe it or not.  Mind you I usually take three times as long as I should with projects like that, but they always turn out really nice.

Thanks for the encouragement.  You should see this house.  The basement is only partially modernized (lol).  Half of it still has a dirt floor.  The basement walls (foundation) are stacked rocks with packed mud in between them.  At some point, part of the walls were covered in some sort of mud/plaster combo which was painted white.  It is rotting and flaking off the rocks.  I have been removing that stinking dirt and replacing with concrete, but it is a slow process.
In the past (100 years), in order to make room for a real furnace/boiler two supporting posts were cut, which makes the kitchen floor sag a bit in some spots.  The floor joists are round logs.  We have to jack those spots up and replace the posts which is no big deal.  However the second floor front bedroom has a gable which is slowly falling off the front of the house.  It also needs to be jacked up and floor joists replaced.  The horsehair plaster walls all have cracks from a poor joist repair many years ago (someone put in a steel beam - looks like a girder) and the whole house settled around that beam because it didn't move and the rest of the house did.
It can be overwhelming at times, and it's hard to see progress, but we have done quite a lot that I haven't touched on here.  If you want to swap tasks, just let me know, we can trade for a bit. 

[Howard_Casto]

Yeah that kind of stuff is a pain in the butt.  When you are done and you know that you've done it yourself it makes it worth it though. 

Me I'm just so damn picky about how I want stuff done that I do as much myself as I can when it comes to stuff like that.  This way I know it was done right or at the very least I know who to blame if it goes up in flames. 

[jennifer]

      Omg that house sounds tough... games are quite heavy and it may be a problem on a floor thats already giving out. To support all that maybe build  railroad tie walls around the furnace in the basment.

[saint]

I'm still going to finish and reveal that thing in my basement one day!

[ChadTower]

No, you won't.

[Howard_Casto]

[Malenko Mode]

Heck we can't even get you to update the front page, forget about getting something accomplished in the real world. 

[/Malenko Mode]

[jennifer]

Jenn, if you do #10, you can make him do #11 (PS, its easy peasy)

This idea is working !!!! , I went down and bought a new welder, and got a date with the young guy selling them. (Yes Jennifer flirted him) ... So now on the date, he can weld up some  paint booth duct/door. Now to find a plumber too.

[Malenko]

[Malenko Mode]

Heck we can't even get you to update the front page, forget about getting something accomplished in the real world. 

[/Malenko Mode]

Only hurts cause it's true.

This idea is working !!!! , I went down and bought a new welder, and got a date with the young guy selling them. (Yes Jennifer flirted him) ... So now on the date, he can weld up some  paint booth duct/door. Now to find a plumber too.

You go girl!