Completed!!!! My first build: Beat'em up-X.

[Locke141]

Got the routing for the joysticks out of the way today. Was going to build a jig, then decided just to free hand it.

[Locke141]

I'm thinking of using this red covered flip switch as a dedicated shift key. I would probably mont on the side of the CP between P1 & P2. What do you think?

[Rick]

I'm thinking of using this red covered flip switch as a dedicated shift key. I would probably mont on the side of the CP between P1 & P2. What do you think?

As long as you're planning on having it labeled "SELF DESTRUCT", then you have my approval.

[BadMouth]

Your free handing is better than the jigs I use. 

My opinion on the colorful toggle switch mounted on the front of the cab is that children will not be able to resist messing with it.

[Locke141]

Your free handing is better than the jigs I use.

My opinion on the colorful toggle switch mounted on the front of the cab is that children will not be able to resist messing with it.

Thanks, I was pleasantly surprised how well it came out. I turned the CP right side up, the base of the joy stick stayed in place with out screws in all four places.     

How about on the CP torts the back?

P.S. Your Neo Geo cab is sick.

[BadMouth]

My opinion on the colorful toggle switch mounted on the front of the cab is that children will not be able to resist messing with it.

How about on the CP torts the back?

P.S. Your Neo Geo cab is sick.

Thanks.

I would put it on the back facing the monitor or put a black button on the underside of the CP.....and never let children see you touch it.
Others have actually used switches that require a key.
It's your cab though.  Do what you want.  You can always disconnect the wires and go a different route if it becomes an issue. 

On my current setups, you press the exit button while in the front end and then press start to confirm shutting the PC down.
My friends daughter who isn't well behaved pounded random buttons as hard as she could with the bottom of her fists until it was turned off, then went to the driving cab and did the same thing.  I restarted them only to have her immediately do it again. Her father's response was that her attraction to hitting buttons was too strong for him to do anything about.   

My old stuff isn't nice enough to worry about it being damaged.  The new builds are.
I haven't decided what I'm going to do to protect them.  I might stop having large groups of people over altogether. 

[Locke141]

I'm thinking of using this red covered flip switch as a dedicated shift key. I would probably mont on the side of the CP between P1 & P2. What do you think?

As long as you're planning on having it labeled "SELF DESTRUCT", then you have my approval.

I honestly considered it.

[Locke141]

Hinges installed. It seems fine with just the two, but i'm going to add two more just in case.

I was struggling to think of a better base to the CP. What do you all think of an oil drum?

I can get a free one in much better shape. Fits the beat'em up theme well I'd say. Can remember using them as weapons in at least one game. Was it double dragon?

[severdhed]

Looking good. I'm a little unsure of the oil drum...I guess it depends on where this cabinet will be when it is finished. It looks cool, definitely unique, and in a garage or similar location, it is very cool. I'm not sure how it would look sitting in a living room.

[Locke141]

Looking good. I'm a little unsure of the oil drum...I guess it depends on where this cabinet will be when it is finished. It looks cool, definitely unique, and in a garage or similar location, it is very cool. I'm not sure how it would look sitting in a living room.

It will be in my home office for now, we move a lot do to my wife's job.

The one I'd be using would be in much better shape, this one is going to be used to degrees metal engine parts in the DT Lab. 
The things going for it are I'll be getting it for free , its extremely stable for such a small foot print, and  I can just leave it behind when I move to our next post and start over on the base if I decide I don't love it.

[BadMouth]

I like the barrel.  It's different and goes with the theme.
The only thing I'd worry about is it tipping over if a kid is swinging from the P3 or P4 joystick.

[severdhed]

That's cool.as long as it is stable. I guess you could always put a few cinder blocks in the bottom if it needs more stability. I'm curious to see how this turns out.

[Malenko]

Im old skool, Id paint it like a Donkey Kong Barrel 

[BadMouth]

Im old skool, Id paint it like a Donkey Kong Barrel 

If Mario would have just kicked the damn barrel, he would have had some turkey to eat.

[Locke141]

 Double dragon not old school enough?

I can't think of a better base for a beat'em up themed pedestal then an actual weapon from one of the most iconic games of the genre.

Hmmm, maybe a golden axe base. Just kidding.
 

[Locke141]

Cross posting this post to the main page.

I was thinking about using cat 5 cables to wire up my 4 player pedestal CP. Colors would be matched to the color of each player.
I was thinking it would be a nice and easy way to keep the wires clean.

Is this a bad idea? Has any one tried using cat5 to an i-pac before?

I originally got the idea from (http://www.beersmith.com/mame/panels.htm)

The pic is from the above web site and is not mine. I just included it for some context.

[BadMouth]

Yup.  Been done by the guys with swappable panels.

It used to be common to see old cat 5 cable cut up and used on a control panels because the builders were IT guys who had a ton of it laying around.

[severdhed]

We used cat 5 on my boss's cabinet, it works perfectly fine. Also, if you need to untwist a pair (perhaps for a ground wire), cut it to length, put the end in a drill and pull the two wires apart while running the drill.

[PL1]

The 30 AWG wire commonly used in Cat 5 can be difficult to crimp solidly.

You may want to also solder the wires to the crimps or solder the wires directly to the microswitch tabs.


Scott

[TopJimmyCooks]

Solder or do what I do:  hit a euro terminal strip at each set of sticks/buttons to transfer from the 30ga to some 18 gauge or similar that's easier to interface with the lugs on the switches.  you can see the terminal strips under the buttons in this pic. 

[Locke141]

Thanks guys,

I will look into getting some terminal strips here in Tanzania. I picked up a pack of 100 cable clips for less then a dollar that should work nicely with the cat 5.
 
Made some sketch ups with the new base. The double barrel may look cool but would not allow for leg room when seated. Another option might be to do a foot rail that matches the out line of the CP.

I'm still playing around with ideas so pleas let me know what you think.     

[Rick]

hit a euro terminal strip at each set of sticks/buttons to transfer from the 30ga to some 18 gauge or similar that's easier to interface with the lugs on the switches.  you can see the terminal strips under the buttons in this pic.

Hey TopJimmyCooks, do you have a larger pic of this? Your wiring looks amazing, and it's totally something that all builders should look to for inspiration.

[Locke141]

Progress has been slow as of late do to all my free time going to "fixing" (learn ing how to use) the DT labs CNC etcher, a Roland EGX 350. It seems after the last DT teacher left, no one knew how to use it. Now that I got it working I am hoping to find a use in a future build. Maybe a bar top made with edge lit perspex sides.   

Heres my first test print.


Been working on my vectoring skills to better use the etcher, it's coming along but I have a ways to go. If any one has any vectored art, knows a good place to find some, or has a good place to learn how to do vector art pleas feel free to share.   

Back to the build at hand. Is a spray can primer on my MDF a bad idea? I need to do some more looking, for now the rattle can is what I could find at my local hardware store. Keep in mind I live in Tanzania.

My other question is should I use threaded inserts for the installation for the joy sticks?

I have a week off next week so I'm hoping to get every thing planned and together this week so I can get the primer and wiring done with my up coming free time.

When school gets back I should have my barrel. I'm not shore I'll going to go this root, but I was given some mettle tubing for the bar stile foot rest. My friend the DT teacher can help me to weld. If I decide to go this root, I'm thinking of having the welding done by professionals. I don't want it all to fall apart in the end.       

Here is a sample of my newb vectoring skills. I went with Manga are because it was in black and white. This pic was just for practice and will not find its way in to this build.   

[CaptainMarvel]

Laminating two 4' by 2' MDF sheets to get a 3/4'' with.

Out of curiosity, why would you not have simply gotten yourself some 3/4" MDF?


 

[Locke141]

Laminating two 4' by 2' MDF sheets to get a 3/4'' with.

Out of curiosity, why would you not have simply gotten yourself some 3/4" MDF?


 

It was free.
It worked out well. I'm happy with it.

[Locke141]

My barrel arrived to day.   

I am going to used wood sealer on the MDF. I was told this should make it so I can use less spray can primer. Hoping to have the first and second cote of priming done by Friday after noon.

Next week I'm off work, so I'll bring the CP hone for wiring.

[severdhed]

looks good, i love the color of the barrel

[stinkyrob]

I just need to chime in hear and say I think the barrel is a really cool idea. 

[Locke141]

looks good, i love the color of the barrel

Thanks, I like it too. I am hoping the red T-molding looks good with it, maybe I should have gotten blue. I had this idea of painting Captain America's shield on the barrel, he was in a Beat'em up. But I like it to much as is to take the chance.

I just need to chime in hear and say I think the barrel is a really cool idea. 

Thanks, and welcome to BYOAC.

[Locke141]

I used a wood sealer called sanding sealer to prevent the MDF from absorbing all the spray primer. Two coats of sealer later and I think it looks pretty good. After each coat I sanded with 150 then 600 paper. It almost has the feel of a polished stone countertop to it.

It looks better in real life then in the pics.

Tomorrow my wife and I have a sonogram appointment. Hopefully I will get to start priming after.

 

   

[Locke141]

Progress

Two coats primer done.

Started to cut the cat-5's to length and have found a cheep easy way to crimp the skinny 30ga wires to quick connects. I'll post my solution with picks when I finnish them up.

Does any one know if its ok to use latex baste paint over oil baste paint? I just learned that the local artist that I want to use to paint my CP, uses latex baste. I wish I thought to ask before I primed with oil primer, could've just had him prime for the same price and saved money on the brush and can of primer.

Keep in mind I live in west Africa. Asking the artist who work in shacks next to the grocery store to use different paint would mean I would have to provide it, and just hope they can do a good job in the new medium.   

[Locke141]

Oops!

Double posted.

Is there a way to delete a post?

[sleong]

Progress

Two coats primer done.

Started to cut the cat-5's to length and have found a cheep easy way to crimp the skinny 30ga wires to quick connects. I'll post my solution with picks when I finnish them up.

Does any one know if its ok to use latex baste paint over oil baste paint? I just learned that the local artist that I want to use to paint my CP, uses latex baste. I wish I thought to ask before I primed with oil primer, could've just had him prime for the same price and saved money on the brush and can of primer.

Keep in mind I live in west Africa. Asking the artist who work in shacks next to the grocery store to use different paint would mean I would have to provide it, and just hope they can do a good job in the new medium.

If you used oil primer you would need to use oil base paint!  If you painted latex over oil base it will just peel.  It will not give a good bond!

Although oil base paint is harder to clean up and such but it gives a nice finish.  It is just hard to clean and it smells more.  But that is my opinion.

[Locke141]

I picked up the hand carved Gauntlet dragon head today. It looks Great!

Should I use it on the CP or on the wall?

The rest of the CP will be painted in a stile similar to the pic in the first post, which is based largely off of the gauntlet CP. I am going to drop the golden axe/swords and replace them with more flames.

Pleas let me know what you all think. 

[lcmgadgets]

Congrats on your build, & becoming a dad!

U got negative feedback here?!? I'm genuinely surprised! In the end, it's your cab, & u r the best judge of it. Don't let anyone, here or elsewhere, discourage u! By 'Beat 'em Up' games, if u mean Street Fighter, Killer Instinct, Mortal Combat, etc., I've never been a big fan of those. But who the heck cares what my opinion is?--I like the look of what you're building, go man, go! 

[Locke141]

Congrats on your build, & becoming a dad!

U got negative feedback here?!? I'm genuinely surprised! In the end, it's your cab, & u r the best judge of it. Don't let anyone, here or elsewhere, discourage u! By 'Beat 'em Up' games, if u mean Street Fighter, Killer Instinct, Mortal Combat, etc., I've never been a big fan of those. But who the heck cares what my opinion is?--I like the look of what you're building, go man, go! 

Thanks,

Beat 'em Up's are the left to right side scrollers where you have to fight your way through, often with up to 3 friends at your side. The games you listed are called Fighters. They evolved from Beat 'em Up's but lack that cooperative element that made the Beat 'em Up's so fun. Think of TMNT, The Simpsons, or Double Dragon.   

[pbj]

I always called em "fight and go right."

That wood carving is amazing.  This entire project is a unique take on cabinet design, and I like it a lot.

 

[Locke141]

I'm trying a poll for the first time.

Pleas take a second to respond at the top of the page.

[opt2not]

I always called em "fight and go right."

That would make an awesome cabinet name.

[Locke141]

I always called em "fight and go right."

That would make an awesome cabinet name.

Yes it would. Hummm. Do I like that better then Beat'em up-X.