Main > Project Announcements
Space Base - A homebrew ICB/ZP
bfauska:
--- Quote from: johnrt on February 09, 2015, 03:25:35 am ---
--- Quote from: Louis Tully on February 08, 2015, 06:10:50 pm ---So, yeah... best Fullsize Dedicated of 2015.
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+1
I don't see anyone topping this.
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Just to play devil's advocate and reiterate the jinx aspect... someone could top it by just finishing if this goes the way of some of the greats from years past and doesn't finish this calendar year. But otherwise this project has so much cool stuff it's going to be awesome when it does finish. I really like the mechanical type of games and hadn't thought of them as BYO possibilities before.
Le Chuck:
Thanks guys! There is a lot left to do but we're more than half way for sure. Music is in the can, the program works - just needs to be tested with the hardware to sure they work together (may need to bump up to stepper motors once we can start play testing), we're sure to have hiccups making sure that lights are visible where we want them visible, limit switches are in the right place, everything is adjusted so the ball consistently stays on the bar - stuff like that. My 50m target tho is getting the PF packed up so it doesn't get damaged in transit and sent off because until that PF gets to Canada this project is essentially frozen. I just had to make sure that it would fit together the way we designed it. So far it does so we're on to step 2 (which is actually step 35 or something like that ;) )
wp34:
That looks fantastic. The wood-grain on the sides looks great with the black front. :applaud:
Le Chuck:
--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on November 18, 2014, 10:53:28 am ---Nice route. Always wanted a cnc...
Been having some rough times lately, but thought id offer a little more advice before its regrettable.
The bar hinge mounts you have are not as robust as the originals.. and I suspect they wont hold up too well for duration of use.
See if you can get someone to send closeups of the mounts.
Even the originals had their weak points. I had to rebuild my assembly. I was fortunate to find a hobby shop that sold the thin walled tubing that matched the original spec. I drilled the holes, and then injected some hot glued into the tubes ends to keep them still so they wouldnt bend/flex/loosen. .. and while hot, inserted the mounts in place.
The tube thickness is important. Too.thick... and there will be a drop off and or hop point... where one bar meets the next. You cant have a sticky spot on a game like this.. as it will throw off the much needed, and quite critical, gameplay control.
I ended up using brass, cause I thought it looked great... and was a better match for the look of a bar themed game. However, after considering it more after the fact... I was thinking that the original tube may have better durability and less friction, with long term use. I think I at least clear coat sprayed them lightly after polishing them.
I wondering if a 3 tube / bar system wouldnt be a better idea. A system to lock the main bar in center would be needed.
As for the surface and hole internals... you want these glass smooth. Any surface friction will ruin gameplay.. as the ball may get slowed or stuck. Dust often was the cause... and it was so badly effecting gameplay, that I had to take the entire machine apart, cleaning every surface... including the ball routing trails.
Probably want to use a laminate, and or a plexi covering. The holes will probably need plastic tube inserts... else the ball will wear them quite quickly... especially if using mdf. Plastic will also be easier to clean.
Dont merely rely on paint. Balls rolling over a painted and.or even a lightly clearcoated surface... will still tear it apart quickly. On pinballs, the longest lasting machines playfields have a clear mylar film glued on them.
Remember... mechanics are brutal. Friction, wear, mass, collisions... all a factor. Enough smahing... and things get loose. Loose parts cause misalignment. .. which causes grinding wear... which escalates quickly into permanent functionality problems.
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I just now caught this post - there are some pretty good recommendations here so I'll address most of this as it might be of interest to somebody doing the same later on.
The PF is primed, painted, and vinyl'd. The vinyl does have a protective covering but we'll have to see how that lasts. Doing an a clear acetate overlay might be required but I'll wait and see how it stands up. The holes are all painted and the score holes are sanded out very well but are just MDF and paint. If I can find a right pipe with the proper ID it might be worth doing an insert so that's a good idea. The out holes are large enough that I don't anticipate an issue.
I used hot glue on the ball stops since they aren't internally threaded, the bars are steel tube and the larger of the two goes right to the stop of the smaller to minimize the step down, and to minimize that further I ground it down to a beveled ramp. The attachment points to the linear bearings is a concern, I looked at small machinist rod ends and if the rods don't hold up I'll go that way as well. I didn't because - although there are forces on these parts - I anticipate them to be below the reasonable wear point of the equipment, and the cost saved if worth the potential hassle of replacement. If I built it out for commercial application I'd make similar decisions but lean towards being more robust.
Again, this is prototype and once we can playtest if I need to make adjustments I can. One thing that I've read is problematic on ZP and ICB is the chutes and scoring system. We've eliminated the chutes entirely and the scoring system is magnetic non contact but requires more testing. Providing that works we'll have take care of major wear out issues of the original. Still have to replace drive bands from time to time tho.
Locke141:
:notworthy: