Racer cabinet than folds into an upright (or vice versa)?

[Cretster]

This might be way too much of a nightmare to build, but I thought to myself today that I would love to have a racer type sit down cabinet, which could also suit flight games and Elite etc, but I basically don't have the space.  I currently have an upright cab that I build and I love it, but a racer would be brutal, plus I could set up the pedals/wheel etc so the kids could also use it easier.

So it made me wonder, has anyone ever built a racer that somehow converts quickly to an upright cab, or vice versa?  It doesn't have to be a work of art, but more function over form for me.

I can already hear people saying "Don't be so ridiculous!" etc, but I'd love to try something like that if I could figure out how it would fit together and convert.

Thanks!

[yotsuya]

This might be way too much of a nightmare to build, but I thought to myself today that I would love to have a racer type sit down cabinet, which could also suit flight games and Elite etc, but I basically don't have the space.  I currently have an upright cab that I build and I love it, but a racer would be brutal, plus I could set up the pedals/wheel etc so the kids could also use it easier.

So it made me wonder, has anyone ever built a racer that somehow converts quickly to an upright cab, or vice versa?  It doesn't have to be a work of art, but more function over form for me.

I can already hear people saying "Don't be so ridiculous!" etc, but I'd love to try something like that if I could figure out how it would fit together and convert.

Thanks!

The problem is the seat. I have a racer. If I pulled it apart, the monitor would be too low, and what would I do with seat assembly? Where would I put the racing controls?

If you want a racer, make room for one. 

[Cretster]

I did think that the seat would potentially have to be a separate piece that just fits in once the rest is in position.

I already have racing controls that fold away in my upright cab, the control panel would need to move down and forwards, and the monitor would have to raise and lower.

I do not have room to permanently have a racer cab, and that won't change. But something that can turn into one when needed would be fine. I like the challenge and I like making stuff. Don't care if it's a(nother) frankencab, but I'm just trying to think about the practicalities/mechanics of how it could be done.

If people tell me not to bother I'm afraid it usually makes me want to do something even more!

[PL1]

How about a stool the correct height for the monitor, pedal(s) on a raised /recessed step, and removable clamp-on steering wheel/shifter?


Scott

[Nephasth]

If people tell me not to bother I'm afraid it usually makes me want to do something even more!

Well, have fun banging your head against the wall!

[DeLuSioNal29]

If all else fails, how about this smaller bartop driving cab?

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,139895.0.html

As for the folding cabinet design, how about something similar to Bender's Benderama cab, except the front/bottom would fold up or down, while the monitor stayed put.  (Similar to a folding treadmill).  There would be a cutout for a monitor on the bottom of the driving seat, which can slide forward or back to expose the hole to line up to close it.

(This is one of those moments where I wish I was adept at using SketchUp).

D

[yotsuya]

I did think that the seat would potentially have to be a separate piece that just fits in once the rest is in position.

I already have racing controls that fold away in my upright cab, the control panel would need to move down and forwards, and the monitor would have to raise and lower.

I do not have room to permanently have a racer cab, and that won't change. But something that can turn into one when needed would be fine. I like the challenge and I like making stuff. Don't care if it's a(nother) frankencab, but I'm just trying to think about the practicalities/mechanics of how it could be done.

If people tell me not to bother I'm afraid it usually makes me want to do something even more!

I'm going to make one more comment, then gracefully bow out of this conversation, lest I be accused of being a destroyer of dreams...

You stated in your OP that you want a sit-down type racer. If you're going to do it right, it's going to be a full seat that you sit in, bottom horizontal, feet on pedals, and so forth. Those are big. You sit DOWN to play them. The monitor is an appropriate height, much lower than a standard upright.


 I assume that's what you want. If you're thinking a stool or chair you can pull into place, that's a not a sit-down racer. It may be a matter of semantics, but that's how I read it.

If space is an issue, maybe you should look at an upright Outrun or Pole Position and a swappable control panel setup. If you really want a true sit down, I don't see how it won't take up a lot of space even if it's "convertible".

Good luck to you with this.

[BadMouth]

Best I've seen is The Final Stage
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,119304.msg1264273.html#msg1264273

[yotsuya]

Best I've seen is The Final Stage
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,119304.msg1264273.html#msg1264273

That is a good one, but even at that, it's more of a swappable panel setup than a transformer. You still sit down to play arcade games.

[DeLuSioNal29]

What about the Vigolix cabs?
http://www.instructables.com/id/A-Super-Easy-Arcade-Machine-from-1-Sheet-of-Plywoo/?ALLSTEPS

[Xiaou2]

X2

[Cretster]

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated.

As mentioned I already have the wheel & pedals integrated in my upright cab and the wheel folds away inside for non driver games.   Hadn't thought of being able to just raise the pedal box but that would be the easiest solution by far for the kids to play drivers.

I'm thinking in advance anyway as I have loads of stuff the wife has apparently said I have to get done before I do another project, or I'll be in the sh*t with her.

But im thinking it'd need to be a modular system with slide rails and hinges to be able to do this in order to drop down the display and so on.

[Cretster]

If you're thinking a stool or chair you can pull into place, that's a not a sit-down racer. It may be a matter of semantics, but that's how I read it

That's what I already have now dude.

[rovingmind]

A side thought that i had while at work might work for the cabinet part.  I use a "The HON Company" height adjustable desk.  It uses a crank mechanism to raise and lower the height.  If the top were built like a huge bartop (27" monitor)  the sides could be paneled in and a pull out section could be slid under the bottom.

[Cretster]

That Vigolix machine looks vaguely similar to what I made already actually.
 
Not sure what monitor size yet but need much bigger than the 19" I use currently.  Something like 27 would be good, although it might be a bit too wide for the location I was going to put it (where the existing one is) and my options are limited.
 
What I envisage is something along the lines of separate modular monitor and control sections, which can be moved up/down & in/out respectively.
 
For the monitor this need to be on something like drawer runners, but smoother and more robust, with gas rams (like on a car tailgate) to make it sort of 'neutral weight' (or as close as I could get).  That's similar to what I fitted to my CNC machine on the vertical axis.  It'd have a drag chain or something for the cabling from it.
 
The sides of the cabinet itself would extend up to be level with the top of the monitor when in racer mode, but the sides of the monitor module would go down to floor level so that when it's raised to upright mode it still has full length sides to the cabinet.
 
The seat admittedly is not likely to be a masterpiece of comfort and ergonomics, but would be housed in the lower front part of the upright cabinet, which extends outwards on heavy duty runners, with castors beneath the seat part itself.
 
The controls would also need to lower down and extend of course, but I've not really given that much thought.  It could again be a drawer runner type arrangement which extends down at an angle.
 
It's all a bit rough in my head but sort of makes sense (to me at least).
It would need a lot of careful measuring and planning though of course, unlike my existing cab, which was a case of "Yeah that looks about the right shape.  And if I do it this size then this old wardrobe is a perfect donor", lol!
 
I'll have to try and knock up something in Sketchup to give a rough idea, then everyone can point out why it won't work.  That's not sarcasm btw - I need telling stuff like that in case I don't think of an obvious blunder then get most of the way through it before realising it won't work!
 
Like I say, I won't be able to try building this for some time anyway unless I want a divorce, and I don't want a divorce ideally.  Gives me time to think it out tho

[Cretster]

Scratch the comment about mine being like that other cab on instructables.  Mine has a built in wheel that hides inside a door/front panel, then just folds out and locks in place when I want to play a driver. Nothing separate to attach/detach.

Hadn't thought of a cranked mechanism. Interesting!

Thanks for the diagrams Xiaou2, cunning idea but I think I 'might' be able to do it with less space. IF my idea works...

[Cretster]

Here's a pretty simple and crude idea of what I've got in mind.

[Malenko]

Looks like a bunch of over engineering to me.  Why not wall mount the TV, and have it on rails to adjust the height? Have a pedestal for "arcade games" and a racing rig for driving.  Or make the pedestal a hybrid with the race part in the front and the arcade part in the back.

The way you have it in the drawings looks like maybe you'd rather do 2 things mediocre over 1 thing done well. Wall mounting the TV is equally nice in both form and function.

[Cretster]

Interesting though on the wall mount tv and worth further consideration i think.
Yes it's probably over engineering but as I say I enjoy that sort of thing.

Not sure why it necessitates being mediocre though by virtue of ticking two boxes?

[Malenko]

Not sure why it necessitates being mediocre though by virtue of ticking two boxes?

Wasnt meant as an attack, just an observation. I'll expand a little. Having to look at a 2 player panel in your line of sight while driving would lessen the experience for me. Also, "transformer" time would also be something to consider.

To engineer your sketch a little better, I think it'd be better if the panel was more like this:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133495.msg1374798.html

but the cab height was adjustable, and you just put a racing seat in front when you wanna get your daytona on    I think the wall mount is a more elegant solution.

[BadMouth]

spitballing ideas:

rotating panel:  panel slides downward leaving empty space between it and the monitor allowing for rotation, then monitor drops locking panel in place

unrelated, but I kind of like the idea of a pedestal.  I'd have the standard CP on the back of the seat though.  Have it hinged right in front of the seat so it flips up for joysticks and flips down for driving.  The steering controls wouldn't need to move, but I'd still want the monitor to drop down.

I'd only move the monitor, not the entire cabinet.  I'd have a "Race leader" marquee behind the monitor revealed when it slides down.

EDIT: If your plan involves the top part of the seat flipping forward, make sure you don't buy one of the cheap seats with the big knob on the side.  The cheap one  I had won't just flip forward.  You have to turn that knob for like 2 minutes to slowly move it forward.  The pleather seats I got from Summit Racing have a latch on the back to flip them forward.

[RyoriNoTetsujin]

Hi there Cretster,

I built The Final Stage. It was great, worked well, and the design could easily be altered to "stand up" as you are interested in doing (a good base and a couple of strong actuators would do it. I didn't have the money at the time to go full-bore with that idea...)

Notice I speak of it in past-tense. Ultimately, even though it fit all my criteria and was a GREAT exercise for my skill level, I eventually got bored/frustrated/disappointed with it.  "Transforming time" was more than I would've liked, and I made that as simple and straightforward as possible! As a result, I started to mildly resent having to make the switch each time.  That's no good.

I know everyone wants to have a project (I have 4 different designs sitting in Sketchup just waiting for when my gf and I move next summer!) but for the sake of simplicity, ask yourself what's more important: the project, or actually playing the games and having fun? Especially considering you have kids.  Speaking of which, do you really want something that has that many moving parts/opportunities for injury around your kids? Because, let's face it, there's no simple, non-over-engineered way to have a "transforming" cabinet. 

Nowadays, I think I'm of the "dedicated setups" camp (hence the 4 designs waiting for a new home!) but if I were you, I'd just take a real look at how, what, and when you want to play. Wall-mounting an adjustable monitor, then building a pedestal and a moveable seat sounds like a pretty simple and swanky solution to me, but if you want to go big, go big! Maybe do a design like Fire Truck? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Truck_%28video_game%29 

P.S. BadMouth, don't cry that it's gone, I really don't have room for it in the apartment right now anyway... in its' place, I'm waiting on my (already paid-for) Medieval Madness Remake! 

[yotsuya]

Hi there Cretster,

I built The Final Stage. It was great, worked well, and the design could easily be altered to "stand up" as you are interested in doing (a good base and a couple of strong actuators would do it. I didn't have the money at the time to go full-bore with that idea...)

Notice I speak of it in past-tense. Ultimately, even though it fit all my criteria and was a GREAT exercise for my skill level, I eventually got bored/frustrated/disappointed with it.  "Transforming time" was more than I would've liked, and I made that as simple and straightforward as possible! As a result, I started to mildly resent having to make the switch each time.  That's no good.

I know everyone wants to have a project (I have 4 different designs sitting in Sketchup just waiting for when my gf and I move next summer!) but for the sake of simplicity, ask yourself what's more important: the project, or actually playing the games and having fun? Especially considering you have kids.  Speaking of which, do you really want something that has that many moving parts/opportunities for injury around your kids? Because, let's face it, there's no simple, non-over-engineered way to have a "transforming" cabinet. 

Nowadays, I think I'm of the "dedicated setups" camp (hence the 4 designs waiting for a new home!) but if I were you, I'd just take a real look at how, what, and when you want to play. Wall-mounting an adjustable monitor, then building a pedestal and a moveable seat sounds like a pretty simple and swanky solution to me, but if you want to go big, go big! Maybe do a design like Fire Truck? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Truck_%28video_game%29 

P.S. BadMouth, don't cry that it's gone, I really don't have room for it in the apartment right now anyway... in its' place, I'm waiting on my (already paid-for) Medieval Madness Remake! 

Great feedback.

[AzureKnight]

Shell-raiser is currently under development and looks to be very similar:


http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138959.msg1436407.html#msg1436407

[Generic Eric]

Shell-raiser is currently under development and looks to be very similar:


http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138959.msg1436407.html#msg1436407

There it is!  I spent 20 minutes looking for that

[AzureKnight]

Shell-raiser is currently under development and looks to be very similar:


http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138959.msg1436407.html#msg1436407

There it is!  I spent 20 minutes looking for that

I was surprised I beat Scott to posting it 

[yotsuya]

I was surprised I beat Scott to posting it 

I'm sure he's off getting the firmware on his internal KADE upgraded. He'll be back shortly.

[Cretster]

Thanks for all the input so far guys - I appreciate it, even with comments kind of dissuading me from what I've suggested.  I completely understand the reasons such things are suggested, and I'm always grateful for perspectives I may not have considered, even if I don't go along with some.  It's good to consider options even if I then go ahead anyway.  Sure you guys understand that too.

RyoriNoTetsujin - you've sort of hit the nail on the head, but kind of in the opposite way to what you meant.  Final stage looks great by the way mate!!

To clarify, after building one 'frankencab' machine and having it for quite some time now, I enjoy playing on it, but more so I enjoyed the challenge of building the project and making it fit together so it did just about everything I wanted. Yes I'm sure it'd fit into most peoples' idea of a horror cabinet or crapmame as it does indeed have just about every function crammed into it, but I like that.  I'm not after building a showpiece, or something that's really true to a real machine, but something that gives me the maximum versatility and the biggest number of options about what sort of games I can play.  It works wonderfully for that, but I'd really enjoy drivers more with a sit down design, hence wanting the best of both worlds.  Hope that makes sense - just trying to explain where I'm coming from as I'm well aware a lot of people don't like ideas like this.

But yeah, primarily it's the challenge of building something slightly different and seeing it work that I really enjoyed.  I love doing projects and trying to do things that are a little outside the norm.

Re' the 'transformation' aspect of it and the fact it takes time etc, I appreciate the 'hindsight' input on such things though thanks!
I can live with that I think, but only time will tell of course and it's quite possible I'd end up the same, being annoyed by it. 

I was actually going to do it as a manual thing where the parts are moved by hand, but I just remembered a few months back a mate of mine donated a pretty strong 12v ram, and said he has a second one I can have when he finds where it is. They could be perfect potentially for motorising it, or most of it at least.

Here's my existing cab by the way...
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,104968.40.html

[yotsuya]

Hope that makes sense - just trying to explain where I'm coming from as I'm well aware a lot of people don't like ideas like this.

Why do you keep saying that? It's not that people don't like ideas like this, it's that people are giving you feedback on how practical they think it is (myself included). No one is thinking "Oh, you're a fool if you build it", they're thinking "I don't think it's going to work the way you want it to." Build it and prove them wrong if you're the type (and you claim to be, so...). 

[Cretster]

It's not that people don't like ideas like this, it's that people are giving you feedback on how practical they think it is (myself included). No one is thinking "Oh, you're a fool if you build it", they're thinking "I don't think it's going to work the way you want it to."

To reiterate, I appreciate the suggestions, whether I end up deciding to heed them or not.  I get the intent behind the comments.

But I beg to differ on no-one thinking that, when there are comments like "good luck banging your head against a wall" etc that's all. 
Sorry if it sounds needlessly defensive though mate - wasn't meant to.

[BadMouth]

I'm well aware a lot of people don't like ideas like this.

Why do you keep saying that? It's not that people don't like ideas like this, it's that people are giving you feedback on how practical they think it is (myself included). No one is thinking "Oh, you're a fool if you build it", they're thinking "I don't think it's going to work the way you want it to." Build it and prove them wrong if you're the type (and you claim to be, so...). 

OP may have seen one of the many threads where heaps of criticism is piled on perfectly functional ideas on the basis of "it won't look as aesthetically pleasing that way".

[Cretster]

You could say that!  And aesthetics is not my strong point so I probably feel like excusing myself more than I ought to.

Anyway, just found one of those rams.


160kg lift.  Not sure on the extension though, I'll have to measure it.

Liking the Shell Raiser cabinet project you guys linked to as well, cheers.

[Nephasth]

But I beg to differ on no-one thinking that, when there are comments like "good luck banging your head against a wall" etc that's all. 

Glad you read that right. Now go clean up that ---smurfing--- toolbox.

[Cretster]

 

[Cretster]

Now go clean up that ---smurfing--- toolbox.

I'll be there for a week if I clean up my workshop!!  The tool trolley is one thing, you don't want to see the rest!

[RyoriNoTetsujin]

But yeah, primarily it's the challenge of building something slightly different and seeing it work that I really enjoyed.  I love doing projects and trying to do things that are a little outside the norm.

Say no more, my friend! Believe me, I totally get it -- that's how I got to the Final Stage! I'm not saying it was a bad project at all, or didn't work (or that the idea of a transformer is somehow "bad"). I built it because I wanted it, and I wanted to see it work.  And it did work, and then I moved on, that's all.

Thing is, you never know what's going to come out of projects like these. I'm not around here much anymore, but I'll be interested to see how this develops.

[Cretster]

Thanks buddy.  Sounds like the same sort of wavelength.

Don't hold your breath as it might take a while before I get stuck into it, and there's always a chance I never do as I have too many projects all the time, but generally speaking when I get an idea that I want to do then sooner or later I end up doing it.

Apparently I have a big list of house related DIY chores to be done before I even think about doing this.  I'd start building it on the sly out in the shed if I could (and might) but it'd be pretty conspicuous to suddenly swap the cabinets out one day! 

[Cretster]

Ok, I've powered up that ram and it has 13.25" of travel.  Takes 30-40 seconds to move but that was with a weak power source less than it should be.

Now the screen on my upright is bordering on low currently.  I'm quite happy with it myself but when I look objectively and measure I think ideally it would be a touch higher.  From where it is though, and if I'm sitting on a seat base say 14" above the ground, a drop of 13.25" of the screen would bring it to a perfectly usable height for a sit down machine after getting the tape measure out and sitting in a seat around that height etc.

So it's doable in terms of the logistics of the ram unit(s) moving the monitor module.  I think it would need 4 drawer runners perhaps (one on each corner) unless there's a nicer/smoother way of having effectively a box moving up & down.  Actually, now I think on it, I bought 4 linear bearing blocks a while ago for a timelapse rail I was building and they would actually be PERFECT for the module to slide super smooth and without any wobble.  YES!!
So I have a set of these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4pcs-SMA16UU-16mm-Linear-shaft-block-bearing-Pellow-Bolck-unit-with-LM16U-/251487511800?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a8dd2e4f8

So they would mount on the sides of the monitor module, with 16mm rods/tubes on the main carcass for them to move on, and the ram lifting it up & down.  The ram also has an integrated stop switch at each end. 


I did consider earlier that I could just build a low level cabinet with protruding controls (that fold back out of the way), and just sit in a tub chair, for an easier life, but it just sort of feels like cheating. 
It's possible I'll end up doing that but I really love the idea of the converting cabinet. 

What I need to figure out in terms of dimensions and mechanism are the control panel, and the seat arrangement.  I have a rough idea for both...