BulletReign: Vertical Jamma Switching SHMUP cab (Progress Report Jan '16)

[Locke141]

This is coming along nicely despite the paint issues. Try painting in the tropics some time.

[harveybirdman]

So that's why you intricately carve your cabs!   

[harveybirdman]

Chance's Jamma harness inspired me to finish up the CP harness on the cab this evening

[Locke141]

  Beleave it or not it took less time for him to carve Out of Africa then it took me to do 3 Cots of primer on beat'em up-X

That is some nice good looking wirring.

[harveybirdman]

So I’ve been working on the board access panel for a couple of weeks.  I’d say it’s about 90% done now.  I am still debating getting some soft cabinet downs for it so it opens a bit more impressively.  Additionally there will also be artwork on the inside.

I actually cut a panel at the same time I made the new kick plate, but it had been setting in the shop for several months.  Finally I got around to finishing it.  Sure I could have just painted it black but what fun is that?  I mean inside here is where the boards are going to live!  Still haven’t decided how they are going to be mounted, but at least their home and their front door will look nice!

Laminating all sides is a bit tricky, need to start with the sides.  I am really sucking at documenting everything with pictures, but hopefully you get the idea.








I bought some drop hinges for the panel, but wasn’t really sure of the best way to cut the mortises.  Ultimately I decided to just bite the bullet and use a forstner bit in the drill press.  As it turns out it worked flawlessly.  I also drilled a hole for the lock and widened one side to the correct shape for the barrel lock with my router; I then flipped it over and flush trimmed the other side to mirror the shape.  I got lucky with free handing that and lucky with the mortise placement too! I guess the drill press does have fine adjustments for x axis and y axis, but I should have measured and marked better.  As it turns out my eyeball is pretty good….







Or so I thought!  Of course I had too much confidence when I cut the corresponding mortises on the cab bottom.  I just used the forstner bit and my drill.  I marked it with the hinges attached to the access panel but I disproportionally accounted for the gap on each side.    It looks okay in this picture but it’s about an eighth of an inch off.  When I mounted the panel it was sticking on one side (scraped the T-molding pretty good too).  There’s also a pretty noticeable glue remnant that just won’t do. 



As my dad says it was time to, “lick my calf over,” which apparently means to restart something, especially due to an error.   You can see where I sanded off the glue and did other surface preparation.  Now it was Bondo time!  I sort of flirted with the idea to start this in the house but it wasn’t going to happen, that stuff is super toxic fumy!  This was my first time to use Bondo and well, there was a bit of a learning curve.  Maybe I never got the proportion on the hardener right, but that 15 mins to work with is some ---That which is odiferous and causeth plants to grow---!  Still I got it done and after sanding the holes were filled nicely (that’s what she said).





I’d like to point out the authenticity of my cab here, I mean how many of you can say you have actual arcade chewed gum on the bottom of your cab? I also found an interesting token in the bottom.  I’ll have to take a picture, the history of these things and where they have been is something that I have always found intriguing when watching someone do a refurbish.



While I had the cab outside with the kick plate off, I decided to fix a few other things, I never actually got the power panel opening square with my oscillating tool, so I put a straight edge inside the cab and used a flush trim bit on the router to make some adjustments. 






Once the Bondo was good and cured, I carefully measured for the floor panel mortises, and did much better this time.  Friday night I painted some of the interior of the panel area, and yesterday I installed the access panel.  Here are several shots from the inside and out.












Thanks for watching, this is the last bit of structural work, short of the actual board storage solution which I still haven’t completely worked out yet.  Tune it next time to watch me modify the JAMMA switcher.  Also the wheels might slowly be beginning to turn on artwork, can’t wait until I’m able to give an update on that.

[harveybirdman]

few more pics

[behrmr]

Oh yeah and I got this in the mail last week!



I am going to roll my own rotary switch control to replace the remote control.  This is pretty well documented at KLOV and on several YouTube videos.  Basically the way I envision it working is diagrammed below, do any of you electrical engineer types see any problem with running the five volt to the ground on this rotary switch and using the switch to direct it to the appropriate contact on the board?  I bought 100k ohm resistors to use per the videos I’ve watched to prevent voltage to multiple boards at once.

Get a nomote-6 from DogP so you can use P1+P2 or other 2 button or dedicated up and down button to switch slots.  I think it will work with a rotary switch too.  Plus you can turn slots off and select a default slot to start.  The switcher defaults to no slot active when it starts.

Also be prepared to do all of the ground mods, the test switch mod, and the -5V mod on the switcher.  These mods compensate for the traces that are missing on the switcher.

[harveybirdman]

Thanks for the tips, I've seen the -5V mod, but since I don't plan on running any Midway boards I'm not sure that I need to do that one, we shall see.

I'll check out the rest of the info as well.  I like the idea of a rotary switch to toggle games, rather than button presses but I do appreciate the input and will investigate thoroughly before soldering anything.

[Malenko]

so this game seems like itd be perfect for the cab if it werent a horizontal shooter

http://store.steampowered.com/app/355350/

[harveybirdman]

Cleary the solution is to build a horizontal shooting cab... Let's just say I've got a name picked out if that ever becomes a thing.

 

Cool looking game.

[harveybirdman]

So pretty much worst fears confirmed tonight....

I swapped boards tonight putting my new Aero fighters board in, which by the way is way better on original hardware than it is in MAME, but I digress.

Monitor settings are completely off from game to game.

So PBJ'S suggestion of a remote board makes sense but the question now is do I even want a rotary switch panel mounted to switch games if the monitor must be adjusted between boards every time?

Would it be ugly as sin to mount the remote board on speaker panel or somewhere else?


So this thread over at KLOV makes it sound like adding a remote board to a K7000 that doesn't already have one might be more than I want to bite off...  http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=253612

Anyone done this?

The main problem between boards seems to be Vertical Hold, is there any fine adjustments that can be made that I don't know about that could help me get to a universally acceptable setting?

[harveybirdman]

No ---smurfing--- idea what I did but now I have three boards running gangbusters with the same  monitor settings....

 

Also got some extender harnesses from Twisted Quarter. Soon this ---smurfette--- will be switching!


I did end up with Twin Eagle instead of Twin Eagle II...... don't ask. After i get this jiving I will sell it to a member on the cheap if anyone is interested.

[harveybirdman]

Mini update...

Switcher installed,  board rack mocked up, fully loaded extenders from Twisted Quarter installed.

Time for the first dry run with the remote. Hooked up Aero Fighters and Twin Hawk so I don't ruin any quality boards in test.

Fired up first try.

Will load some better pics in the coming week or so after board rack is mounted properly and painted

Also picked up a Fighting Hawk that needs some audio work...

Oh and you guys are going to ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- when you see what's coming down the artwork pipeline!  Stay tuned!

[yotsuya]

Sweet! Great job, brother!

[Vigo]

Dang, this is just a more and more classy setup with every update.   

[harveybirdman]

Progress is slow, but the cab is still being worked on.

It is decision time for the board rack.  Originally it was going to be mounted horizontally closer to the access panel so boards could be very easily slid in and out.  However this caused two problems.  Firstly some JAMMA boards, such as the Aero Fighters that I currently have in the board lineup, just don’t fit in the 12 inch opening.  They are too wide.  Secondly six extending harnesses would need more clearance than is available at the back end of the slide-out or would need to be much longer than standard to reach the switcher .  Therefore I decided to go in a different direction, mounting the rack vertically behind the kick plate.  Here you can see where I mocked it up.



At the end of the day I simply just can’t allow it to not remain unfinished, so I opted to give everything coat of white paint, and painted the back of the kick plate black.   Still, it looked a bit plain to me so in the true spirit of BYOAC I went over board and decided to pinstripe the panels to echo the coin door design.  I had some more pics of this, but lost some with an unexpected phone change, but you get the idea.

[harveybirdman]

With the new placement it makes accessing the boards easier with the Panel board removed, but we’ll still call the flap at the back the “board access panel.”

I ended up grabbing a couple of those PCB brackets that NEP suggested way back when to account for wider boards, you can see one of them in use on my Aero Fighters.

Will upload a video of the switching as soon as I find some reliable WiFi

[Peabo]

I really like that board rack, nice job! 

[wp34]

Striping those mounting boards is as awesome as it was unnecessary.  I love it!  Very nice touch. 

[BGoulette]

Striping those mounting boards is as awesome as it was unnecessary.  I love it!  Very nice touch. 

+1. Obligatory "Nice rack!"

[harveybirdman]

Thanks guys! 

Here's a little video

[opt2not]

Awesome. I gotta get me a PCB switcher...

As for some replacement boards for the "cheapies" you have there,  might I suggest:

• Strikers 1945 II (runs for about $80 these days)
• Twin Cobra (I've seen this one range anywhere from $40 - 100)
• Viper Phase 1 - New Version/USA (about $170)
• Gyruss (I've seen this range from $90-150 these days)
• Galaga '88 ($240+)

This is mainly for older, Raiden style shmups.

For manic style:

• Donpachi
• Dodonpachi
• ESP Ra.De
• Espgaluda II
• Batsugun

All of these are high $$$, well maybe except for ESP Ra.De. But I don't think you can find the rest for less than $350 these days.

[harveybirdman]

Thanks for the suggestions Opt.

I'm watching a Strikers 1945 II, they tend to come up alot on ebay. PSIKO has a bunch of fans in the SHMUP crowd but Dragon Blaze is far too hard for me  and I just don't get why people like Gunbird so much.

I rarely see Cave go for less than 5 hundy.

There's a Batsugun with special version rom up for sale now for 9 hundy... sheesh.... maybe if I was a single guy.... or maybe if I start making some better incentive at work..

[opt2not]

Yeah those are greasy ebay prices. My prices are from what the forums have been selling them at lately (shmups and klov).
I've pretty much stopped going to ebay for anything arcade related now. Prices are just getting absurd.

[harveybirdman]

I signed up at the Shmups forum recently.  I should get on KLOV too.

Greaseball pricing is for Griff Richers.

[yotsuya]

I signed up at the Shmups forum recently.  I should get on KLOV too.

Greaseball pricing is for Griff Richers.

If you need a KLOV reference,  lemme know

[WakiMiko]

Man this is such an awesome project, can't believe you actually painted the rack panels. Certainly going the extra mile 

Sucks that the Cave games are so expensive, otherwise I'd have recommended Espgaluda, if you haven't played it already. It's one of Cave's "easier" games and has a "bullet time" mechanic that can be used either for high scores or just to save your ass. Great soundtrack too.

[harveybirdman]

Thanks Yots, I'll definitely let to know 

Thanks Waki, once I took all the time to pain the floor of the cabinet I knew I was going to have to do something.  After all Well Fed Games set the bar high for PCB racks.  And well I had tons of paint leftover so it just kind of happened.

Espgaluda, fun game played a bit in MAME this morning. It can be had reasonably on eBay these days but I think I'm going to wait on further purchases until getting on at the SHMUPS forum and at KLOV.

[harveybirdman]

So, I’m coming to the conclusion that in order to do things right and be satisfied with the results that my build is going to have to be spread out over a longer period of time than I had first hoped. 

When I started in Nov of 14 I had hoped to finish by the end of 2015.  However it is obvious that things are going to take a bit more time to complete, and that’s okay because plane tickets to Phoenix are higher up on the priority list as of late.
Here is what is left:

1)   Modify switcher from remote to rotary switch.
        a.   I have the switch, the 100k ohm resistors, and a couple of sweet looking knobs to choose from

2)   Finalize Board Roster
        a.   My Fighting Hawk is still sick, need to put in some time to try to fix it but even with an upgraded iron it’s a pain in the ass to get               
                the caps out.
        b.   I still want a Rayforce PCB, that’s probably my grail; I’m still kicking myself for not buying the last one I saw on ebay for $300.
        c.   I also would like a board to justify the three buttons, I’d love to come up with a DDP DOJ or ESP RaDE but the prices on those                 
                are prohibitive and something like Brave Blade is probably more realistic.

3)   Finish art suite (still need bezel, CPO, and side art as well as some decals here an there)

4)   Run power to the volcano add credit button

5)   Either replace the fluorescent light fixture with LEDs or add mirrors or something else to disperse light to the edges of marquee.

But on to the real reason for the post....

I have an impressive update coming on a project I’ve been collaborating on now for a while with my homeboy Opt2Not.  I count myself extremely lucky to have had the chance to work with him.  He is not only an amazing artist, but a large inspiration for this build in the first place as his original Alpha One cabinet concept along with Yotsuya’s Super Spacefortress Macross were the seeds of inspiration for this build.

Opt and I began chatting about what I wanted Bullet Reign to be about and I was able to explain what I wanted the artwork to embody, as well as give him detailed examples of nods to the SHMUP genre that I’d like to incorporate.  You may have noticed the rough draft of the marquee on his blog or on the first page of my thread (snuck it in several weeks ago), our goal was to capture the essence of classic marquees like Raiden and Zero Wing but maintain an originality as if this game might have existed in the early nineties arcades of it's own right

Opt recently completed the marquee work and I have emailed stpcore and hope to get a translite printed ASAP.  Until then I’m going to keep the finished artwork under wraps for the grand reveal but I don’t really like bumps without something to show so here’s a little taste…. 


Edit Who's paying attention?  here's some to tide anyone over that might be closely following, until printing is finished.

[ChanceKJ]

.

[Locke141]

This may be my favorite ongoing build.

I love ever thing about it.

Keep up the good work.

[harveybirdman]

That Marquee is off the hook!  Loving that board rack too. I've been trying to visualize something exactly like that for my Olympia cab conversion. 

Thanks! Opt2Not is ridiculously talented! The marquee isn't back-lit in this pic, it's just a trick of the flash, it's just a Staples print which frankly can be quite good for 5 bucks,  wonder who I leaned that from? 

The rack isn't as elegant as I first envisioned, but it makes up for it in utilitarian simplicity.   Although It's not secure on there and would have to be removed for any major moving. My only advice in putting together a rack is to try to make it easily accessible.  I don't know what kind of room you have in the Olympia but real estate runs out soon even when you think you have a lot.

This may be my favorite ongoing build.

I love ever thing about it.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the kind words Locke, I appreciate it.

[yotsuya]

Yeah, that's a perfect example of why it pays to hire a real artist for custom work. Good job to all those involved.

[wp34]

That might be the best custom marquee I've ever seen.  Just fantastic.   

I'm glad you got to work with Opt.  My understanding was that he was retired.

[harveybirdman]

That might be the best custom marquee I've ever seen.  Just fantastic.   

I'm glad you got to work with Opt.  My understanding was that he was retired.

Totally lucky and worth every penny.

[DudeRegular]

This is a great project and the artwork is killer man. Keep doing what you are doing.

[flylear45]

+1 on the art and scheme. Really nice.

[emphatic]

That marquee is truly spectacular. WOW.

[harveybirdman]

That marquee is truly spectacular. WOW.

+1 on the art and scheme. Really nice.

I agree! The credit goes to Opt2Not, he took my ideas and took them beyond the next level.  His experience is invaluable, and it's not surprising based on what I know about him.

This is a great project and the artwork is killer man. Keep doing what you are doing.

I have to hit it out of the park the rest of the way to be worthy of the art and collaboration from everyone here and away from BYOAC!

Stay tuned!

[vwalbridge]

Your artwork is just fantastic. Opt is very talented. He obviously put everything he had into it.

The Easter eggs in the artwork are a nice touch. 

Fun build. Looks like your taking your time and getting just how you want it. Nice job man.