Battlestar Cabinet Build (Nicolstar Arcadica)

[jnicol]

I don't have that many progress pix, but I have been a lurker for quite some time and gleaned many ideas from you awesome people. I am building a Battlestar Galactica themed cabinet with an X-arcade tank stick.

I found some graphics on line, changed the colour to blue from reds and moved a couple of characters around.  I had the images printed on vinyl at a local print shop and applied them to the sides and a little bit on the front.  I actually tried two methods on each side.  On one, I used the wet application method and the second, the dry.  For me, I found the dry method a lot better.  I had help from my son as well, which helped!  As long as you keep the surfaces clean and clear of dust, I think it works great. 

I also have a CNC machine at home.      I used pocket hole joinery all around because I wanted quick results and couldn't be bothered doing anything fancy with joinery.  I am hoping to get done with a couple more weekends worth of work.  Here are some progress shots with the last images taken tonight after I put on the marquee.




I painted everything black thinking that I would just put a couple of small stickers on the side....



Then I got carried away:



Mounted the marquee tonight:



There is some light bleed, but I will sort that out in a few days.  Lots more to do.

John

Edit:  Here is a close-up of my tank stick custom overlay

[JohnyO]

Good looking cabinet. Seems to be coming together quickly. Home CNC, I'm green with envy, did you build it yourself?

[rablack97]

You have CNC machine at home and you threw a tankstick on that beautifully cut shell.

That's just wrong in so many ways......

Make it gone sir, make it gone!!!!!!

[bfauska]

You have CNC machine at home and you threw a tankstick on that beautifully cut shell.

That's just wrong in so many ways......

Make it gone sir, make it gone!!!!!!

He makes a good point. The shape of the CP top doesn't flow nearly as well as a custom one would.

[jnicol]

Great point!   It is wrong!   

Don't worry, this is what I call 'initial operating capability".  If you look carefully under the tank-stick, I have completed the t-molding that runs along the sides.  When I get time, I will be building a proper, fitted control panel in the space.  (Using my handy, dandy 4 x 8 CNC machine      )  I honestly did not want to spend the next two years looking at a half-finished cab and not playing it, so in a fit of OCD decided to buy the complete tank stick to save time.  Even now looking at it with the graphics on, the tank stick does look sad.

[mgb]

I know some will (and have) complain about the tank stick but I think you integrated it very nicely.
although it would seem easy enough after making the cab, to just make a custom cp and transplant the tank stick guts.

That aside, The cab looks great.
full side art can go well or it can be downright terrible. You nailed it. the side art looks awesome and I love the marquee.

I think it's a very tastefully done cabinet. I hope to see more as it progresses.

[jnicol]

Good looking cabinet. Seems to be coming together quickly. Home CNC, I'm green with envy, did you build it yourself?

Yes, I built it based on the 4896 kit from CNC Router Parts Pro and various electronics, motors and parts from various sources on eBay and other suppliers.  I built another one previously from MDF and plywood and it was 'OK', but this one is certainly more accurate and robust.

[jnicol]

I know some will (and have) complain about the tank stick but I think you integrated it very nicely.
although it would seem easy enough after making the cab, to just make a custom cp and transplant the tank stick guts.

That aside, The cab looks great.
full side art can go well or it can be downright terrible. You nailed it. the side art looks awesome and I love the marquee.

I think it's a very tastefully done cabinet. I hope to see more as it progresses.

Cheers, I really appreciate the comments!  I will be doing more this weekend and mounting the LCD monitor and bezel.  I haven't purchased it yet, but probably going to be a 24" LCD.   Then it is just a matter of putting in the PC and closing it all up.  I have probably only spent about 40 hours total on it so far building and probably half of that was painting three top coats plus an undercoat of black.  Given that I then covered most of it up with the graphics I could have saved myself a bit of time! 

[jnicol]

Here is what is on each side.  You can see that I also had a couple of marquee options that I was trying out.  My wife said the Cylon was the one to use.  When you are building a cab, any input from the wife is what you do.
 

   


Edit:  In order to get the right shade of blue when I changed the hue of the images, I went to the t-molding.com website and took a sample using GIMP of the picture of the blue t-molding I ordered.  That meant that the t-molding would be a match (within + or - errors in sampling) to the images I used.  It was a gamble, but it ended up paying off and I think it matches well.  If you look at the pictures above of the cabinet, the blue is almost a perfect match to the side art.