Identity Crisis cab redesign

[Pat S]

I just redid my CP adding a trackball, artwork and plexi.  The template router bit made the plexi part very easy.

I couldn't have done it without the advice and info from you guys, thanks!

Before


After


Looks cool in the dark, the light strips are sound activated.

[fredster]

Wow! I like that underlay.  Got it posted someplace for download?  If you don't you should!

[Wienerdog]

Very nice job on the cp artwork!  

How do you think it would look if you used all blue buttons or 4 blue and 2 white buttons for each player?  

[Stingray]

Love your CP graphics!

-S

[Pat S]

Wow! I like that underlay.  Got it posted someplace for download?  If you don't you should!

I would if it was my artwork, but...

I learned a lot about photoshop in the past 2 weeks.  The main thing was to get the rulers set to inches so I could actually get the picture centered on the trackball.  

[Pat S]

Very nice job on the cp artwork!  

How do you think it would look if you used all blue buttons or 4 blue and 2 white buttons for each player?  

Good idea, my girlfriend is arguing against it, but I think it would look great, so I'll think about it for a bit.

[Harakiri]

Why identity crisis? Everyone "tweaks" somethings up once in a while!  

It's called inovation!

[Spaced Invader]

That's sweet! I do agree about the buttons though...hate the look of multi colored buttons...especially when they detract from such a clean looking panel (if you had a clown theme...maybe).

BTW...How did you get the sides lit? Is that T-molding, light tape, U/V light, or what???

Looks Great!

[Pat S]

BTW...How did you get the sides lit? Is that T-molding, light tape, U/V light, or what???
Looks Great!

Ha, the clown theme is killing me.  

The tmolding light is el strip I got pretty cheap from here...
http://www.svc.com/lighting.html

It's about half and inch wide, and looks pretty slick even when off (at least the blue type does).

I have it hooked up to one of these things so that the light only turns on when games are being played.  http://store.yahoo.com/svcompucycle/souninwsupbl.html

[Luxury]

wow...that light strip is awesome.  how thick is it?  the site says it is 8mm wide, but not how thick.  and how easy is it to use?  ie. can you cut it partially to bend it edgewise?  
(thoughts of a lit up CP under lexan coming to mind)

[Pat S]

wow...that light strip is awesome.  how thick is it?  the site says it is 8mm wide, but not how thick.  and how easy is it to use?  ie. can you cut it partially to bend it edgewise?  
(thoughts of a lit up CP under lexan coming to mind)

It's maybe 1.5mm tall.  That would be interesting.  They also have sheets of the stuff, though maybe not at that link.

[walls83]

awsome cab I love it but...  I agree with the buttons maybe you could get white buttons with Blue led lights to light them up...  How good does the sound activated control work..?  Im thinking about building a StepMania machine and the light strips would look great on it.. thanks man

[MameMaster!]

 

Wow those glow strips look fantastic!....I'm a big fan of glowing neon thingies......great job!

.....oh, but I do have to agree on the buttons.....switch out those colored ones.....your cab is so beautiful....it may be worth a little more work and a few buck to make it perfect!

The MameMaster!  

[Pat S]

awsome cab I love it but...  I agree with the buttons maybe you could get white buttons with Blue led lights to light them up...  How good does the sound activated control work..?  Im thinking about building a StepMania machine and the light strips would look great on it.. thanks man

Good idea about leds in white buttons.  Anyone ever see an example of this?  

The sound module works great, and it has an adjustment pot on it, so you can control what level of noise sets it off, it also has an on and off switch.

[Pat S]

Wow those glow strips look fantastic!....I'm a big fan of glowing neon thingies......great job!

.....oh, but I do have to agree on the buttons.....switch out those colored ones.....your cab is so beautiful....it may be worth a little more work and a few buck to make it perfect!

The MameMaster!  

Thanks, ok, I guess I have to decide which color of buttons to go with now...

[walls83]

In the main forum they had a pinned messege with the player select buttons lit up.  Same thing just you wouldnt have players on your buttons of course.  Im sure someone on this board has an example.  They looked very good though.

[SirPeale]

That overlay is friggin' awesome.  Now you need all black buttons (including the start buttons   )

[hulkster]

you got a website yet?  if so i want to see it, cuz im trying to make a trackball like yours and i need a little help on it.  or at least some more pics!

[Pat S]

That overlay is friggin' awesome.  Now you need all black buttons (including the start buttons   )

Dudes, no more suggestions, I can't decide what color to go with now!

[Pat S]

you got a website yet?  if so i want to see it, cuz im trying to make a trackball like yours and i need a little help on it.  or at least some more pics!

No website.  Here's the rest of the pics I took, ask away if you have questions.

I used regular auto body bondo to fill all of the holes since I had some laying around.


Same thing for the trackball.  I used a highball zinc mounting plate from happs.  I traced the outline in the center of the panel, then routed down 1/8th of an inch, cut out the center with a jigsaw, laid it down, bondo'd the top, sanded down everything with 400 grit (used an air sander, but electric will work too).  I was going to paint it, but since it's going to be covered up, I left it as is.


I laid the CP upside down, clamped a piece of plywood underneath, and sandiwched the plexi between the CP and plywood.  Then used a router with a template bit and just dropped it into the holes, moved it around, went on to the next one.  Finally, used the same bit on the outside edges, and was done.  


For the trackball hole, I had to use a hole saw.  I had no problems going slow with the drill.


I'm tempted to redo it again and move the start buttons to the sides, and redo the artwork again.  I'll probably leave it as is for a while, and maybe get some new buttons.  For the artwork I used photoshop and literally measured out the CP, found the center of the trackball, and used photoshops rulers to center the image on it.  It worked really well, I was surprised.  Then I just centered the artwork on underneath the plexi, and used a new razorblade to cut the holes out.

[hulkster]

very nice, thanks for the pics.  so what mounting plate did you get?  can you provide a link maybe?  and did you just mount the big trackball harness thing underneath?  do you have any pics of the underside of your cp?

[Pat S]

3" Diameter Trackball with Harness, Blue Translucent with 6V Lamp
http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/560100xx.htm

55-1102-00   3" Clear Zinc  Mounting plate
http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/55110100.htm

I don't have any pics of the underside.  It's just like you said though, once you cut the hole for the trackball container, you then mount the plate, the trackball is held to it with 4 screws.  

I used an optipac, but I know you can just buy a USB trackball from happs, or someone on this board was talking about using some products from Oscar Controls here... http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=15142

[hulkster]

preciate man!  good stuff.  one more question, i see that you got that 6v lamp with your trackball....how are you powering that?  where are you hooking up the lamp? i was going to opt for the usb blue LED.  can you explain?

[Pat S]

I ripped that out, and am using a led from lazerleds.com plugged into a PC molex connector.  

[Zakk]

Edgedamage has wired led's into player buttons, I think he even had pics on how to get it done.  Results looks right coolio. (Check the avatar if any doubt!)