The one where Chuckles finally builds his kids a pedestal

[Le Chuck]

Hiya gang!  It has been a while since I've done anything directly related to this site's specific money suck but I'm getting back in the mix.  For a few years I've been putting off building a better machine for my two boy-type kiddos (now 8 and 7).  After I built Darkade years ago they promptly took it over and then immediately started complaining about how much bartops suck.  They want a 4p panel so they can button mash with their friends, or me, or eachother. 

I toyed with several themes and designs, posted some idea threads on here for inspiration, almost bought a few junker cabs to convert but never pulled the trigger on anything.  Now I've decided to build them a pedestal that is not themed, won't look out of place in the house, is kinda boring, but does all the game stuff that they enjoy. 

I'm basing it on the vewlix style, but loosely so.  This isn't a clone, the angles won't match, and the controls will be based on the gaming we're most interested in.  It will be a build in two phases.  Phase "Blanche Dubois" began when I began doodling on graph paper and trolling google images for inspiration.  Blanche Dubois will complete when the panel is playable, but is sitting atop a box or small table or something. Phase "Blanche Devereaux" will begin when I've completed at least one unrelated project, feel that I've really put it off for far too long, and go buy some more wood.  Blanch Devereaux will be complete when the handiwork from Blanche Dubois is positioned semi-permanently above Blanche Devereaux in some hot Blanche on Blanche action.   

Plans for both Dubois and Devereaux (the double Ds in my life) are complete and it's only a matter of turning larger bits of wood into smaller bits or wood and then making them larger colored bits of wood.
 

This is the panel.  It is ~19"x46" as shown. The smaller panels pull out mostly because I thought it would be neat.  No real reason, it's completely unnecessarily and overly complicated.  Just like life.  The eagle eyed may notice a few places where my router skills decided to color outside the lines.  I'll fix this with bondo, or in post-production so you all think I did.   


These are the sides being done up. 


This is a pro-tip.  I call it "refreshing the factory edge."  I don't own a table saw, but even if I did I'd still do this because in my experience most home tools just don't cut straight.  They cut mostly straight.  Even the big box stores only gurantee cuts to be within a 1/16th or sometimes an 1/8th.  So after I make a cut I clamp to a known factory edge that is nice and straight and template bit the edge, thereby refreshing the factory edge.  With bit changes and whatnot it takes me about 3 minutes.  Yes it slows you down, yes it adds up, but I don't do this hobby because I'm in a hurry and it saves me time on the back end because everything fits together soooo much nicer.  Boom, take it or leave it.  YMMV.   


Parting note:  Rumor has it that there is some movement on the Space Base project.  Not enough to merit a bump or an update, but enough to say that those wheels which seemed to be long stuck were actually slowly turning.  We've adjusted the gearing on those wheels and hopefully we'll see some more on that front before too much longer. 

[Le Chuck]

Oh and Jesus Jones, I forgot to say it above, Happy Birthday America!!

[ppv]

Lol! Awesome write up so far! I love needlessly complicated thing!

[opt2not]

Haha nice write-up and description. That panel is looking sexy too, I'm interested in seeing how your sort-of-not-really vewlix pedestal will turn out. I think that style would work as a nice modern looking pedestal.

[harveybirdman]

Yes a Lechuck build!!!!

[pbj]

Last one looked like a bird bath, will this one resemble a garden gnome?



Sup?

[Malenko]

Yes! A project Im legitimately excited for.  You do good work man, definitely one of the better builders on here.   With those panels.... they gonna be swappable or just look bad ass?

Im chomping at the bit to get back to work on gingerballs but I got my eyes on this thread!

[thomas_surles]

That would be a really cool way to do a swappable panel.

[DaOld Man]

Looks good LeChuck!

[n3wt0n]

I like the start of this and will be looking forward to how it progresses. 

How thick are you left with for the remaining ledge of wood that the removable panel piece sits on? I am doing a similar sunken control area so I am really just curious if it flexes or seems real stable still.  Thanks.

[Le Chuck]

I love needlessly complicated thing!

I too! Much wow, very complicated!!!

Yes a Lechuck build!!!!

Yes!  A HBM comment!!!!

Last one looked like a bird bath, will this one resemble a garden gnome?

Fair question and a fair cop.  We'll just have to wait it out.  The suspense is killing me tho, I hope it lasts.

Sup?

You know me, just rockin'...rockin' and rollin'.

With those panels.... they gonna be swappable or just look bad ass?

Im chomping at the bit to get back to work on gingerballs but I got my eyes on this thread!

They're swappable by design, but I don't have plans right now to do other panels.  Just leaving the door open to it.  Lord knows I have enough random controls floating around the parts bin to do up a few.  I've got several projects that have been on the burner faaaaar too long but I'm hoping that getting my gears spinning on this one will warm me up on the others.

Looks good LeChuck!

Thanks boo!

How thick are you left with for the remaining ledge of wood that the removable panel piece sits on? I am doing a similar sunken control area so I am really just curious if it flexes or seems real stable still.  Thanks.

The ledge is .2" but there is plenty of room for me to add supports if it becomes an issue.  I'll play it by ear, but thus far its okay.

[Le Chuck]

When faced with cutting compound angles I recommend slowly backing away from the tools and taking up knitting instead.  I have also been known to give horrible advice (I think I urged someone on here to commit felony theft yesterday) and rarely take my own advice.  Less talky more picy!


I took quite a few pics as I went incase anyone is silly enough edging like this after my very clear and well worded warning above.  Shown here is where you should stop.  Just stop and save yourself.  It's a single bevel and looks nice. 


You kept going didn't you?  Okay, here's the 45^o that takes an inch off the edge.  I think this looks pretty sharp too, stop.  Go no further.


Somebody must have a learning disability.  Whatevs.  Draw some lines Mr. Fancy-pants.


Are you happy now?! Do you see what you've done?  Now you're taking latte art-style shots of ---fracking--- MDF.  Better reposition that ruler and check the natural light you doucher. 


To be fair, I think it looks good.  It looks like my drawing too, more or less, which is always a plus. 

If you're using a cheap compounding miter saw don't bother doing math.  Your cheap ass saw can't do math and the numbers written on it are more or less made up.  My angles ranged between 32^o and 47.5^o to make this and each one was different.  Be sure and make some extra so you can practice a bit or else just fix it with filler at the end because MDF is basically the most forgiving thing on the planet. 

Thus completes the rough work on Blanche Dubois.  Let the finishing work commence!

 

[thomas_surles]

I have also been known to give horrible advice (I think I urged someone on here to commit felony theft yesterday)

[ppv]

 

[yotsuya]

Looks good.

[markc74]

You know - when you built your game of thrones pedestal i thought yeah - this guy has some serious vision. This shows (to me) you've got some pretty serious wood skills too.

Bah. 

[yotsuya]

Chuck is always serious about wood.

[harveybirdman]

You know the arcade channel I'd watch?

I get to go around with my camera and film Yots, Neph, Ond, Le Chuck, chopper, Vwbus, Mal, Opt, etc. while they do these sweet ass projects.

I'm going to buy a lottery ticket so I can get started booking those flights.

[vwalbridge]

You know the arcade channel I'd watch?

I get to go around with my camera and film Yots, Neph, Ond, Le Chuck, chopper, Vwbus, Mal, Opt, etc. while they do these sweet ass projects.

I'm going to buy a lottery ticket so I can get started booking those flights.

Birdman is my bro. 

And this project looks sweet LeChuck. 

[yotsuya]

You know the arcade channel I'd watch?

I get to go around with my camera and film Yots, Neph, Ond, Le Chuck, chopper, Vwbus, Mal, Opt, etc. while they do these sweet ass projects.

I'm going to buy a lottery ticket so I can get started booking those flights.

Birdman is my bro. 

And this project looks sweet LeChuck. 

Only if you make sure to promise to film the entire journey from Tulsa to all the other cities, but sped up and played with the Benny Hill theme.

[harveybirdman]

As long as that represents a mere 4% of the content then I'm with you.

No one wants to see a middle aged beer bellied nerd eat a belvita on a plane while emulating the GBA on his smartphone, especially when they tuned in expecting arcade craftsmanship.

But I would have a RUSH soundtrack to honor the ol Getty Leecade lost project.

[yotsuya]

All those fun hijinks we had at ZapCon, and nobody bothered to film it.

And Chuck, your ass better be there next year!

[Aceldamor]

Harvey has to stop at every arcade on the way and set the high score on every 1943 machine he can find...demz the rulez.

[Le Chuck]

I tell ya, you miss ONE arcade convention and it's nothing but shame and guilt for a YEAR! 

Thanks for the kudos all! 

[yotsuya]

I tell ya, you miss ONE arcade convention and it's nothing but shame and guilt for a YEAR! 

Thanks for the kudos all!

It's because you were missed, bro...

[Le Chuck]

I tell ya, you miss ONE arcade convention and it's nothing but shame and guilt for a YEAR! 

Thanks for the kudos all!

It's because you were missed, bro...

:fistbump

[Lucky S.O.B.]

Any updates on this build? Anxiously waiting....

[cj138]

Yes, yes, let the Blanche on Blanche action commence.  Got a theme picked out?

[Le Chuck]

Not a major update but I haven't been pissing my time away...unless you count the time at work or doing stuff I don't like, which in that case, I have. 

That aside it's all prep for paint now.  The wood fab is pretty easy and fun, the painting goes by in a flash, but this bit takes forevaar.  It also isn't terribly interesting but maybe I'll talk about my process a bit. 


Yeah, so don't mind the potato pic here, it was dark.  At any rate, this is right after the first coat of primer and the coat of bondo to fill voids.  I'm at 120 grit here.


Once I rub all the bondo down to a useable surface I hit it with the second coat of primer.  This tells me where I need to float the glaze.  I move up to 220 grit and start a cycle of glaze, sand, prime, glaze sand prime...until I get something I'm happy with.  This isn't it by the way, this is only coat two.  I'm on coat five meow. 


Here are the products I use.  Once I get through the prep cycle I'll hit the first coat and then progressive sand between coats up to a finish I'm happy with ~400-600.  With the paints I'm using there isn't much gain past that.  If you want to go higher and get glossier you need to start baking and I'm not equipped for that. 

I can only do about a coat and half a day because the glaze and primers need time to set so I take my time.  In the means I've been cutting the plexi.  More on that later. 

[cj138]

[Le Chuck]

Looks like some posts got nuked when the forum reset.  Um, yes it is further along than this.  Painting and art are done.  Controls and whatnots have been ordered and are enroute.  I'll update this or something, maybe this coming weekend. 

[cj138]

Sweet!

[Le Chuck]

Posts were lost, motivation was lost.  Motivation was found.  Prior posts remain lost.  All is okay, Blanche Dubois is nearing completion.  We're in the wiring phase.  Should wrap that up tomorrowish and start on the base (Devereaux) right afterword - baring a day or so to put the wraps on the SW cabaret once I get all the pieces I need for that.  Found out I'm moving again this spring and will move again one year after that so I'm going to try and put the wraps on this in a hurry because anything not done by late Aprilish probably ain't getting done for a year and some change.  Anyway, these threads suck without photos. 


I have moved Blanche 1 in from the garage to the kitchen, where I will work my dark magic on her all day tomorrow whilst I watch bad comedies and try and keep my 18 month old daughter from grabbing the soldering iron. Still need to break out the white vinyl and cricut my button overlays for everybody, but I'll get to that when I'm doing the base, or just before, or whenever.  This ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- is a hobby. 


These pictures are incredibly handy, did you know that my P3 balltop wasn't screwed down?  I didn't either. 


Went with a BYOAC theme.  I spend a lot of time here and well, yeah, I like it.  Beats the ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- out of MAME and the kids won't outgrow it like they will Scooby Doo...of course they won't really understand it either but hey, thems the breaks. 

[leapinlew]

BYOAC Themed! Brilliant!

I have some BYOAC schwag in the office. Not sure if there is a way to work them in, but an autographed copy of Gameroom Magazine, Saints book, and tokens from Santoro.

The build is looking fantastic.

[jmike]

+1 on the BYOAC theme.
You got some classic members on there.
Keep it going 

[yotsuya]

Cool idea!

But... I don't see my handle on there, so I guess I don't rate. But it's cool, you got johnrt on there.

[Malenko]

Cool idea!

But... I don't see my handle on there, so I guess I don't rate. But it's cool, you got johnrt on there.

Opt2Not is on there more than once, so is Le Chuck

[yotsuya]

That's cool, Chuckles is still my homeboy. I guess we're just going to keep it in the closet though.

[Le Chuck]

That's cool, Chuckles is still my homeboy. I guess we're just going to keep it in the closet though.

The JPG upload version washes out some of the detail, precious.  You're near Calamity and Snake. 

Opt2Not is on there more than once, so is Le Chuck

So is everyone I put on there, which is pretty much every over a certain post count threshold, just to make it manageable.  It repeats a lot.  I did add a few names manually like my man Louis Tully, because dude might be gone but he's still a dude.  He still abides. 

I didn't bother to remove anyone I didn't like except for one user.  It's not a popularity contest, just a theme. 


Also, I had forgotten how much of a pain in the dick wiring these monstrosities are.  F-this thing. 

[yotsuya]

That's cool, Chuckles is still my homeboy. I guess we're just going to keep it in the closet though.

The JPG upload version washes out some of the detail, precious.  You're near Calamity and Snake. 

Opt2Not is on there more than once, so is Le Chuck

So is everyone I put on there, which is pretty much every over a certain post count threshold, just to make it manageable.  It repeats a lot.  I did add a few names manually like my man Louis Tully, because dude might be gone but he's still a dude.  He still abides. 

I didn't bother to remove anyone I didn't like except for one user.  It's not a popularity contest, just a theme.

You know I'm just ---smurfing--- with you, bro. I got you right here in my heart.

[Ian]

I like to imagine my name is right behind the "R"... Thanks for thinking of me chuckles! 

[yotsuya]

I like to imagine my name is right behind the "R"... Thanks for thinking of me chuckles! 

Just squint, dude. You're chilling with me and Driverman right behind the logo...

[Ian]

I like to imagine my name is right behind the "R"... Thanks for thinking of me chuckles! 

Just squint, dude. You're chilling with me and Driverman right behind the logo...

Prime real-estate brother!   

[yotsuya]

By the way, Chuck, great craftsmanship as always. Just ignore our salty jabs!

[Le Chuck]

Just ignore our salty jabs!

I been around long enough to enjoy the flavor


Wait

Eewwww


And thanks for the kudos.

[Ond]

Nice work on this one Le Chuck, angled MDF cuts, Bondo, automotive finishing products and your usual attention to detail tied together with a BYOAC theme.  Registering fairly high on my Tastee-O-meter!

  

[Le Chuck]

So I got bored and decided not to do the base I had planned.  Few reasons.  For one, see the first sentence.  For two, this Blanche was already a heavy broad and if I completed her sister it would be damn near unmovable - like hard to fit through doors, and to quote Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that."

So I instead purchased an adjustable keyboard stand, cut it to size, drilled it out so it hooks up nice and tight but is removable and we were off to the races!  What's nice is that it's super light, super stable, and can adjust height very easily.  It might not be the best looking base in the world but you don't see it when you're playing and its functional as all get-out.  Plus I don't think it looks that bad. 

 
I'm moving in about a month and this will be getting a larger TV (42ish I think) at the next house, but this little number was already on the wall in the playroom so it works fine for now.


Grainy pic of the underside.  Everything is nice and removable.  Again, once I move I'll clean up the wiring, get some spiral wrap and do some cable management but that can wait.   


Pic of dubious focus of the inside.  I made the decision a while ago that even tho I designed it to be modular in nature that I would never actually change it from the setup it is at now, so when it came time to wire it I didn't fiddle with all the necessary steps to maintain that functionality. 

[pbj]

TV is half the size it should be.

[Le Chuck]

TV is half the size it should be.

Duh. But I ain't mounting the other one a month before a move.

[opt2not]

lol! With the size of the tv, and that side door in comparison to the pedestal, it looks like being in a hobbit's den!
That or the 7 1/2 floor of Being John Malkovich.

[wp34]

That's a pretty clever solution and it does look good.   

[pbj]

TV is half the size it should be.

Duh. But I ain't mounting the other one a month before a move.

I meant your planned 42".

[NIVO]

turned out great Chuckie. Worth the wait

[8BitMonk]

Damn fine job, cp woodwork and finishing looks great!  The stand isn't the prettiest but the trade-off in functionality/portability is well worth it, I'd have done the same.

[Le Chuck]

Thanks guys!  The scale of things around it does give the picture a hobbitish vibe lol.  The kids are pleased, Knights of the Round is one of their favs and it's a lot of fun for us to quarter feed through all together.  The boys are 9 and 7 respectively so I've got at least a few more years where they don't mind playing a game with old man, and their friends are always around so its nice to see it get put through its paces. 

I've got the 84" added to my Amazon wish list, James, can you loan me a few of those gift cards tho?  It's like 8 grand

[Mike A]

You would be surprised how long your kids will want to stick around. My son is 15 and he still enjoys gaming with the old man. Even when his friends are around.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[leapinlew]

Nice solution with the keyboard tray. Is it for sale somewhere? I wouldn't mind having something similar for a pedestal I've been kicking around

[Le Chuck]

Nice solution with the keyboard tray. Is it for sale somewhere? I wouldn't mind having something similar for a pedestal I've been kicking around

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008I5QTQI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one I used.  A tad under $50 after shipping.  A lot of the reviews complain about how long the supports are - but those are made by people who clearly aren't DIYers.  It has plastic endcaps so you can pop them off and cut it down to your needs.

[n3wt0n]

Turned out great as always Le Chuck. How did you mount the power supply? It looks like you used some kind of L-bracket but how did you attach it to the power supply? Thanks.

[Le Chuck]

Turned out great as always Le Chuck. How did you mount the power supply? It looks like you used some kind of L-bracket but how did you attach it to the power supply? Thanks.

Thanks!

I cut a plate to the width of the ps but made it a tad longer and drilled mount holes evenly across.  Then I decased the ps, marked the screw points from case that hold the board onto the plate, drilled those, mounted the case to the plate, mounted the board in the case, closed it back up and screwed the whole mess down.

[jimmyfloyd]

I like your style. You've done basically exactly what I was considering doing, including the Keyboard stand and low voltage keystone jacks with Power plug. Excellent execution.

[n3wt0n]

Thanks!

I cut a plate to the width of the ps but made it a tad longer and drilled mount holes evenly across.  Then I decased the ps, marked the screw points from case that hold the board onto the plate, drilled those, mounted the case to the plate, mounted the board in the case, closed it back up and screwed the whole mess down.

Thanks for the info! I didn't even think about taking the power supplies apart. I will try doing this on my next project. It's much cleaner looking than zip ties and much sturdier than velcro - my last two solutions that were less than optimal.

[markc74]

I'd never build a 4 player panel (don't have enough friends who love the old games) but if i did it would be like this. Really nice build and i think the keyboard stand is a great idea as it allows it be packed away if needed. Very clever!

[KenToad]

The black and white minimalist design, the angles and the controls layout on this thing are all perfectly executed, IMO. I wish I had half your woodworking skills.

[Locke141]

Your work working skills are great but I think your taste puts all your builds over-the-top.

If I ever get to move back to NYC, the oil drum bases my pedestal probably won't come for space issues. Using a keyboard stand was an idea I played around with. Now that I see it on yours I think thats a good way to go.