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Author Topic: The Grid....  (Read 182429 times)

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J_K_M_A_N

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #240 on: July 09, 2019, 08:26:21 pm »
I just bought a couple of these and cut them to size.

J_K_M_A_N

Arroyo

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #241 on: July 23, 2019, 06:56:21 pm »
Got a small window on Sunday to make some cuts. 

Saw on MikeA’s post a product and technique that I would steal to hopefully help speed up my process, and it really did. 

I bought as per his suggestion an Emerson straight edge clamp:



This really helped as the setup time to clamp this down versus using clamps and a straight edge was faster (clamps are on the underside, and clamp to the sides of the piece).  But it really became valuable when routing.  Up until now I have been using multiple clamps on a straight piece, and I would have to stop and turn my router off and move clamps as they were in the way.  With this the top surface is totally clear so you can just clamp and then cut without having to stop:



Here’s how I was doing it (I’ll talk about that beat up flush trim bit in a minute):



The only hang up I had was on one end of the clamp the blue clamp sticks up a little and prevented me from cutting all the way to the edge:



You can see how the router base was bumping up against blue part.

So I added a block of straight scrap and that fixed it:



Other thing I borrowed was predrilling holes in corners which made using the jigsaw easier to pull out the blade and make turns without bending the blade:




Pretty pumped that the monitor mount piece I cut lined up with what will be the sides:



Small win to most I am sure, but to have that line up with the depth of cut was huge as I was very nervous about it.

So yeah about that bit.  I had ordered a new one as I knew this one was getting beat up, and I was praying it would show up in time for work this weekend and it obviously didn’t.  What I found out while cutting was that the bearing (red arrow below) started to have some play (I could move it ever so slightly side to side).  While the difference in cut was almost imperceptible I could feel it, but the bigger deal was that the blade and the area right above the bearing (black arrow), were then allowed to move further in then the bearing.  What that meant was that my brand new clamping straight edge started to get marked up by both the blade and area above the bearing.  I didn’t take pictures but it took the perfectly smooth surface and introduced divots.  Thankfully this was only on one side and I pulled the bit after noticing it:



What I have learned about bits is:

1.   They really aren’t meant for the initial cut.  The smallest amount possible is ideal, but I don’t think I would do more than half the diameter of the bit.  So for a ½” bit no more than ¼” thickness of a cut (sustained).
2.   Don’t go too slow when making a cut.  I thought I was being more precise, but that additional friction allows the bit to heat up and is a large part of the reason mine became so black.  I am also pretty confident that the heating is what led to the deterioration of the bearing not to mention the blade.
3.   Always clean the bit with Acetone between switching it out and keep as clean as possible.

Not much to look at but here was my Sunday accomplishment:



I also ordered an Arduino as I will be using it extensively for LED light management:




This will control the glow corners, discs, and monitor surrounds……now for lots of caffeine and learning the Fast LED library  :dizzy:

Pretty amazing what it can do though:


« Last Edit: August 01, 2019, 05:14:08 pm by Arroyo »

Mike A

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #242 on: July 23, 2019, 07:17:31 pm »
That is some nice work.

I keep telling people that you don't have to have a decade of woodworking experience to do a good job. You have to absorb information from other people like a sponge and you have to give a crap about detail.

About the router bit cutting into the straight edge...

Don't buy any more of those ---smurfy--- bits. I still have a couple of them, but I am slowly transitioning to better bits. The bearings are sloppy at best, and they have a habit of exploding.

You have too much of the cutting surface in contact with the straightedge. Adjust your bit deeper.

You don't need a straight edge to make the jigsaw cuts if you are going to clean them up with the router. It will save you some time to freehand them.

+1 on not using your router bit to make full cuts. Use a jigsaw or circular saw to do the grunt work.

I am very impressed with the way you are learning and executing what you learned.

bperkins01

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #243 on: July 23, 2019, 07:33:57 pm »
What Mike said +1

You can't read experience.. you have to do it..
 
A very high quality router bit is the Whiteside bit..  You want to use 1/2" or larger pattern bits.  I've also had good luck with the CMT bits.
The less material you remove the better as you found..

Thanks for the update :)

My Arcade Cabinet Build and other projects here:
Centipede, Joust, Joust Cocktail, Asteroids, Galaga, Ms. Pacman Cabaret, Defender, Space Invaders Cocktail
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javeryh

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #244 on: July 23, 2019, 08:27:56 pm »
Nice progress!  I’ve had the bearing on that exact bit explode on me and I had another snap off and thank god went flying away from me.  So yeah, better bits are always preferable (1/2” shank).  Always remove as little material as you can with it and you will be fine - it only struggled when I didn’t know what I was doing and I literally tried to bite off more than it could chew.

That clamp looks awesome - I run into the same issue you described where the clamps are in the way of the straight edge and I have to reposition.  I’ll look into picking one up for my next project.  The jigsaw, straight edge and flush bit are the reason my table saw hasn’t been turned on in years.  It’s just more precise for me.

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #245 on: July 24, 2019, 01:13:14 am »
Don't buy any more of those ---smurfy--- bits. I still have a couple of them, but I am slowly transitioning to better bits. The bearings are sloppy at best, and they have a habit of exploding.

You don't need a straight edge to make the jigsaw cuts if you are going to clean them up with the router. It will save you some time to freehand them.
A very high quality router bit is the Whiteside bit..  You want to use 1/2" or larger pattern bits.  I've also had good luck with the CMT bits.

Yeah it was a Diablo, and I'm not sure that the bit was as much to blame as the operator.  Clearly I was using it in the wrong way on multiple occasions.  I should have consulted all of you before buying the new one.  I was sold on the Freud brand by the folks at Rockler.  Next bits will be Whiteside or CMT.  Damn I wish I had bought a 1/2" shank router.....maybe Christmas will come early  ;D

Agreed on the jigsaw, I actually started going more freehand on Sunday.  As far as I can tell it's necessary on curves anyway :dunno

That clamp looks awesome - I run into the same issue you described where the clamps are in the way of the straight edge and I have to reposition.  I’ll look into picking one up for my next project.  The jigsaw, straight edge and flush bit are the reason my table saw hasn’t been turned on in years.  It’s just more precise for me.

Agreed, at least for now.  I'm sure I will run into some problem that I'll wish I had one but I'm gonna see how far I can make it without it.  +1 on the Straight edge clamp, it's money!
« Last Edit: July 24, 2019, 01:18:53 am by Arroyo »

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #246 on: July 24, 2019, 02:35:17 am »
Love to see you working on this cab!   :applaud:

Your depth of cut looks bang-on, I'd be pleased with that too. 

Your proof of concept fightstick was absolutely awesome, so I am excited to see where the full project goes.

javeryh

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #247 on: July 24, 2019, 09:51:47 am »
Agreed on the jigsaw, I actually started going more freehand on Sunday.  As far as I can tell it's necessary on curves anyway :dunno

If you want precise curves, build a jig!  You can attach your router to a straight piece of MDF or whatever and put a screw on one end and the center of the bit on the other and do whatever curve you want.  Your router base should have screws and/or holes on it for attaching jigs.  You draw a straight line on the material from the bit to the screw and measure out your curve on it.  It sounds harder than it is but if you take your time to do it you will get a perfect curve instead of trying to get close to the line with the jigsaw and sanding it back.

A long time ago I explained how to do it (and it doesn't have to be this detailed).  Yours may need to be longer depending on the radius of the curve you are trying to cut.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,82554.msg861415.html#msg861415

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #248 on: July 24, 2019, 12:42:06 pm »
Love to see you working on this cab!   :applaud:

Your depth of cut looks bang-on, I'd be pleased with that too. 

Your proof of concept fightstick was absolutely awesome, so I am excited to see where the full project goes.

Cheers Laythe, I'm watching your every post soaking up as much as I can. 

Yeah I think the flight stick will actually be pretty handy on a lot of games, I haven't gotten to play many with it yet as I haven't had it supported in a panel.  Looking forward to getting it mounted and fire up some Star Wars and Afterburner.

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #249 on: July 24, 2019, 12:42:39 pm »
Agreed on the jigsaw, I actually started going more freehand on Sunday.  As far as I can tell it's necessary on curves anyway :dunno

If you want precise curves, build a jig!

Ahem.  Post #201 :bat ;D

What I meant was use the jig saw to get close on curve and then come back with a router to clean it up with the jig.

But you bring up a good point in using the router to cut circles.  While this Ryobi router with 1/4" shank has served me well thus far it's two biggest downsides are the shank size and terrible accessory options.  The only circle jig I can find (without building one.) is this one:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0744PD3VS/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A1UAD3GC6ZP026&psc=1

Which based on my previous Milescraft universal purchases will probably be ok and a bit shaky on quality.  I'm actually planning on buying a Makita palm router with tilting base that has a better universal mounting plate that should open up circle jig options.  This has been another good lesson in not going cheap on a purchase, and spending a lot of time researching.  If I don't upgrade my router I continue to be left out of 1/2" shank bits, and substandard or no options on accessories (circle jig, plunge base, straight edge attachments, etc.).

Question for the group on cutting circles with the router: As far as I can tell I would have to have my pivot point be secured to a piece of wood below the material so that once the bit gets close to finishing the circle the router doesn't move.  Meaning if the pivot point is in the material only, then once it finishes the cut, the cut out circle would allow the router to move.  So I think I need to secure the pivot to a piece of wood below the material?  Also it seems I would have to violate what I said above and use the bit to do all of the cutting as I don't think I can use my usual jigsaw and router method.....
« Last Edit: July 31, 2019, 12:20:58 pm by Arroyo »

javeryh

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #250 on: July 24, 2019, 02:08:35 pm »
Question for the group on cutting circles with the router: As far as I can tell I would have to have my pivot point be secured to a piece of wood below the material so that once the bit gets close to finishing the circle the router doesn't move.  Meaning if the pivot point is in the material only, then once it finishes the cut, the cut out circle would allow the router to move.  So I think I need to secure the pivot to a piece of wood below the material?  Also it seems I would have to violate what I said above and use the bit to do all of the cutting as I don't think I can use my usual jigsaw and router method.....

The way I do it is with a piece of scrap material as my bottom layer.  I use double sided tape on the piece I'm cutting and attach it to the scrap layer on both the piece I'm going to use as well as the piece I'm cutting out.  This way once you complete the circle cut, nothing will move.

Also, do not use the flush cutting bit for this - you should use a 1/4" diameter (not shank size) double fluted straight bit (no bearing).  These are made to cut through material and disperse the sawdust much easier than a pattern bit.

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #251 on: July 24, 2019, 03:48:15 pm »
Brilliant!  Thanks Javery!

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #252 on: July 26, 2019, 03:58:20 am »
Just spent two days (on and off) reading through this whole thread.

I'm awe-struck at how this is turning out. The detail you are putting into your posts is really appreciated. I've made one cabinet a few years ago and I'm just building up the courage to start on my second - the new and improved v2.0 (the wood is getting delivered this afternoon!!!). However, your post initially nearly made me not bother as I'm never going to get anywhere near the quality that you are producing!

Just a quick question on your arduino and the LEDs. How is it managing to sweep through the LEDs with patterns like that? Is each individual LED addressable or something? I've only used the basic strips before with 4 wires attached (RGB and power)?

I'm now going to continue to watch this thread with interest and learn from the masters on here. This whole project is incredibly inspiring. Although it may just put me off posting pictures of my build as I've only got a garden table, a set square and a battered old jigsaw to work with! :-)

Thanks Arroyo for your great work and good luck for the rest of the project!

Cheers

John :-)

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #253 on: July 26, 2019, 06:43:42 am »
This whole project is incredibly inspiring. Although it may just put me off posting pictures of my build as I've only got a garden table, a set square and a battered old jigsaw to work with! :-)



This was done with a jigsaw, a corded drill and a palm sander. My workbench was a piece of wood clamped to two sawhorses. You don't need fancy tools to make something cool, it just takes more time and maybe a bit more imagination. It helps immensely to have the wood precut into rectangles so that you have got your straight lines already and use the jigsaw for curves.

So, no excuses for not posting your build pics  ;) There are a ton of people here who may help you if you have problems, you might get new ideas concerning the design. My cab would have looked very different had I just built it without posting here.
                  

Mike A

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #254 on: July 26, 2019, 06:50:17 am »
My first build was done borrowing a circular saw. I owned a cordless screwdriver and I worked on milk crates. I took my time and I borrowed heavily from Lusid's design. I wasn't on any forum then. I knew nothing about woodworking. The cab looked good. It was basic but everything was straight and square. It cost almost nothing to build. It looked good and it functioned well until I had to disassemble it to make room for my mother in laws garbage, I mean stuff.

Go ahead and post your build.

bperkins01

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #255 on: July 26, 2019, 07:31:11 am »
My Arcade Cabinet Build and other projects here:
Centipede, Joust, Joust Cocktail, Asteroids, Galaga, Ms. Pacman Cabaret, Defender, Space Invaders Cocktail
https://bperkins.wordpress.com/

Arroyo

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #256 on: July 26, 2019, 11:07:55 am »
However, your post initially nearly made me not bother as I'm never going to get anywhere near the quality that you are producing!

That's kind of you to say, but like the other guys said, please post.  Javeryh mentioned it on another thread but we can all learn from each other, both in successes and failures.  I can't tell you how many times I've picked up a one-off idea from reading someone's build thread.  I've been reading daily on here for about 2 years and almost every day I learn something new.

Quote
Just a quick question on your arduino and the LEDs. How is it managing to sweep through the LEDs with patterns like that? Is each individual LED addressable or something? I've only used the basic strips before with 4 wires attached (RGB and power)?

Like you guessed they are addressable LED's.  While there are a number of standards out there the most common are the WS2811,WS2812, & WS2812b.  They are all the same protocol, with minor difference that in all practical purposes are the same.  The typical 4 wire LED's don't have any chips in them to control each LED (there are some 4 wire addressable LED's FYI), most addressable LED's are 3 wire for Power, Ground, and data.  The Arduino (and Ultimarc Nano as well) send the "data" to tell each one to turn on or off.  The Arduino is much more DIY (write your own code/copy library code) but incredibly flexible.  The Nano is more plug and play but limited to 20RGB LED's (60 single color).

Quote
I'm now going to continue to watch this thread with interest and learn from the masters on here.

I learned a lot from going through the "hall of fame worthy" thread:  Hall of Fame .  While it hasn't been kept up to include a lot of incredible projects in the last few years it does have a ton of good stuff.  I'd list my opinion of some of the master builders but it would inherently come up short.  Just read a lot is all I can say.

Quote
Although it may just put me off posting pictures of my build as I've only got a garden table, a set square and a battered old jigsaw to work with! :-)

So far I think I will be able to do 90%+ with just a jigsaw, router and a straight edge.  My Router cost $69, and the jigsaw $60 at home depot, so you don't have to spend a lot of money. And again POST, I'll be looking out for it!

« Last Edit: September 20, 2019, 12:58:41 pm by Arroyo »

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #257 on: July 26, 2019, 11:13:02 am »
I have the small and medium sized Jasper circle jigs
https://www.amazon.com/Jasper-270J-Router-Circle-Cutting/dp/B00009K77B/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=jasper+circle+jig&qid=1564140584&s=gateway&sr=8-4

I looked at that, but my Router (RYOBI Model # R1631K), doesn't show up on the compatibility list, unless I am missing something.....Damn I wish I had researched my router's more.  I'm sure I will break down at some point and buy a Porter Cable. ;D

uptown47

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #258 on: July 27, 2019, 04:06:14 am »
This whole project is incredibly inspiring. Although it may just put me off posting pictures of my build as I've only got a garden table, a set square and a battered old jigsaw to work with! :-)



This was done with a jigsaw, a corded drill and a palm sander. My workbench was a piece of wood clamped to two sawhorses. You don't need fancy tools to make something cool, it just takes more time and maybe a bit more imagination. It helps immensely to have the wood precut into rectangles so that you have got your straight lines already and use the jigsaw for curves.

So, no excuses for not posting your build pics  ;) There are a ton of people here who may help you if you have problems, you might get new ideas concerning the design. My cab would have looked very different had I just built it without posting here.

Wow! That looks amazing! I am *definitely* going to be posting here with my build - I've learnt a load of new stuff just in the last week or two as I've read through various threads.

My first build was done borrowing a circular saw. I owned a cordless screwdriver and I worked on milk crates. I took my time and I borrowed heavily from Lusid's design. I wasn't on any forum then. I knew nothing about woodworking. The cab looked good. It was basic but everything was straight and square. It cost almost nothing to build. It looked good and it functioned well until I had to disassemble it to make room for my mother in laws garbage, I mean stuff.

Go ahead and post your build.

Yep, I'm going to post it Mike. And I have been reading your posts with interest on the woodworking side. I was literally just looking at that stand you made for your aquarium! It's really interesting seeing how you put it all together.

I just borrowed my mates small "pocket hole" jig as I'm going to have a go at that.

Unfortunately I'm rained off this weekend - living in Scotland we are certainly NOT guaranteed the decent weather - unless you're stuck at work and then it seems that the sun will blaze away just fine. :-(

Anyway - I don't want to hijack this thread as I'll start my own when the time comes - however, I just wanted to thank you all for your kind words and encouragement and reassure you that I will be starting my build at some point in August all-being-well and so will definitely take you up on your kind offers of help :-)



uptown47

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #259 on: July 27, 2019, 04:15:53 am »
However, your post initially nearly made me not bother as I'm never going to get anywhere near the quality that you are producing!

That's kind of you to say, but like the other guys said, please post.  Javeryh mentioned it on another thread but we can all learn from each other, both in successes and failures.  I can't tell you how many times I've picked up a one-off idea from reading someone's build thread.  I've been reading daily on here for about 2 years and almost every day I learn something new.

Quote
Just a quick question on your arduino and the LEDs. How is it managing to sweep through the LEDs with patterns like that? Is each individual LED addressable or something? I've only used the basic strips before with 4 wires attached (RGB and power)?

Like you guessed they are addressable LED's.  While there are a number of standards out there the most common are the WS2811,WS2812, & WS2812b.  They are all the same protocol, with minor difference that in all practical purposes are the same.  The typical 4 wire LED's don't have any chips in them to control each LED (there are some 4 wire addressable LED's FYI), most addressable LED's are 3 wire for Power, Ground, and data.  The Arduino (and Ultimarc Nano as well) send the "data" to tell each one to turn on or off.  The Arduino is much more DIY (write your own code/copy library code) but incredibly flexible.  The Nano is more plug and play but limited to 20RGB LED's (60 single color).

Quote
I'm now going to continue to watch this thread with interest and learn from the masters on here.

I learned a lot from going through the "hall of fame worthy" thread:  Hall of Fame .  While it hasn't been kept up to include a lot of incredible projects in the last few years it does have a ton of good stuff.  I'd list my opinion of some of the master builders but it would inherently come up short.  Just read a lot is all I can say.

Quote
Although it may just put me off posting pictures of my build as I've only got a garden table, a set square and a battered old jigsaw to work with! :-)

So far I think I will be able to do 90%+ with just a jigsaw, router and a straight edge.  My Router cost $69, and the jigsaw $60 at home depot, so you don't have to spend a lot of money. And again POST, I'll be looking out for it!

Thanks for getting back to me Arroyo. I'd not heard of those LEDs before. I've used an Arduino once before (it was a Christmas prezzie from an old mate of mine) and I'm fine with the programming side of things so would love to go down that route for my build.

I'll have a read of the Hall of Fame thread you posted (thanks for the link). The wood arrived yesterday so I'm itching to start but I don't want to go off half-cocked.... I'm also going to look for a router today and see how much they are. I'm really kicking myself as about ten years ago my mate gave me a router for nothing. He works in a big shed shop (B&Q in the UK) and they had a load of spare stock and they gave them away for £1 !! He bought one and gave it to me. It sat in the shed for about 5 years gathering dust as I had absolutely no idea what it was used for. It just looked like a lump of metal to me! Eventually I tried to sell it and couldn't so I threw it away during a clean up!!! (Yes - I'm an idiot!!!).

Oh well... live and learn.

Your posts are invaluable for learning as you are posting the process along with the parts where you end up down a blind alley and have to re-think things. This is what I'm really liking about this thread. It isn't just - I've decided to build this - ta-daaaa!!! All done!!! It's the "I tried it this way, but the problem i found was x - so I then changed to this way and that worked because of y" etc.... Look forward to reading more as you do more work on the system.

Thanks again for your help, encouragement and inspiration! Keep up the great work :-)
« Last Edit: July 27, 2019, 05:09:07 am by uptown47 »

bperkins01

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #260 on: July 27, 2019, 09:22:28 am »
I have the small and medium sized Jasper circle jigs
https://www.amazon.com/Jasper-270J-Router-Circle-Cutting/dp/B00009K77B/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=jasper+circle+jig&qid=1564140584&s=gateway&sr=8-4

I looked at that, but my Router (RYOBI Model # R1631K), doesn't show up on the compatibility list, unless I am missing something.....Damn I wish I had researched my router's more.  I'm sure I will break down at some point and buy a Porter Cable. ;D

I'd be surprised if it didn't fit.. but buying and returning is a pain.  If there is a Woodcraft Store near you - they usually have them on the shelf and you can check.    I've had good luck with the Jasper jigs..
Keep up the good work!
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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #261 on: July 28, 2019, 09:25:59 am »
I love Woodcraft stores. The closest one to me is an hour away. I took a couple of woodworking classes there.

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #262 on: July 29, 2019, 10:59:41 am »
I worked at Woodcraft part time (3.5 hours a week to be exact) for 6/7 years..
The employee discount was excellent..  hence .. a full shop of tools..
It is a really good store..  all woodworkers with different areas of expertise..
Well worth getting stuff there to keep them around -
all but a couple of the stores are franchises.. so they are locally owned.
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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #263 on: July 29, 2019, 08:04:26 pm »
Thanks for the tips boys!

Continuing on this Sunday, got some time to keep at it.

Worked on cutting out the lower box.  The build will be comprised of two “boxes”.  A lower half that will contain the majority of the electronics, and the upper which will house the Marquee and speakers, etc.  The two boxes will then be joined by the sides.

So I wanted to work on the lower box and managed to get the “sides” cut out.  Did my usual method which I believe I have over documented at this point.   The only thing I thought I would show is handling inside sharp angels.  The router bit can only cut rounded interior cuts so I used the Jig saw and a straight edge to cut those last bits of wood:






Turned out well. 

Here’s the two sides cut out with the Monitor support on top being precariously balanced together by the saw horse:





The bottom curve of the sides is purposely not finished as I will wait until I can bend the front door to a curve.  Once that’s done I will use the pattern bit to cut the curve flush with the wood on the curved front door.  BTW it’s not really a door just not sure what else to call it :dunno

Also tried cutting out the funky pieces for the Marquee.  Got all cuts finished except for one of the shortest ones and decided to go back to the sticky tape method as the clamps would have to be to close together on the straight edge that the router wouldn’t be able to make any cuts:



So I double taped the straight bit of wood and well I didn’t tape enough as the piece moved on my cut.  So I ended up cutting too much into the piece.  I figured no big deal I will take all the effort I did and pattern cut a new one but leave that one side with the error and correct it on the new piece……Well I got so in the zone with the pattern cutting that I patterned over the bad side :angry:
Just a good lesson that less is more, and rushing things just to get something done NEVER ends well.

I’m tired of smelling like I’ve lived in the woods for two years……..just kidding I’d swim in this stuff if it was social acceptable ;D

bperkins01

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #264 on: July 29, 2019, 08:23:52 pm »
Nice tight joints  :)
Keep sneaking that time in!!
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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #265 on: July 30, 2019, 03:47:13 am »
Nice update! I cringe when I see you in those flip-flops and not boots/shoes or something that will stop you never being able to play "this little piggy" ever again..... Please don't drop anything!  ;)

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #266 on: July 30, 2019, 03:27:30 pm »
Nice update! I cringe when I see you in those flip-flops and not boots/shoes or something that will stop you never being able to play "this little piggy" ever again..... Please don't drop anything!  ;)

At least I cut out the beers! :o   I'm doing all the cutting under a carport that is awesome protection against the 94°F that it was on Sunday.  In those conditions flip flops and shorts are a must!

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #267 on: July 30, 2019, 03:53:08 pm »
I have to say.. that troubled me too a bit..  maybe boat shoes...  Just in case..
 :o
My Arcade Cabinet Build and other projects here:
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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #268 on: July 30, 2019, 05:04:06 pm »
I must have missed the bit about why that notch is in the side there. I'm guessing all will be revealed in time.

Love all the advice in the thread and you throwing stuff out there. I'm trying to follow the advice on only using the router for cleanup. Especially now that I have a jigsaw. The router still makes me nervous, but I found I'm really loving getting used to the jigsaw. And guess which one I've had the most mishaps with?! The one I'm most comfortable with, of course!

I envy that Emerson straight edge clamp. If I had known about that before starting, I would've ran out and got one. But now I'm nearing the end of woodworking, way over budget, and getting close to rainy season. Maybe for my next project!

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #269 on: July 30, 2019, 05:30:13 pm »
NCW.  NCW = Nice Clean Work.  It takes effort and pride to get the NCW.  Keep up the great work buddy.   :cheers:

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #270 on: July 31, 2019, 10:45:11 am »
Very clean! This is going to turn out excellent!

Nice update! I cringe when I see you in those flip-flops and not boots/shoes or something that will stop you never being able to play "this little piggy" ever again..... Please don't drop anything!  ;)

At least I cut out the beers! :o   I'm doing all the cutting under a carport that is awesome protection against the 94°F that it was on Sunday.  In those conditions flip flops and shorts are a must!

Ah! That California work boot!

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #271 on: July 31, 2019, 12:49:35 pm »
You probably already know this, not your first build I’m sure, but don’t do what I did and make sharp inside corners then try to apply T Moulding. From what you wrote this is internal structure?

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #272 on: August 01, 2019, 02:08:37 pm »
@bperkins & uptown47 - Would it help to know that the shirts off too?

@gingecko - You can probably tell by post #241 (last picture), but the plan for the notch/gap is to allow the LED strip to have a feed/remove hole if they blow.  It might make more sense to look at the below picture:



The white area I traced out from the printout, as that will be routed down roughly 1/4" where the Acrylic will be mounted.  The LED strip will sit behind it to give a glow effect.  The Acrylic is frosted so it will reflect the light, just as the lighting was done for the control box a few pages back.  The LED's are addressable and that was so I can play with some animation and effects.  They won't be rainbow colors, just one color actually to fit the theme, but I wanted to be able to control each LED to leave the options open.  Oh and the straight edge clamp has become the 2nd most important thing I've bought.  Very versatile.

@OND - Hey we can't all be OND, but we can try  ;).  Hey uptown47, you wanna see a master builder, go lookup OND's stuff. OFF. THE. CHARTS.

@Vigo - Cheers Bud, you gotta try that CA work boot, all the hip kids are doing it!

@MiteWiseacre - Thanks for the heads up, yeah no T-moulding on that, but instead it will be laminated, which I am sure will present it's own challenges.  That angle won't be internal actually, but it will probably make more sense once I can start fitting pieces together.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2019, 02:29:04 pm by Arroyo »

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #273 on: August 01, 2019, 02:21:56 pm »
Something I'm fretting about as the decisions are piling up in my head.  When I fit together the pieces above for the Monitor/Control Panel mount I panicked a bit about the control panel height.  I always knew it was going to be a bit on the high side, but I had tested it on my Tempest that I bought which is about the same at 40" for Players 1 & 2 and probably 40.5" for Players 3 & 4.  Looks like most panels are closer to 38" (I'm measuring from the floor to the base of the joystick, or bottom of the buttons).

I've been playing in Sketchup and unless I want to make major changes the best option would be to cut the bottom of the sides and pieces above.  This changes the proportions of the overall machine slightly although I was only going to go for 1-1.5" so not too dramatic. 

Any experience with using panels at 40"?  I'm 5'11" for reference.

uptown47

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #274 on: August 01, 2019, 02:22:33 pm »
@bperkins & uptown47 - Would it help to know that the shirts off too?

Oh and the straight edge clamp has become the 2nd most important thing I've bought.  Very versatile.

@OND - Hey we can't all be OND, but we can try  ;).  Hey uptown47, you wanna see a master builder, go lookup OND's stuff. OFF. THE. CHARTS.

Not having the shirt on just means the paramedics have less to cut off you after the inevitable accident :-)

I'll have a look at OND's stuff. Unfortunately, this week has been a bit of a nightmare with other jobs that have cropped up. Today I just picked up a new cistern as I need to repair the toilet! I've also got shelves to put up. The LEDs have packed in on the stairs (used to light the stairs up), the headlight bulb in my car needed changing, blah blah.... however, when all this calms down I'm back on it.

I've been scoping out what stuff I need for my build and I'm just waiting on a reply back from Andy (Ultimarc) to clear a few things up then I'll be pushing the button and buying the exciting stuff!!!

Due to you, I've bought myself a straight edge clamp AND a router!! Both arriving tomorrow!! I knew I shouldn't have opened this thread........ :-)

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #275 on: August 01, 2019, 04:36:04 pm »
Thanks! Yea, now I mostly understand it.

The more I think about that straight edge clamp, the more I want it. I just remembered the chore it's been to set wood on the sawhorses, get my saw-guide lined up, start to clamp down, and nope...have to readjust everything as the clamp wouldn't reach the sawhorse and the board! Clamping to the underside of the board sounds like it would be way more useful. Plus it's probably lighter than the melamine saw guide I made myself. Payday was today...so maybe it's time! What size clamp did you get? [Nevermind, looks like 55" in the pic] Any regrets about it being too big?
« Last Edit: August 01, 2019, 04:38:00 pm by gingecko »

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #276 on: August 01, 2019, 04:52:17 pm »
Any regrets about it being too big?

Yup 55", no regrets, I almost went for the 99" but that seemed like it would be cumbersome, particularly on smaller cuts.  They have a "3 pack" on Amazon of different sizes, but so far I've been able to get every cut I need using the 55".  Keep one thing in mind, to use the built in clamps the wood sides need to be in parallel, like a square.  Meaning you couldn't for example use the clamps on a triangle.  In those situations I use my Dewalt clamps like I was on the other straight edges (you can see an example in the pictures above).
« Last Edit: August 01, 2019, 05:11:38 pm by Arroyo »

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #277 on: August 01, 2019, 05:00:14 pm »
Something I'm fretting about as the decisions are piling up in my head.  When I fit together the pieces above for the Monitor/Control Panel mount I panicked a bit about the control panel height.  I always knew it was going to be a bit on the high side, but I had tested it on my Tempest that I bought which is about the same at 40" for Players 1 & 2 and probably 40.5" for Players 3 & 4.  Looks like most panels are closer to 38" (I'm measuring from the floor to the base of the joystick, or bottom of the buttons).

I've been playing in Sketchup and unless I want to make major changes the best option would be to cut the bottom of the sides and pieces above.  This changes the proportions of the overall machine slightly although I was only going to go for 1-1.5" so not too dramatic. 

Any experience with using panels at 40"?  I'm 5'11" for reference.

I recently played an original Donkey Kong and I was surprised at how short it was. But I am 6'1" now and when I played it years ago, I was shorter. After playing that, I decided that if I build a full size machine, I want the CP higher than that one is (I think it is like only 36" high?). I have not messed around yet to see what height I would want though.

J_K_M_A_N

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #278 on: August 01, 2019, 05:03:27 pm »
Quote
Any regrets about it being too big?
:o

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Re: The Grid....
« Reply #279 on: August 01, 2019, 05:30:59 pm »
Quote
Any regrets about it being too big?
:o

It can never be too big.