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Author Topic: javeryh's Salisbury Beach Twin Tullys  (Read 73558 times)

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javeryh

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javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #80 on: September 21, 2021, 08:09:26 pm »
There’s a junction box in the basement buried behind a wall and it is not accessible.  My fault as I finished the room in my basement as my home theater with elaborate treatments on the walls.  I knew I was covering it up but never once had an electrical problem in the house.  Oh well.  Live and learn.

I bought some speaker grills for a Midway cocktail cabinet I plan to build eventually… hopefully before I’m too old to enjoy it.  I could use them in this build.  They would be installed vertically to the right of the coin door.  Not sure how it would look…


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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #81 on: September 23, 2021, 05:07:09 am »
Sorry about that buried box. Probably a fish tank still at the moment given that storm.

I hope you have disconnected that circuit in your load center so nothing bad happens.
Just in case...

I can't remember what the artwork plan was for these (not a jab mind you- I don't have a leg to stand on in regard to pace of completion here for a while now)

Seem to recall maybe off center DK style router slot grills instead of those plastic ones... ?
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javeryh

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #82 on: September 23, 2021, 12:22:32 pm »
I can't remember what the artwork plan was for these (not a jab mind you- I don't have a leg to stand on in regard to pace of completion here for a while now)

Seem to recall maybe off center DK style router slot grills instead of those plastic ones... ?

I'm not doing the DK speaker slots.  Too much work.  I am offsetting the coin door to the left underneath the marquee and on the right I am most likely drilling two holes vertically and covering them with the speaker grill posted above.  It's actually metal and the exact grills that are used on Midway cocktail cabinets.

I am currently trying to decide whether to (1) round over the opening for the marquee and (2) route out material behind the marquee cutout so that the marquee can be a little closer to flush with the front panel.  I am thinking about both of these things to avoid t-molding around the marquee, which I'm not a huge fan of.

If I round over the edge then I have to paint the entire panel black (which is always been the plan).  Woodgrain vinyl is going on the sides exactly like my last cabinet.  I think it will all work together.

javeryh

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javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #83 on: September 28, 2021, 05:45:33 pm »
Alright… any progress is good progress, right?  It has become clear I’m never going to get an entire day to work on these so I’m trying to do an hour here and there when I’m in between phone calls and meetings. 

I laid out the front panel and cut out the hole for the coin door precisely.  The marquee hole is just a rough cut.  I cannot find my pattern bit with the ball bearing on top so every line I’m cutting needs to be done upside down and I want to scream.

Anyway, the coin door fits but now I’m rethinking the placement of the speaker grill.  Originally the plan was to line up the top of the grill with the top of the coin door and also set it in from the right the same distance as the coin door:



I don’t like it.  So instead the new plan is to center it with the coin door:



I think this looks slightly better although with the entire panel getting some black paint I am not sure it even matters.  I am going to be drilling two 2” diameter holes on top of each other for the L and R speakers.  The sub will just sit on the floor inside the cab. 

I do think I might want to add some art or something underneath - seems a little barren to me but not sure what would go there.  Maybe just some white pin stripes or something….

Tomorrow I’m planning on getting the marquee cut precisely and then making a copy of the entire panel (remember I’m building two of these at once).  Then I’ll probably round over the opening with a 1/4” round over bit.

Stay tuned…
« Last Edit: September 28, 2021, 05:50:54 pm by javeryh »

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #84 on: September 28, 2021, 07:41:19 pm »
Great to see you back at it again.  I agree that centered balances it out a bit better.  Like you said though, with it all black the orientation won't stand out nearly as much.   :cheers:

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #85 on: September 29, 2021, 01:53:42 am »
Given the space there, maybe even bottom lined up will be cool.

Totally agree that equal center line is better than even on top.
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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #86 on: September 29, 2021, 09:30:15 am »
Great to see you back at it again.  I agree that centered balances it out a bit better.  Like you said though, with it all black the orientation won't stand out nearly as much.   :cheers:

Yeah, I think that's what I'm going with.  It's going to be a lot of black but that's pretty much how cabarets were back in the day.  If I can think of a fun (and easy) design for the front I'll consider it - especially since I won't have to look at it! 

I definitely did not intend to take a 5 month break from building but I have been dealing with motivation issues plus we spent a lot of time down the shore over the summer.  A while back I finally decided to go back to the gym instead of running every day.  I missed it a lot but I'm also a giant wuss and didn't want to be around other people but it's been fine for the most part.  I am feeling energized again.

Given the space there, maybe even bottom lined up will be cool.

Totally agree that equal center line is better than even on top.

yeah I don't think it actually matters in the grand scheme of things but I like to obsess over the details  ;D

javeryh

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #87 on: September 29, 2021, 07:38:16 pm »
This is getting out of hand… Now there are two of them!



I cleaned up the marquee and drilled the speaker holes.  Then using my pattern bit I made an exact copy for cab #2.  I’ll call this a win for today.

Next I need to think about assembling the cabinets and painting.  Last time, I laminated all of the inside panels but this time I’m just giving them a coat of black paint.  I’m planning to attach the wood battons to the inside panels permanently (glue and an excuse to use my nail gun).  But then I’ll attach them to the side panels with screws so I can take it apart and paint and then glue everything in place.  I’m trying to eliminate brush strokes.

So next up is cutting a bunch of wood strips for the bottom panel, front panel and lower rear panel and attaching everything.  It will make sense when I get going and post some more pics.

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #88 on: September 29, 2021, 08:36:53 pm »
These are looking boss.
 :applaud:

javeryh

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javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #89 on: October 01, 2021, 03:32:46 pm »
These are looking boss.
 :applaud:

Thanks!  It's just slow going as usual for me. 

Today I assembled the bases for each cabinet using 1x2s some glue and my nail gun.  It went OK.  Not *perfect* but hopefully close enough.  I need to let it go... 



Now I'm going to finish off the front panels.  I need to round over the edge of the marquee opening with a 1/8" roundover bit and then remove a 3/4" thick border on the back of the marquee opening about 1/4" deep so I can install the marquee closer to the front panel.  I might freehand this because no one will ever see it but I'm not sure yet. 

I am a little bit concerned how that edge is going to take paint.  I'm probably going to lather on some putty or something and then sand it back just to seal the edge.  Not sure what else to do. I really really want to get the cabinets assembled by the end of the weekend but Saturday is a complete wash since the kids have cross country meets...
« Last Edit: October 01, 2021, 03:37:06 pm by javeryh »

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #90 on: October 01, 2021, 03:54:33 pm »
Looking good! I fancy having a crack at one of these lowboys at some point.

If you're talking about the MDF edges, car body filler is great although requires a bit of prep.
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javeryh

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javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #91 on: October 01, 2021, 04:08:16 pm »
Looking good! I fancy having a crack at one of these lowboys at some point.

If you're talking about the MDF edges, car body filler is great although requires a bit of prep.
Thanks!  Yeah,  just talking about finishing a rounded over MDF edge.  I have some bondo on a shelf somewhere so I could try that too. 

The panel is 1/2” thick currently but I’m removing 1/4” of that and then rounding over 1/8” of what is left.  So it’s going to be 1/8” rounded and 1/8” flat.  The idea is to try and bring the lit marquee as far forward as possible to the front panel.

Honestly, you should give one of these cabinets a try.  They take up almost no space whatsoever and look great when finished.  I’m sure these won’t be the last ones I build…
« Last Edit: October 01, 2021, 04:14:53 pm by javeryh »

javeryh

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javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #92 on: October 01, 2021, 05:41:14 pm »
Alright… the front panels are finished.  I rounded over the edge of the marquee opening with a 1/4” round over bit.  I was going to do 1/8” but it wasn’t pronounced enough.  Came out nice and I think I’ll get a decent coat of paint on it after sealing it.



Then, I flipped the panel over and routed away 3/4” of material all the way around going 1/4” deep.  This is for the marquee to sit in so I can get it as close to the front plane as possible. 



Leaving the full 1/2” thickness was probably going to cast a shadow once everything was finished so this is the solution I came up with to minimize that.  So now the end of the round over will almost touch the marquee.  Probably overkill but hey why not - it came out great.

I’m pretty much ready for assembly and then paint or paint and then assembly… still trying to work that out.

javeryh

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javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #93 on: October 03, 2021, 04:31:19 pm »
Alright.  I finished making some of the final cuts on the panels (power receptacle hole, etc.) And everything is ready for paint.  There are 8 panels per cabinet that I need to prime x2 and paint x2 with a light sanding in between each coat.  To make this go fast I’m just going to paint the viewable side of each panel instead of painting everything front and back and then when the cabinet is assembled I’ll do a quick and dirty paint job on the inside to hide any bare MDF.



I decided to paint first and then assemble even though it might be slightly difficult to line everything up.  I have to do each cabinet separate, unfortunately, because I do not have enough room to stage all the panels at once.

Primer goes on now…
« Last Edit: October 03, 2021, 04:33:11 pm by javeryh »

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #94 on: October 03, 2021, 05:09:11 pm »
Nice! Interested to know what you're using paint and primer-wise.
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javeryh

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #95 on: October 03, 2021, 07:09:41 pm »
Nice! Interested to know what you're using paint and primer-wise.

BIN Zinsser primer and Rustoleum Matte (or Flat) Black mixed with Floetrol so that it will dry smooth and hopefully eliminate roller marks.   I will roll both on as even as I can with a nap roller (I get lines with foam rollers every time).  The exterior side panels are getting a vinyl woodgrain wrap so that is what will be mostly seen when the cabs are finished so the black paint doesn't have to be perfect - just good enough because it will mostly be interior facing.  I'm painting before assembly to avoid brush strokes.

The front panel and top panel are going to face outward though and depending on how that comes out I may roll on one coat of black Duratex speaker paint.  I have a bit left over from when I built some speakers a few years ago and I love the look.  It dries with that classic Marshall stack rough/speckled texture and looks great.  I did this on my last two cabinets and am very happy... but it's $100/quart so I can't waste it!  Here's what it looks like:



If I have enough paint I'll probably do it since it adds a finished look to the whole thing but we shall see...


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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #96 on: October 04, 2021, 09:13:21 am »
I checked out some reviews for the BIN Zinsser primer - looks like quality stuff. I'll be getting some! Thanks for the heads-up.
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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #97 on: October 04, 2021, 12:03:23 pm »
I'm really digging the speckled texture of that black.  It does remind me of a guitar amp.  Won't that make it challenging to apply artwork though?  Or maybe you aren't doing art on this one?

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #98 on: October 04, 2021, 12:12:42 pm »
I'm really digging the speckled texture of that black.  It does remind me of a guitar amp.  Won't that make it challenging to apply artwork though?  Or maybe you aren't doing art on this one?

The Duratex paint would only go on the top panel and the front panel where there is no art.  It looks (and feels) great in person and makes things look "finished" instead of just flat black paint which looks fine too but not that great.  I'm still not sure.  I'll add  coat of black paint after priming and if it looks good I'll just leave it but if it doesn't I'll probably pain the top coat with the Duratex.

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #99 on: October 04, 2021, 05:07:51 pm »
Huge update… if you were wondering what 2 coats of primer looks like on some panels!



This is one complete set of panels for one of the cabinets.  I think I want to let this dry overnight before sanding and applying the black top coats. 

So assembly will likely be Wednesday and then I’ll probably need 3 more days for the second cabinet.  If I have 2 standing cabinets by Sunday night with painting complete I’ll be very happy.

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #100 on: October 05, 2021, 11:06:35 am »
Nice going and hope you manage to get these completed in time.

Curious about the finish of the primer / sealer - does it have a tendency to 'lift' some of the fibre out of the MDF and require a little sanding or does it dry completely flat?

Good luck and keep going  :cheers:
« Last Edit: October 05, 2021, 11:49:28 am by SpaceHedgehog »
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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #101 on: October 05, 2021, 12:19:40 pm »
Nice going and hope you manage to get these completed in time.

Curious about the finish of the primer / sealer - does it have a tendency to 'lift' some of the fibre out of the MDF and require a little sanding or does it dry completely flat?

Good luck and keep going  :cheers:

I know exactly what you mean but it's honestly hard to tell.  To get a nice finish, I sand the MDF before even applying the first coat.  I use 220 or 400 grit (whatever I have laying around) and go light and then vacuum off the dust.  Then I roll on the first coat, wait for it to dry and then lightly sand again with 220 and repeat.  Sanding here seems almost certainly to be just the paint and not any MDF fibers (no brown in the dust at all at this stage).  After sanding, the finish is very smooth and since MDF is flat you don't end up sanding off any of the primer.  I don't think it pulls fibers up like staining something made out of wood does if that is what you are getting at.

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #102 on: October 05, 2021, 03:54:08 pm »

I know exactly what you mean but it's honestly hard to tell.  To get a nice finish, I sand the MDF before even applying the first coat.  I use 220 or 400 grit (whatever I have laying around) and go light and then vacuum off the dust.  Then I roll on the first coat, wait for it to dry and then lightly sand again with 220 and repeat.  Sanding here seems almost certainly to be just the paint and not any MDF fibers (no brown in the dust at all at this stage).  After sanding, the finish is very smooth and since MDF is flat you don't end up sanding off any of the primer.  I don't think it pulls fibers up like staining something made out of wood does if that is what you are getting at.

Thanks for the info. I'm generally happy with how my finishes turn out but damn, it's always a lot of work.

Looking forward to seeing what the primer you use turns out like  :cheers:

Keep going!
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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #103 on: October 06, 2021, 11:59:40 am »
Thanks for the info. I'm generally happy with how my finishes turn out but damn, it's always a lot of work.

yeah... I gave up on perfect piano finishes years ago.  It's just not worth the effort for me.  The pink cabinet in the pic above was polished and polished and polished for several weeks a few hours a night and it came out amazing.  I can still see my reflection in it after wiping it down... but honestly when I'm down there it is just pink out of the corner of my eye just like my rolled on DK is baby blue out of the corner of my eye. 

Maybe if I was making a showpiece for somewhere other than the basement I'd do it again but the rolled on paint really looks good to me as long as I take my time.  Also, for this particular set of cabinets, the wood vinyl is what will catch the eye and I already know that will look great after I stick it down.

Speaking of... I am in sanding hell right now.  I wanted to do everything in the basement but I just can't justify the mess so I'm lugging the panels upstairs and outside one by one to sand them smooth.  One more to go and then I'll roll on the black.  Worst part of any project by far...

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #104 on: October 07, 2021, 01:08:24 pm »
First coat of black went on and… I’m not a fan. I think I need to get some semi-gloss for this project.  The flat feels almost chalky to the touch.  It dried pretty even and looks good from far away but I’m going to get some different paint for the second coat.



There is a lot of pitting up close, which I’m OK with since these are mostly not going to be seen but I think I can do better. 

The semi gloss is a little concerning since I need to glue the panels together but everything will be reinforced with screws so it should be fine.

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #105 on: October 07, 2021, 05:35:55 pm »
Alright… first attempt at an extremely simple set-up.  This is using bbegin’s image on the Raspberry Pi board with Attract Mode.  My goal is to use a cheap single board computer for the guts of these cabs - no PC, no Windows, etc. - but still get benefits of full MAME (no Retropie nonsense!). One button on/off, boot straight to game list, simple menu that’s easy to navigate, no chance of screwing something up.

I might make a separate post somewhere because I need some help getting it to behave exactly like I want but I am pretty impressed with myself after a few hours.



Some issues I need to sort out:

1.  One button on/off.  I have seen YouTube videos of this and it looks simple enough to wire a button to the GPIO pins and type in some commands from the command line to set it up but it is unclear to me if this is a Retropie thing or separate.  Seems like everyone on the planet loves Retropie - I think it is way too bloated - so it is hard to find information that doesn't involve Retropie.

2.  The Attract Mode theme is confusing up/down and left/right.  Intuitively you want to scroll left/right but you have to hit up/down to move through the games in the list.  There is a "Controls" setting in Attract Mode but I haven't messed around with it yet.  For example, "Up" is set to "keyboard up or joy0up" and I think I would need to change this to "keyboard left or joy1left" but I'm a little wary of screwing things up.  I assume changing these settings in Attract Mode does not carry over to MAME...

3.  [SOLVED!]ESC will exit out of a game but if it is pressed a second time it exits Attract Mode effectively shutting things down.  Not good at all.  I need to figure out how to Exit a game.  [In Attract Mode you hit Tab-> Controls-> Back-> Default-> and change this to an empty field]

4.  Along with #3, I really want to figure out how to set up one button for Pause and Exit.  Hyperspin does this easily but not sure if it is doable in Attract Mode.  Basically, I want to have a button that you press for pause but press and hold for 2-3 seconds to exit back to the game list.  This way a player cannot accidentally exit out of a game.  Anyone got any ideas? 

I think that's it and I'll be all set on the hardware/software side of things.  I may end up paring down the game list - 57 games is a lot to scroll through.  Also, if I can add Tapper and Tetris and get them to look nice in the menu even though they are horizontal I probably will.    :cheers:
« Last Edit: October 07, 2021, 07:40:35 pm by javeryh »

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #106 on: October 07, 2021, 08:09:59 pm »
1.  One button on/off.  I have seen YouTube videos of this and it looks simple enough to wire a button to the GPIO pins and type in some commands from the command line to set it up but it is unclear to me if this is a Retropie thing or separate.
It is a separate thing.

IIRC several years ago I used the process described in this video by ETA Prime and a text file from one of Delusional's posts to add one button standby/power-up via the Retroflag NES case reset button to both a Retropie SD card and a separate Linux desktop SD card.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,154129.msg1622060.html#msg1622060




Scott

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #107 on: October 08, 2021, 05:56:43 am »
Thanks Scott.  I think this will work.  I set this up previously on the bartop I built but wasn’t sure of it was tied to Retropie.  I’m going to give this a shot today.

I also think I can figure out #2 by messing around with the Attract Mode controls.  So this would just leave #4 to figure out - the press to pause/hold to exit problem.

I think I need some sort of script for this like AHK but for the raspberry pi.  Otherwise someone suggested I use that button as “shift” so it does nothing on it’s own but if I hold it and press P1 Start that would function as Exit.  It’s a thought but it means no Pause (unless I can assign Pause and Shift to the same button) and almost certain confusion from the player.  Even if I label the CP clearly people don’t read!  Need to think on this more.

EDIT: OK... in the interest of time and not spinning my wheels for weeks on this, I am going to add a Pause button on the CP that when pressed in combination with P1 Start will exit the game back to the game list.  So with that, I think I have a path to getting the software to behave exactly like I want.

Now I need to obsess over how I'm going to make this intuitive on the CP.... which I haven't started designing yet.   4-way joystick, 2 buttons, P1 Start, P2 Start and Pause (Shift).  That's the panel.  I'm going to have to teach myself Inkscape all over again :hissy:
« Last Edit: October 08, 2021, 09:59:45 am by javeryh »

javeryh

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #108 on: October 08, 2021, 04:19:20 pm »
I figured out the power on/off.  Couldn't have been easier after some trial and error with various methods.  This is all I had to do:

1. via putty, login to the pi
2. type "sudo cp -p /boot/config.txt /boot/config.txt.bkp (I don't think this is necessary - just makes a backup of config.txt file)
3. type "sudo nano /boot/config.txt (to edit the config.txt file)
4. add these two lines to the file at the end:
Code: [Select]
#shutdown button
dtoverlay=gpio-shutdown

5. type "sudo reboot" (so the changes take effect).

That was it.  Now bridging GPIO3 and Ground (pins 5 and 6) will shut the pi off.  Doing it again will turn it back on. 
« Last Edit: October 10, 2021, 01:47:34 pm by javeryh »

SpaceHedgehog

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #109 on: October 10, 2021, 03:02:22 pm »
Some neat stuff going on!

Are you on schedule with the builds?
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javeryh

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #110 on: October 10, 2021, 06:26:22 pm »
Some neat stuff going on!

Are you on schedule with the builds?

I could be on schedule but after painting all of last week I am really discouraged.  It looks like ass.  You cannot tell from far away but on close inspection it's just not coming out as nice as it usually does.  There is a lot of pitting because of the roller, which I expected, but for some reason it's not looking good at all.  Maybe it's the paint I'm using?  I have some Sherwin-Williams eggshell black from when I painted my theater and that came out nice so maybe tomorrow I'll try that.  If it doesn't work, I just have to live with it.

The only panel that is totally visible is the front panel with the marquee and speakers.  Everything else is going to barely show.  Also, your eye will be drawn to the marquee when looking at that panel so maybe it's not really a big deal.  But I think if I could do it over, I would also use vinyl on the front to get a super clean look.  Might be too much woodgrain though. 

I have to get these cabinets assembled by the end of next weekend or I'm going to be in trouble with the mid-December deadline. 

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #111 on: October 11, 2021, 01:25:30 am »
That sucks.  You are ruling it here otherwise!

Should have good luck with SW paint.

I have had nothing but trouble/disappointment with Behr if that was what you used.

---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- never seems to dry.

Press on.
Might cost a little sleep but you can make it.
Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools! I can fix it.

javeryh

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #112 on: October 11, 2021, 08:43:47 am »
That sucks.  You are ruling it here otherwise!

Should have good luck with SW paint.

I have had nothing but trouble/disappointment with Behr if that was what you used.

---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- never seems to dry.

Press on.
Might cost a little sleep but you can make it.
I’m using Rustoleum, which is good for small touch ups but maybe not for large panels, I think.  I also realized I completely forgot to add the latex thinner so that might be part of the problem.  I’m going to sand down the front panel today and try again.  I think I can live with the rest given how little of the panels will actually be seen,

Both of my brothers in law won’t notice.  They aren’t artistic at all… like my wife who also doesn’t notice.  So however they end up is probably good enough but I would still like to be proud of what I deliver.

The vinyl I ordered won’t be here until the end of the week so even if I got them assembled today I’d have to stop and wait… but time is not on my side.

EDIT: I'm an idiot.  In my efforts to get an even coat of paint, which didn't come out great, I painted before assembly.  Now I'm assembling the first cabinet and completely scratching the paint job anyway so I have to go over it again no matter what.  I have to fill pin nail holes and get a nice even final coat on.  So... for the second cabinet, I'm going to prime only, then assemble and then put on 2 coats of paint. 

For the last cabinet I built, I took the time to laminate all of the black sides that would be visible.  So it made sense to get that all sorted before assembly.  This time however, in my efforts to cut corners (since these aren't for me) I will end up doing 2x the work.  What a headache.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2021, 11:29:45 am by javeryh »

javeryh

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #113 on: October 11, 2021, 04:07:58 pm »
Well - cabinet #1 is partially assembled.





Looks good… from far away haha…. I’m finishing the top panels right now (waiting for paint to dry).  I brushed it on this time after adding latex additive to the paint.  Hoping to get a level coat but it’s not looking great so far. 

One more coat is all I have in me.  Once I get the top panels installed I’ll fill the pin nail holes, sand the front and brush 2 coats on that panel as well.

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #114 on: October 11, 2021, 04:16:13 pm »
Damn man, I'm feeling your pain. Getting a good finish can be really frustrating and time consuming. Keep going  :cheers:
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bobbyb13

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #115 on: October 12, 2021, 01:16:48 pm »
I have a cabinet half built that I haven't touched in almost 2 years because the finish was pissing me off.
I have used Rustoleum too but only the oil based stuff seems to behave for me.
Apparently oil base is the better finish to be aplying artwork to also as latex has a compatibility issue with many adhesives.

Have to keep reminding yourself that unless the paint starts flaking off by New Year's that YOU are the only person who is going to really care about the finish quality.

The people you are gifting those to are going to be so stoked that you could have built them out of sturdy cardboard.

And cab #1 looks excellent already by the way!
Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools! I can fix it.

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #116 on: October 12, 2021, 10:10:50 pm »
Ah, javery, it looks fine from here and I'm sure they'll love them. I don't know your US brands but, if it was mine, I'd probably just slap on a few coats of "Japan Black" wood stain (whatever brand) and be done with it. Black is very "forgiving". That will look pretty good with some light sanding in between early coats, and resist at least a few years of wear and tear.

Of course, best way to get a smooth finish on those final coats is to use a roller with a short nap (which I hate for anything non-acrylic, but can tolerate if I just throw the roller out afterwards) or (better) spray paint. The hardest part about spray painting though is having the space to setup a decent spray booth to both limit mess and keep dust out. If you have a small job you can get creative and make a basic spray booth with boxes and even sheets. Still, not a job for inside houses, needs some outside space and decent ventilation.
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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #117 on: October 13, 2021, 11:38:39 am »
Thanks guys.  I'd love to spray but I don't have the equipment and I don't really have a place other than outside to paint.  Making a spray booth is kind of out of the question.  I have no idea where I could possibly build one.

The panels do look "fine" and the pitting is only revealed under close inspection, which no one will be doing.  Even from across the room you can't really tell.  But I know it's there!

I have been researching finishing MDF panels and I've seen a few people suggest using Minwax Sanding Sealer before priming.  It gets brushed on and soaks into the MDF without warping and then hardens the surface to accept paint.  You just have to knock it back with some 220 before priming.  Seems easy enough so I'm going to give it a shot on the second cabinet.  I'm also going to brush on all of the coats.  The pitting is definitely caused by the roller and I think slight brush strokes will look nicer on a piece of "furniture" than the stippling that you get from the roller.  It's going to take forever.  One of these days I'll figure out the perfect finish but not this time...

EDIT: I just spent an hour hand sanding the pits out of both the top panel and the top back panel (above the back door) and brushed another layer of paint on.  I didn't sand the pits down before trying to cover it with the last coat so hopefully this makes it look better.  Either way, this is it.  I'll do the same thing to the front panel tomorrow.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2021, 01:47:22 pm by javeryh »

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #118 on: October 13, 2021, 07:24:34 pm »
You can minimise stippling from a roller by using a roller with a short nap and adding a little thinner (or water for acrylic) to reduce the paint's viscosity - that way the paint will tend to drop down flat rather than sitting up. You need a good eye and even hand and have to work fast to apply the paint before it dries too much.

But I agree wholeheartedly, it is seems not worth too much effort, and you should be able to achieve a good enough result with a brush as well.
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javeryh

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Re: javeryh's Twin Tullys
« Reply #119 on: October 13, 2021, 08:08:33 pm »
You can minimise stippling from a roller by using a roller with a short nap and adding a little thinner (or water for acrylic) to reduce the paint's viscosity - that way the paint will tend to drop down flat rather than sitting up. You need a good eye and even hand and have to work fast to apply the paint before it dries too much.

But I agree wholeheartedly, it is seems not worth too much effort, and you should be able to achieve a good enough result with a brush as well.
I added Floetrol to the paint to thin it out but it didn’t help too much.  The repainted panels look better but still not perfect.  Certainly good enough.  This has taught me something - from now on I will spring for laminate every time.  Only downside is cost but it’s much easier to put on the MDF and comes out looking great every time.