Singularity - Modern Sit Down Modular Twin Stick Shooter Cabinet

[SpaceHedgehog]

It's been a long time since I completed my previous projects and I've recently been itching to try and do something a little different. The intention is to build a modern looking, sit down cabinet with swapable CPs predominantly for use with Steam / PC based games (arcade / high score ones). There have been a number of twin stick shooters which I've enjoyed which got me thinking about making a dedicated CP for them. Trying to get all this configured was always a concern but I've managed to get this up and running fairly simply.

I've purchased a couple of the Ultimarc UltraStik 360FS flightsticks (fully analogue) to do this with an additional keyboard encoder (yet to arrive). I've managed to combine the pair of 360FS using the vjoy and JoystickGremlin software, present it as a single virtual joystick to Steam and then use Steam's own configuration software to map it to an xbox 360 style device. It seems to be working well, albeit with a limited set of buttons. Everything is simply sat on my desk at present whilst I'm testing it all out but I'll be building a prototype panel shortly.





I have a few rough sketches for the cabinet style but think 'stealth bomber' and that's the general aesthetic I'll be aiming for.

[Malenko]

FIRST!

Can't wait to watch the progress on this, you always have the best builds.

[SpaceHedgehog]

FIRST!

Can't wait to watch the progress on this, you always have the best builds.

You're too kind! There are loads of really good craftspeople out there and the project quality seems to be improving all the time.

I knocked up a test frame this morning so I can try out the configuration for a couple of weeks before committing to a CP build. The joystick encoder should be arriving shortly so I'll be able to wire it all up.

[SpaceHedgehog]

My joystick encoder arrived:



Stick and buttons hooked up on the test panel. Working now in all Steam twin stick shooter games:

[SpaceHedgehog]

Just getting an idea down as to the shape of this thing so there will be some fine tuning.

This will be going up a flight of stairs so will be making it modular for ease of transport. So 4 sections: base, control panels - there will be several , screen and audio, marquee. I'll be using knurled clamping knobs and threaded inserts to clamp the sections together. I used these quite effectively to clamp my HOTAS mounts onto the the arms of a Poang chair recently.



The 'joins' between the sections will be recessed slightly and I may add some recessed acrylic / artwork to the sides in the monitor/audio panel, something I've done before. Not sure on this yet though:



It will be finished in a robust flat black paint (as per the mounts in the previous picture) and will not include any t-molding - all of the joins will be squared off with a minimum amount of rounding on the edges. I hope that this, in conjunction with the flat black, will give the impression of weight and solidity.

I wish I had sketchup skills ...



I'm currently thinking about the colour scheme and design for the control panels and marquee. I also have to come up with a name. 

I do have a spare 27 inch G-Sync monitor which I'll be using for the build. I'd like the black level to be slightly darker than it is - does anyone have any experience on using tinted glass or acrylic to help with this?

I've also applied a small amount of silicone grease to one the u360FS's as after a bit of use, it was 'creaking' a little. It's now gone and feels nice and fluid.

[SpaceHedgehog]

After using the prototype panel for a couple of weeks, I'm happy that it's a workable solution. It's now time to start working on the cabinet.

After messing around with the design a little, I've decided to go with a flat bottom to the base unit.

There'll be quite a bit of filling and sanding to do on this project.



If the weather's good tomorrow, I'll start on the middle, screen segment.

[bobbyb13]

Excited to see your work on this!

[SpaceHedgehog]

Cheers bobby! 

Thinking about a name / marquee for this. I think something simple will fit.



I like the font with 'gaps' as the cabinet will have that appearance also.

[SpaceHedgehog]

I've cut the main panels for the middle section. Will start assembling this soon. I will obviously need to make the cut-outs for the monitor and speaker system.



I'm thinking about one of these for the sound:



I'll be making a speaker grill for it out of black acoustic cloth.

I'm glad I'm making this modular as the base is already pretty heavy without the back panel on and it's going upstairs.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Middle section assembled - minus the cut-outs.



Looking fairly chunky which is what I was going for. The marquee section, which protrudes from the top, will change the appearance a lot.

[Goblindriver]

This is looking really rad. I'm looking forward to watching your progress.

[javeryh]

Off to a great start.  Design looks unique.  Your place is rad by the way.

[SpaceHedgehog]

This is looking really rad. I'm looking forward to watching your progress.

Appreciate that. Thanks Goblin.

Off to a great start.  Design looks unique.  Your place is rad by the way.

Thanks for the comment javeryh

Managed to get out briefly after work to cut a couple of side pieces for the marquee section. I went a bit taller (5 cm) to avoid the marquee itself being too thin. I may review though.

[vertexguy]

I really like the look of the cabinet in this design.  Feels very futuristic to me.  Your previous projects in your signature look amazing so I can't wait to see what this turns out like.  Only thought would be a tipping concern based on how much the CP is standing out in your sketch.  I know MDF is heavy stuff, but still looks like it would easily tip to me.  How do you plan to counter balance it?

[SpaceHedgehog]

I really like the look of the cabinet in this design.  Feels very futuristic to me.  Your previous projects in your signature look amazing so I can't wait to see what this turns out like.  Only thought would be a tipping concern based on how much the CP is standing out in your sketch.  I know MDF is heavy stuff, but still looks like it would easily tip to me.  How do you plan to counter balance it?

Thanks for the kind words, appreciated  You got me thinking about this! Without the CP, there will be substantially more mass to the aft of the cab based on where the middle of the base is.



The CP will have relatively little mass. I believe the only way this would tilt realistically in a real world situation is if I sat on the end of the CP!

Edit:

After thinking about this further, I realised it's about the fulcrum (the green dot).



I'd need to apply sufficient downward force to lift up pretty much the entire weight of the cabinet. I think the lever (the CP) would need to extend much further for tilting to become an issue.

[Ond]

Still designing and building awesome arcade machines!  Excellent.

[wp34]

That profile is beautiful.  Looking forward to following this one.

[SpaceHedgehog]

That profile is beautiful.  Looking forward to following this one.

Thank you. Hope it turns out as I hope. It'll all depend on the finish 

Still designing and building awesome arcade machines!  Excellent.

As are you!! Cheers Ond 

Soundbar arrived:



Tried it out briefly and I'm pretty impressed for the price. I wanted a low profile solution to fit under the monitor and this seems perfect. Comes with a sub and a remote.

Bought a couple of twin slot steel shelving uprights to accommodate the removable CP(s). These will be bolted onto the base section. They seem quite thick and nice and sturdy:

[SpaceHedgehog]

I'd taken the day off work and the weather was kind so managed to make some more progress with the marquee section. I also managed to get the cut-outs done for the monitor and sound bar. There' a bit of adjustment to do and I need to fit the diagonals I've cut (I'm am waiting for the glue to dry before I attach them).

It's starting to take some shape now.





Quite pleased with the progress do far.

[javeryh]

Wow.  Looks incredible so far.  You work so fast too.  A day off of work is a good idea.  Hard to get anything done otherwise!  What kind of artwork/finishing do you have planned?

[SpaceHedgehog]

Wow.  Looks incredible so far.  You work so fast too.  A day off of work is a good idea.  Hard to get anything done otherwise!  What kind of artwork/finishing do you have planned?

Cheers for that javeryh 

The finish is going to be a 'nearly' flat black - if you look at the speakers on my desk, that's the finish I'm after.

For the artwork, I want something simple but not boring and uninspired. I'm still throwing a few ideas around.

For the CP, I'd always REALLY liked markc74's Blip. I may pinch a few ideas from that in terms of the layout. I will be covering the CP artwork with acrylic though.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=137295.0

The basic colour scheme is basically mainly black with a bit of white and red.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Despite the constant rain, I've managed to get a few more bits done. The support rails and base have been fitted which will allow me to start working on the control panel(s).



The idea will be that the CP's slot into place and clamp in to the support section from underneath to secure them. I will make a shroud to cover the support extension at the front between the main cabinet and the CPs.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Working on the marquee atm. I want something simple to match the cabinet (using black, white and a touch of red) but this may be too much.

Happy for ideas / input here!

[Mike A]

Why singularity?

It is a two stick cab as the defining feature.

Maybe binary?

[SpaceHedgehog]

Why singularity?

It is a two stick cab as the defining feature.

Maybe binary?

Thanks for the input on this. The name was to tie in with the sci-fi / space theme that a lot of twin-stick shooters have. Agreed, it would be good if it didn't have 'singular' as part of the name although this cab and the CPs will be mainly for a single player setup.

The name will require to fill most of the marquee section as well.

I had considered 'Monolith', with reference to 2001, as the final finish will be fairly 'stealth' and monochromatic in nature. That has the word mono in it though 

[Mike A]

Binary is very sci-fi.

Most stars are part of binary systems.

[SpaceHedgehog]

[Mike A]

I like the font.

It looks good for a marquee.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Cheers ... and the name is growing on me   

[vertexguy]

Nice!  Regarding the name, I think you're overthinking it.  The cabinet name technically is pretty much always about the game(s) it plays, not how many controls it used.     I can't wait to play me some 2 stick spin spin.

I would just go with whatever you think best fits your theme and is to your liking.  Either one is sci fi and works  I like your font and red accent color in the logo.

Regarding the build itself, it continues to look great, but slow down man!  You're making some of us look bad.   

[SpaceHedgehog]

Nice!  Regarding the name, I think you're overthinking it.  The cabinet name technically is pretty much always about the game(s) it plays, not how many controls it used.     I can't wait to play me some 2 stick spin spin.

I would just go with whatever you think best fits your theme and is to your liking.  Either one is sci fi and works  I like your font and red accent color in the logo.

Regarding the build itself, it continues to look great, but slow down man!  You're making some of us look bad.   

I guess you're right re the name - I'm not going agonize any further over that for the time being 

Re the speed of construction - I'm expecting the real time to be spent in getting the finish of this complete - it'll likely take twice the time it takes to build it to get that done so visible progress will slow down a little. Hoping to get it all complete by Xmas (including 2 or 3 control panels).

[Ond]

What kind of finish are you looking to achieve?  I suspect you want to take it from raw timber to some smooth black?  A bit like I did on my media server.  From this:

To this:

That's how I imagine it anyway...

[SpaceHedgehog]

What kind of finish are you looking to achieve?  I suspect you want to take it from raw timber to some smooth black?  A bit like I did on my media server.  From this:

To this:

That's how I imagine it anyway...

Yes, this is exactly it! Any top tips from the god amongst us?

[Ond]

You've already gotten excellent results on your other signature projects. I really like that style of smooth near flat black finish.  It does take a lot of work though.  Tips for that type of finish? I guess they would be:

1. Use quality automotive paints - especially the primer.  Most of the work is in preparatory surface finish with multiple primer coats.
2. Spray don't roll, unless you want a textured finish.
3. Allow plenty of drying time between final paint coats
4. Wet sand to 400-600 grit before final coats.

Looking forward to seeing this project advance!   

[SpaceHedgehog]

You've already gotten excellent results on your other signature projects. I really like that style of smooth near flat black finish.  It does take a lot of work though.  Tips for that type of finish? I guess they would be:

1. Use quality automotive paints - especially the primer.  Most of the work is in preparatory surface finish with multiple primer coats.
2. Spray don't roll, unless you want a textured finish.
3. Allow plenty of drying time between final paint coats
4. Wet sand to 400-600 grit before final coats.

Looking forward to seeing this project advance!   

Thanks. Appreciate the response and tips here. Keep doing what you're doing Ond 

Managed to get some of the CP assembled before the rain. There's quite a bit more to do to complete it.

[SpaceHedgehog]

I was considering adding a wheel panel to this build and figured I needed to make absolutely sure that the base/retainer for the control panels was as sturdy as possible. I extended the top of the base section out to add some additional strength to it. I also routed out a couple of millimetres of one of the panels so it was level with the metal supports ensuring that there's a solid and firm connection between it and the control panels.



The interchangeable control panel always going to be a bit fiddly. Currently assembling the side walls that will be glued and screwed in place. This will be covered by a separate side panel piece.

[pbj]

I would like more photos of your view outside that window.

[SpaceHedgehog]

I would like more photos of your view outside that window.

Here you go. Taken just now.

[javeryh]

Wow.  I think I have to drive an hour minimum to see open space like that. 

[SpaceHedgehog]

Wow.  I think I have to drive an hour minimum to see open space like that.

Yes, we're really lucky to have this view - it's the reason we moved here!

Coming together:



I reckon a 2 or 3 more weekends and I should have the cabinet ready for finishing - weather permitting!

[pbj]

Where is that?  Is the horse yours?

 

[SpaceHedgehog]

Where is that?  Is the horse yours?

 

It's in the UK - Cheshire. We moved away from London a few years ago for some extra space. Sadly the horse isn't mine 

[SpaceHedgehog]

I bought some car mesh for the speaker grill. The amount is overkill but the metal stuff is really expensive for the width I needed. I also bought some speaker cloth. The grill will provide some resistance to the cloth should someone poke it.



I re-used a piece of scrap wood to make the frame for it and cut the mesh to size. The wood needs to be painted black and the the grill hot-glued into place. This will sit behind the bottom opening on the middle section so it doesn't need to be particularly neat and tidy.



I spent some time during the evenings this week messing around with my wheel and looking at response curves and dead zones in the Joystick Gremlin software. The games seem to need adjusting according to their characteristics to get the best fit. I may end up making a panel for this:



Horizon Chase (a fun, updated Outrun clone) feels really good with it. I can configure the shifter pedals for the accelerator and brake pedals but if I do go down this route, I may end up buying a couple of USB foot pedals.

[Mike A]

That is quite a project.

Looks like it is coming along nicely.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Thank you Mike A 

Managed to get the MDF painted with blackboard paint and cover it with speaker cloth.



Loose fit under the monitor - I'll attach it properly once the cab is painted.



Pleased I managed to get this done today as I was up at 3am this morning.

[Ond]

Note SpaceHedgehog chooses to use MDF for most of his build?   

[Mike A]

Yeah. It is going to weigh 3 times more than it needs to.

[pbj]

Put this childish hobby behind you.  Buy a horse.  Learn to rope and ride.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Yes, definitely heavier than it needs to be. I've tried to find some decent plywood locally and failed miserably. The couple of smaller projects I tried required a crazy amount of preparation for the final finish and didn't play very nicely with my limited tools so I played it safe with MDF.

At least the cabinet is modular!

[bobbyb13]

I'm not a huge proponent of mdf for various things but to achieve the finish I would bet you are aiming for using plywood of any sort in this instance would be madness.

This I learned definitively in the first person on my last big project.

Man is this going to be a cool cabinet.

And pbj is right about what your next hobby needs to be.
 

[SpaceHedgehog]

Rope and ride does sound like a lot of fun tbh!

Yes. bobbyb13 - the key thing to this working out how I want it to will be the finishing. A good flat surface gives me a fighting chance of getting it right.


Started working on the CP layout. Buttons will be all white:



Will likely tweak this a little. I do want something understated though. The labelled buttons will move towards the edges slightly - there are restrictions with the button placement though due to the rails used to allow the detachable CPs to function.

[SpaceHedgehog]

I'd added a shelf for the monitor to allow some fine tuning and deliberately located it a couple of mm below its ideal position. This has allowed me to adjust the monitor position so it can exactly match with the cut-out. It also means I can used some protective pads to protect the monitor bezel as it's not a cheap one. I'd made the cut-out to be an exact match with the monitor bezel, leaving a few mm of black, empty panel space around the screen edges seen on most monitors these days. The depth of the MDF is 12 mm and given it's on a slight angle, I didn't want this interfering in any way with the visible screen / display.

The mount is just positioned with 2 screws at the moment as I like to limit the number of times I unscrew and screw in again.





The top of the monitor is around eye height which should be ideal for viewing.

NB The monitor size is 27 inches and the full cabinet width is approximately 73.6 cm

I'll almost certainly convert this HOTAS into a panel as there are a few modern, score base Afterburner style games and because ... well why not?



So I figure I'll end up with at least 5 panels at this rate.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Well the acrylic turned up but the artwork didn't unfortunately. I've made some more progress on the CP and added a shroud to cover the space in between the CP and the cab - I'll likely redo this to use thinner MDF to avoid any interference from the CP sides (which I'll hopefully get sorted today - weather permitting). This part of the process is very much trial and error at this point but I'm generally happy with how it's going.



Looking forwards to getting the back sorted and I can then start on filling and painting.

[SpaceHedgehog]

The weather's turned out pretty good after all so I managed to rebuild the shroud and got the side pieces cut for the CP. I'll wait for the artwork to arrive so I can drill the holes in the CP before permanently attaching the side pieces and routing the edges for a tight finish:

[javeryh]

Looks great.  I really like where you are headed with your CP.  The last cab I build I did a black panel with white buttons and red accents (some font and some volcano button lights) and I love the look.  I'm debating on doing something similar for the Tullys I'm working on now.

Also, your house is ridiculously clean... like how?  I am constantly cleaning up and putting stuff away and we have a "no clutter" philosophy when buying things but my kids (and dog) can trash the house in like 3 seconds as soon as I turn my back.  It's a struggle.   

[Mike A]

I am curious as to how that CP is anchored to the cab.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Looks great.  I really like where you are headed with your CP.  The last cab I build I did a black panel with white buttons and red accents (some font and some volcano button lights) and I love the look.  I'm debating on doing something similar for the Tullys I'm working on now.

Also, your house is ridiculously clean... like how?  I am constantly cleaning up and putting stuff away and we have a "no clutter" philosophy when buying things but my kids (and dog) can trash the house in like 3 seconds as soon as I turn my back.  It's a struggle.   

Thanks for the feedback jarveryh 

Re  re the tidiness, I just  clean up as I go. The kids are grown up now and one of them has left home so no need to tidy up after them anymore thankfully!

I am curious as to how that CP is anchored to the cab.

There's a cut out in one of the supports which juts out from the lower base section (it's double thickness to avoid flexing). I've used a clamping knob (with a threaded insert in the CP itself) to secure the CP into position.



The metal extensions on either side sit flush with the inside front of the CP so once attached, it doesn't wiggle at all. Hope that makes sense.

I do need to bevel  the edges of the cut out as the edges are a bit sharp at the moment when tightening the clamping knob.

[javeryh]

Re  re the tidiness, I just  clean up as I go. The kids are grown up now and one of them has left home so no need to tidy up after them anymore thankfully!

Ahhh... my teenage kids are freaking animals right now.  Plus my 9 year old is an artist and we are literally finding paint all over the house.  It's all she does.  She draws on the walls and she even painted a table in our TV room the other day because she didn't like the way it looked and I have to say she made it 1000x worse.  It's actually pretty hilarious.

That locking mechanism is pretty slick.  Looks real easy to swap out CPs.   

[emphatic]

I'm worried there's not enough room for your feet with that heavy base.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Cheers jarveryh. The CP is a bit fiddly to put together but worth it to make sure it’s easy to swap out.

@emphatic there’s as much, if not more leg / feet space compared to my Vewlix and that was totally fine from a usability standpoint 

[SpaceHedgehog]

Artwork turned up but there's some banding on it. I may go down the vinyl route...

[vertexguy]

Looking good!  How's the tip factor when you lean your weight on the edge of the CP?

[SpaceHedgehog]

Cheers vertexguy 

It's pretty stable - no chance of this tilting. It's damn heavy!

[SpaceHedgehog]

So now comes the laborious part - trimming, filling, painting, sanding etc. I've managed to get the first undercoat on which helps to identify all the inconsistencies. At this point, I'm really happy with how everything is lined up and flush which is half the battle. One noticeable thing is the 9mm MDF (used on the front part of the marquee) is significantly more fibrous - again, shouldn't be a problem, will just require a little more prep.

[javeryh]

Looks good - I don't envy having to paint that thing!

[SpaceHedgehog]

Cheers jarveryh    Yup, it's going to take a while!

[SpaceHedgehog]

So this is taking a while as expected. I'd estimate each of the sections will take about 10 days to complete, largely due to all the prep work required. Current state of the marquee section - I have a couple more layers to do but the filling is done.



The top of this is still drying so the finish looks to be a little inconsistent.

[javeryh]

I am not sure how you could possibly improve this with a few more layers of paint.  It looks amazing already!

[SpaceHedgehog]

I am not sure how you could possibly improve this with a few more layers of paint.  It looks amazing already!

Cheers javeryh  Like you and so many others here, these things are a labour of love - got to get it as good as possible 

The penultimate coat has gone on (it's still drying again ...)



The final coat (hopefully) goes on tomorrow. Not going to rush this as I put the first coat on too thick and drying time was a real problem.

[SpaceHedgehog]

I spent a good amount of time cutting some pieces for the back sections of the cabinet. I've attached a couple of those to the mid section. I also spent a few hours filling and sanding everything.



Also managed to get a couple of layers of undercoat on. I may find time to sand this back and get  the first thin layer of black on later.

[zeorangr]

The paint looks sharp on this.   Really nice work!

I'm both looking forward to and dreading trying to paint mine.  I'm going to have to pull all the electronics out to do that, and I've never really seriously painted anything before, so I'm kinda nervous.  If it looks half this good though, I'll consider it a win!

[javeryh]

I’m really impressed with how you get the MDF edge to disappear.  Seems no matter what I do you can still see it which is why I started doing a mitre on corners.

[vertexguy]

Looking great, but I'm starting to think you're building all of this in your kitchen.    Wheres your workshop where all this magic is happening?

[SpaceHedgehog]

The paint looks sharp on this.   Really nice work!

I'm both looking forward to and dreading trying to paint mine.  I'm going to have to pull all the electronics out to do that, and I've never really seriously painted anything before, so I'm kinda nervous.  If it looks half this good though, I'll consider it a win!

Thank you zeorangr! Painting definitely requires some getting used to and I'm still refining my approach tbh. I recently tried some primer / sealer which javeryh had recommended and has proved to be a really useful in getting the finish nice and flat. For what it's worth, I'm using Rust-Oleum Universal Paint - something I applied to some outdoor planters (holding up really well after a couple of years) and some vases in the house - it dries really hard but the curing time is quite long (I'd estimate about 2-4 weeks depending on the temperature). I'm using a small foam roller to apply the paint and making sure the initial coats aren't too thick. I'm allowing 24 hours between coats with a light sanding in between. Good luck with your painting!

For a truly professional finish, Ond is the man.

I’m really impressed with how you get the MDF edge to disappear.  Seems no matter what I do you can still see it which is why I started doing a mitre on corners.

Cheers javeryh  I have you to thank for recommending the Zinsser primer and sealer - it does a great job on the rough MDF edges and really helps in getting a nice flat surface to paint on. I'm also using a 2 part filler on the edges and seams to make sure everything disappears as much as possible. There's a lot of rounds of filling and sanding (seven, I think, for the mid-section - mainly to ensure that all the little blemishes were removed) before applying the primer. I'm using a mouse sander to help with getting the filler nice and smooth - I was worried that it would be too rough but it's turned out to be a real time saver. I am using a 320 grit sandpaper in between paint / primer coats though.

Looking great, but I'm starting to think you're building all of this in your kitchen.    Wheres your workshop where all this magic is happening?

Haha! Cheers vertexguy - I can understand why you think that! I'll share a picture of my workshop a little later on 

[SpaceHedgehog]

A picture of my workshop as promised:

[bobbyb13]

Love it

Lookin kinda frosty there!

[javeryh]

Wow that’s so much open space.  Looks really relaxing.  I’m not sure I could do it full time but it would be nice to get away once in a while to something like that.  It’s so crowded by me that we can walk everywhere.  Shops, restaurants, parks, schools, etc.  We have cars (and need them) but everything is so close by.  Downside is people everywhere - if my neighbors get into an argument I can hear it.   Makes you crazy after a while…

[SpaceHedgehog]

Love it

Lookin kinda frosty there!

Cheers and yes, it was a little frosty! It's great to see the mist coming off the river just beyond the first tree line.

Wow that’s so much open space.  Looks really relaxing.  I’m not sure I could do it full time but it would be nice to get away once in a while to something like that.  It’s so crowded by me that we can walk everywhere.  Shops, restaurants, parks, schools, etc.  We have cars (and need them) but everything is so close by.  Downside is people everywhere - if my neighbors get into an argument I can hear it.   Makes you crazy after a while…

Relaxing for sure! The downside of working outside is obviously the weather. I'd like to get all of this done before Xmas but we'll see.

I'm very jealous of the workshops people here have. I'd love a dedicated space.


I've painted the first black coat on and let it dry ...



... before sanding it back ...



... and applying another coat.



Currently waiting for it to dry.

2 or 3 more coats should see this part done.

[pbj]

Make sure you wear close toed shoes when you play that thing unless you don't like your toe nails.  Ask me how I know.

 

[SpaceHedgehog]

Haha! Yup, I'm used to managing my foot position whilst playing on my Vewlix 

[bobbyb13]

Your work is impressive by any measure, never mind for not having a dedicated space.

 

Great view out the back door (I assume it's the back door?!)

I do sometimes get nostalgic for the good ole temperate deciduous forest (especially in the fall) but the waves sure are way better where I am now.

How many coats/rounds of sanding before you reach your particular standard level of amazing finish anyway?

[Arroyo]

You do some high quality craftsmanship sir.

[javeryh]

The fact that you sand off almost all of the first coat of color confirms that I'm doing it wrong.  The level of patience you must have is crazy high.  Keep it going! 

[Ond]

SpaceHedgehog understands surface preparation.  It's a bit like riding a bike, once you learn it, the process feels natural. MDF goes well with filler, goes well with primer, goes well with paint.  It feels a bit like magic when the coarse edge of raw MDF becomes sharp and clean after surface prep.  If you use solvent based primer to seal MDF you can wet sand it after a few coats, water absorption is no longer a problem then. Well prepared MDF looks and feels nothing like MDF.  It feels like dull hard plastic, after that paint it with whatever you like.

I'm enjoying the progress here, particularly as I can't work on my own stuff at the moment. 

[bobbyb13]

SpaceHedgehog understands surface preparation.  It's a bit like riding a bike, once you learn it, the process feels natural. MDF goes well with filler, goes well with primer, goes well with paint.  It feels a bit like magic when the coarse edge of raw MDF becomes sharp and clean after surface prep.  If you use solvent based primer to seal MDF you can wet sand it after a few coats, water absorption is no longer a problem then. Well prepared MDF looks and feels nothing like MDF.  It feels like dull hard plastic, after that paint it with whatever you like.

I'm enjoying the progress here, particularly as I can't work on my own stuff at the moment. 

I hope everyone else here reading appreciates the tip on solvent based primer as much as I do.

That is actually a critical element to acheive such an amazing result.

And of course that will be my path in the future now that I know!

[danny_galaga]

Groovy baby!

[SpaceHedgehog]

Your work is impressive by any measure, never mind for not having a dedicated space.

 

Great view out the back door (I assume it's the back door?!)

I do sometimes get nostalgic for the good ole temperate deciduous forest (especially in the fall) but the waves sure are way better where I am now.

How many coats/rounds of sanding before you reach your particular standard level of amazing finish anyway?

Thank you bobbyb13. The view is the main reason we moved here - beats the London suburbs that for sure!

I reckon another 3 rounds before it's finished - but, it'll be finished when it's finished!!

You do some high quality craftsmanship sir.

Appreciate the comment. Thank you Arroyo

The fact that you sand off almost all of the first coat of color confirms that I'm doing it wrong.  The level of patience you must have is crazy high.  Keep it going! 

I think the key thing is to have no concrete expectations as to when it's going to be complete. Can't be said for builds which are on a time limit like yours though!

SpaceHedgehog understands surface preparation.  It's a bit like riding a bike, once you learn it, the process feels natural. MDF goes well with filler, goes well with primer, goes well with paint.  It feels a bit like magic when the coarse edge of raw MDF becomes sharp and clean after surface prep.  If you use solvent based primer to seal MDF you can wet sand it after a few coats, water absorption is no longer a problem then. Well prepared MDF looks and feels nothing like MDF.  It feels like dull hard plastic, after that paint it with whatever you like.

I'm enjoying the progress here, particularly as I can't work on my own stuff at the moment. 

Cheers for that Ond and you're absolutely right about the 'plastic' feel. Spot on.

SpaceHedgehog understands surface preparation.  It's a bit like riding a bike, once you learn it, the process feels natural. MDF goes well with filler, goes well with primer, goes well with paint.  It feels a bit like magic when the coarse edge of raw MDF becomes sharp and clean after surface prep.  If you use solvent based primer to seal MDF you can wet sand it after a few coats, water absorption is no longer a problem then. Well prepared MDF looks and feels nothing like MDF.  It feels like dull hard plastic, after that paint it with whatever you like.

I'm enjoying the progress here, particularly as I can't work on my own stuff at the moment. 

I hope everyone else here reading appreciates the tip on solvent based primer as much as I do.

That is actually a critical element to acheive such an amazing result.

And of course that will be my path in the future now that I know!

Good preparation is always the key!

Groovy baby!

Thank you sir!

[SpaceHedgehog]

Just one more coat needed ... hopefully.

Happy with the speaker grill too.

[javeryh]

Looks great - do you sand the final coat or just hope it goes on smooth because of everything you did leading up to it?  Seems like you might actually get a good result going up to 2000 grit on the last coat or something like that.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Cheers javeryh The finish isn't really good enough to benefit from 2000 grit unfortunately. I'm not completely happy with the final result and may have a go at spraying it next summer.

Anyway, this section is done for now. It's still drying off so I won't be moving it for another 24 hours or so.



I hope the weather clears up - we've had some really strong winds which means I can't make any progress on the CP at the moment unfortunately.

[javeryh]

It looks amazing.  Perfectly smooth finish and you kept the corners very sharp!

I see you have an open concept house - do the sound reflection/absorption panels help with watching TV?  My first floor is also open but if someone is having a conversation in the kitchen I can't hear the TV.  I'm not sure how to solve this issue.  I don't have a receiver or speakers though so I rely on the TV speakers, which suck.  Maybe getting some proper audio would go a long way?

[SpaceHedgehog]

The panels do help with reducing reflections and echo - one of the main reasons I made them. You will need a few to make any difference though. They're pretty easy to make and with the right material, can add some nice slabs of colour to a room. Fortunately my wife really likes them!

A reasonable sound system would help for sure imho.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Well I managed to drop / scratch the marquee acrylic (on both sides)  I did mistakenly order 3 pieces so all good.

I've been itching to see what this looks like so balanced the marquee on top of the mid section - it has some pads placed temporarily underneath the unpainted piece so it's higher than it should be. Pleased with how this is turning out ....



I want to get the filling and painting on the spacer started today - weather permitting ...

Edit: ... errrr ... nope



 

[emphatic]

Looks impressive so far. 

[SpaceHedgehog]

Looks impressive so far. 

Appreciate that emphatic - thank you 

Well the weather is still poor although it should pick up tomorrow. I managed to get the filling done in the garage which is now waiting for sanding down. I also managed to get the acrylic cut (I had also made a template which was needed as I screwed up the first piece).





It's a very irregular layout for sure but I found that it works pretty well for Steam twin-stick shooters.

[bobbyb13]

I was intrigued anyway but now the acrylic has me really antsy to see the finished product.

Hope your weather improves!

[SpaceHedgehog]

I was intrigued anyway but now the acrylic has me really antsy to see the finished product.

Hope your weather improves!

Cheers bobbyb13 

The weather isn't too great at the moment but at least there are some dry spells - even if it's grey out there.

I've managed to drill the holes in the CP and check that everything lines up. I need to trim a couple of mm off the side panels and then I can glue and screw them into place before sanding it down and filling it.

Dry assembled:





Back:



You can see the chamfered sections to act as guides to make slotting this in as easy as possible. The middle chamfered piece has a threaded insert to allow the panel to be attached to the base section.

I've left about 1mm around the perimeter of the acrylic to allow for the layers of paint.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Side pieces trimmed and everything has been glued and screwed into place.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Thought I'd just have a sneak peek at what it'll look like.

[javeryh]

Really looking great.  When it is finished it is going to look like it came out of a factory.   

[SpaceHedgehog]

Cheers javeryh 

Hopefully I can get this done by Xmas / new Year. Already thinking about another project!

[SpaceHedgehog]

Well I've gone and stuffed up a little on the control panel. I didn't take into account my prototype wasn't made from 18mm plywood so there's not enough clearance to fit the sticks - schoolboy error. With it all glued and screwed together, I can't route anything out from underneath to compensate so I'm going to have to make as neat a hack as I can mounting it to the top. I'll likely have to make some sort of plate to allow it to be screwed or bolted into place as these will stand proud from the mounting plate. What's more, there's a design flaw in the u360FS's where the axes aren't lined up completely which means the plate will need to be rotated anticlockwise by a few degrees.

Also, I realised that I cracked the paintwork on the mid section when screwing the monitor mount into place - I was doing that from the sides and it exerted too much pressure and caused it to flex. They're now fixed to the sides and I can screw the single retaining piece separately. That's no biggy and I've already sanded it back and put a first coat of paint on. It'll need 2 or 3 coats for the crack to disappear.

I also managed to scratch my monitor when taking it out - very small and not really noticeable tbh.

 

At least the sun is shining today.

[zeorangr]

I definitely can commiserate with the frustration.  I've got mine built to the point that I can see all the rough edges and all the things that I'd want to do differently.
I've busted one 50" tv already, broken mounts, completely re-worked the control pedestal because it was wobbly (because one of the casters was slightly off-level) enough that it wasn't stable for pinball, badly cracked the wood on the underside of my control panel because I wasn't paying attention, and that's just in the last couple of months.  We won't talk about how bad things were when I first started   .   

I work in IT, and I've been dabbling with emulation since the late 90's (Nesticle on my pentium 166 laptop when I was in high school!) so the 'computer' side of all this is the easy part for me.  I had virtually zero woodworking experience going into this thing, and that's the part that has been the most challenging for me... but also the most rewarding.  I made a lot of mistakes.  I'm STILL making lots of mistakes.  I've learned something every time though, and I'm getting better at this - I can actually see the difference in the work I do now versus the work I was doing at the beginning.

This will pass.  You'll work through it.  Your design is sound, and what you've done so far looks great.  You're on track to have an amazing cabinet - just keep at it!

[Mike A]

If there is a Woodcraft store near you, sign up for classes. They are really useful.

[SpaceHedgehog]

I definitely can commiserate with the frustration.  I've got mine built to the point that I can see all the rough edges and all the things that I'd want to do differently.
I've busted one 50" tv already, broken mounts, completely re-worked the control pedestal because it was wobbly (because one of the casters was slightly off-level) enough that it wasn't stable for pinball, badly cracked the wood on the underside of my control panel because I wasn't paying attention, and that's just in the last couple of months.  We won't talk about how bad things were when I first started   .   

I work in IT, and I've been dabbling with emulation since the late 90's (Nesticle on my pentium 166 laptop when I was in high school!) so the 'computer' side of all this is the easy part for me.  I had virtually zero woodworking experience going into this thing, and that's the part that has been the most challenging for me... but also the most rewarding.  I made a lot of mistakes.  I'm STILL making lots of mistakes.  I've learned something every time though, and I'm getting better at this - I can actually see the difference in the work I do now versus the work I was doing at the beginning.

This will pass.  You'll work through it.  Your design is sound, and what you've done so far looks great.  You're on track to have an amazing cabinet - just keep at it!

Thanks very much for the pep up zeorangr, applreciated

Yes, it'll be water under the bridge in no time. I've done the modifications to the control panel so that's in a good state to start finishing. I'm glad I checked the fit before I started painting. The challenging thing about the CP design is that it's made up of 18 pieces of wood and once it's all glued together, there's no going back!

The mid section has had its second coat on and will need one final coat.

If there is a Woodcraft store near you, sign up for classes. They are really useful.

Thanks Mike A. I'm assuming Woodcraft is a US store? I'm in the Uk and not sure they have outlets over here. I do plan on taking some classes once I retire 

[SpaceHedgehog]

Control panel filled, sanded and primed, There'll be a bit more to do to get some of the angles consistent across the front, angled pieces.



I'll need to sand back the 'furry' bits of MDF once it's dry.

Like the other cabinet sections, the intention is to make this look like its been carved out of a single piece of wood.

[javeryh]

Looks great.  I'm sure you will work though the "mistakes" and no one but you will be able to tell.  I make dumb decisions or forget to take something into consideration while measuring all the time and it usually works out just fine.  That's part of the fun, right?  OK maybe not.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Looks great.  I'm sure you will work though the "mistakes" and no one but you will be able to tell.  I make dumb decisions or forget to take something into consideration while measuring all the time and it usually works out just fine.  That's part of the fun, right?  OK maybe not.

Thanks javeryh for being a constant source of encouragement 

You're right in terms of things working out in the end - there's always the opportunity to learn what works and what doesn't. The second CP will be handled differently in terms of assembling and finishing.

I'm pretty much done with the main sanding and filling and have got the second coat of black on after some vigorous sanding back. As usual, it's still drying when the picture was taken.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Well, the paint on the CP just wouldn't dry. Currently removing it so I can start again.

Warts and all ...



It'll be fine.

[javeryh]

Why wouldn't it dry?

[SpaceHedgehog]

I think it was one or more of it being applied too thick, it being too humid or not mixed sufficiently.

It's pretty much in a state where I can apply a thin coat on soon. Hope to do that later this evening.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Well this light coat of paint isn't drying properly and is very patchy. I noticed that this tin has 'New Formula' on it so I suspect that's the difference.

I have bought some Rustins 'Driers' (which is supposed to make a significant difference to paint drying capabilities) to add to the paint to see if that helps - I'll be testing it out on a piece of scrap when it gets delivered this week.

[Gilrock]

Just take a sledge hammer to the control panel start over and do it the way you want it.  You won't ever like it not being right and its not that much extra work.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Just take a sledge hammer to the control panel start over and do it the way you want it.  You won't ever like it not being right and its not that much extra work.

Trust me, the thought has crossed my mind! I'm going to persevere and strip this back (again). There has to be something wrong with this paint as it seems to be worse than last time. I've ordered another can from a different vendor so will see how that turns out.

It's frustrating that this is taking so long to sort out.

[javeryh]

Just keep going - I was ready to quit over the paint job as well and it eventually worked out.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Cheers javeryh - I've never been close to quitting tbh but 'sanding' back paint which won't dry is a royal pain in the butt!

Anyway. I've spent quite a few hours removing the last coat and have primed it again. I did buy a new can of paint and tested it out to see if it dried properly. It did, so I can only assume that there was a problem with the previous tin.

Hopefully normal service can now be resumed and I can start making some progress again.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Still need a couple of coats and some minor finishing on the CP but here's the current state of affairs.

[javeryh]

Looking really nice.  The more I stare at it the more I can't believe that eventually the bottom section will match the top with all the screw holes and edges that are currently showing.  I mean, the bottom looks like something I could build but the top most definitely does not! 

[emphatic]

I can't get over how much this looks like a computer rendering.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Looking really nice.  The more I stare at it the more I can't believe that eventually the bottom section will match the top with all the screw holes and edges that are currently showing.  I mean, the bottom looks like something I could build but the top most definitely does not! 

Thanks for that but I think you do yourself a disservice!

I can't get over how much this looks like a computer rendering.

I think it's the matte black finish on the cab and the fact that the screen is switched off which is doing that.

[edekoning]

What a nice looking design! Looks like its build like a tank and weighs a ton, haha. Never thought about using a sound bar before, will keep that in mind for my inevitable next build.

You mentioned steam twin stick shooters. Does that include 'Assault Android Cactus'? Its one of my favorite ones

[Shookie]

Nice looking build man!

[SpaceHedgehog]

What a nice looking design! Looks like its build like a tank and weighs a ton, haha. Never thought about using a sound bar before, will keep that in mind for my inevitable next build.

You mentioned steam twin stick shooters. Does that include 'Assault Android Cactus'? Its one of my favorite ones

Thank you and yes, it most surely does! Assault Android Cactus is a fantastic game 

Nice looking build man!

Appreciated. Thank you 

[smithmal]

Any updates on this cab?  I registered just to keep up with this project.  Very impressive.

[SpaceHedgehog]

I've had some family issues unfortunately which had stalled progress. Things seem to be resolving now so will be back on this when the weather improves a little.

Thanks for the interest 

[SNAAKE]

badass..as usual

[SpaceHedgehog]

Cheers @SNAAKE