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| Project Jetsam: Bartop speed build using 100% recycled materials [Completed!] |
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| Alejo I:
It's just vibes, as the kids say, but I feel like it could actually look pretty neat with some dark stain besides the already recommended t-molding/u-molding. |
| jeremymtc:
Thanks for the continued spitballing on power source for cooling, guys! It looks like a USB 5V solution won't be practical for this one, as all of the USB ports are continuously powered, and the BIOS is so stripped-down it's nearly comical. As Zebidee notes, taking 12V from the board still looks like the best path forward. Unfortunately there are no fan headers on the board, so I'll just need to spend a little bit of time probing it. I have some buck converters on hand which are basically composed of a variable resistor and a coil which will make short work of regulating fan speed (with an adjustment range between 36V-3V), so that's not an issue. |
| mourix:
I really like the design of this one, not even counting the recycle cookie point :applaud: |
| jeremymtc:
--- Quote from: Alejo I on March 05, 2024, 10:36:31 am ---It's just vibes, as the kids say, but I feel like it could actually look pretty neat with some dark stain besides the already recommended t-molding/u-molding. --- End quote --- Thanks Alejo! Yes, the plan is to add some 'dark oak' applique to the sides, black edge molding, and masked/painted polycarbonate control panel and monitor overlays. I'm thinking that with polycarb, I can do a one-piece overlay with bends to suit the shape of the cab, such that the entire player-facing surface is one seamless '70s high tech gloss expanse. We'll see. --- Quote from: mourix on March 07, 2024, 01:29:17 pm ---I really like the design of this one, not even counting the recycle cookie point :applaud: --- End quote --- Thank you mourix! Have a look at Ond's Xenolix Redux and Chito's Chibi Bartop for examples of similar forms designed and built at levels far surpassing my abilities. They didn't directly influence this build as I only discovered them well after the fact, but they are both much better realized than what I'm doing. Check them out! |
| jeremymtc:
I got my hands on some .090" Lexan sheet for the control panel and monitor overlays. I transferred the holes for buttons and joysticks, and took the opportunity to adjust the joystick and button positions slightly - joystick was moved 1.5" closer to the center, and tightened up the spacing for the --BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type-- button to allow for a more comfortable Neo-Geo layout. My original plan was to bend the polycarbonate so that I'd have a single continuous piece covering both the control panel and monitor. The only problem was that I didn't have a brake, and I didn't want to mess around with heat. In my race car fabrication days I routinely did cold bends with polycarb with fine results, so I improvised a brake mounted to the side of my saw table using some heavy duty hinges and 2x4 material. It worked great... until it didn't. I had drywall screwed a lever to the articulated part of the brake but hadn't realized that the tips of the screws were ever so slightly protruding from the brake surface, and they put a large gouge into my nice shiny lexan. I aborted on the bend process as I didn't have enough material to try again, but there was still enough material to go ahead and make two separate panels. So that's what I did. I masked and painted the backside of the lexan to give it a nice glossy piano black fingerprint magnet finish. I added some button labels for the 'Coin', 'Start' and 'Exit' buttons on the panel. The labels are Dymo printed and mounted to the wood control panel substrate, with tiny masked windows so that they show through the painted lexan overlay. This machine will be used by guests at community center events as well as at home, so I figured labels might be a good thing. The Dymo print is a little crude, but I figure it works fine within the context of the machine's build and the '70s industrial aesthetic I'm going for. I'll get better pictures soon. I added some woodgrain vinyl wrap to the cabinet sides, front fascia, and monitor header, and another little Dymo label for the power button. Nothing fancy here, but it does make it slightly more attractive than the CDX plywood did. Next up will be adding the edge molding, once it's arrived (I live on the Big Island of Hawaii so pretty much everything has to be shipped in if Home Depot doesn't have it). Regarding the earlier discussion about cooling, I did spend some time looking for suitable power traces on the motherboard to tap for power supply for a cooling fan, but I think that I may be giving that one a miss in favor of ambient/convective cooling. The motherboard was definitely designed to a cost with very marginal power traces, and I just couldn't find a position that I was comfortable with adding a take-off. I'd hate to brick the thing by lifting a trace, which seems like it might be all too easy to do. I've added some ventilation holes into the base, and going forward will be adding some exhaust vents up high on the rear door adjacent to the mobo. So far it hasn't gotten any more than slightly warm, but I do really appreciate all of the thought and suggestions that you folks have made! |
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