Project Jetsam: Bartop speed build using 100% recycled materials [Completed!]

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firedance:
I should really update my signature, this is the bartop I did last year, which like yours waslow budget :)

https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,165536.0/all.html

Zebidee:
I think I love everything retro in woodgrain laminate 8)

jeremymtc:

--- Quote from: Zebidee on March 22, 2024, 11:10:10 am ---I think I love everything retro in woodgrain laminate 8)

--- End quote ---

It certainly seemed appropriate here :cheers: Thanks again for all of the input and advice you'd given over the course of the build. It's been very helpful.

--- Quote from: firedance on March 19, 2024, 10:34:20 am ---I should really update my signature, this is the bartop I did last year, which like yours waslow budget :)

https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,165536.0/all.html

--- End quote ---

I think the link above is broken, but if that build was Shmupin I've had a look at it! Aside from the vertical vs. horizontal difference, it seems that these are both very similar in terms of hardware and overall form. Yours of course is much more nicely constructed - nice work!

firedance:
Ah I missed the html off the link, will sort it soon.

Glad you found it and thank your for praise :)

jeremymtc:
I'm still tinkering away on the bartop. It's in functional and presentable state and has been playtested extensively at a couple of parties. So far it's been totally reliable, and I'm relieved that the frontend UI has been pretty easy and intuitive for guests to pick up.

It took a long time, but the edge molding eventually arrived. In the wrong size. The seller refunded without return, so no harm, no foul from my end. I went ahead and did a "temporary" installation using the incorrect material, and it actually came out pretty nicely with some x-acto trim work. It might be good enough as-is, but I reserve the option to replace it later if I feel like it. Proper photos of this soon, but here's a preview:

The lack of an active cooling solution was still bugging me, so I decided to bite the bullet and run it off a relay.

$4 in AliExpress parts later and I have two 12V 60mm fans, fan grilles, and a 12V relay module with hi-low trigger jumper. I plan to mount one of the 60s as an exhaust (intakes are vent holes in base), but I have a second If it seems that it wants additional airflow. The blue board is a dc-dc (buck) converter, with it I can take the 19VDC from the pc power supply and regulate the relay and any load it supports down to 12V (or lower).

The screw terminals on the relay board expect heavier wiring than what's actually in use, so I soldered the "fixed" leads to pins on the the board to prevent anything from coming loose. The fan itself is still connected via the screw terminals for easy removal/replacement.

The blue wire is the trigger wire for the relay, and will connect to the common terminal of the arcade button wired to the pc power switch. The relay has a jumper to set the trigger either low (0V) or high (5V), and I've measured the current from the power switch at 3.7V. I don't recall whether it's active high or active low, but it shouldn't matter anyway with the jumper available. I've bench tested the assembly and it seemed to trigger ok from 3.7V using three AA batteries, so I think the trigger threshold should work out fine even if I'm not feeding it 5V.

I also ordered a cheap 8GB ram module to replace the original 4GB to help the old Dell live its best life in bartop retirement. When the RAM arrives I'll pull everything apart at once to do the fan installation and wiring. Should have "finished" photos to share at that time :cheers:

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