pinball lockdown bar on CP

[MoonDog]

I'm going to be building my first CP.  I don't have any immediate plans for a cabinet because I'm lacking a good place to put it and an extra computer with enough horsepower.  I tend to get excited about projects like this so who knows, I may start looking into cabinets sooner than later.

Anyway, when it comes to dropping quarters in an arcade, pinball has become the only game for me.  Of course I'll be putting some flipper buttons on the sides of my panel.  What I thought would be really cool is to mount a glass lockdown bar to the top front of the panel so it would have the same feel as a real machine.  I know that there is really no replacement for a real machine, but that is well out of my budget.  Has anyone ever seen this done?  Any suggestions or issues with this idea?

[MoonDog]

is this just a silly idea?  no need to sugar coat a comment either.

[Trimoor]

it sounds like a nice idea.  If it feels good, do it.

It should be pretty easy to attatch (unless you plan on removing it as easily as a real pinball)

Here's another idea for you: wire relays to the flipper buttons, then wire knocker solinoids to it, so when you press a button it gives you that realistic pinball flipper sound. (and feel)

[MoonDog]

Ooooh.  I like the idea of adding solenoids.  When I was a kid I re-wired one of the flipper solenoids from our machine ('73 Gulfstream).  Since I didn't know where to get a replacement I unwound the coils counting the turns and then replaced with new wire.  What a pain in the butt.

Yeah, no need to make it removeable since there won't actually holding in any glass.

[RayB]

I think that if properly done, it could be very cool. In fact, you could also bolt on some pinball legs onto the front of your cab. Pinball legs are usually L shaped, right? So they could secure right onto the front corners of your cab, (purely for looks).

~Ray

[MoonDog]

The legs are a great idea, but they would probably be a bit short to bolt to a "normal" control panel if that's what you mean since they usually bolt on near the bottom of a pinball cabinet.  Well, I guess it really depends on the shape of the cabinet.  What if you cut the front half off of a pinball machine and stuck it to the front of a cabinet.  I mean this conceptually and not literally.  It would be kind of a hybrid and the legs would actually support the front.  Call it the El Camino Cab.

It would probably look a bit silly, especially with joysticks sticking out of the top.  I'm not sure what the height difference is between pinball and a "normal" arcade control panel.

[RayB]

Sorry, I had missed the part where you said you were not building a whole upright.

 

[MoonDog]

well, i'm not building one right now, but i have a feeling it will be in my near future.  that is after i finish the trim work on the bathroom remodel.  which, despite my patience, apparently isn't going to magically finish itself.