Arcade Collecting > Miscellaneous Arcade Talk

Building a Coin Op Crane Game

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Ixliam:
My skeeball project is here at http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,29727.0.html.

Curfing is an idea, but I guess someone else can try that besides me :) I'm getting closer each day to having it complete, and today I put a good bit of the trimmings on it. Since my college classes start back on Monday and I am taking a pretty good load, I won't have as much time to put into it as before, so it will just move at a slower pace. At least it is playable, and I've found myself going out there to work on it, then blow an hour playing it!

I think your crane would be an easier project that my skeeball one. The fellow I purchased my skeeball display (the origican skeeball kind) from was almost ready to build one of those mechanical fortune tellers, simply because he couldn't find one that wasn't over $2500. He wanted the old grandma kind. Now that would be almost as complex as doing your own pinball machine.

Brad

IMMark:
Hey Brad...Awesome, your Skeeball looks fantastic...and the best part even if you are not finished yet; you've reached the playable stage.  Is there any chance that you would be willing to share the plans (assuming you have put together a working document).  Something to avoid mistakes you've made or shortcuts that you've learned?  Also I am curious what you think about the cork, will it hold up?  Did you coat it with anything?  But really a great job, looks like you could start your own Chuckie Cheese ;D
Mark

Ixliam:
I do plan on putting some type of guide document out there. Right now my cad drawings are pretty rough, and I have been assembling notes and details on building this as I go along. Some of it are just ideas on how things could be done (like the ramp), notes on what not to do (like the mistake I made with the ball return being too high), etc.

With the cork, only time will tell. I am planning on coating it with paint as most of the skeeball machines out there are. How it holds up, I'm not sure. So far, it seems to do well since I am only rolling balls across it, not slamming them into it at high speed. The scoreboard didn't survive that too well with the initial cork I put on it. I do have two layers down. Since cork is porous, I read online to use a water-based glue since the cork will soak it up and form a stronger bond. It works great, long as you don't place something on top of the cork to weight it down that it bonds to as well... like wood. That's one reason for the second layer. I patched the cork up, and well, it looked like crap. So I put another layer on top of it, which will make the thickness of cork 3/16" thick. I used wood glue the first time, which did hold well but took to long to dry. The next layer got spray cement, which held well to the cork.

My suggestion would be to use what I read on a flooring site, contact cement. I hope that this does start folks building these, or even making alternate types (like the roller ball games which have baseball themes, or knocking down clowns, etc).

I do plan on possibly selling the circuit interfaces if there is enough interest in them once I create them. My idea would be to have it not only be able to control the display, but to operate a solinoid to release the balls, fire off a strobe/bell/flasher at certain scores, and handle the ball scoring input all in one chunk. Course I have not built it yet, but thats the direction I will go. This will interface with a PC (low end so even a 386 could use it) and handle sound effects as well.

With those two options available, people can either go with a monitor and use RandyT's program and Keywiz encoder, or use the original style of display or 7-segment LED's and display it that way.

Brad

Ken Layton:
Two Bit Score sells a "universal crane game" kit that allows you to take a non-functioning crane game of any type (overhead style) and make it work again.

IMMark:
Thanks Ken,
Never new about the "Two Bits"site.  What I am really more interested in, is a bit older machine...this is the one I liked the best (picture)
Not the best look at it but, 4 buttons run it left, right, up and down.
I thought it would be fairly simple, to operate the motors, via an Ipac...or maybe some type of simple microcontroller?
But it is good to know about the others as well...could help, I marked Two bits site for future reference. 
So thanks again ;D

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