Centicade - A Scratch Built Centipede Replica (UPDATE: 99% finished..)

[patrickl]

Why are you putting so much time in painting the control panel? I thought you were going to use a CPO to cover the CP.

[HoopstarsGarage]

Why are you putting so much time in painting the control panel? I thought you were going to use a CPO to cover the CP.

- Because I am fussy..
- Because if it looks good with paint on it, then I can be assured that it will look good with the overlay.
- Because I want the back and sides to look as like they were molded from one piece.

[HoopstarsGarage]

Today was a fairly productive day and as a result I have pretty much finished the control panel..


First job for today was to rub down the surfaces that the overlay would be attached to.  This was to remove the slight orange peel finish in the paint, giving a nice flat surface, ensuring maximum adhesion.  To do this I used 2000 grit wet and dry with a couple of drops of dish washing detergent in the rubbing down water - this helps lubricate the paper which is very useful when using such fine grades of paper.  I then wiped down the whole panel with a wet cloth to get rid off the bulk of rubbing down slurry and then brought it back inside and stuck it in front of the heater to evaporate any remaining solvents trapped under the cured skin.  

After about 3 hours getting all toasty warm in front of the heater, it was then back outside for a wipe down with prepsol to remove the remaining rubbing down "powder" along with any oil from finger prints etc.  This was the followed by a quick wipe down with a tack cloth to remove any remaining dust..

My fiancee was then conned into helping me hold things while we attempted to stick down the overlay without stuffing it up - it was pretty nerve racking stuff.  With the backing paper still in place, I lined up the centre punched holes with the  button/joystick holes and then taped down the top edge with masking tape forming a sort of "hinge" arrangement.

Once we were happy with everything, Kristy started slowly pulling off the backing paper while I used a spray bottle to spray both the control panel and the back of the overlay - the water had a couple of drops of baby shampoo added to it to stop the overlay grabbing straight away but rather float on top of the panel until we are absolutely 100% sure of alignment.  I then took a plastic squeegee and started squeegeeing the water out, working from the centre outwards.

It was a nervous time but at the end of it all, but it came out beautifully with alignment being spot on.  I then took a sharp razor blade and trimmed off the excess around the edges along with the joystick and button holes.
Next up I fitted the joystick shafts, fire buttons and of course the Atari volcano buttons.  When I had my overlay printed, they actually messed up the first one - fortunately they sent me a replacement.  Using the first overlay, I cut out the area around the joysticks and stuck them onto the built in dust washers on the joystick shaft's, helping them blend in a little more..  

..And here is the result - all in all, I am pretty happy with it




You can see how close a match the paint colour is to the overlay colour..

I then started on the wiring - this is a BIG job to do neatly.. I've seen some people who's control panel wiring looks like a rats nest with wires running everywhere and all in the same colour.  For me, I think the little bit of extra effort it takes to route everything neatly helps prevent mistakes in the first place, and also helps you trace faults and come maintenance time too.

The Mini-Pac interface uses a 40pin IDE connector on board - I found an old hard drive cable in my spares bin and wired that up to a 25pin male connector.  I then wired up the main loom to a 25 pin female connector which then terminates with spade connectors for the mircoswitches - everything is soldered and heat shrunk of course.  The 25 pin connector was probably overkill, but works nicely as I always shudder when I have to pull on the 40 pin IDE connector, waiting for something to break..  The USB cable on the back of the control panel was also spliced and hard wired to the Mini-Pac.

After about 6 hours, this is where I am at with the wiring loom - everything is hooked up except for the LEDs in the Volcano buttons.  Unfortunately I didn't have any 220 ohm resistors in my parts drawers, so I'll have to get some tomorrow - I will then tidy up the wiring going to these buttons and button it all up.


I now really wish I had painted inside the control panel area - it looks a bit feral in there, but hey, no one is going to see it.. :rolleyes:

Next job is to get stuck into the cabinet and get it prepped and painted but not before I cut the slot for my T-molding which has also arrived.  I still need to get a slot cutter and one place I rang wanted $50 bucks for the thing, so I am still looking around..  My monitor has also arrived, so I need to make up the mounting panel for this.  

Still a lot to do, but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel - stay tuned


Hoops

[HoopstarsGarage]

Also, I am thinking of maybe changing the button colour to either red or white - what do you guys think?

EDIT: Special thanks to Joy Monkey for the artwork on the overlay - he did this almost 18 months ago for me...  it's been a long time coming but big thanks mate..!!

Hoops

[M.A.M.E Power]

Hey Hoops

Great looking project, I think that it would be a good idea to change the colour of the buttons, you could perhaps have one side white and the other red?

I think if you wanted just one colour, then red wold be the way to go as it would match your joysticks. At the moment the buttons are a very similar colour to the CPO, just a thought.

Thanks

[Timstuff]

Looks great, can't wait to see the rest.

[CJK]

I vote for red or white buttons also.

D*MN, that is one fine looking CP...

-- Chris

[patrickl]

Absolutely stunning

Perhaps white buttons you suggested would look nicer. I'd say the blue matches the background of the CPO and the red would match the red patches the buttons sit in. Didn't the original centipede use white buttons too? But then again, it looks stunning as is.

[dweebs0r]

Man,

The talent you people on this board have makes me so jeolous.   

That is one great looking cabinet you have going here.

It makes me crazy that I can barely screw together an arcade depot precut cocktail and then I see this kind of job done from scratch.  Wow.

Anyway, absolutely fabulous job!  Cant overstate how impressed I am.

-Dweebs

[mmmPeanutButter]

Also, I am thinking of maybe changing the button colour to either red or white - what do you guys think?

red red red   

Also...  it's funny cause I got my cpo printed at the same place and they screwed up my first one too (but had no problem replacing it) and I used the original one for the same thing you did.  And mine was a centipede too! 

The only difference is that you actually seem motivated!!   

Looking great!!


post script:  The ball tops look awesome!  I might be stealing those...  and before you get upset, let me compliment your dust washers!!   

[HoopstarsGarage]

The only difference is that you actually seem motivated!!

18 months after getting the CPO printed I start work on this thing and you call that motivated..?

post script:  The ball tops look awesome!  I might be stealing those...  and before you get upset, let me compliment your dust washers!!   

I would never get upset Peanut..!!
I think we have both had some great ideas on this - I think it's awesome that we can share them and make BOTH our panels look amazing.  The dust washers were a stroke of genius..!!

[Bones]

That looks bloody amazing. The amount of care you have put into it really shows in the finished product.

[currygoat11]

I sat here for like 30 minutes reading in detail everything you've done thus far.

[HoopstarsGarage]

btw, can you kindly restate how exactly the control panel 'locks' into place?  From your picts, it looks like it slides in but how does it lock? And then how does one unlock/remove the panel correctly?

The "locking" is purely done by design - that being the angle of operation of the joysticks versus the angle required to remove the Control Panel.  You need to remember how close the tolerances are on the slides and their respective slots (on the CP) - this prevents VERY little lateral movement either up or down or sideways (less than .25mm in total - MAX).  Also look at the length of the slides - they extend almost to the end of the control panel shelf area.. these reduce the angle that you can pull the CP to remove it.  You have to pull it probably within a couple of degrees of square to remove it.. anything else and the CP binds on the slides.  Lastly, to a very small degree, the USB connectors help hold lock the CP in..  imagine how firm it is to remove a USB thumb drive from a USB port.. this is essentially the feeling of how it is to remove the CP when pulled squarely - it's just a really big USB device

As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words (this is looking at it from side on - sorry for the crappy diagram but art is not my thing):



I can't really explain it any more clearly than that..  I might try and get a small video together of the operation. (anyone want to host it for me?)


Hoops

[currygoat11]

Ok I think I got it - thank you for the pict.  So you're saying you gotta really tug on the control panel, perfectly straight and even, outwards at an angle level to the ground, and only then will the thing budge. And if a really rough player is yanking on the joysticks, due to the slanted angle, the CP shouldn't move at all.

Given all this, is there even an opportunity to install a locking mechanism on the inside (like reaching up into the coin door and locking a latch or something?), or is that just too paranoid?

on a side note, given you're replicating the Centipede cab, why did you opt out on a trackball?

[HoopstarsGarage]

Ok I think I got it - thank you for the pict.  So you're saying you gotta really tug on the control panel, perfectly straight and even, outwards at an angle level to the ground, and only then will the thing budge. And if a really rough player is yanking on the joysticks, due to the slanted angle, the CP shouldn't move at all.

You got it - in fact, I think it's fair to say that the rougher you are with the joysticks, the harder it will "bite" into the slides..

Given all this, is there even an opportunity to install a locking mechanism on the inside (like reaching up into the coin door and locking a latch or something?), or is that just too paranoid?

I have come up with a remote locking mech that I "thought" I'd have to use, but it turns out that it is not necessary..   It's a bit of a shame actually as the locking mech was kinda cool..

on a side note, given you're replicating the Centipede cab, why did you opt out on a trackball?

Umm, because I have a removable Control Panel and therefore I can also swap Control Panels

I am planning on building a trackball CP with three buttons (so I can play Missile Command) but with the CPO being almost exactly the same as Centipede..
I also have plans for a steering wheel and shifter CP as well..

Hoops

[currygoat11]

Umm, because I have a removable Control Panel and therefore I can also swap Control Panels

yes of course, I forgot    good deal.

[pathdoc2]

Incredible job.  Beautiful design and well executed.

[jcroach]

Can you explain a little more about your sound system?

[AlanS17]

Also, I am thinking of maybe changing the button colour to either red or white - what do you guys think?

EDIT: Special thanks to Joy Monkey for the artwork on the overlay - he did this almost 18 months ago for me...

[richms]

So, you have the bi-amp and the sub amp.  Looks liek with the bi-amp you didn't need any cross-overs. I'd like to do a simmilar thing with individual, sheilded speaker, but I don't have a bi-amp. How would you do something similar with cross-overs or other stock parts? Could a car amp be used for all the speakers and a sub-woofer? Would cross-overs be needed then?

Any sub/sat speaker system will need a crossover, most car amps have a basic highpass/lowpass selectable crossover in them, but if you are going to a 3 way system then you will need something that has a bandpass as well. Car amps are not as cheap as you think once you take powering them into account.

Jaycar in NZ and Aust do a kit 3 way crossover that works quite well

You just need 6 channels of amplification to handle the various speakers, and if you are doing a single sub, the amp for that needs to be bridgable. Most PA amps when bridged have an internal inversion and you use the 2 speaker positives for the speaker, and they only take the input from one RCA socket, so you have to passivly mix it if the crossover doesnt do that for you.

Are you going to have a volume knob somewhere on the outside? How will it be hooked into the system?

I would guess between the soundcard and the sony stereo he has in there. Otherwise you could wire into the existing volume on the baby stereo.

[blindraccoon]

Oh MAN!  That CP is beautiful.  Will it marry me?  Please?!? 

[xonix_digital]

I think red buttons would be great. I was in love with the blue until someone said red. Then I was like ....yeah.

Big Props on the craftsmanship of this cab. Uber-Inspiring man.

-=XD=-

Keep us posted! 

[HoopstarsGarage]

Are you going to have a volume knob somewhere on the outside? How will it be hooked into the system?

Firstly, sorry again for the lack of updates on this - I am STILL waiting for the slot cutter to arrive and then things will pick up again.. 

I have a volume control obviously on the front panel of the amplifer - this will be set to "cap" the maximum volume the system can be run at.  Between the computer sound card and the amp, I have used a 20K logarithmic stereo pot which will be mounted on a "admin" panel behind the coin door..  this control will fine tune the volume between basically zero volume through to the pre-set maximum volume of the amp..

[currygoat11]

Oh MAN!  That CP is beautiful.  Will it marry me?  Please?!?

I saw her first man!

[dmsuchy]

Man oh man, I can't wait to see some more photos! Between the great idea of mounting the control panels and the built in speaker boxes in the cab, I can't get enough. Anyone remember the other Centipede scratch built cab with the 8 ball for the track ball? That was a great cab also. Keep up the great work and lets start on the next control panel!

[HoopstarsGarage]

Man oh man, I can't wait to see some more photos! Between the great idea of mounting the control panels and the built in speaker boxes in the cab, I can't get enough. Anyone remember the other Centipede scratch built cab with the 8 ball for the track ball? That was a great cab also. Keep up the great work and lets start on the next control panel!

Thanks for the kind words..

and yeah, the was TheJohns Centipede - I have every photo and took a lot of my inspiration from his cab.

thanks again.

Hoops

[xonix_digital]

is there a link to his cab pics?


-=XD=-

[HoopstarsGarage]

is there a link to his cab pics?


-=XD=-

He took them down about 7 or 8 months ago

[dmsuchy]

Comeon, nothing new yet?

[HoopstarsGarage]

Comeon, nothing new yet?

It's winter here down under... and it has not stopped raining

I need to route out the T-molding slot, but I am not wanting to do it inside the workshop cause the dust will get everywhere - hence I am waiting for a small dry spell to wheel her outside.

[danny_galaga]

Today was a fairly productive day and as a result I have pretty much finished the control panel..


First job for today was to rub down the surfaces that the overlay would be attached to.

[DaveMMR]

Hoopstar - I don't reply to Project Announcement threads too often (nothing personal against any of them,  I'm just usually hanging out in the EE section).  But I just had to comment since I've been working on a Centipede shaped (but not exactly themed) cab for a little over a year now. 

First off: AWESOME job!  While the cab as a whole looks excellent, the implementation of your swappable CPs is simpy astounding.     Along with Carlos' cab, I will now also turn to yours as reference for my project.  Incidentally, I'm working on swappable panels (along the lines of Doc's Modular system) while maintaining the smooth curves of the original (i.e. - no overhang).  I'm hammering out some ideas for a spring-loaded system that involves a gentle push to have panels pop in and out - but as it's still in the planning and thought stage, I'll keep that details minimal.  Nevertheless, seeing your idea makes me wish I was back at square one doing what you did.  If I wasn't so hung-up on having different control schemes, I'd follow your example.

Now not to hijack this thread but... you've mentioned that you had to raise the cab a few inches to avoid the 'ole 'marquee in the eye' bit.  I'm tall enough to make it necessary to place my cabinets on stilts to avoid this.  So my question is: how high is the marquee (with wheels attached) from the ground? 

Also, how big of a monitor are you putting in there?

Anyway, excellent work.  Hope to see a project webpage one day.

(EDIT: My 555th post - make a wish!)

[HoopstarsGarage]

So my question is: how high is the marquee (with wheels attached) from the ground? 

First up, thanks for the kind words..  I actually painted the cabinet yesterday and it came out brilliantly.. will post some piccies in the next couple of days.

The bottom of the marquee panel (speaker panel) is 1675mm from the ground and the top of the marquee panel is 1830mm from the ground..

Also, how big of a monitor are you putting in there?

The monitor is 21"..  Originally I was going to be setting the cabinet up with a rotating monitor (ala Carlo's Centipede..) but in the end I scrapped the idea with the plan to just build a dedicated vertical cab - which will be my next project.. and another classic 80's cabinet 

[mmmPeanutButter]

The bottom of the marquee panel (speaker panel) is 1675mm from the ground and the top of the marquee panel is 1830mm from the ground..

Translation: 1675mm = 5'6"   1830mm = 6'     

[bob808]

More Control Panel work

Started filling the control panel with 2-Pak filler to smooth and level everything off.

[Bones]

It has been a week, any updates Hoopstars?

I am keeping a close eye on this one, it is really looking special so far. 

[DefJam]

Panel is stunning. 

[nullb0y]

  amazing work that pannel looks rendered! its so beautiful!

[ARCADE5280]

Looks great so far!  I can't wait to see the finished cab--Keep the pics coming.