Digger X - The cabinet

[MrTroy]

Well I'm not sure if I pointed this out before but, this is my cabinet I'm working on. I've settled on a Marquee that I'm going to use kinda. It's hard to portray what I want it to look like until it's actually printed. It'll be nice... I hope. I chose the name Digger X(I may latter change the name back to Darker Mars) because it's based off of the Dig Dug(Centipede) Cabinet. I'm making slight altercations to it so my big feet have some where to go.

But I've done the wood working for quite a while now been almost 2 months, and I stopped making progress. Trying to refurb that Burger Time and build an arcade stick is killing my wallet, so I'm going to keep working on this one till I'm done.


Here's where I started. Not much to see here folks.



Here's the latest pictures that I took of it almost put together

I've gotten alot done this weekend but I can't upload pictures from home so I'll do it once I get to work tomorrow. I plan on putting in a coin door(When I get more money) and the following arcade components.

1 Happs 49 way joystick
8 buttons for controls and start.
2 1/4" Trackball
21" Monitor. Cause I wanna play more than just verticle games.

I haven't settled on PC parts yet but I'll keep you all updated.

[MrTroy]

Here's the most recent image


I still need to apply some primer to it. Unfortuantely I know very little next to nothing about painting. I want as flat of a texture as I can get, which seems next to impossible. I've tried brushes. I've tried "flat" rollers. Next I'm going to try a paint sprayer. I want to use paint, anyone know of any other solution for painting that'll help it be as flat as possible.

[AlanS17]

You could always take it to a body shop. 

[MrTroy]

You could always take it to a body shop.  Wink

My Friend that works at a car shop had that idea too.

My Graph artist friends wanted to use spray paint.

I sanded the crap outta this thing and I can't seem to get a flat piece anywhere on it(I've tried several pieces of wood using 220 Grade Sandpaper) I don't think I'm going to get that flat Laminated look outta it. I'm gonna figure something out. More updates coming soon.

[barnes]

Spray Paint should do it, but you'll need quite a bit of it. If I built my own, my would be spray painted and stenciled all nice.

[leapinlew]

Wood is very difficult to get smooth. Lots of us use MDF for that reason.

[Mr. Bubblehead]

I have worked with plywood before and I think I know exactly the problem you are having.  Plywood it a lot more uneven and porous than MDF or particle board, so to achieve a near-perfect, laminate-like finish, here's what I do:

1. Sand it smooth to the touch, I like to use a coarser paper, 150grit works well.  Use an electric orbital sander.

2. Get a big tub of carpenter's wood filler, it has to be water-based.  In a separate plastic container, mix some of the filler with water until the consistency is like pancake batter.  Skim each side of the cabinet with the thinned-out filler (you will want to have the side you are coating facing up so gravity can do it's job to level it out).

3. Go play some games on the PC and makeshift control panel you have on the workbench while you are waiting for the filler to dry, then flip the cabinet around/over and do the other sides.

4. Sand the filler until it is smooth to the touch, use the electric sander with 220 grit paper.

3. Roll on some latex primer with a cheap dollar store roller then throw the roller/paint tray away

4. Go tweak the trackball settings and .ini files on the PC and makeshift control panel you have on the workbench while you are waiting for the primer to dry

5. Lightly hand-sand the primer smooth to the touch with 220 grit paper

6. Spray on a guide coat of rattlecan primer.  The cheap dollar-a-can automotive gray works well.  For a full-size upright cabinet you will need about 6 cans.

7. Go back to playing games/drinking beer until it is dry.

8.  Look for any imperfections in the wood (there shouldn't be too many by now) and fill them with the putty knife and wood filler (no need to thin it).  Let dry, sand smooth with 220 paper, and touch up with primer.

9. Apply the first finish coat of paint - if you plan to roll it on, use a high-quality, satin-finish latex paint and a good quality foam roller (not from the dollar store).  If you want to rattlecan it, use Krylon satin or semi-flat paint FOR METAL, get it at the auto parts store.  The Wal-Mart Krylon is crap.

10.  While the paint is drying, run up to the liquor store because you are most definately out of beer by now.

11.  Lightly hand-sand the cabinet with 1200 grit paper and apply the final coat of paint.

It sounds like a lot of work...it will eat up an entire day, but that is the process I use to get a perfect finish on plywood.