Control Panel Construction - how to make the base?

[Gopherboy]

Hi all,


I am building a stand alone (well - sitting on the desk at any rate!) control panel with a base sized 900mm x 300mm (thats - oh - about: 36" x 12" for most of you!) and a top panel with a bit of overhang. I am going to be using 15mm wood, which I suppose is roughly 3/5".

My query is on how to constuct the 'box'. Should I attach the sides around the base or on top of it?

My original idea was to build the box on top of the base so that I could ue the screws (going vertically up from the base) to attach rubber feet so as not to have to stick them on with glue, which I think is a little tacky.

My second question is on hinges. I would like to hinge the top panel at the back for easy access (as I belive is common) but am not sure how to have the panel sit. Should I make the 'lid' sit flush or use some small rubber feet and have the panel rest on those when closed?


Thanks for any help!


gopher.

[eightbit]

Why hinge it? You should almost never need to get inside after the intial build and configuration. Attach the top securely and make the bottom removable. Hinge the bottom if you feel you have to spend money on hinges.
Trust me you don't want the top flapping when you and your buddy start punching each other in a fighting game.

[1UP]

Why hinge it? You should almost never need to get inside after the intial build and configuration. Attach the top securely and make the bottom removable. Hinge the bottom if you feel you have to spend money on hinges.
Trust me you don't want the top flapping when you and your buddy start punching each other in a fighting game.

Actually, you can hinge it quite securely if you want, using piano hinges and childproof cabinet locks, but this requires drilling holes somewhere so you can pop the latches.  (See my website.)  I've found this to be useful, there's always a bad crimp or loose wire that pops up down the road.  As long as you can get the bottom off when needed (screws should suffice) you're all set.  Just don't hot glue the thing shut or anything!  You will need to get in there at some point...

Also, this arrangement, if done right, will not allow the panel to "flap" even during heavy play, but I'd agree that for tabletop controls, hinging the bottom is the best way to go.

[Xphile]

and you are not gonna want to see a seam around the bottom, right? so cut/build the sides and front/back right down flush with the base,  add some strips of wood to the inside of the sides/front/back and screw the base into the strips of wood..that way you see no screw holes around the bottom, you can still screw rubber feet into the base, and no seam showing..:-)
 

[SirPoonga]

Wood filler will help get rid of seams and mistakes too

[Xphile]

Yes, but then you can't unscrew the base to get at that badn connector :-)....

[Gopherboy]

Thanks guys - obviously, mainainence is an issue so that was one of the reasons to want a hinge (or some other way to acces the innards) but also, I want to make it a cross - platform control.

When it is built I will use some barrier strips to connect everything up and to start with, I will hack some ps/ps2 controllers (Being cheap, I was thinking of finding some original psone controllers without the dual shock. Third party of course       ). However, I would also like to hack some dreamcast controllers as well, but may not do either of these until the construction is finished.

I figure that if I have the buttons wired up to a barrier strip then it will be a relatively simple matter to hack a few pads, solder them up, and then mount them and connect them.

That's the theory anyway. But then, I suppose that a removable base would be fine for that too.

Does anyone know of any projects that used a hing on the base?


Thanks - Gopher


p.s - great point Xphile - hadn't even thought of the 'seam' problem!

[Darkstalker]

Another solution would be to not put a bottom on it if it's just going to sit on your desk...Not quite as spiffy, but you definately won't have a problem getting to the underside  

[eightbit]

I would put a bottom on it but I would screw it on so that it would be easy to get off. A hinge would be overkill because after you get it set up you shouldn't have to access it often. Leaving it open would be inviting disaster. Wait till your nephew or your friends kid reaches in and starts pulling on your solder job.

[Gopherboy]

Thanks again guys - I do think a base would be a good idea, but not because of nephews or the like - still too young for that thank heavens! Mostly I think that that would be the best place to mount the I-PAC and any controller hacks that I decide to do. I suppose I just figured that a hinged top would make wiring up all the buttons to the I-PAC that much easier.

Not meaning to be rude and disregard your advice but I am still pretty keen to use a hinge - be it on the top (either front or back) or on the bottom. My preference is for the top.

So, that being the case, if anyone has made or seen a project that uses a hinge on the panel, then I would be more than greatfull to learn of it!

Many thanks again!

gopher.

[Xphile]

Thanks again guys - I do think a base would be a good idea, but not because of nephews or the like - still too young for that thank heavens! Mostly I think that that would be the best place to mount the I-PAC and any controller hacks that I decide to do. I suppose I just figured that a hinged top would make wiring up all the buttons to the I-PAC that much easier.

try thinking in reverse, or rather - upside down..

 The inside of the stationary, firmly mounted top would be the best place to mount the i-pac, because there would never be any movement of wires when opening/closing the top,  the wires to the joys/buttons would be shorter because you wouldn't need to leave slack for opening/closing the top,  (they would be more firmly/neatly mounted for the same reason..no slack wires to jiggle around..)

you just flip the control panel upside down in your lap, remove the six screws holding the base in, and set the base off to one side...no worrying about ripping the wires off the i-pac when you open it too far (like with a lid), no big mess of floppy wires everywhere, (like with a lid..)

in the end it's up to you how you build it, but the pros of a hinged lid seem to be very few compared to the potential cons..

good luck..