Making first cut! - CP Finally Cut!!!

[xonix_digital]

Hey guys,

I started this project like a million years ago but only gathered materials for the CP before I had to give it up due to financial hardships.

BUT! Things are finally starting to look up and I have some free time! So, today I am going to make my first cuts on my CP. Its 3/4" MDF and I have a portable 18v Circular saw (Craftsman).
I have never used it before, and was wondering if there was anything I should be careful of.

Is the MDF going to chip at all? How do I assure a straight cut? Is there a "Circular sawing MDF Tutorial" somewhere?

All the info I could find was on Jigging, or routering.


Thanks guys!

-=XD=-

[Jabba]

My first piece of advice would be to check out Drew's thread in Project Announcements on how to build a saw board. Very good jig you'll have for years to come!

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=43568.0

This will come in handy because I assume you will not be using a table saw. A Table saw will give you clean straight cuts. Pretty hard to do this freehand with the hand portable skill saw. You will get good results with a saw board...

Second piece of advice is to put a piece of masking tape over the line you will cut. This will prevent chipout.

And finally, measure twice cut once and wear protective glasses.

Keep us posted on 'Radicade' !!!

[xonix_digital]

I don't make mistakes! 

 

Masking Tape: CHECK!

I drilled all of my holes today. I got kind of antsy and couldn't help myself.

Here is what it looks like so far:








-=XD=-

[Jabba]

Looking good.

I tried that button configuration but did not like it. Didn't feel right to me. I'll be redoing my CP to keep them in-line...

[xonix_digital]

LOL thats funny. because I have read about someone (probably you) not liking it but I was like BAH!! And now Im not so sure I like it either! lol

I'll obviously keep it for a while and see if I can learn to love it, but I think my main problem is the distance between the buttons. I have big hands, but I have spent my life playing on standard arcade machines. So it's wierd messing with a custom CP. None of my friends or anyone I know have ever done anything like this, so I have ZERO experience with this sort of thing.

Super excited about sawing my CP tomorrow. Ill post a pic. 

-=XD=-

[Havok]

Looks like you put the buttons on upside down. I hope you aren't planning on using your left hand on the left side buttons, and your right hand on the left joystick.

That would be worth a video in action...

 

[walls83]

the buttons look too far apart to me..

[MameJunkie]

the buttons look too far apart to me..

Yea..mine is only about 1/4" - 1/3" apart from the outer ring of the button.
Maybe the guy has big hands.

[ahofle]

My first piece of advice would be to check out Drew's thread in Project Announcements on how to build a saw board. Very good jig you'l lhave for years to come!

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=43568.0

This will come in handy because I assume you will not be using a table saw. Table sawe would give you clean straight cuts. Pretty hard to do this freehand with the hand portable skill saw. You will get good results with a saw board...

Dammit, why do I always happen across extremely useful info like this after I needed it haha. 

[RickDIII]

I have never used it before, and was wondering if there was anything I should be careful of.

Always remember when using a skill saw to stand to the side of the saw when making a cut.

[xonix_digital]

I have never used it before, and was wondering if there was anything I should be careful of.

Always remember when using a skill saw to stand to the side of the saw when making a cut.  If you stand directly behind it, there is a possibility it could jump back on you and turn up (it has happened).  Draw a mental image of this activity and you will realize that one of the worse possible places is the one it is likely to hit.   

AAHHHHH!!! Good thing I haven't cut yet, I don't think I would have thought of that. Again work has gotten in the way of my hobby but I will have it cut and a pic up soon. 

-=XD=-

[subcriminal]

Man, if you change your button layout to make them closer don't do what I did so there's no clearance between them! You can't get all the plastic nuts on the back

[xonix_digital]

See now Im concerned...

I don't wanna go with the setup I have if I am going to hate it. especially after I get my artwork printed. That would seriously suck.

I guess I need to do some thinking. Thanks for the tip, If I do redo the button configuration, I am going to need a new handypanel aren't I?

I am going to ask if anyone knows of a better solution. Though it seems unlikely. 

If I can't think of anything cheap and easy I might just learn to love it.


-=XD=-

[xonix_digital]

Hey! My hot and sexy girlfriend modelling my CP! 

I finally got it cut. The long cut isn't very straight yet but I was careful to go "more" and not "less".






 

I want to do some sort of curve along the bottom but I don't know how to start. I want it to be semetrical and clean.

Not so worried about the cutting but how to get it measured out without calling up my local Geometry whiz.

Thanks,
-=XD=-

[Mark70]

c-c-c-ccc-ccan't  ress-ssisst  ur-urge to make inaporpriate comments......

[Crowley]

c-c-c-ccc-ccan't

[markrvp]

So why did you install a flotation device on your CP?

[mccoy178]

Outside of the flotation device, I see a couple concerns.  If this is the end all for you, I would consider the following: 1)the buttons are far apart 2)why are the joys so far from the buttons? and 3)If you plan on making this the control panel you will have for a long time, why not leave space for a trackball if the funds ever become available?  If you cleaned up the spacing a little, moved each player to the left and the right, you could leave space for a spinner, trackball, flight yoke, or any add on for later use.  Shoot, you could make the middle a pedestal of sorts for usb plug ins like steering wheels and flight yokes.  Just an idea for future planning.

[njchan]

mind if I ask the dimensions are?  (of the control panel) ?   

are you planning on making a cabinet for this as well?

are you going to be making a plexiglass/lexan cover for it?

[xonix_digital]

If you cleaned up the spacing a little, moved each player to the left and the right, you could leave space for a spinner, trackball, flight yoke, or any add on for later use. Shoot, you could make the middle a pedestal of sorts for usb plug ins like steering wheels and flight yokes. Just an idea for future planning.

In my other posts about Radicade I mentioned that it was primarily going to be a fighter cab. But later I do plan on adding guns on either side. It will also be Modded XBOX based and switchable between that and MAME pc. Also, My personal dimensions are rather... wide. I am built like the side of a house. so I need the controls wide. And I have Huge hands so I have officially become used to the distance between the buttons.

mind if I ask the dimensions are? (of the control panel) ?

are you planning on making a cabinet for this as well?

are you going to be making a plexiglass/lexan cover for it?

I am definately making a cabinet for this, check out my website for pics and stuff that aren't posted here. And I do plan on having a 1/8" lexan cover, but not until I get my graphics and stuff printed.

I also just got a dope job so Ill be able to fuel my obsession a bit better in the near future.


ps. 36"x17"
pps. I wanted to do an all in one CP on a mame cab when I have more room. Boston isn't really all that Cab-Friendly!

-=XD=-