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Author Topic: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab  (Read 120095 times)

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theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #120 on: December 06, 2006, 10:03:34 pm »
... All of which brings me round to the the idea of why not actually make it look like a car?  (Of course, the windshield thing would be tough....)

Thanks for the recommendation, but maybe on the next one.  I'm trying to focus more on the gaming experience than on the external appearance.

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #121 on: December 14, 2006, 12:18:55 am »
Mounting the TV
To hold the TV in place I made a bunch of small blocks with counter sunk screw holes.  I carefully centered the TV.  The blocks are placed at the back corners and along the front edge of the TV.  This should keep it from moving around.  A 1x2” strip of pine mounted on the top holds the TV down and in the nest created by the blocks.  Notice the tension on the wood strip in picture 4.

Glass Edge
The bottom of the front glass will sit on a ledge.  Today I made the ledge piece and mounted it to the top of the dash.  The top of the glass will be loosely held in a deep slot at the top of the cab.  The glass will be lifted up into the slot, then moved inward to sit on the ledge.  The glass will drop down a bit on the ledge, but still be inside the slot at the top.  I’m planning on coating the surfaces with black felt to keep it from vibrating.  A small piece of dark rosewood will push the glass against the ledge, keeping it in place.

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #122 on: December 14, 2006, 12:24:15 am »
Mounting the Pedals
I finally started and made significant progress on mounting the pedal assembly.  The pedal mechanisms came (from Ebay purchase) in a metal box.  I needed to come up with a way to mount the box in place.  I figured out the angle I wanted (about 45 degrees un-pressed, straight up & down when pressed).  The pedal box will be mounted on the back and top surfaces of the foot well.  I really want to be able to slam these pedals, so I’m going to over-do it on the mounting hardware.  My friend had a large piece of alder wood.  This wood is 2 inches thick and very hard.  To mount on the top, I cut three large wedges.  They are held in place with large #12 wood screws and lots of glue.  To mount to the back surface, I made two side plates.  They will be held to the box with ¼” bolts and mounted to the box with a bunch of large wood screws and glue.  This design should put up with a lot of abuse.

Given the size of the wood screws and harness of the wood, I needed to pre-drill the holes.  I remembered a trick my wood shop teacher taught me when drilling angled pieces of wood.  If you have two or more same angled pieces, you can stack them together to get the surface perpendicular to the drill.  Good stuff.

Overhead Light Wire
I hid the wire to the overhead light in a slot routered into the roof.  The wire was stapled down to keep it below the surface while the Bondo was applied.  I messed up and didn’t put in enough hardener in the Bondo.  It did not dry in the typical 5 minutes.  After a few hours, it was firm, but a little tacky.  Hopefully it will be hard enough to sand tomorrow.

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #123 on: December 20, 2006, 12:44:49 am »
Done in the Woodshop
I’ve finally finished the major woodworking aspects of the project and am ready to prep for paint.  I mounted the pedal assembly with 2” long ¼” lag bolts.  It took 7 on the top surface and 2 on the back.  That should hold it.  I also made the bottom glass retainer strip.  Once the cab is painted and the glass is purchased, I will drill the holes and put in the inserts for the screws.  It will have the same look as the dash.  One of the last pieces of woodworking was to finish up the supports for the Plexiglas.  I’ve got a lot of countersunk screws I need to Bondo over and sand.  The last two pictures are of the cab, in its current state, ready to prep for paint. 

My friend Jim’s wood shop sees a lot of projects and people coming though it.  This cab has been a major conversation piece for all that have entered.  While Jim will be glad it is out of his way, I suspect he will miss it as well.  The remainder of this project will take place in my very cluttered and cold garage, then the game room.

MaMeNnO

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #124 on: December 20, 2006, 06:33:39 am »
Nice progress! I guess you have to lift it quite a bit to use those casters at front (last picture). Maybe it just looks like that from the photo.
Anyway, keep up the great work and documentation! :applaud:

Have you allready decided on the artwork?

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #125 on: December 20, 2006, 05:36:53 pm »
Nice progress! I guess you have to lift it quite a bit to use those casters at front (last picture). Maybe it just looks like that from the photo.
Anyway, keep up the great work and documentation! :applaud:

Have you allready decided on the artwork?
The wheels are mounted just 1/8" from the ground.  I just have to lift the back end up about 6" before all the weight is on them. 

Regarding the artwork, I want to do something with the project name on one panel, and something car related on another.  For the car, I found a site with high resolution Formula One pictures.  I took one of the better shots and photoshop'd out everything but the car.  I'll probably put it on a checkered flag or some other background.  Any recommendations?

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #126 on: December 22, 2006, 03:05:17 am »
This is the image I'm thinking of using.  I would give credit to the photographer, but it wasn't tagged.  This and many more high resolution Formula One pictures are available at:  http://www.imagesf1.com/

crashwg

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #127 on: December 22, 2006, 03:39:13 pm »
I am very much impressed!

 8) <- YOU
If there's bees in the trap I'm catching em
By the thorax and abdomen
And sanding the stingers down to a rough quill
Then I dip em in ink, and I scribble a bit
But if it they wriggle then I tickle em until they hold still
Lemme say it again
In my land of pretend
I use bees as a mf'n pen

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #128 on: December 22, 2006, 11:58:39 pm »
Handles
This cab is going to be very heavy.  I put wheels on the front end, assuming the lighter back end could be lifted to drive it around like a wheel barrow.  I’ve been worrying about how to make and mount the handles.  The cabinet handles at my local hardware store are very wimpy and wouldn’t hold the weight.  I thought about creating a rail, or maybe attaching a board with finger slots.  In the name of keeping things simple, I decided to just cut handle holes in the bottom of the frame 2x4.  It was very tricky getting a sander underneath to round the inner edge.  Before actually working on it, I supported it with three large blocks to keep it from crushing me if it fell.

Securing the Buttkicker
Nothing fancy here, but…  The Buttkicker in the seat has a long screw with a large knob on the end to tighten it down.  Unfortunately the screw was so long that it keeps the chair from reclining.  I was also concerned that it would loosen up and getting back there to tighten in up will be difficult.  So I drilled two holes through the brackets and put in a couple of bolts with lock nuts.  I also cranked down on the knob one last time, then cut it off.  Now it is on there for good and the seat can recline.

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #129 on: December 25, 2006, 01:45:45 am »
I had an interesting conversation with a couple in their 40’s in traffic today.  I was driving the cab across town from the shop to my house.  While stopped at a light, the conversation went something like:

“What’s that?”  He asked
    “It’s a driving arcade cabinet.”
“Where’d you get it?” She asked.
    “I made it.”
“Wow!  Could you make us one?”  He asked.

Right then the light changed and I waved as I drove away.  I would probably go broke making these things for people, but it feels good knowing people would want one.  I’m curious what price they would agree to pay?

Its now on my back porch ready to prep for paint. 

MaMeNnO

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #130 on: December 25, 2006, 02:25:25 am »
Looking at the F1 picture I guess you're going for the 'real'-look. Was it something you thought about?

I had an interesting conversation with a couple in their 40&#146;s in traffic today.  I was driving the cab across town from the shop to my house.  While stopped at a light, the conversation went something like:

&#147;What&#146;s that?&#148;  He asked
    &#147;It&#146;s a driving arcade cabinet.&#148;
&#147;Where&#146;d you get it?&#148; She asked.
    &#147;I made it.&#148;
&#147;Wow!  Could you make us one?&#148;  He asked.
Well, you can ask any ridiculously high price you want! They pay if they really want it. On the other hand, you're most likely committed to a deadline...

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #131 on: December 26, 2006, 01:45:56 pm »
Looking at the F1 picture I guess you're going for the 'real'-look. Was it something you thought about?
I originally didn't have a preference.  I was thinking about using something like the image below, but I can't find a cartoon image of high enough resolution to print.  The one above (on my computer at least) is 3000 x 2000 pixels.  It should work out fine, but I'm open to suggestions.

...On the other hand, you're most likely committed to a deadline...
That sound too much like work.

leapinlew

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #132 on: December 26, 2006, 02:17:59 pm »
I’m curious what price they would agree to pay?

You better sit down for this...

They would probably want to pay as much as 4 or 5 hundred!!! Almost everyone here can attest to attention their cabinets get. In my house, it always follows a series of steps:

Step 1: Bewilderment (Wow! I didn't know people could make something like this)
Step 4: Nostalgia (I remember all these games and the good times I had playing them)
Step 3: Desire (I want one of these)
Step 4: Curiousity (Can you make me one?)
Step 5: Balls

Now... I say step 5 is balls because people have the balls to want you to make them one for 3-5 times less than it actually costs. It seems the amount friends and family are willing to pay is in the $300 - $400 range.  You stand more luck selling it to a complete stranger - who might be more willing to pay the proper price. The proper price is subjective. Someone like Spacies knocks these cabinets out quickly and has really reduced the amount of labor needed to build. If you only plan on building a few cabinets you better have fun building it because your labor will most likely go cheap!

The main thing that would suck about building someone else a cabinet would be dealing with the support and building a cabinet that is completely idiot proof.

Auction is your best bet, but that can backfire too. I sold my driving arcade and it went for a fraction of what I think it's worth.

JonnyBoy

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #133 on: December 26, 2006, 02:33:21 pm »
I had an offer for 2000 dollars for my portable arcade machine. I didn't sell it yet, though. May in the future in order to fund other projects.
I had to beat them to death with their own shoes...

leapinlew

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #134 on: December 26, 2006, 04:13:00 pm »
I had an offer for 2000 dollars for my portable arcade machine. I didn't sell it yet, though. May in the future in order to fund other projects.

Until the check clears!

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #135 on: December 26, 2006, 04:41:55 pm »
I know there's a few people on this forum that crank out cabs for full-time or part-time money.  You could really get the process down by the 5th or 6th one.  But again, I think it would be too much like work.  But hey, if this software gig doesn't work out...

I've mentioned this somewhere else, but I donated my first cab to my kids school for a fundraiser auction.  I claimed it is worth $1,800, which will equate to around $600 return on my taxes.  I think it sold for around $1,200.  This for a two player conversion cab. 

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #136 on: December 28, 2006, 01:51:08 pm »
Wrong time of year to paint
Today I woke up to start sanding the putty over my screw holes and hopefully get on my first coat of primer.  Unfortunately it was 34 degrees outside and very foggy.  I guess I'll be painting in the garage on this project.  I don't want dust throughout my garage, so I'll be sanding outside in the cold and painting in the space heater-heated garage.  I've got about a half days work ahead of me just clearing a spot in the garage to make a paint booth. 

I picked up the paint yesterday;  a high gloss hunter green.  To get my wife involved, I asked her recommendation on the shade and sheen.  Now if she gets sick of the way the thing looks in the basement, it's partly her fault. 

I'm now pondering the color of the trim.  Either black or brown.  I was thinking about going with black for the odd trim (along the bottom, wood around the pedals, etc.) but brown will go with the dark wood of the dash.  I may just go with brown for all the trim.

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #137 on: December 30, 2006, 12:49:33 am »
Paint Booth
Instead of a full blown cleaning of the garage I decided to just rearrange things to make room for the paint booth.  I swept the floor and laid down a layer of newspaper.  A long time ago I picked up an “end roll” at my local newspaper printing place for around $5.00.  It has lasted me for years.  A roll of cheap 1 mil drop cloth covered almost 2/3 of the wall space.  The remainder was done with a leftover roll from a previous project.  I kept the light inside, but made sure it was far enough away from the plastic to keep from melting it.  The space inside is about 11 by 9 foot and should be plenty big.  I also lucked out on the heating.  There is an air conditioning duct that goes into the garage.  It was almost rusted shut, but with a little persuasion I got it open.  Hopefully not too much cold air will enter the house from this duct being open.  I’m expecting it to get to between 60 – 65 degrees in there. 

Bolt Plugs
There are 6 large bolts holding the wood blocks into the side of the pedal assembly cage.  My local hardware store only had two plugs the right size.  Instead of looking around town for others, I found these furniture slider feet things.  With just a little glue they look like they were made for the job.

I made a second pass patching scratches and screw holes today.  One last pass tomorrow, and I should be ready for the first primer coat.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #138 on: December 30, 2006, 02:07:12 pm »
Just a heads up on a problem you might have.  I had also set up a paint booth about 1 year ago, very similar in style but in my basement.  The issue becomes very evident when you begin spraying, overspray and airborne paint.  If this is in your garage, I would definitely recommend some sort of ventilation system to move some air when spraying.  My system consisted of a box fan placed in a window, and a furnace filter taped into place on the opposite side of the booth.  It still didn't 100% eliminate the issue but made a huge difference.  Not only could I now see after 1 minute of spraying, I cut down on overspray drastically.  I posted a pic so you could see my highly sophisticated system  ;)   Hope this will help reduce or eliminate any headaches.  Now stop posting so I can catch up on my driver! :cry:

MaMeNnO

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #139 on: December 30, 2006, 04:54:21 pm »
With some paint everything looks so much better! ;D
Good luck with your paintjob. :applaud:

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #140 on: December 30, 2006, 08:55:17 pm »
Just a heads up on a problem you might have.  I had also set up a paint booth about 1 year ago...
I was too worried about keeping in the heat to consider letting out the mist and fumes.  I'll do something similar.  Thanks for the tip.

Tools
I had a little money left over from my Christmas bonus so I decided it was time to pick up a few tools.  Most of my wood projects are done at my friends wood shop.  At home I have barely any power tools.  I picked up a brand new in the box 2 hp. Craftsman router from my local pawn shop for $40 (including about 7 bits).  For $5 more he through in a used 16" adjustable t-square and a small hand planer.  I was planning on spending about $100 or so, so I went to Home Depot and picked up a nice set of Forstner bits.  I've bummed off my friend long enough.  Now I don't have to run to his house every time I need to drill a hole or router a slot.

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #141 on: December 30, 2006, 10:14:58 pm »
Air Intake
I used my new Forstner bits and router to make air intake holes.  I’m using 2 fans on the top and need somewhere for the air to come in.  The holes have large radius round-over treatment.  While the tools were handy, I put in holes for the power and LAN cords as well.

First Coat
I can’t believe it but I’m finally painting.  I spent the day fine sanding, sweeping, and vacuuming out the cab.  The last step was to wipe it down with a damp rag to remove the fine dust.  I used a large bucket of hot water.  It was about 40 degrees outside today, so it felt good rinsing out the rag.  I used a brush to put on the first coat of primer (Kilz Latex).  Even with the household heater pumping hot air into the garage, it is still only around 55 degrees in there.  I’ll probably let this first coat dry for 3-4 days.  Too bad it’s not summer right now.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #142 on: December 31, 2006, 12:28:42 am »
those are good holes.

Lookin' goode coder!

leapinlew

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #143 on: December 31, 2006, 02:35:39 am »
Yes indeed... looking great! I've been keeping my eye on your progress. With you being so thorough, there isn't much to comment about.

Also, those are some great finds on tools. I need to check out my pawn shop more. I go straight to ebay most of the time.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #144 on: December 31, 2006, 03:57:19 pm »
A great habit in anything done is to organise as you go; even better to train the family that way, if not already inclined.   Nice work on the cab.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #145 on: January 01, 2007, 06:14:14 pm »
Thanks for the complements guys.

...With you being so thorough, there isn't much to comment about.
Thanks.  I love documenting here because it is non-formal; just freeform info (unlike at work.)  Sometimes it is no-brainer dribble, but hopefully someone will find a nugget now and then.  Just a quick comment here and there keeps the motivation up and occasionally keeps me honest.  You know what its like to have 50 hits and no posts.  Thanks again.

...Also, those are some great finds on tools. I need to check out my pawn shop more. I go straight to ebay most of the time.
Why buy a hammer or pipe wrench new when you can get one for 25% the cost at a pawn shop.  Plus, no shipping cost.  Its great for simple tools that don't really wear out.

theCoder

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #146 on: January 01, 2007, 06:24:30 pm »
Sanding & Trim Paint
Man, this beast has a lot of surface area.  Today I sanded down the primer coat.  It took the better part of 3 hours.  The sand paper kept getting clogged up.  I used an orbital sander for the larger areas, then hand sanded the nooks and crannies.  Wiping down the dust with hot water felt good on the hands again (its around 38 degrees outside). 

Before I start on the color coats, I figured I had better paint the trim.  I'm going with gloss black at the edges, side entry, and sides of the pedal assembly.  Once dry, I'll put on another coat then tape these sections off.  I propped the cab up on paint cans to get up underneath the side pieces for complete coverage.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #147 on: January 02, 2007, 02:22:51 pm »
What I like most about the racers you guys are making is that you are using actual car seats. This will make it so much nicer (among many things) than what you get at the commercial arcade. Hours of racing and no sore ass. Plus you can definatley drink and drive if you want, which is usually frowned upon at Circus. Even though it is just a game, I would need the seat  belts attached for when stuff gets really intense man!  :cheers:

After seeing the results of "PartyBox Bartop" I'm really excited to see this one come together.

Nice work man! 
Carved Signs, Custom Gameroom Signs, and Arcade Game Decor and now CNC MACHINES by Melissa Jones

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #148 on: January 02, 2007, 03:59:16 pm »
Wow - 3 hours of sanding per coat!?!?!?!?!  You've got some patience.  Hopefully you aren't planning on 5 or 6 coats!  It is really coming along great - I can't imagine how cool it will feel when you get to race that first game.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #149 on: January 02, 2007, 08:08:21 pm »
What I like most about the racers you guys are making is that you are using actual car seats. This will make it so much nicer (among many things) than what you get at the commercial arcade. Hours of racing and no sore ass....
I'm looking forward to it.  I picked up two seats from a dead Ford Probe.  The Probe is a high end model for Ford, so they didn't go cheap with the seats.  At $25 each, they also make great gaming chairs to sit in front of a console; much better than the cheap $75 gaming rocker chairs at Stuff-Mart.

Wow - 3 hours of sanding per coat!?!?!?!?!  You've got some patience.  Hopefully you aren't planning on 5 or 6 coats! 
That was for the first hand brushed primer coat.  It went on very uneven and stripped.  I will be using a Wagner sprayer for the color coats.  Hopefully it will go on even so I can go straight to the 600 grit paper.  I'm going with a high gloss paint.  It will probably take more coats to get it right, but it will sure shine when it is done.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #150 on: January 02, 2007, 10:22:45 pm »
That was for the first hand brushed primer coat.  It went on very uneven and stripped.  I will be using a Wagner sprayer for the color coats.  Hopefully it will go on even so I can go straight to the 600 grit paper.  I'm going with a high gloss paint.  It will probably take more coats to get it right, but it will sure shine when it is done.

Coder.... I used a wagner gun and an air based gun I got from Harbor Freights. The Wagner isn't very durable. I went through 8 of their medium duty models painting while redoing my house. What I found was getting the consistency right was key to a good job. I really had to spend time getting the mixture right so it would flow through the system easier. I used water based paint so I could thin it down with water.

As for the air based gun - I used a 30 gallon tank with a 5hp motor and it could just barely keep up painting my projects. It was much better than the wagner and I'll never go with the wagner again.

The wagner cost me $75 and the air based gun cost me $15 (not including air tank, hose, etc).

Let me know your results - I'd like to see what you think once all is said and done.

flyguy1821

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #151 on: January 02, 2007, 10:52:14 pm »
I was going to recommend the same thing.  I have used a wagner power painter, wagner hvlp spray gun, and a Menards hvlp gun.  leapinlew hit it on the head when he said he diluted the paint to spray.  With a hvlp you will need to dilute your paint quite a bit.  I have a Rigid 5 gallon 9 cfm compressor.  Since the capacity is small it ran continuously, but no issues.  I would recommend the hvlp or do a TON of test sprays with the wagner to get the spray volume just right. 


That was for the first hand brushed primer coat.  It went on very uneven and stripped.  I will be using a Wagner sprayer for the color coats.  Hopefully it will go on even so I can go straight to the 600 grit paper.  I'm going with a high gloss paint.  It will probably take more coats to get it right, but it will sure shine when it is done.

Coder.... I used a wagner gun and an air based gun I got from Harbor Freights. The Wagner isn't very durable. I went through 8 of their medium duty models painting while redoing my house. What I found was getting the consistency right was key to a good job. I really had to spend time getting the mixture right so it would flow through the system easier. I used water based paint so I could thin it down with water.

As for the air based gun - I used a 30 gallon tank with a 5hp motor and it could just barely keep up painting my projects. It was much better than the wagner and I'll never go with the wagner again.

The wagner cost me $75 and the air based gun cost me $15 (not including air tank, hose, etc).

Let me know your results - I'd like to see what you think once all is said and done.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #152 on: January 03, 2007, 04:41:41 am »
Nice to see that you even pay attention and finishing up on things like underneath air intake holes that no sole is ever gonna notice! :applaud:
I was gonna say "stop posting, start painting!", but with drying times of a few days, you have plenty time to post. So, more pics... please. ;D

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #153 on: January 04, 2007, 02:42:05 am »
Glass
Today my front glass came in.  It is approximately 32x18" by 3/16” thick.  For an extra $9.00 they tempered it, bringing the total cost to $24 bucks.  The tempering process added about a week, but I'm in no hurry.  Apparently tempered glass is about 7 times stronger than standard glass.  Well worth it for the "accidental" punch to the glass on a high speed crash or screw-up.

I don't have access to a decent cad system, so bare with me on the following diagram.  This is a block diagram of how the glass will be held in place.  The purple represents fixed wood mounted to the cab frame.  To keep it from vibrating, the glass will not touch the wood directly but will have a thin layer of felt (red in the picture, but actually black).  The slots are approximately 1/8” bigger than the glass to accommodate the felt.  The brown color piece is a 1/2" thick, 1.5" wide strip of the same dark wood used on the dashboard.  This piece is removable and held in place with the same screws used on the dashboard.  To install the glass, it is lifted up into the top slot, rests on the bottom ledge, then the removable strip is pushed against the glass and screwed in place.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #154 on: January 04, 2007, 03:00:38 am »
Glass
...
I don't have access to a decent cad system, so bare with me on the following diagram.
...

You might wanna look at A9CAD http://www.a9tech.com/. The free version is pretty good.

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #155 on: March 20, 2007, 11:08:52 pm »
After a few months away, playing (ur…uh, teaching) high school robotics and remodeling my master bathroom, I’m ready to take up this project again. 

Back in January, with 20 degree weather outside, I tried applying my first color coat of paint.  I created a booth in my garage with a few drop cloths and duct tape.  I borrowed a butane heater from my neighbor and dusted off my Wagner sprayer.  What a mistake.  I didn’t thin the paint as recommended and I suspect the temperature in my garage never made it above 45 degrees F.  Things went fairly well, then at about ¾ of the way  the nozzle clogged up and started spattering blobs of paint.  I though about scrapping it off, but decided to let it dry and sand it off.  Well that was 2 months ago.  The weather is warmer now and I’m all caught up with my honey-do’s.   I picked up a new Dewalt orbital sander, and I’m ready to give it a go again.  I’ve got a bit of sanding to do before attempting another coat.  If I can’t get it right next time I’ll go with the tried & true roller.  Recommendations?

javeryh

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #156 on: March 20, 2007, 11:17:50 pm »
Yay!  I'm glad this project will be getting back on track!  As for painting recommendations, I'd definitely use a foam roller if you aren;t going to spray - I've tried just about everything known to man (short of spraying) and I've found that they put on the nicest coat. 

You could go all crazy like I am going to and do THIS instead.  I've made one test panel so far and it came out freaking great - it's a super slick finish and it is unbelievably smooth to the touch.  I made a few mistakes during the sanding process so I'm making two more test panels right now to try and nail down the process.  It's going to look great when it's finished...

Let's see some progress!

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #157 on: March 22, 2007, 12:33:07 am »
Yay!  I'm glad this project will be getting back on track!  As for painting recommendations, I'd definitely use a foam roller if you aren;t going to spray - I've tried just about everything known to man (short of spraying) and I've found that they put on the nicest coat. 

You could go all crazy like I am going to and do THIS instead.  I've made one test panel so far and it came out freaking great - it's a super slick finish and it is unbelievably smooth to the touch.  I made a few mistakes during the sanding process so I'm making two more test panels right now to try and nail down the process.  It's going to look great when it's finished...

You've got to wonder about a sanding tutorial that starts off with 2000 grit sandpaper.  It gives one a different appreciation for the word "smooth".  I don't know if I'll be buffing with 2 grades of polishing compound, but I'll probably try for a better finish than I was originally planning on.  Thanks for the link Javeryh.  You mentioned "a few mistakes".  Could you elaborate?

Today after work I drug the box out of the garage to the back porch.  I gave my new sander a workout.  Man, I thought it was smooth, but after reading that tutorial, no way.  I spent about 30 minutes going over the entire surface, inside and out.  I'm using 220 grit sandpaper on an orbital sander.  I'll never sand by hand again.  The paint did a good job of filling in the scratches from my initial pre-primer sanding.  The primer went on when it was about 20 degrees outside and was very streaky.  I sanded past the primer in some spots near the big runs from the sprayer disaster.

I think I'll ditch the sprayer and go straight to the roller.  The sprayer was very messy, was a pain to deal with, and made some pretty big splotches.  If it's warm and dry tomorrow I'll pick up a foam roller and give it another coat, low tech this time.


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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #158 on: March 22, 2007, 10:08:48 am »
Glad to see this project getting off the ground again.  Welcome back Coder.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim

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Re: Xcelerator - Xbox driving cab
« Reply #159 on: March 22, 2007, 10:13:01 am »
 :(

.. but, yes, use a good quality foam roller, that'll do it!

Now, off to redo my CP ... :banghead: