**FINISHED** Re-Vamping my Control Panel, any advice on my concept designs?...

[postalp123]

So....

After building MAME cab #3 last year, I was quite happy with the results. I rushed the Control Panel a little but overall it ended up working out well. But after swapping out my HAPP Supers for some HAPP Rotarys, I hit a obstacle......Literally! 

The Happ Rotary's require almost 4" clearance underneath due to the 12-way switch, vs. the 2.5" of the standard HAPPs sticks, so I'm hitting the bottom of my CP box, in fact....I cant even close it now.

But no worries, I was planning on re-building the CP eventually anyways. Since I was in a rush last Summer, I not only had a sloppy design outside (Trackball to close to screen makes "Golden Tee" & Bowling in general a hazard) and inside (Wire maze) but the method to getting into the inside of the CP was a royal pain, like playing Tetris just to get the lid off:

Old CP:


Another shot of old CP:



So I decided that I'm gonna do it right this time:



This is just concept and not to scale, the nose of the CP will be shorter (Just past the Trackball) in the finished product.

Changes:

*Flat "Shelf" area at back of CP to assist with adding clearance for Rotary Joysticks (And place for Beer  ).
*Hinged assembly for easier CP access & maintenance.
*Face of CP angled more/trackball further down for safer "Followthrough" on Golden Tee, etc...
*Coin, Start and Admin buttons moved up to the "Shelf" to maximize space and keep admin buttons from accidental contact.
*Spinner in center for easy reach, and with the MiniRacer Steering Wheel (From GGG), it will make a well placed steering wheel (Trackball for gas pedal maybe??).



Thoughts welcome!
 

[postalp123]

Here's the accurate dimensions of the CP in progress:



Anyone see any developing issues?

[sfrascella]

Looks good, but the spinner might be in the way when you play trackball games.

[MustardTent]

If the CP is angeled like he has depicted, it probably won't be in the way.  Of course, you should test it (perhaps a mock?). 

What are the 6 admin buttons doing?  Guessing green for start, red for quit, and the blue buttons are maybe coin inserts?

[Edit: actually read your post.  Got it that the blue buttons are coin insert]

Plans look sweet.  Sticking with the same artwork?

[postalp123]

If the CP is angeled like he has depicted, it probably won't be in the way.  Of course, you should test it (perhaps a mock?).

Correct. The spinner is a Slikstik Tornado with a O-Ring head, it has a very small footprint and wont get in the way.

What are the 6 admin buttons doing?  Guessing green for start, red for quit, and the blue buttons are maybe coin inserts?

Yellow is Pause, Orange is MAME Menu.

Plans look sweet.  Sticking with the same artwork?

Thanks, yeah I'll be sticking with something similiar for uniformitie's-sake.

[Kaytrim]

*Flat "Shelf" area at back of CP to assist with adding clearance for Rotary Joysticks (And place for Beer  ).

I'd suggest that you look into drink holders on the sides of the CP instead of using the shelf for your beer.  The drinks could be tipped during gameplay and all your work would be shorted out or gummed up.     To prevent the shelf from being used for drinks you might want to angle it as well to match the angle of the CP.

[postalp123]

*Flat "Shelf" area at back of CP to assist with adding clearance for Rotary Joysticks (And place for Beer  ).

I'd suggest that you look into drink holders on the sides of the CP instead of using the shelf for your beer.  The drinks could be tipped during gameplay and all your work would be shorted out or gummed up.     To prevent the shelf from being used for drinks you might want to angle it as well to match the angle of the CP.

LOL, that was a joke. The flat "Shelf" area helped to add pitch to the angle of the CP to make more room on the inside for the rotary hardware.

[postalp123]

(I guess technically this is now a borderline "Project Announcements" thread)

The Box is built:





Open Top


As you can see in the last picture, I went a different route with assembling the MDF by going with "L" brackets....alot of them. I am amazed at the strength of the completed box, I even dropped it from 3' back on the table to see how sturdy it was, no problems. And the "L" bracket method made it quick to assemble, less than 20 minutes.

Next step will be the black paint, then Overlay form Mame Marquees, and of course the hardware and wiring last.

 

[FrizzleFried]

Whatever you do don't ruin the CP by NOT flush-mounting your trackball mounting plate...that is the #1 mistake I see people make and it just looks like ASS (in my humble opinion anyway)...

Box looks nice though...

EDIT: Maybe ASS is too strong a word...but it certainly looks much more professional when you flush mount and put your CPO over the plate....

[jelwell]

I too did not flush mount my trackball. But what bothers me even more is visible screws for the joysticks. Is there a reason that people use nuts and bolts on wood mounted control panels rather than wood screws from below?

Not only are the screws a distraction, they can eat up your hands while you're playing! I say, screw from below (with wood screws) if you have a wood Control Panel.
Joseph Elwell.

[FrizzleFried]

Wood screws pull out...

Use carrage bolts as you normally do but counter sink them too.  It just takes a drill and about 1/10" to drill in so the bolt heads are flush...then you can lay your CPO over it and they will not be seen.

[postalp123]

Whatever you do don't ruin the CP by NOT flush-mounting your trackball mounting plate...that is the #1 mistake I see people make and it just looks like ASS

Thanks for your opinion, however, some of us actually like the trackball plate. Not flush-mounting a Trackball does not ruin a CP, it's all a matter of taste.

[postalp123]

Use carrage bolts as you normally do but counter sink them too.  It just takes a drill and about 1/10" to drill in so the bolt heads are flush...then you can lay your CPO over it and they will not be seen.

I never considered using counter-sunk carriage bolts before, but good suggestion, I may try that.

[FrizzleFried]

Postal:

Look at your current CP.  If your trackball was sitting flush and the CPO covered the plate,  just think how much nicer it would look...

Personally,  I can't see paying so much for a CPO...so I went with a plexiglass top...but still flushmounted the CP,  countersunk all the bolts...etc.

I think it came out decent...for a first try...

[postalp123]

Looks very nice! However, I'm sticking with the plate method.

PS: Those sticks HAPPs Supers?

[Chris]

From my own experience: You WILL catch your fingers on that spinner knob playing Golden Tee.

[FrizzleFried]

One was a HAPP Super the other a Competition.  But they have both been replaced by two blue comps.

[GoPodular.com]

Countersink Carriage VS Wood Screw from Bottom:

Use the countersink method.  Trust me.  We've tried every possible method for making the bolts disappear and screwing from the bottom is the *worst* option.  Countersinking some bolts is a 1000x more secure.  You could also go with T-nuts.

[BamBam]

I have a similar setup and I use the trackball with my right hand.  When playing golf, my hand hits the player two joystick.

John

[postalp123]

Managed to get it almost complete over the weekend, functional at least:

The old CP:


  :


WARNING: Disclaimer, what you are about to see are the hideous remains of the worst wiring job I have ever done, prepare yourself!:


The new shell carved out and ready for the hardware:


Joystick Bases, Buttons, Trackball & Spinner Installed:


I-Pac 4 & Druin Board Mounted:


Wiring Installed (Red=1P, Green=2P, White=Admin, Coin, Start):


HAPPs Rotary's Installed and Connected to the Druin Board:


Ground Wiring Installed (Black):


VOILA-ish:


Still have the asthetics to do (Painting, Overlay should arrive soon).

I tried her out, and I must say, everything works great! The spinner doesn't get in the way of my Golden Tee Madman-like trackball use. And since I mounted the spinner directly above the trackball, I play some driving games with one hand on the spinner (Steering) and the other on the trackball underneath (Analog Gas Pedal) it seems to work rather well.

 

[Donkey_Kong]

I tried her out, and I must say, everything works great! The spinner doesn't get in the way of my Golden Tee Madman-like trackball use. And since I mounted the spinner directly above the trackball, I play some driving games with one hand on the spinner (Steering) and the other on the trackball underneath (Analog Gas Pedal) it seems to work rather well.

Perfect!! I'm revamping my CP as well and my new design is almost identical to yours. Spinner just above TB etc!! Thanks for being the guinny pig! Nice work and that is gonna be one sweet CP. Nice wiring! The footprint of that spinner so small


My Rough, Rough Draft attached. Red button above TB is actually Turbo Twist 2 Spinner!

[tranq]

Mmmmmm, I don't play golf but I can tell that spinner is too close.  Alas.  The other thing I noticed was that you got a little loose on the cutting, and at least one side pops out from beneath the top.   Wiring job looks good.

On the flush-mounting thing: I don't see how someone could play so hard to knock a stick loose if it were mounted from beneath.  Admittedly, the advantages of flush-mounting are (obviously) looks, and (if you prefer) shaft length (especially if you have U360's with the stock shaft).  Particularly the trackball done this was is extravagant.  However....it's a bit of work, and unless the CPO isn't glued down, if you ever need to change 'em, it'd be more than a hassle.

FF: nice-looking panel....my caveat is the sticks and button sets seem a little far forward for play.

[postalp123]

All done.

[postalp123]

Mmmmmm, I don't play golf but I can tell that spinner is too close.  Alas.

Although I agree that it's close, I haven't hit it yet.

The other thing I noticed was that you got a little loose on the cutting, and at least one side pops out from beneath the top.

Don't quite understand what your saying here?

FF: nice-looking panel....my caveat is the sticks and button sets seem a little far forward for play.

Unless your a midget, they are right where they need to be. the whole purpose of this rebuild was to make clearance for the rotaries which need roughly 5" underneath the top. The CP is actually angled as such to allow your hands/palms to comfortably "Rest" on the surface as you play, Ergonomically if you will.

Thanks for the thoughts though.