!!Started Building!! Over Lap wireless XBOX 360 Controller **VIDEO & PICS**

[Bender]

I'd love some input on the controller layout and basic design for this Sketch-up prototype.
I want it to sit over your legs while you sit on the sofa and play xbox live arcade
I'm building a full cab with a rotating panel also but figured this is probably a good first step to get some practice in
The art is just place holder right now
I wanted it to be one player but ambidextrous (I like fighters righty and classic games lefty, call me strange but that's the best part of BYOAC!!!)
here's a video of the sketch-up model
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eehZOT3BbpE[/youtube]

[leapinlew]

If you like classics with your left, I would consider putting only 3 buttons on the left - unless theres a reason for 6 I'm unaware of.

[Bender]

Thanks for the input Leapinlew,

I would like to do that way except that unlike MAME you can't always configure the buttons on the 360 games, so you never know which ones you might need

and you never know maybe some will like to try fighters lefty

[Daniel B.]

Some people love the masochistic nature of the "lefty flip" in guitar hero, so anythings possible!

I like the over the legs idea. When I hack my hori 360 sticks with sanwa parts, I may do just that.

[Bender]

Daniel B.,

I made a prototype a while back. It's great and really comfortable to sit with the CP over your legs I also made it wide enough to sit indian style too.
I'll post some pics of that prototype soon

[unclet]

I like the over the legs idea. When I hack my hori 360 sticks with sanwa parts, I may do just that.

Over the legs is nice, but I would make it so the "leg" pieces of the control panel could fold up so storing it would be easier as well as traveling with it.

Perhaps the legs could be unfolded but then also be pulled down.

[bvicarious]

I would add a cup holder or two 

[Bender]

ok Here is the first test build (built BEFORE the sketch-up prototype in the video at the top of this thread)




it sits over my lap very well, and is very comfortable, Except.....
the front edge is sharp and digs into my wrist, so in the sketch up prototype I changed the design so that it curves down at the front and pretty much rounded all the corners to make it more comfortable and I think it ends up looking better too!

[Bender]

This is very exciting my first T-Molding and my first laminate test


I came out great but learned to put a piece of paper towel between the rubber mallet and the t-molding to prevent scuffing


one side piece laminated w/t-moulding slot


both side pieces laminated w/ t-moulding slots


OK this is it I'm totally hooked on this hobby, ahemm, obsession. I can't even explain how satisfying it is to have just these two small side pieces done, they came out so well it actually feels like a real arcade cabinate, whoo hooo!!!!

[somunny]

I really like the "over the lap" idea.  Your project is coming along very nicely.   

Here's a link to the 360 controller I built (non-wireless):

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=67007.0

[Franco B]

Cracking job, looking awesome 

I built a overlap table/mount for an X-arcade I had many moons ago. It didn't look half as nice as I know yours will though 

OK this is it I'm totally hooked on this hobby, ahemm, obsession. I can't even explain how satisfying it is to have just these two small side pieces done, they came out so well it actually feels like a real arcade cabinate, whoo hooo!!!!

No need to explain, I'm sure everyone can appreciate how you are feeling 

Consider yourself well and truly bitten by the cab building bug, I'm sorry I'm not sorry to say that there is no cure!

.::Edit for spelling  ::.

[Bender]

I really like the "over the lap" idea.  Your project is coming along very nicely.  

Here's a link to the 360 controller I built (non-wireless):

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=67007.0

somunny,

great box thanks for the link
What  did you use for the artwork?
I've got to start working on that soon
by the way I'm a huge bebop fan,  that and chapmloo are the best anime series in my humble opinion

Cracking job, looking awesome 

I built a overlap table/mount for an X-arcade I had many moons ago. It didn't look half as nice as I know yours will though 

OK this is it I'm totally hooked on this hobby, ahemm, obsession. I can't even explain how satisfying it is to have just these two small side pieces done, they came out so well it actually feels like a real arcade cabinate, whoo hooo!!!!

No need to explain, I'm sure everyone can appreciate how you are feeling 

Consider yourself well and truly bitten by the cab building bug, I'm sorry I'm not sorry to say that there is no cure!

.::Edit for spelling  ::.

Franco B,

thanks
do you have any pics
I like looking at what everyone is doing

I like the over the legs idea. When I hack my hori 360 sticks with sanwa parts, I may do just that.

Over the legs is nice, but I would make it so the "leg" pieces of the control panel could fold up so storing it would be easier as well as traveling with it.

Perhaps the legs could be unfolded but then also be pulled down.

unclet,

fold up or even better slide up retractable sides on the next one

[Bender]

Here is the final of middle part after 3 attempts to bend and glue down the laminate

3 is the magic number

This what I learned about laminate

1. Laminate does not want to bend without a lot of heat
2. Laminate is veery sharp, you might not think so, but I got some bad cuts from it
3. Laminate will NOT budge once it's been set with contact cement
4. water based contact cement is just as strong and much, much nicer to work with (thanks to Kneivel for that tip)

If you want to bend it around an edge like in the pics here get the thiner vertical grade, the wilsonart vertical grade is .030 and that's what i used here.  The standard stuff is .050 and impossible to bend. I discovered if you try to bend it with a heatgun after the contact cement is applied the heat prevents the contact cement from working. If you form the shape (with a heat gun) as close as possible around the shape BEFORE you apply the contact cement it works much much better

[BORIStheBLADE]

I can't wait to see this done.
Two questions...
What are you going to do about the battery and the sync button?
Are you going to put the headphone hookup on it?

[somunny]

Smoooth!    Looking real nice, so far.

Bender, I did the graphics and XBLA logo for my stick in Illustrator and Photoshop.  Not real flashy but I liked the way they came out.  If you're interested in any of it, drop me a line.

[Bender]

"Hey there,

Scott at mamemarquees.com is your man for printing cpo's.  Get the upgraded overlay material - very nice.  It's self adhesive and seems like it's holding very well.

One caveat - my cpo butts directly up against the t-molding.  The pressure from the t-molding has caused the laminate to separate from the cpo in a few small spots (this can be seen in the photos).  I would recommend cutting the overlay slightly - and I mean very slightly - smaller than your control panel.  This should eliminate that problem."

Quote from somunny

thought I'd include it on the post
Great info
Thanks!

I can't wait to see this done.
Two questions...
What are you going to do about the battery and the sync button?
Are you going to put the headphone hookup on it?

I wired it so that most of the original controller is inside the CP so i can hit the sync button and still use the re-chargable battery. I'll post some pics soon

I'm not planning a headphone hook up. I don't use the headset on xbox live arcade games
But you never know I could in the future