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The Ghost in the Machine Mark II - New, Cleaner Sketchup Available
psychotech:
Yeah, have sketchup installed etc. ...maybe you missed this ;D after the text .. ::)
That is an awesome model you've created ...
but maybe I'll just build me something a bit different.
:cheers:
DaOld Man:
--- Quote from: weisshaupt on February 22, 2008, 10:25:20 am ---Others seem to have an easy time with the plexi, but I just have a difficult time cutting, routing or really doing anything with it. Wish I knew what I was doing wrong
--- End quote ---
Im not sure about others, but I found the best way to cut the plexi is to sandwich it between two pieces of wood. Clamp the sandwich together tightly (C Clamps work good). I used a skill saw for the straight cut, then smoothed it up with a router. At first I used a jigsaw, but it left a very crooked cut.
I used a router to cut out square holes for trackball.
I used paddle bits to bore the button holes, still plexi sandwiched between two scraps of wood.
It seems to work good for me, but beware that a lot of small pieces of plexi are thrown out by the skill saw. They are sharp and will cut. You need gloves, sleeves, safety glasses and a face shield while cutting. One errant piece could claim an eye. Also I would do it outside if possible.
djplasmid:
Dude. This looks awesome. How long did it take you to design this? I'm downloading Google SketchUp as we speak. It looks great. How would the modular panels connect to the encoder once you dropped them in?
weisshaupt:
--- Quote from: djplasmid on March 06, 2008, 10:52:07 am ---Dude. This looks awesome. How long did it take you to design this? I'm downloading Google SketchUp as we speak. It looks great. How would the modular panels connect to the encoder once you dropped them in?
--- End quote ---
It took me about 10 days to get everything into Sketchup the way I wanted it, and some of that was learningcurve, as I had never used it before. Another Fourm member asked me to sketchup some Bartop cabs for him, an now that I know what I am doing, that took about 90 minutes for the first cab (I owe him others but my employer and my wife keep making demands on my time.. Its hard to get anythingdone while travelling)
The Design is Heavily based on Ghost. I used the same mounting techniques for Marquee, Illuminated Molding, and Panels as I did on Ghost. The Panels plug into standard Quickports just like they do on DOC's .. Its quick and easy. They also sell USB quickport inserts now (at $10 a Piece!) so those with USB devices, its still as easy. Or you can just slap a hub or 2 in there.. The Quickports let you spread out a bit more so you can plug in under the panel rather than reaching over to the side.. and under a different one..
As I said before, If you like the deisng feel free to steal and augment.. It will be a long time before I can build it, and I would rather learn from other people's mistakes than my own :>)
weisshaupt:
Okay a Year and a Job loss later, the Wife has given me permission to start on the Mark II.
Of course that means I have had nearly two years to live with the Mark I and find its faults
For the most part the Mark II design will stand unaltered. (Comments/Criticisms are still wanted) For Now I believe I will:
1) include the many improvments that I have seen to my original Pizza-Pie Plate Motor design (Skate Bearings- why didn't I think of that!) . If I can find a off-the-shelf high current Motor driver compatible with TTL inputs ( what the Parallel port has) I will upgrade to a 12V motor (like a power window motor) (Yes I could build my own H-Bridge, But I am still trying to find something everyone can do- the secret motor driver still requires some assembly)
2) I will use LED Ribbons like those found at http://www.environmentallights.com/ - Several of the inverters driving the CCFLs on the Mark I have died and I just wnat something I can install and forget. Ironically, the cost isn't that much more. This also allows me to use LEDs for the lighted molding.
3) I will be using GGG Trackball and Buttons, and Ultimarc Spinners, U-HID, and Ultrastick 360 Joys. Only the button panels will use RJ-45 connnections ( I briefly considered using a Mini-Pac per board, so everything would be usb -- but then the cost got stupid) Instead of illumnated Ball tops on the 360s, I will just illuminate the base cover. I will be making them and the spnner knob from UHMW Polyethyene plastic - since that is the closest thing I can find commercially to Randys super cool TB plastic.
4) All of the panel Parts will be laser cut and laser engraved. I am going with a Panel Wide Tempest Theme, where each panel becomes part of a Tempest Board. The Board lines and Vector Graphics will be etched on the plastic. I will augment this with art under the etched plexi (probably a simple vector gradient and star field) Leaser cutting and etching should take about 3 months off of the project. (I will post my templates in case anyone wants to do something similar. )
5) I am going to pony up for two additional Coin Buttons from Randy - I used to have them rigged so players 1 & 3 and 2&4 got coins when one or the other was pressed. My son however has proven it to me that with 3 players you really need to have separates.. (because games will start accidentally with the 4th player and then you have to keep moving him till his tokens run out)
6) I am keeping the Ghost in the Machine Marquee - just changing it so the words have a raster image of a circuit board in them. The Mame Image in the back ground I will also keep, but It will just be an outline of the words and it will be as faded as I can make it while still leaving it legible for someone interested in trying to read it
7) Adding a Office Ultrasonic "occupancy" sensor to I can switch the Lights on and off, bring the PC in/out of Standby (via UHID and a relay?) when someone passes by ( I recently got Solar, and the Mach I was drawing something like 10% of my homes power usage!!)
8) Adding a "Smart strip" as I sometimes have problems with the USB hub when everything is powered on at the same time.
I am kinda hoping as this is my second cabinet, I can get through building this one a little faster..
I have a parts/Price list already going - I am up to $2300 and counting - expect total cost to be right around $3000 with the PC and everything. (Hey this time I don't have to buy tools I didn't have - that means I can spend more right? )
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