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| Timstuff:
For my project, I'm working with a pre-existing cabinet, but I want to mount a larger control panel to it so that I can fit in a trackball, dedicated 4-way joystick, and a spinner. To do this, I'm currently planning to give up the current flush-mounted CP, and cut into the cabinet to make room for a larger clamp-on panel. However, the one potential snag here is that there's only going to be about 6 or 8 inches of "shelf space" for the new CP to sit on, and the rest will all be overhang. I'm a little concerned that the overhang will be subjected to more weight from people leaning into it with their writs than the screws holding the clamps in can support. The blue box represents approximately how much "shelf space" I expect to have after I've modified the cabinet (it's a lot less than you'd see with many clamp-on-panel cab designs). The green represents the actual "box" that will make up the panel, with the outline around it representing the "lid." My original panel design had been designed around the popular Lusid cabinet's panel, but when my project changed from a total construction to MAMEing an existing cab, I had to shrink down my panel a lot, and even now I'm not 100% sure that it's small enough for the shelf-space I have availible. I really don't want to give up any of the components on my cabinet (especially since I already own a lot of them), but I also don't want to build something that won't be able to take the abuse of my friends and family playing it. Any input would be greatly appreciated! |
| Singapura:
It looks very much okay to me. I'm using the same design, except for the spinner. I've moved the 3rd joystick to the center. One question, why are the left and right sticks not place symetrically? I would also put the axes (axises?) at a straight angle to the monitor. Would love to know the measurements :laugh: |
| Timstuff:
I placed the player 1 and player 2 controls at an angle with the intention of it being more ergonomic since neither player will be standing directly in front of the unit. Now though, I think it might be kind of awkward in practice, so for my next version I'll probably change them back to being straight forward. |
| DaveMMR:
Well first let me start off by saying that you're not going to be liking those "angled" joysticks (I'm assuming they are by the position of the crosshairs). It's one of those things that seems like a good idea on paper but a disaster waiting to happen in practice ("I'm pushing up, so why is my guy going up-left?"). EDIT: I see that was addressed before I posted... Secondly, try to break yourself free of the misconception that your panel has to be ungodly huge. I fit a trackball, spinner, 2 sticks and 12 buttons into 25" x 10" of space and no one has ever been elbowed during a game of SFII. Others have panels that are maybe only a couple of inches deeper and/or wider and are spaced out more comfortably. (I will admit my panel is not Golden Tee friendly and having components closer together makes wiring installing a little bit - but not much - harder) I'm no engineer but, at best, it will look horrible disproportionate and, at worst, will be leaned on too hard and the panel will break off (or, if you secure it nicely - it will only take the whole cabinet down on top of you instead). So how big is the blue space anyway? Is it too late to take the small cabinet and trade it in for something that's more capable of holding a large panel? If that's not possible, you're going to have to cut down on space (ditch an extra button, push them closer to the joysticks, crunch things together). |
| WaRpEd:
How about a bracket to strenghten the CP by attaching 1 or 2 on the front under the CP? |
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