Main > Project Announcements

Slick and Simple All-In-One CP -FINISHED- (Artwork Pack Uploaded)

<< < (3/7) > >>

RoboG2:
Here's a few more days' work.

Primered and wet-sanded several times:


Closeup:


First Coat of Paint:



Now here's where I did something interesting.  I was having to wet-sand a bit more than I thought I should between each layer, and attributed this to the fact that the paint wasn't being applied even enough (some areas were quite shiny, yet others were dull and rough).  I figured that maybe if the cp top was vibrating while I painted it, the newly applied paint would "shake" to an even surface.  So I made a "table" consisting of a downward facing box-fan (which vibrates quite nicely) and 2x4s on opposite edges of the top and bottom of the fan to allow airflow.  I put a scrap piece of metal on top of this, and placed the cp top atop that.  While I painted, I turned on the box-fan, which caused the "table" to vibrate the cp slightly as it was painted.  As crazy as this all sounds, it seems to have worked!

After wet-sanding and about 6 more coats of paint:



Finally found the router bit.  If anyone from Atlanta needs to find one, I found it and an arbor (w/ bearing) for about 20 bucks at Highland Hardware (near Emory U).  Edges routered (ignore the permanent marker):


Heres the paint (I think I saw it reccomended on another thread); it's Plasti-Kote Industrial High Gloss Enamel, and I got it for $1.99 a can at Northern Tool (I've already gone through 2 on the cp top).  The primer I used was made by the same brand.


I ordered all my parts last night from GGG and Lizard Lick.  I ended up with a little more money to spend on this than I thought I would be able to, so there will be a few surprises. :applaud: ;D  I may start painting the rest of the cp tonight, though I might just wait and buy some foam rollers and small cans of paint instead of using spray paint.  I just haven't decided yet.

Beezorz:
I really like your control panel design.  I'm going to use it for my first arcade project.  I've reproduced the button and joystick layout in Adobe Illustrator and am in the process of designing an artwork for it.  Let me know if you're interested in the .AI file and I'll send it your way.  My site (http://www.beezorz.com) has a picture of the design in progress.

RoboG2:
Thanks Beezorz!  I am flattered.  Good job on the design so far!  I'd love a copy of the .AI file.  ;D

So here's what I've been up to for the past few days...

CP box screwed together and puttied (but not yet sanded):


Why did I putty the inside?  Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure.  I guess I just had nothing better to do at the time.   :dunno

CP box right after it was primered (and sanded):  The primer looks much more evenly spread now that it has dried (not shown).


What's this?  A box from GGG?!?! (arrived yesterday)


Surprise item #1:   ;D


A hint at surprise items #2-26:   >:D


Here's where I faced a problem... I wasn't entirely sure how to center the joystick bottoms over their holes (especially considering that they needed to be facing the right direction).  So I used a small carpenter's square to lay-down pieces of tape perpendicular to the cp sides and back along the edges of the button holes, and then aligned the joystick bottoms to the tape by eye (making sure to check from the other side afterwards).  The holes were then drilled, and the GGG joystick anchors were screwed-into the panel:



Some of the remaining steel sheet made into A/V-out and power-socket mounting panels for the back of the cp (the blank one is for the power-port; still need to go buy one).


A/V connections harvested from an old cable box, test-fitted in the A/V mounting panel:

They fit!

What else was taken from the cable boxes?  See those nice air-vent holes?  Wouldn't they make wonderful fan grilles for the back of the cp?


Sure they would!  Don't worry, I haven't painted them yet.


I'm still working on the custom MaLa layouts; but I may post some screenshots a little later.  Enjoy!

Beezorz:
Here you are

RoboG2:
So... I made a little change to my plans; the outputs will now be recessed on the back panel (the fan grilles will be placed on both sides):


Felt placed on the bottom of the dust-washers (idea borrowed from another thread):


Surprise Items 2+:  >:D


The bulk of the audio/video wiring:


A little messy, but it works:



From the computer (s-video and headphone):


To the back panel (s-video, composite video and sound, headphone jack, toggle-switch for s-video or composite):


I also finished the power connector plate, but the photo didn't turn out.  I took the 3-prong power connector from an old AT PSU (same as the ATX connector), and made an extension-cord from a spare power-cable.  That connector, along with a momentary pushbutton and a toggle switch will be placed on that plate.  The pushbutton will turn on/off the computer, and the toggle switch will prevent accidental turn-offs.  ;)

As you may have already noticed, I am making all of the cables (connecting the computer to the outputs) so that parts may be swapped out later (if needed).

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page