Main > Project Announcements
paulscade - First Build - MAME - Blastoff!
paulscade:
Hey lepinlew,
I'm still waiting for the Magstiks to arrive. I've read many of the postings here about them.... both the positives and the negatives. The feature of being able to switch them from 4 to 8 way from the top made the decision for me.... that's really nice. I'm hoping that I don't regret the purchase.... because I really don't plan on buying more sticks and reworking a control panel (that's not yet built :) ).
My thoughts right now are to top mount everything (yes, extra work routing out space for the sticks, etc). I figure by top mounting, I take advantage of the full stick length of any of the sticks. I know that this doesn't really address the throw... I'll post my opinions of the sticks when I get them.
paulscade:
Well... I've received all of my controls. Magsticks and U360 from divemaster. Electric Ice Trackball, Happ buttons, Novamatrix marquee light, and TurboTwist2 spinner from Groovy Game Gear. I must say... I'm impressed. This is all quality stuff.
I hooked up the U360 just to play a little (because it's easily plugged in via USB). Pretty nice. I bought the medium spring because many on this board seemed to like it. I haven't installed it yet... but the one that comes stock isn't bad at all. I can't really give it a good run because it doesn't work very well while holding it in one one hand while playing with the other. ;D
I haven't tried out the trackball or spinner yet (they are next).... but both feel like quality made items.
I also received my glass from one day glass. 3/8", smoked, tempered, beveled edges. It fit perfectly.
paulscade:
I worked on the cabinet again today.
I wanted to add a cooling fan to the rear of the cabinet. I'm sure that the big 29" CRT is going to generate some heat. Since the hole is going to be seen... (if you look)... I wanted it to be perfect. I decided to build a circle jig for the router.
I've only used a router one time before... and that was to do the slot cutting. After reading a few articles about circle jigs, I figured that it would be easy... and it was.
Cool... a perfect 360:
I mounted a scrap piece of MDF to the bottom of the router... measured out the radius (Yes, radius, tkx! shmokes :) ) of the circle that I needed (I needed a 4.5" diameter hole for the fan)... and drove a nail in the MDF to serve as a pivot point.
I drilled a small pilot hole in the back of the cabinet where I would insert the nail from the jig. Cut like butter and produced a perfect hole. :applaud:
Here's the router with the jig attached:
paulscade:
The cabinet also got its first coat of primer today. I decided to paint both the inside and outside of the cabinet.
Next week... sanding and paint. I haven't decided if I want another coat of primer. Right now... I'm leaning towards skipping that. I figure on painting a number of finishing coats anyway... so there's probably no need for more primer.
I'm now 68 hours into this project that started mid-March.
GAtekwriter:
You better be careful with that primer around that Beemer :)
Your project is looking good...
Jim