Illuminated Kye Kidsball hack

[1UP]

Decided to cut down and re-mount my big ugly schoolbus-yellow Crayola (Kye) Kidsball into something more modular and, er, mountable!


-There's the infamous up/down Tron/Oscar spinner again!


The new enclosure is just big enough to accomodate the width of the PCB, and the edge of the ball aperture is right flush with the top surface.  The new square shape allows it to easiily accept mounting brackets, while still protecting the ball and optics from dust and debris.  2 white LEDs (each at 45 degrees to the right and left of the ball) illuminate the translucent replacement ball I bought from Bob Roberts.  Just a little less expensive (about $60) than getting the whole setup from Happ, but still works just as well.  (Missile Command is my new favorite game!)

BTW, this is a peek at the prototype for my final control panel, which will be included in my cabinet project tenatively entitled: STEALTH (STandalone Entertainment Arcade with Luminescent Transformable Hardware.)  Both the trigger sticks, as well as every single button, will be internally illuminated with red or blue LEDs, and I'm investigating whether to put a ring of glow wire around the spinner.  You'll notice that it's a multi-sided panel, somewhat like Xiaou 2's, but with just 3 sides.  I'm mounting the third panel (with Star Wars yoke and an F15 Talon flightstick) plus my coindoor today.  (Just need some more wire...)

Anyone else mounted one of these suckers before?  

[ErikRuud]

I am also using the crayola trackball.  I dont have mine permantly installed yet.  I did remove the original buttons and microswitches.  I soldered some wires in place of the microswicthes and connected two Happs pushbuttons for the mouse buttons.  I have enough room in my pannel to mount the whole thing as is.  I do plan on getting a transparent ball for it.

[1UP]

How are you planning to mount it?

[klutzo]

Hey 1up,

is that a Rotatable Control Panel I see?  Wondering what the round "stool ends" that you have on either end of the CP are...

Furthermore.. I name you KING OF HACKS!!!!  =>

[1UP]

Hey 1up,

is that a Rotatable Control Panel I see?

[ErikRuud]

1up,

The top of my CP is made out of a layer of 1/2" plywood, and a top layer of cherry veneered 1/4" plywood.

The 1/2" ply has a crayola track ball shaped cut out.  The 1/4" ply has a roughly 4" hole in it.  The track ball and most of the raised lip around the ball stick out through the hole.  I painted the top of the casing with a metallic red laquer to get red of the blue and yellow kiddie look.

I plan on using some L shaped aluminum to hold the trackball against the underside of the CP.

Heres is a quick diagram

[madPlanet]

1Up
I just mounted my Kidsball (sounds incestuous!) in the centre of my panel over the weekend, doing almost exactly as shown in ErikRuud's diagrams.

I removed the top section of the kidsball, cut down the bottom section (so that it fits my panel) and used bolts countersunk in the top with nuts to secure the kidsball at a fixed height.

Being slightly limited with space, I wired the mouse buttons to L&R flipper buttons (Happs).

I don't have any pics yet, and my web site is WIP, but should have my cab in a semi decent state by the weekend.

madPlanet

[ErikRuud]

I think you misunderstood my diagrams.  The casing for my kidsball has not been cut at all.  The only mod was rewiring the mouse buttons, and painting the top half.

[1UP]

1up,

The top of my CP is made out of a layer of 1/2" plywood, and a top layer of cherry veneered 1/4" plywood.

The 1/2" ply has a crayola track ball shaped cut out.

[ErikRuud]

I did discover one thing last night, it is possible to tighten the screws too much, and cause the track ball to bind up.