Need to know if I'm getting a good deal or not

[The cranky hermit]

My CP will have the following:

2 Happ Supers
2.25" Trackball
29 Happ Microswitch Horizontals
Ms. Pacman / Galaga 4-way
Enough 3/4" MDF to mount all the controls on
And everything necessary to mount the controls and make them work with my PC running MAME.
How much do you think this would cost? I've calculated the total cost, and I want some guesses, so I can get a good idea about whether I'm spending too much or not.

[rampy]

225 *Shrug*

but there's just too many variables.... and i didn't really factor in shipping/tax...

I dunno... is there a point to this?

i might need to change my name to the cranky rampy =P

Cranky RAmpy

[The cranky hermit]

225 *Shrug*
but there's just too many variables.... and i didn't really factor in shipping/tax...

Which variables?

[CthulhuLuke]

Variables include whether you buy your stuff from ebay, www.therealbobroberts.com or www.happcontrols.com   whether you're going to hack your own trackball to a USB mouse, whether you're gonna buy the trackball new or used off ebay and refurbish it,  Also the pac man 4-way can either cost you a lot, or not so much, because you could go the restrictor plate method, or you could go the actual Happs joystick way, either one's gonna cost you probably 25-30 dollars.
  Plus you gotta think about the interface you're going to be using, whether or not you're going to have any special kinds of wire covers to clean up the CP, if you're gonna use quick disconnects to make life 100 times easier, if you're gonna light up anything like the trackball, a whole bunch of stuff.  Just look around at other people's projects for a few weeks, and kinda calculate how much they spent compared to what you want to spend.
    -Luke

[paigeoliver]

My CP will have the following:

2 Happ Supers
2.25" Trackball
29 Happ Microswitch Horizontals
Ms. Pacman / Galaga 4-way
Enough 3/4" MDF to mount all the controls on
And everything necessary to mount the controls and make them work with my PC running MAME.
How much do you think this would cost? I've calculated the total cost, and I want some guesses, so I can get a good idea about whether I'm spending too much or not.

If you buy all NEW controls it can be quite expensive, but it will be dirt cheap if you buy a few populated control panels from local sources (ask on the rec.games.video.arcade.marketplace newsgroup). You could EASILY get all your sticks and buttons from maybe two populated control panels and only spend like $20 or $30 to do so. Plus the older sticks are often better quality than the newer ones anyone (the current happ stuff is nothing to get excited about). A 3" PS2 trackball would be a better choice, since those are on ebay ALL THE TIME for much less than the price of a 2.25 plus interface.

I hardly ever buy new buttons or sticks, the used ones are just so much cheaper. You can usually buy an entire dead cabinet with 2 joysticks and 10-14 buttons for less than the price of 2 joysticks and those same buttons from Happs.

[mccall]

A few questions come to mind:

Why would you need 29 buttons on a two player panel?

You know the web sites to order parts from (Bob Roberts, Happs, Ultimarc), you said you priced them, so what exactly are you looking for?

Just for comparison, here's my panel. Everything is new. I don't have as many buttons as you nor do I have a dedicated 4 way joy:

3" Betson PS/2 TB - $50 eBay
boltless mounting plate - $14 Happs
two 4/8 way adjustable joys and 20 buttons - $25 eBay
player 1 & 2 start buttons - $5 Happs
Ipac - $35 eBay
wire - $5 RatShack
female quick disconnects - $5 Home Depot
1/2" MDF - $5 Home Depot

for a rough total of $150.

Mac
appearing as cranky Mac tonight    

[The cranky hermit]

Rats, now I feel like I'm getting ripped royally. The total cost is somewhere in between $250 and $300. My credit card got stolen once, and I'm trying to really limit any risky credit card related behavior in the future. I'm only using it once a month now, so if something bad happens, I'll have some idea about where. And I'm steering clear of places like eBay and newsgroup marketplaces. I know I sound paranoid, but being paranoid has saved me from financial nightmares countless times. So please don't try to assuage me.

I'm ordering the encoders and trackball from Ultimarc. This will be my monthly credit card purchase.
Ipac2 USB: $43
OptiPac USB: $44
Trackball: $26
Shipping: $16
Subtotal: $129

I'm ordering the controls from Real Bob Roberts. Everyone seems to recommend him for parts, plus he takes money orders.
2 Happ supers $19
27 Happ Microswitches: $39.15
Player1+Player2 PB's: $3.20
Atari TB 2 1/4" mounting plate: $10
Ms Pacman / Galaga Joy 4-way: $16
Shipping: $11 (est)
Subtotal: $98.35

I'm getting Oscar's mounting plate too. He also accepts money orders.
$15 plus $6.50 shipping = $21.50

Finally, I'll be getting all the wood, bolts, wires, and anything else I might need from Home Depot. I estimate it will cost less than $20.

Estimated total of $268.85

Is this the right price, considering my paranoia? If not, is there anything I can do to lower it significantly that would not involve credit cards?

[Tiger-Heli]

All I can suggest is:

>Ipac2 USB: $43
KeyWiz - $33 www.groovygamegear.com

>OptiPac USB: $44
OSCAR USB mouse Interface $9

>Trackball: $26
Also available from WICOthesource.com for the same price.

>Shipping: $16
Ends up about the same since you are splitting the trackball and encoder order.

>I'm ordering the controls from Real Bob Roberts. Everyone seems to >recommend him for parts, plus he takes money orders.

Highly agree.

>2 Happ supers $19
Ok

>27 Happ Microswitches: $39.15
Why 27 micoswitches for a 2-player panel.  I could see 14 action and 2 coin.  If the other 11 are function buttons, you could go with smaller non-arcade buttons and mount them off the panel.  The joysticks include microswitches if that's what you were thinking.  They don't include carriage bolts.  Get those from Bob.

>Player1+Player2 PB's: $3.20
Ok

>Atari TB 2 1/4" mounting plate: $10
Ok

>Ms Pacman / Galaga Joy 4-way: $16
Ok, or pay like $9 for OSCAR's restrictors.  Since you are getting his mounting plate.

[The cranky hermit]

>Ipac2 USB: $43
KeyWiz - $33 www.groovygamegear.com

Does that have shift support? If not, I'll spend the extra $10 on an IPac.

>OptiPac USB: $44
OSCAR USB mouse Interface $9

Oscarcontrols describes that as "connect to spinners." Are you 100% sure that would work with the trackball from Ultimarc? If you are, then this would be a great way to shave off a good part of the cost. Thanks. I'll need the interface with L/R button support, though.

>27 Happ Microswitches: $39.15
Why 27 micoswitches for a 2-player panel.  I could see 14 action and 2 coin.

12 action buttons, 2 coin buttons, 4 admin buttons, 2 mouse buttons, 2 buttons to put next to the dedicated 4-way, I forget what the other five are for.

>Ms Pacman / Galaga Joy 4-way: $16
Ok, or pay like $9 for OSCAR's restrictors.  Since you are getting his mounting plate.

Everyone tells me that this 4-way is absolutely wonderful. And I am a huge fan of Pac-Man, so this is worth it to me.

[jakejake28]

instead of all the admin buttons, why don't you use a shift key function and remap all the admin buttons to the coin and start buttons. i know ipac has this, and i believe keywhiz also has this(?)

[Tiger-Heli]

>Does that have shift support? If not, I'll spend the extra $10 on an >IPac.

I like it's shift support better than the I-PAC's, but it's not identical.  Search the archives of the board for details.

>Oscarcontrols describes that as "connect to spinners." Are you >100% sure that would work with the trackball from Ultimarc?

I haven't hooked one up, but from everything I have read, I would say 99.99995 % sure.  E-mail Kelsey.

>Thanks. I'll need the interface with L/R button support, though.

For your 27 buttons . . . j/k!   Ok, that one's $13, but E-mail Kelsey for details.

>12 action buttons, 2 coin buttons, 4 admin buttons, 2 mouse >buttons, 2 buttons to put next to the dedicated 4-way, I forget what >the other five are for.

Agree with the next post, you could use shift functions or Radio Shack I think has some small 4 for $1 buttons that you could mount off or under the main panel.

>Everyone tells me that this 4-way is absolutely wonderful. And I am >a huge fan of Pac-Man, so this is worth it to me.

For $7 more than OSCAR's restrictors, I can't really argue against that.  You were just complaining about price so I was trying to cut costs wherever I could.

[Mike]

Yes you can mount a trackball on to oscar's mouse interface. If you get one though try to get 2 old fans that connect to the motherboard. And cut the connectors off that will make it easier to interface. His mouse interface is truly whats in a mouse if you open it up except that he's mounted posts on them. You'll see what I'm talking about when you get it. I have my Wico trackball and oscar Model 3 spinner hooked up to a single mouse interface from him and you toggle between the two with a switch.(directions for that are on his site).

I use an oscar restrictor on my control panel it works good. Not quite the same as a 4-way but close enough and the game plays good.

Can't figure out how you need 29 buttons. I think the max you can hook to the ipac is 20. So unless your planning on redundant buttons you might be able to cut out some of those.

Also you might want to up your home depot cost to $50. 3/4 mdf at home depot is expensive, at lowes it's $17 a sheet. You will need to also buy a 1 1/8" wood drill bit if you don't have one.(I think that is the right size) And that will probably cost you around $7. Then the wire and connectors will probably run you about $16 to $20. And then kilz will run you $8 a quart and a quart of paint will run you another $8. Then if you don't have a round over bit for the router that can cost you another $8. Just don't underestimate what those little extra things cost.

[mccall]

3/4" MDF in 4' x 8' sheets is $17.xx at my local Home Depot. They also sell it in 2' x 4' sheets for $4.xx.

[Mike]

3/4" MDF in 4' x 8' sheets is $17.xx at my local Home Depot. They also sell it in 2' x 4' sheets for $4.xx.

Dang they must be jacking us in indiana. I was there on this past saturday and it was $21 a sheet at home depot.

[jakejake28]

12 bucks in charlottesville at lowes  .  we don't have a home depot

[The cranky hermit]

Then if you don't have a round over bit for the router that can cost you another $8.

Router? I don't have a router, and I wasn't planning to use one. Please tell me I can live without a router.

[rampy]

well you won't have any t-molding then... can you live with that?

*shrug* you could use batten strip or regular wood molding but that's not quite as arcade authentic (but can still look nice)

rampy

[Mike]

Without a router you won't be able to round the edge of the mdf or cut a slot for t-molding easily. So your control panel will have a sharp edge. You could attempt to use sandpaper and a little elbow grease to round it. Or you can cut a t-molding slot with a circular saw or tablesaw. It's a little tricky to do but can be done.

[The cranky hermit]

I don't care much about looks. I wasn't planning to use plexi or T-Molding or even paint. I was planning to make it out of 100% 3/4" MDF.

[Mike]

So your planning on just drilling a bunch of holes through a piece of wood and mounting the controls and that is it? You don't care about sharp edges or anything?

[mccall]

If your panel is going to be a rectangular shape then Home Depot sells a bullnose (ie rounded) 3/4" MDF panel. You would put the bullnose end closest to the player so no sharp edges.

Home Depot also sells an "iron on" moulding that is similar to T moulding and used for particle board. I haven't used it but saw it advertised on the sign above the white finished particle board, the same sign that tells you what you can use the particle board for, how to cut it, etc. Like I said, I haven't used it, don't know what it costs, how easy it is to install, how long it lasts, etc. but it might be an option for those who don't have access to a router for slot cutting and don't want to use the batten strips.

I have got to stop spending so much time in Home Depot.  

[BillyJack]

I cut the t-molding slot for my control panel with a table saw blade.  came out great.  but I did use a router for other portions of the construction.

BillyJack

[rampy]

you could also use a dremel... but I have no idea if the o.p. has a dremel or a table saw if he doesn't have/want a router...

*shrug*

Rampy