Main > Project Announcements
A Mame machine in an antique buffet - USB probs solved (I think!)
drventure:
I had to share this...
It's a miniature plasma globe that connects to a USB port!
I gotta figure a way to incorporate a couple of these into this cab!
What would be truly awesome is to work this into a trackball somehow (yeah, yeah, fragile, couldn't smack it for Golden Tee, I know :) )
drventure:
A little more progress, and this is pretty funny so I had to share.
I'd been trying to figure out some way to improve the look of control panel proper. I'd used a flat black, leather textured formica laminate on it that went on quite well, but looks a little, well, plain, for what this build is turning into.
Long story short, I was browsing a Van Dykes Restorer's catalog several days ago and came across Leather desk inlays (the kind you'd typically see on very high end executive desks).
But these all had various gilded borders around the edges. See the first pic
And that's when it hit me, gild a border around the top!
So I started looking for gilding foil and roller irons and that went nowhere.
The I happened across rubber stamps. You know, scrapbooking crap ;)
Next thing I know, I end up in a scrapbooking rubber stamp store over in Ft Worth. Definitely out of my comfort zone :)
I picked up a couple stamps, and found a gold ink pad too.
Since then, I've been experimenting with different inks, paints etc, to get a consistent effect.
The test results are below. This particular ink went on excellently, but doesn't appear to be permanent when applied to formica, so I'm looking for a different ink pad now.
Still, I think the results are promising.
I also found a compass stamp that's a little over 6" in diameter, Plenty big enough to surround a joystick or trackball.
Ok, it's a little weird I'll grant. But I think it could really make for a sweet control panel, circa 1862!
thatpurplestuff:
That compass stamp is going to be sweet for the sticks! Can't wait to see where this project goes.
drventure:
I've done a pile of experimenting with the stamping technique, not to mention going through 4 different stamp pads and inks to find one that gives a reasonably decent stamp on black textured formica and +won't+ just wipe off anytime you touch it.
Also, I picked up a decent, extra fine pt gold paint marker for inking in solid lines using a straightedge (trying to stamp solid lines looks about as good as you'd imagine, no amount of tinkering is going to get that right).
So, I think I'm reading to actually pull the trigger.
But to be sure, I took a photo of the panel and mocked up what it'd look like, mostly anyway.
The mockup's not perfect but I wanted to get some opinions from anyone who's willing ;)
First, a few caveats
1) the exposed wood areas now have some additional trim that make it look much more period, but I'd already mocked it up using the older photo.
2) I know the gold color doesn't exactly match between the gilding and the compass roses, but it was as close as I could get.
3) I know that all the gilding clashes a bit with the "normal" bright colored arcade buttons. My long term goal is to replace the buttons (or somehow color them copper, nickel, brass, and maybe graphite...) Same with the black plastic and chrome sticks, not period, but it'll have to do for now.
So, the questions
1) should I even bother? Is it just too garish?
2) I could tone it down about by leaving off the compass stamps around the trackball (or doing the trackballs like the sticks)
3) I could also tone it done by not doing the imprints around all of the sticks.
4) I could also not gild the edges or possibly only put a single gold line around the edges, or possibly only gild the front edges and not the back.
5) finally, maybe I need +more+. Say, some imprints around certain buttons, or something else? There's certainly no shortage of swirly curlyque stamps for wedding albums and the like. Just don't want to overdo it :) (like that's not gonna happen on this cab!)
Any thoughts?
Octo:
With copper/brass controls I think it would look really good.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version