My Second Xbox360 Arcade Stick (AKUMA GRAPHICS) COMPLETED

[psi88]

Ok, I'm starting my second arcade stick after the completion of the first, which I posted a few days ago.. 

This time it will be an Akuma themed, 360 hacked gamepad stick powered, wired street fighter Arcade stick with Sanwa OBSF-30 buttons in Red and a Sanwa JLF-TP-8YT stick again in red.

I'm going to double up on the springs in the JLF this time to get a bit more tension and maybe do the microswitch hack to change the engage distances as i still cant get used to the "flappyness" of the JLF as stock..

I'll use mini red buttons for the start and back buttons and hack a guide button out of the controller the same as I did before..

Hopefully I've learned enough from the first box to make this one a bit more professional, the Chun Li one is lovely, but I want to do some nice woodwork on the new one.. So i'm now going for Mitered edges, some nice angles and a routed groove in the box.

So this is the idea so far, I've done my mockups and measurements in Google Sketchup which i really recommend for checking out how the ideas in your head will pan out without sawing up a ---Cleveland steamer--- load of wood just to decide you dont like it!!







I'm not 100% sure of the graphics for the lid yet and I'm also thinking of adding a red layer round the graphics and Perspex to make it "pop up" a bit more..   

I'm also tempted to stick a few leds inside that red groove that runs round the edge just to get a nice glow in there.. 

I'm going to blog the process again on my blog http://psi88.blogspot.com/ feel free to check it out over the next few weeks.. 

As always any suggestions or improvements are welcome and wont be ignored, hope you like the ideas so far..

[SG Jaycurl]

Unique design. I'm interested to see how it turns out!

How would you do the woodworking to get the outside edges to have that "slope" look?

[psi88]

Yea i wasnt sure at first it would work, but i've been very careful to only use 45degree cuts on the sides.. it made my head hurt checking the cuts would work with SketchUp.. 

So really its just lots of use of the mitre saw and one cut with an angled Jig saw, Then i'll use my router to get the groove into the side.. Finally cutting the corners with the mitre again,

its only 4 cuts per side so it not really as complex as i expected.  I did a test earlier with some 70mm x 45mm I have and its not too bad.. It certainly needs to be precisely cut to match the up though, so no rushing.. 

Will post up more pics as I see some progress, nice to see some interest.. 

[SG Jaycurl]

Oh, okay. I thought that each side had a separate top/bottom piece. But it's really just one piece of wood per edge with angled cuts on the top/bottom and a groove down the side, eh? Am I interpreting that right?

I definitely like the concept. Good luck.

I'm about to start on some new sticks myself, but it will probably be a more traditional design. Still trying to learn the whole woodworking thing.

[psi88]

Yea its pretty much just a floor, a lid and four sides, plus some braces inside to hold the whole lot together and balance the lid base on.. 

I've done an exploded view in SketchUp so i can see my cuts are the right shape..



my first one was pretty vanilla so i wanted to try something different this time, 

I'd like to see your ideas for an arcade stick, did you make a thread for the project yet and put any pics up??

Good luck with yours too.. 

[SG Jaycurl]

Here are the ones I've done already:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=91259.0

Not an original design - I pretty much plagiarized what the member "somunny" had done here - but it was pretty much what I was picturing in my head before I even saw his pics.

I'm making another one for a friend. He's looking for something that would, "look good on a coffee table," so it'll probably have more of a stained wood finish, etc. Not exactly sure the angle I'm going to take on it yet, though.

[psi88]

Nice, I really do like this one...



Very smooth, good finish... And the artwork really pops out even though its mostly monochrome..

I cant really get a grip on the design, I'd like to see some more pics, side on, bottom and front on as well as some inside shots...

Not so i could rip it off later, honest!! ;-)

[SG Jaycurl]

I'll try to get some more shots of the zangief stick posted in the next couple of days. My friend already is in possession of the Sagat/Akuma stick that you posted.

They're very similar in design. The main difference is that the Zangief stick is a little larger, and the base slopes downward from the back to front.

The base has a plastic laminate finish, which is probably why it looks so smooth. The edges of the base and the CP have T-molding around them, to give it sort of an arcade cabinet feel in a smaller package

[psi88]

Cool, please do...

In other news, I've made a start on the sides of the second box.. 

You can see the update here http://psi88.blogspot.com/ 

Its all woodworking so far, and i've a long way to go, but at least i've worked out how to make those complex sides.. 

[psi88]

Quick update, i've worked out how to do the sides easily now, forget the jig rubbish,i just managed a way with the router and the chamfer bit and got the angles down clean..

So here's my first side all done, needs a bit of a plane to get the slight dents out, but should sand up nicely and paint well afterwards..









Now i can just do the same for the other 3 sides in one big long go right along the plank and then trim it to 3 bits afterwards...

Happy Happy..

Hope to show more soon..

[SG Jaycurl]

Nice!

I'm still pretty new to woodworking, so I'm having a hard time visualizing how you did what you did, but it looks pretty sweet with just that much done.

[psi88]

Woodworking is finished on my second controller, now just need to hack the gamepad, get the buttons etc ordered and get the thing painted, but i think its coming on well and worked out pretty damn close to my pre-vis's that I did in Sketchup..

The work so far...

The parts



Put into place, the gaps are fairly obvious, may need quite a bit of sanding too!!



Gluing and getting the corners straight required quite a few clamps and blocks, and took bloody hours to set and bond properly..



Joining the 2 halfs was even worse, i was sure it was all going to collapse in the middle of the night, but it seemed to work out well in the end, the filler lines are quite obvious at the moment but should sand down nicely and i dont think they'll be visible when its painted..



The braces to hold the lid into position, the base ones are already installed..



All braces fitted and screwed in nice and tight, getting them level was a bit of a pig but the lid and perspex seem to fit on with a nice flat top..



Side view after a first sanding to remove the excess glue..



Front view after a first sanding to remove the excess glue..



Top view, showing the slightly indented lid for the perspex to rest onto bringing it flush..



Second sanding and perspex layer fitted (with white protective plastic)



Final sand, that pine came up lovely.. Very pleased..



Side view, the "death star" trench that runs along the sides has worked out well, and when painted red should look quite bold, still debating whether to run some leds into the trench to make it glow?



Hope you enjoy the update, Hope to add more soon..

[SG Jaycurl]

Nice job. Very cool design.

[psi88]

Lid cut out and button holes measured and drilled..



Action buttons routed down to 2mm



Top View of routed lid showing "thin holes"



Controller hacked (Sorry HarumaN couldnt afford another of yours at this time so I had to do my own)



Lid fitted and screwed down.




Perspex fitted.




Base Primed.



Base Painted, That black is more reflective than Vaders Helmet!!



Base dried and finished.



Box primed



First coat, Ignore the paint brush marks..



First coat sanded back..



Second coat..



And dried.. Looks a bit blue under the "flash" but its black under normal light?



Hope you enjoy, the red goes on next and i've changed the graphics (again) for a better akuma Pic, all will be revealed soon..

Parts go in next and then its final finishing..

[Kaytrim]

Very interesting and unique design.  I like the channel around the sides.  Using Sketch up really helps get things in place before cutting a single piece.  Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Michael

[psi88]

Thanks It had its 3rd layer of paint today, so the red can go on tomorrow and we'll see how that channel really looks then I guess..

I think its going to work out, It all seems good so far. 

Thanks for the interest, hope to show the finished project within the next week or so..

[psi88]

Ok i've done some more of the trench, repainted the box a few more times to get that nice Japanese Laquer look right..

Trench primed..



Trench painted first coat, ignore the overrun please, i cleaned it back with white spirit afterwards!!





Second coat..






Top of box sanded back with "fine" and repainted again..

Base Lid holes drilled and base repainted, ignore the fingermarks they come off honest!!




Close up with the macro, sorry it looks so orange here, its the flash again... It is "signal red" in the normal light..

[psi88]

its finished!!

















Thanks for everyones who commented support, it plays like a dream, feels nice and comfy and with the extra sping in the joystick is better than expected with the movement..

Now what do i do for the next one!!

[Kaytrim]

That is a cool stick.  I like the way the channel came out with the red paint.  It all flows with the artwork too.  You need to post this over in the Joystick Vault.  http://www.joystickvault.com/

Michael

[psi88]

Thats great feedback thanks, you've made my day...

I've done as you suggested and uploaded all the photos of the box to http://www.joystickvault.com/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=2273

[SG Jaycurl]

Nice work, man. I've been waiting to see how this one worked out.

[Gatsu]

thats pretty cool man. and not really a difficult build once you get the angles figured out.