That's How I Roll! (Skeeball build)

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solorbob:
Looks good so far. I've been wanting to build one of these too, so it is very motivational watching your build. What are you going to use for the scoring system?

I was thinking I could use a micro controller, but I have zero experience with them. I'm also a bit new to the whole electronics side of things too.

Trebeck:
I'm very impressed! :cheers:
And very jealous you have space for that......

thatpurplestuff:
Trebeck- Thanks! It's coming together slowly but surely. I've been wanting a Skeeball machine forever but never had the room, so when we moved out of our cramped apartment and into a house a few months ago I instantly started thinking of things to fill all the new space we had.. haha.

solorbob- I'm hoping to use the Jumpball Software that RandyT created. Randy was kind enough to send me a copy earlier today, and I just skinned it to go with the blue theme that I'm hoping to use for the entire machine. The display area is going to have a printout covered in plexiglass, with a monitor in the middle and speaker holes on either side. Attached are a few pictures of the software running in "attract mode" since I don't have the energy tonight to wire up some buttons and actually try it out tonight. I considered a micro controller as well and I still wouldn't rule one out completely, I just figured a PC would be so much easier to interface for a person like myself who knows little to nothing about... errr... micro controlling? Haha. At some point I think it would be fun to write my own software to add additional game modes and such, but for now Randy's software looks like it will be absolutely perfect for what I need it to do.

I didn't get any build progress done today other than doing some measurements for the ball return and researching nets for around the scoring area (and realizing that sports stores and home improvement stores give you blank stares when you ask for plain old fabric netting). I found some black "pet screen" that is like standard screen for doors and windows except it is slightly thicker and the holes are a bit bigger. I think it could potentially look really nice, although it might not. The only other options I saw were plastic outdoor fence stuff, some of which actually looked somewhat promising but overall I don't think I want to put plastic on this thing.

So far as the ball return is concerned, I tested out placing some wood inside the chute and it makes the balls come down in a perfect line rather than a scattered clump. I think either tomorrow or Wednesday I'm going to actually start assembling the ball return side of the machine. I'm also still completely lost in regards to electrical solenoids, so if anyone could help me out I would appreciate it. On a side note, I got a huge clamp today on clearance. For some parts of this build (the scoring section in particular) I was actually having to string together 3 of my clamps to reach all of the way across. This new clamp easily clamps over both sides of the Skeeball machine, so it should make the last few things I need to do to the scoring section a lot easier.

mpm32:
You must be a lefty, no?

thatpurplestuff:
mpm32- Haha nope... I am just laying everything out on the left hand side because I don't want to start attaching anything on the right side until I have the entire ball return laid out. The ball return and coin/start buttons will all be on the right hand side.

I'm off to do a little bit of work on this beast. Updates later.

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