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Author Topic: help on cp construction...how to support it??  (Read 2584 times)

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hulkster

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help on cp construction...how to support it??
« on: July 01, 2003, 11:16:22 pm »
i recently got a used cab, and its front controls were very small.  im planning on building a pretty big cp with 4 players and middle 4 way joystick.  so my cp is probably going to be 19" by 48" or whatever so it will be pretty heavy.  but i dont know how to support it.  can anyone give me some advice on this?  whats the best way to support extended control panels?

AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2003, 11:21:23 pm »
Well I used carriage bolts with heavy duty washers supported through angle iron brackets. You can see the pictures in my post in the "Project Announcement Forums".

I used this method so the control panel would be easily detachable to go through doorways. In addition, if you're using a pre-built machine (particularly older ones) you'll want something to support the wood on both sides so the bolts/screws don't rip through the wood.


hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2003, 11:30:03 pm »
cool cab, i was in a frat too...just graduated in may...i was a Sig Ep.  anyway, how do you measure for something like that?  did you just make the cp and then cut into it to fit around the cab?  i was thinking of making my cp the way i want it, then putting like, triangular supports underneath it connecting to the cab itself, what do you think?

AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2003, 11:35:56 pm »
Thank for the compliment. Well I planned how large the CP was gonna be and planned the cuts into it. Otherwise I never would have had a proper controls placement.

As for the placement of the angle iron, I just laid it on heavy. Doesn't matter where you put it on the inside since no one will see it. Just make sure you put it in places that will give proper support. The hard part is not in supporting a wide CP, but in supporting a deep one. Placing angle iron vertically can help prevent the thing from sagging forward. I'm probably still going to add even more. Gotta "frat-proof" it.  :)

EDIT: As for the triangular supports, did you plan on using wood or metal? The only problem I see with that would be that you would probably have to screw something like that in place, and screws can rip out of the original particle board. Even if they don't rip out they may wiggle a bit loose and then the panel would sag.
« Last Edit: July 01, 2003, 11:38:12 pm by AlanS17 »


hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2003, 11:53:46 pm »
as for the triangular supports, i was going to use wood blocks.  like maybe a long triangular wood block to go underneath the cp and be bolted in on the bottom of the cp, and also to the front of the cab.  what about that?

AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2003, 12:02:02 am »
I wouldn't be concerned about the connection to the CP. It's the connection to the cab that I would be worried about. It would probably support up to a certain amount of support but if someone leaned on it... I can hear the crumbling particle board now.  :-\

How about metal L-brackets attatched with bolts? I just feel like bolts are a better idea than screws for older wood because they don't dig in and risk ripping out. They're supported all the way through by a metal nut - not by the weak grip of the surrounding particle board.


hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2003, 12:04:25 am »
call me stupid, but i have no clue about carpentry.  can you show me a pick of what you are talking about?  i know what a bolt is, but is there some way you can show me these L-brackets, like on a website or something?

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2003, 01:23:51 am »
An L-bracket is just a bent piece.  I have L-brackets to guide my cp.  Look at my site.

AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2003, 09:36:16 am »
You can get L-brackets in all sizes at hardware stores. They're made for holding shelves, bracing inside corners, and a whole bunch or other stuff if you get creative. Making your own is not advisable because they may bend, but they're cheap and sturdy. They come in sizes from about 3" all the way up to around 1' depending on what you need them for.

For your project I wouldn't advise anything less than 4", but 6" is probably better. Using 2 would be good, but 3 would be better.

On top of that, you'll going to need some method of attaching the whole thing to the cabinet. You can't do that with just corner pieces or L-brackets alone. Those pieces would only prevent the whole thing from falling forward. It's still gonna want to shift all over the place. You're going to want to attatch it at the sides somehow to prevent lateral motion because those L-brackets will support a LOT of weight vertically, but they actually have the ability to twist a lil bit. You'll understand this more when you see one. Just grab it in your hands and try to wring it like a towel. (It's more noticeable with the larger sizes.)

A control panel the size of what you're thinking of could easliy weigh 30 pounds or more depending on the materials you use. (Good question. What materials are you using?) You have to think of the front edge of your cabinet where you want to attatch the brackets as a pivot point and the more weight you have over hanging in any direction the more it's gonna pull your whole CP down around that pivot point. Depending on what method of support you use, that whole thing may pop off and you'll be playing indian style on the floor.

OK... enough about that already. I've been writing this post for like 10 minutes.


AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2003, 09:44:03 am »
An L-bracket is just a bent piece.  I have L-brackets to guide my cp.  Look at my site.

I see those guides, but I was thinking something much larger. I suppose it really does depend on how the original CP connected and how large of a shelf it has for the original. You've got a pretty good-sized shelf there.

By the way, nice CP. Reminds me of roughly the same dimensions as the CP on my favorite game (Killer Instinct), except it didn't have the same style of CP top to it. Good job.


hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #10 on: July 02, 2003, 10:18:07 am »
well crap, now im getting frustrated about this whole thing.  ive already ordered parts for 4 players and stuff, but i just read a reply from another post i made and one dude said that if i had 4 players, it would suck cuz 3 and 4 wouldnt be able to see!  i dont know how to support my cp and im afraid it will crash to the floor!  ahhhhhhhhhh!  what am i supposed to do???

AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #11 on: July 02, 2003, 10:27:19 am »
HAHAHA! Don't freak out! These are the same problems that everybody goes through, and hundreds of people have gotten it right. You're stressing for nothing. It always comes together in the end. I promise.


nighthawk2099

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #12 on: July 02, 2003, 10:30:35 am »
Yea.... most people have grand dreams of the ultimate 4 plr setup, but find that the 2 plr is just as great..... you can always look on the bright side...... going from 4 plr to 2 plr just means you have most of the stuff you need to build a 2nd cabinet......WAHHO !!!!!! ;D

AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #13 on: July 02, 2003, 10:33:39 am »
My 19" setup would have never fit 4 players. I'm just hooking up USB controllers for the 3rd and 4th players that sonnect through the coinbox. Between s trackball and 2 Street Fighter layouts, my space is taken up!


hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #14 on: July 02, 2003, 10:54:04 am »
*sigh* well i guess ill just have to make it a 2 player game :(  oh well, i dont guess 4 people will be playing on my machine at one time very much anyway, but it was cool to dream :)

AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #15 on: July 02, 2003, 10:57:52 am »
You could probably fit the 4 people, but they would have a hard time viewing that near-vertical screen.  :-\

Oh I saw you cabinet pics... You're going to need some serious bracing like I did since you really don't have a shelf for your CP.


hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #16 on: July 02, 2003, 11:13:51 am »
alright then, im going to build a 2 player, with 7 buttons each, and a 4 way joystick above both of them, with buttons.  so what would be the best way to support this monster?  

AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #17 on: July 02, 2003, 11:18:57 am »
I still say angle iron and carriage bolts, but I'm sure everybody else has their own methods.


hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #18 on: July 02, 2003, 11:24:06 am »
okay thanks for the advice.  

hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #19 on: July 02, 2003, 11:41:51 am »
one more thing, how long should i make this cp?  2 players, with joystick in the middle (upper middle)...will 30" be enough space for two people?

BillyJack

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #20 on: July 02, 2003, 11:46:42 am »
I built my control panel to 30 inches.  There's good room for two reasonably big guys, and on my CP there would be room for a joystick in the upper middle.


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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #21 on: July 02, 2003, 11:46:45 am »
don't despair hulkster,

Just keep saying your prayers, and taking your vitamins...

Alan's suggestions are very valid.  I'm waiting for your geocities account to have it's hourly quota let up again to get another look EDIT 1: (btw I offer low cost web hosting FWIW -- as does planet jay... also check out the free web host that sirpoonga uses.  Check your ISP as they often give you free webspace with your internet account)

(do you have a shot of the cabinet with the control panel removed?  I'd like to see the existing brackets/structure the existing control panel connects on to)

I'm sure if you picked up some carriagebolts, washers, nuts, L brackets of various sizes a 2x4 or 1x4 or 1x1 for bracing ... and maybe a piano hinge... you could come up with a strong (and hopefully removable) replacement control panel.

Rampy
« Last Edit: July 02, 2003, 11:48:41 am by rampy »

hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #22 on: July 02, 2003, 11:47:59 am »
yeah i do have some pics actually, but they wont show up anyway on geocities cuz its being gay.  whats the deal with that anyway?  is there another place where i can post my pics without it being retarded?

thanks for the advice on the cp billyjack, i think ill go with a 30" cp. i just found some stirafoam (sp?) here at the house, thats 30" long and 20" wide, so ill use that as a mock cp to draw out my stuff!  meanwhile, when i build my cp this weekend im going to go get some L-brackets (thanks alan) and ill get some 2x4's and just rig the whole thing up.  right now im going to start measuring my mock up though, and also try to find a web hosting place thats FREE :)  dont have a whole loto f money
« Last Edit: July 02, 2003, 11:52:25 am by hulkster081 »

rampy

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #23 on: July 02, 2003, 11:48:25 am »
yeah i do have some pics actually, but they wont show up anyway on geocities cuz its being gay.  whats the deal with that anyway?  is there another place where i can post my pics without it being retarded?

See above post I just edited it.

rampy

hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #24 on: July 02, 2003, 12:10:08 pm »
http://hulkster0810.tripod.com/mame.html

theres the new page, i just took some pics real fast.  anyway, tell me what you think would be the best solution for support.

AlanS17

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #25 on: July 02, 2003, 09:55:04 pm »
I was at McCoy's today (don't know if you have those) and found a diffeent kind of L-bracket called a corner brace. It's more solid and thicker. They're much more heavy duty than a traditional L-bracket. They attatch using metal machine screws as opposed to carriage bolts. (Machine screws don't actually "screw" on. They attatch like bolts through the back with a nut.)

Oh by the way, try to use lock nuts or lock washers with outer teeth if you do get carriage bolts.


hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #26 on: July 02, 2003, 10:15:47 pm »
do the machine screws require a different tool to put in the wood?  if they arent screws, how do they go in.

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #27 on: July 03, 2003, 02:38:26 am »
What is wrong with the factory control panel that you couldn't use it? A Streetfighter layout will fit on the pactory panel of almost any 19" cabinet. The original panel would look much better I think. Every Streetfighter 2 machine I have ever owned has been a conversion from an older cabinet (Elevator Action and Centipede).
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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #28 on: July 03, 2003, 09:25:13 am »
Hi hulkster...

I think I did convert one of those generic cab like yours...
I fitted a 19 inch monitor on it, and 2 players with SF layout
and a keyboard drawer... (I hooked  up wireless network
to the computer...)

sorry... I don't really have a site yet... but I do have pics you can view...

http://www.geocities.com/hyiu/pics/Arcade/Cab_and_Stick/

click on the pics and if you have specific questions, plz ask...

on a cab like this... most likely... you do not want to just use a screw.... instead you should drill a hole... then user screw and bolt and washers in between.... that will make it much stronger...

and to hold the control panel... (if don't know if you want to use my method...) I used panel clamps... I find it nice....
they're expensive (since its from Happs...) but so far... good quality...

hope it helps...

Another Brilliant mind ruined by education....  :p

hulkster

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #29 on: July 03, 2003, 10:02:23 am »
thanks for the pics dude.  mine is really similar to yours.  is your monitor a 21"?  i just want to make sure mine will fit in the opening.  and you used panel clamps?  oh and how thick was your mdf that you used?  ive been reading that everybody uses 3/4" but if i want a 4 way joystick on my panel, i may need 1/2", is this okay or will that be too weak.

hyiu

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Re:help on cp construction...how to support it??
« Reply #30 on: July 10, 2003, 07:18:07 pm »
the monitor is 19" inch...
and the back stuck out a little bit....

I'm not sure if it'll fit a 21 inch....
(but sticking out shouldn't be too much a pblm...)

yes.. I use 3/4 inch plywood...

if you can, you can route out a little on the 3/4 in and it'll be perfect...

but I think 1/2 in should be strong enough.....
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