The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: rockyrocket on March 22, 2012, 03:39:35 pm

Title: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on March 22, 2012, 03:39:35 pm
Hi,
So for a while now I have been thinking about doing a tron build but on a smaller scale as I only have a small Uk house and trons are well a bit big boned to say the least! (think biggest loser).
About a year ago I broke down and bought a tron mini cpo, then a stick then a ggg cover and then finally one of Encryptors great restrictors, this meant I then had all the trinkets needed.
Anyway after finishing my starwars build (apart from waiting on the marquee - six weeks and counting) and with having a holiday coming up it was time to have at it with another classic.
Seeing as i had a 20" 4:3 available for this then a slimline "diet" tron was possible, but i still wanted the cool blacklight on the cpo so a plan for a tron/dragons-lair mutant hybrid was formed.
(http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/4277/tron1t.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/842/tron1t.jpg/)
I get a great sense of satisfaction bending perspex and love it for control panels and have bonded the controls onto a couple of cabs without them parting so far after three years.
(http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3327/tron2l.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/267/tron2l.jpg/)
(http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/6427/tron25.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/849/tron25.jpg/)
Picked up these UV cold cathode`s that seem to do the trick, shame my camera cant do it justice
(http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/1953/tron3z.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/687/tron3z.jpg/)
Did say dragons lair, sorry about no constuction shots but i had my head down getting on with it.
(http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8954/tron4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/4/tron4.jpg/)
The backboard to house the lights sits back behind the CP.
(http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/367/tron5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/24/tron5.jpg/)
And with the polycarbonate in place.
(http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8519/tron6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/651/tron6.jpg/)
Then the CP
(http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/6089/tron7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/803/tron7.jpg/)
So the svelte tron is only 50cm wide!.
(http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/7948/tron8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/851/tron8.jpg/)
All primed, and I am betting this is finished before the starwars marquee turns up.
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4573/dscf0333e.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/210/dscf0333e.jpg/)
Final shot!, all complete with marquee.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: bigmatty77 on March 22, 2012, 04:00:08 pm
Looking excellent so far  :applaud: Whats the overall height on this?
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on March 22, 2012, 04:27:11 pm
Looking excellent so far  :applaud: Whats the overall height on this?
66", any suggestions on what to put behind or around the cold cathodes are welcome as I have not decided on that yet.
I am thinking maybe white perspex or I have some flexible mirror.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: alfonzotan on March 23, 2012, 02:33:56 pm
Looking excellent so far  :applaud: Whats the overall height on this?
66", any suggestions on what to put behind or around the cold cathodes is welcome as I have not decided on that yey.
I am thinking maybe white perspex or I have some flexible mirror.

I just painted a piece of hardboard primer-white and mounted the tubes to that for my cab.  Worked out well enough, but I'm honestly not crazy about the cold cathodes themselves.  Still planning to replace them with a proper black light one of these years...
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on March 24, 2012, 02:31:45 am
Looking excellent so far  :applaud: Whats the overall height on this?
66", any suggestions on what to put behind or around the cold cathodes is welcome as I have not decided on that yey.
I am thinking maybe white perspex or I have some flexible mirror.

I just painted a piece of hardboard primer-white and mounted the tubes to that for my cab.  Worked out well enough, but I'm honestly not crazy about the cold cathodes themselves.  Still planning to replace them with a proper black light one of these years...
Ok thanks for that, I guess maybe i will experiment a bit and will have to see how the cold cathodes go.
Have some art at the printers including a piece for in front of the tubes but may not use it, we will see.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on March 27, 2012, 04:02:44 am
(http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4060/paintedi.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/85/paintedi.jpg/)
All painted, just waiting for art and a PSU to arrive.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: Los Abrazos Rotos on March 27, 2012, 05:15:29 am
Very cool
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on March 27, 2012, 10:02:59 am
(http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/76/dscf0253i.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/688/dscf0253i.jpg/)
Busy day, everythig arrived!.
Think I will reprint the inner art a bit bigger but it`s coming together.
Had a transparent piece made for around the light but the material needs to be a bit thicker (used window cling vinyl.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: Woodshop Flunky on March 27, 2012, 11:32:07 am
Very nice!  :applaud:

A Tron cab is on my wish list.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on March 27, 2012, 01:24:43 pm
Very nice!  :applaud:

A Tron cab is on my wish list.
Yeah do it, I have seen your skills so it would be no trouble for yah!.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on April 01, 2012, 01:42:00 pm
(http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/6827/img20120401171110.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/818/img20120401171110.jpg/)
Nearly finished, just waiting for a marquee.
Got a pleasing effect with the buttons, used transparant ones with a blue and a UV led on each.
They ended up being a bit blinding so I placed a disc of black foam inside to block some light, glad I did.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: Newgeta on April 01, 2012, 05:29:16 pm
Clever work on the lighting!  Looks pretty sweet!
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on April 02, 2012, 12:05:43 am
Thanks,
I have the same buttons in white so may swap out the core to see how that looks.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: extendedplayarcade on April 02, 2012, 11:02:45 am
Wow that is awesome.  Great wait to fit an awesome classic game into a small space.  Ummm   gives me so many idea but I don't have that kind of skill you have.

on the tron topic i did an event awhile back http://thetronoff.com/ (http://thetronoff.com/)

Not sure if you interested or knew about it.  I figured I would pass it along.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on April 03, 2012, 09:34:00 am
Wow that is awesome.  Great wait to fit an awesome classic game into a small space.  Ummm   gives me so many idea but I don't have that kind of skill you have.

on the tron topic i did an event awhile back http://thetronoff.com/ (http://thetronoff.com/)

Not sure if you interested or knew about it.  I figured I would pass it along.
That looks like it was a really fun event !, well done.
Just wish something like that was around here (as i guess do a lot of people on here).
It would of been a bit of a commute from SW England.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on April 12, 2012, 03:52:05 pm
Decided the cold cathodes were not cutting it,so took a chance and ordered a 18" blacklight even though its too big, but once decased it fits to the mm.
Also added some blue led strip to the back for mood lighting, and reprinted the inner art.
Hope to have this finished this weekend as long as the marquee arrives.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: jammin0 on April 12, 2012, 04:23:24 pm
sweet lighting, gives the whole room a nice arcade ambiance
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: wp34 on April 12, 2012, 08:44:41 pm
Very nice.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on April 12, 2012, 11:58:20 pm
Thanks glad you like it, think i am giong to do the same with my starwars but with a red light.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: Los Abrazos Rotos on April 14, 2012, 03:45:45 am
Looking great!  :cheers:
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on April 16, 2012, 04:53:18 am
Just got my custom mala layout by mike boss, and cannot recommend his service enough - the man gives it 100% right from the start!.
Also fitted the new blacklight and sideart, finding it hard to photograph the extra UV glow though.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: Los Abrazos Rotos on April 16, 2012, 06:24:13 pm
How many watts is your blacklight?
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: mike boss on April 16, 2012, 07:26:46 pm
The layout really works well in your cab !
Awesome job on the cabinet BTW.
Enjoy !
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on April 17, 2012, 09:18:16 am
How many watts is your blacklight?
Hi, 15 watts, the intension is to mask off then spay some window frosting onto the plexi to hide the fittings on the end and frame the light.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: Los Abrazos Rotos on April 17, 2012, 10:18:59 am
You've done a beautiful job there  :applaud:
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: alfonzotan on April 19, 2012, 07:20:04 am
Decided the cold cathodes were not cutting it,so took a chance and ordered a 18" blacklight even though its too big, but once decased it fits to the mm.
Also added some blue led strip to the back for mood lighting, and reprinted the inner art.
Hope to have this finished this weekend as long as the marquee arrives.

Took this as a clue that I needed to (finally) do the same thing myself, and I'm happy to say it is a MASSIVE improvement.  I'll probably save the cold cathodes for bling on a future project, but the black light is so much better in my cab it isn't even funny.
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: RetroRik on April 20, 2012, 10:09:58 am
Excellent job Rocket. :applaud:

Gives me a push to crack on with my Tron CP build this weekend.  :cheers:

RIK
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on May 06, 2012, 01:03:01 pm
So I am a bit embarrassed to bump this with all the other tron builds on at the moment, but the marquee arrived so i can now call this done.
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4573/dscf0333e.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/210/dscf0333e.jpg/)
(http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/3906/img20121112111547.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/835/img20121112111547.jpg/)
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: Los Abrazos Rotos on May 06, 2012, 04:57:27 pm
Looks brilliant  :applaud:
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: rockyrocket on March 28, 2013, 01:57:11 pm
So its been almost a year since this was finished so apologies for the self bump.
Having never been happy with the coin door, and then finding myself with some unexpected free time and also having an alternate coin door I decided to redo the front of the cab.
Due to the new coin door being narrower than the other I had to mount it on a panel that then gave me the opportunity to route out a slot and feed some ELglow wire along the edge.
Its hard to photograph but the blue edge really does have a tron feeling to it and is a lot more effective than the shots portray.
An encom logo made from some 1mm alu plate finished off this project for the second and hopefully last time.
Sorry for the low quality photgraphy, one day I will get a better camera.
Ps - ignore the dust! :) .
(http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6654/egwq.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/441/egwq.jpg/)
(http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/6218/img20130328121127.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/543/img20130328121127.jpg/)
Title: Re: Diet tron
Post by: dandro on March 28, 2013, 02:03:26 pm
it's like "Where's Waldo?" I am trying to find the dust!! ;D

I def. like the new coin door better.