The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: KonkeyKong on August 19, 2005, 12:59:24 pm
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need to come up with a small, cheap, electric way to pull back my front coindoor panel so my feet and knees can roll under my cab as in picture.
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My suggestion would be to build it with footspace and not worry about a coin door at all. Less authentic looking, but far simpler, cheaper and totally foolproof.
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need to come up with a small, cheap, electric way to pull back my front coindoor panel so my feet and knees can roll under my cab as in picture.
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Good creative thinking FA, I've checked into automatic door openers for my home in the past but they charge ya up the wah-zu for them, so, yeah, not as cost-efficient as I'm hoping for.
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The first question to answer is whether you wish for the front panel to have an actual coindoor present.
If not, one idea I thought of while not necessarily electric or automatic (though you could design it that way) was like a rollup door....similar to what you would see on a desk or like a mini garage door.
Just an idea...
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A couple ideas (some better than others):
Use a pulley and counterweight to minimize the load you have to lift.
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Check you Personal Mail and email me. I have some ideas....
JDSkydiver
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some sort of motor would probabally do they job, perhaps a servo modified for continual rotation?
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Awesome ideas guys, so far I'm kinda' groovin' on the cordless screwdriver idea. A little slower so I won't rip the door of it's hinges, forward and reverse for open and close, an easily hackable switch I could move to a remote location, fairly inexpensive in the right situations, small and compact, I like it, I like it. The brainpower of this community rocks!
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Awesome ideas guys, so far I'm kinda' groovin' on the cordless screwdriver idea. A little slower so I won't rip the door of it's hinges, forward and reverse for open and close, an easily hackable switch I could move to a remote location, fairly inexpensive in the right situations, small and compact, I like it, I like it. The brainpower of this community rocks!
hmm. last time i checked cordless screwdrivers dont lock, so the door would slowly go down as soon as it goes up
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oooo...that might be a problem alright.
Ultramagnus--Could you explain the servo modified for continual rotation?
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hmm. last time i checked cordless screwdrivers dont lock, so the door would slowly go down as soon as it goes up
I've got an old Snap-On that locks in position hard enough to drive 3" screws the last little bit into a door jamb.
A single speed drill motor, with a Triac circuit on it to limit the speed, would probably be more durable anyway--unless you plan to counter-weight the door, or use gears.
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Since you must design the cab to support the weight with the front
lifted up and out of the way. Don't include it. If someone is
handicapped "don't remind them" make your game like they are like
anyone else coming along to play.
The ADA has specs for payphone placement including directory shelves
those guildlines might help in height calculations.
The monitor angle might also be a problem to deal with.
Just my 25 cents worth, good luck.
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Hi,
Instead of moving the front, why don't you use some sort of drawer to extend the CP for playing ?
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I second the drawer idea. The CP is going to have considerable height by itself. you'll need a few extra inches below that to attach a hinge of some sort all of a sudden your hands are way high in the air just so you can get leg clearance.
Do the wheelchair legs fold in or are you forced to have your legs out in front? I built my first machine with a control panel that extended about a foot from the edge of the machine. It was stationary in this position and people could sit at it.
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If you still want to pull up the coin door panel check out these 220lb hoists.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ELECTRIC-HOIST-220-440-LIFT-ROOFING-WINCH-WHEELCHAIR_W0QQitemZ7538092259QQcategoryZ42916QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Still kinda big but it looks like you could make it bottom out so it doesn't rip the door off. Nice control pendent too.
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Why not just make it like a 2" deep "reverse drawer"?
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Here's a low tech, low cost solution! Just a manual winch/pulley. A piece of string you could pull thru a tiny hole in your cab to raise/lower the door.
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I realize it's not to scale, but notice the knee and hand position in that picture. Even with the bottom swinging away, the control panel's vertical size is going to be an issue. By itself it might be ok, but it's going to be a tight fit if that control panel doesn't come away from the rest of the cabinet.
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Why not just make it like a 2" deep "reverse drawer"? You just roll the chair into it and it rolls backwards against the back of the cab. If you mounted the slides at a slight angle, it would rest against your knees until you rolled out. Then it would "close" by sliding back to the front.
Powered by Gravity
--- edit ---
"Powered by Gravity" & the "reverse drawer" are trademarked by Crazy Cooter. Exploitation, reproduction, any other tion, or commercial use prohibited. :P
Sketch:
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oooo...that might be a problem alright.
Ultramagnus--Could you explain the servo modified for continual rotation?
ok, well i have done this on small servos before but not the sorta size you will need, but i cant see that will be a problem
basically, servos only rotate so far before stopping, to modify them you need to stop the potentometer from being linked to the drive shaft, its usually a case of cutting off a small peice of plastic or metal
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you know, it just occoured to me, couldnt you just attach a servo to the hinge on the "door"? would simplify things
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I'm lovin' it, you guys are giving me some killer ideas here.
Just to clarify, I already have the cab built. The control panel is the right height for me as well as people who will be standing at it, (maybe not really tall people). I can roll my chair right under and reach everything rather well. I'll try to get some pics today.
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here are some pics of the side and underneath the monitor shelf to give you a little brain-fuel. The cab is just sitting on the boards on the floor for protection, they aren't attached. The blue stuff is masking tape to keep paint from clogging up my t-molding grooves.
While I was sitting out in the sun, on a rather steep incline I realized I might just have been sitting on the answer the whole time. The fact that my wheelchair wasn't rolling backwards got me thinking "wheelchair motors lock in the off position" Plus they are compact, variable speed and high torque. I know a couple guys with a wheelchair shop that I just happen to be going to see next week to put new motors in my chair of all things. Funny how things work sometimes, I'll keep ya posted, meanwhile I'm still looking for any ideas you might have.
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Why not just make it like a 2" deep "reverse drawer"? You just roll the chair into it and it rolls backwards against the back of the cab. If you mounted the slides at a slight angle, it would rest against your knees until you rolled out. Then it would "close" by sliding back to the front.
Powered by Gravity
--- edit ---
"Powered by Gravity" & the "reverse drawer" are trademarked by Crazy Cooter. Exploitation, reproduction, any other tion, or commercial use prohibited. :P
I think this is the best idea in the thread.
Here's a $50 12V winch
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43331
If you put that winch in the cabinet to pull the front up and back, I think that would be the ultimate solution.
Sketch:
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They're trying to lift a door, not the whole cab. ;D
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Car window motors is what came to mind immediately.
Cheap at a junkyard, high torque, switching and locking...
might take a little more +12V than a PC power supply will have, but maybe not... worth a shot.
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A buffer/grinder motor should come with some type of pulley you could use, or at least the wheels could be removed from the arbors. I'm almost positive you could find a used one for cheap in the paper, in the $10-25 range, or check out Harbor Freight (http://www.harborfreight.com) (www.harborfreight.com) to see what they've got cheap. If they've got one and you wanna know the sizes, let me know what model number it is and there's one less than 5 miles from me, I can check it out in person for you. Also, Northern Tool & Equipment (http://www.northerntool.com) (www.northerntool.com) just built another store about the same distance from me, again, check 'em out.
Positives to this? Motor is DEFNINTELY strong enough (might be faster than you like unless you "gear" it right), it should go in forward AND reverse, PLUS, you could tap into the switch wires and relocate it to the side of the cab like a pinball button, or hide it somewhere close by where you still have easy access to it when needed.
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A quick look at Northern netted me these, ranging from $40-$90 (hope this clears up what I meant too in case you didn't know what I was referring to)
(http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/143387_lg.jpg)
(http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/143389_lg.jpg)
(http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/143388_lg.jpg)
(http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/143392_lg.jpg)
(http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/15258_lg.jpg)
These from Harbor Freight seem smaller and better sized - click the pics to take you to their page for detailed specs
(http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/43500-43599/43533.gif) (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=43533)
(http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/94000-94099/94071.gif) (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=94071)
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http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2005082111510572&item=5-1555&catname=powerTrans
Small 12v linear actuator. With the right counterbalance and lever...
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As an architect this topic caught my interest. I hadn't even considered barrier free accessibility, but I do see that the monitor angle and the control panel height are very important. Our building code (Ontario Canada) has a good diagram of clearances for a sink. I imagine they'd apply very well to a cabinet. You should go to your local library and check out your local building code. You should find some diagrams. If not, you'll find the suggestion dimensions in text. You could keep that in mind if you decide to build another.
As for an actuator for the front panel, I suggest that you check out the auto customization world. There is bound to be a place that cators to the import customization market or truck customization market. I think an actuator for a truck tonneau cover would be something like what you're looking for.
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yes yes yes, more options than a man should be allowed.
Car window motors - excellent, the power source might be a little tricky but then again maybe not, anyone know about the gearing on one? because if they spin as fast as a power window opens/closes that would be an ideal speed.
bench grinder - easy power source, gearing might be an issue and I'm trying yo remember if grinder motors lock, I think I remember being able to freely spin my dad's bench grinder as a kid.
Actuator for a truck tonneau cover - looked quite spendy from what I gathered, but would make a very smooth coin door lift, but I think the cheapest one I found was around $250,
I really appreciate all these great ideas, I'm thinking with all the brain power on this forum arcade builders could someday rule the world...currency would be reduced to quarters only, and wars would be settled by high scores.
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... arcade builders could someday rule the world...currency would be reduced to quarters only, and wars would be settled by high scores.
You just wrote my new signature for these boards.
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If you are looking for pulleys, gears or other "bits" for this project check out www.mcmaster.com. Not the cheapest place to buy hardware, but if you need something specific, they've probably got it.