The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: javeryh on November 05, 2006, 08:17:03 pm

Title: Bella's Arcade [FINISHED]
Post by: javeryh on November 05, 2006, 08:17:03 pm
In the tradition of arcade cab builders everywhere I have begun work on my second cab and my first one is only 90% done (playable but there is a bit of work left on the cab and configuring everything).

This cab will be an 80% mini-cab following the Ms. Pac-man plans on Jakobud's site.  I am not going for 100% accuracy and I will be taking a few liberties in the details and especially the color scheme but the shape is definitely Ms. Pac-man.  I'm building this for my daughter so it's got to be super simple to operate and it's definitely going to be girly!  ;D

Details:
I'm not sure what type of joystick I'm going to use (Mag-Stik or Ultimarc 360) but I'm definitely settled on 3 action buttons and 4 admin buttons (start, coin, pause and exit to front end).  I'm going to use a 17" Dell LCD monitor and my somewhat old junker computer (Gateway PIII, 40GB HDD, 256MB RAM).  I'll be painting the entire thing a light pink on the outside and black on the interior.  I'm also going for a real shiny finish so it can be protected from juice spills and easy to clean but I don't know how to go about doing that yet.  The buttons and t-molding will be a darker pink from Dream Arcades.  As for artwork, right now I'm just planning on a bright colorful marquee - the CP will be black vinyl and I don't know what to put on the sides yet, if anything.

The entire cab is made out of MDF.  I've got a 18" flourescent light for the marquee and I'll be hooking everything into a Smart Strip for one-button power on and power off.  I'm undecided on a coin door but I'm leaning towards including a mini one.  Happs has one for $65 that's only 10" x 7-3/8" and it would really look nice.  The only issue is that I'm planning on hinging the panel that the coin door will be on for easy access to the computer so there might be a little problem with the wires.

Now for the good stuff - Pics!

So far I've just cut out the sides and routed the slots for the t-molding.  I also cut all of the interior support pieces so I can assemble everything next weekend.  Not a bad start for a few hours this weekend!

(http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8755/cutpanelsaw9.th.jpg) (http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cutpanelsaw9.jpg)  (http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/7895/cutpanelsonangleed3.th.jpg) (http://img177.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cutpanelsonangleed3.jpg)

(http://img427.imageshack.us/img427/9251/panelswithsidesupportsuz5.th.jpg) (http://img427.imageshack.us/my.php?image=panelswithsidesupportsuz5.jpg)  (http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/1065/panelswithsidesupports2pc4.th.jpg) (http://img169.imageshack.us/my.php?image=panelswithsidesupports2pc4.jpg)

(http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/3389/tmoldingslot2bl3.th.jpg) (http://img97.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tmoldingslot2bl3.jpg)  (http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/4744/tmoldingslotonsideofpanyu9.th.jpg) (http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tmoldingslotonsideofpanyu9.jpg)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!!
Post by: johnm160 on November 05, 2006, 08:37:57 pm
Looks like a good start to me.

Hinging the panel with the coin door should present zero problems. Put the wires into some wire loom and attach it to the cab on the side and on the front panel. the loom should keep anything from getting pinched.

If you can't find wire loom at the auto parts store, bundle with tape.....not as pretty though.

Good luck.

John
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!!
Post by: Crafty on November 07, 2006, 10:23:29 pm
I found at Dick Smiths Electronics (Australia) a 7 core wire sheath. Used for wiring alarms/ electronics. It was very useful for a Joystick and 2 buttons. Will hunt out the photo I took at the time..From memory it was less than $1 per metre..There must be something similar in a shop close to you.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!!
Post by: theCoder on November 07, 2006, 10:35:26 pm
You could also go with phone wire.  It comes in 4, 10, and 50 conductor (2, 5, and 25 pair) cables.  In a previous life, my family had an electrical contractor business.  We had tons of wire scrap lying around. 

Good luck with the build.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!!
Post by: javeryh on November 08, 2006, 10:54:35 pm
Thanks for the suggestions on the coin door wires!  One of those methods is bound to work...

OK, I've taken the plunge and ordered some parts -  there's no turning back!  Here's what's coming:

I ordered the following, all from Dream Arcades:

3 pink pushbuttons (for the action buttons)
(http://www.dreamarcades.com/images/pkib.jpg)

A pink balltop joystick - I am only ordering this for the actual pink balltop which I am going to switch out for the Ultimarc 360 (which only comes in red or black)
(http://www.dreamarcades.com/images/pbstick.jpg)

30 feet of pink t-molding:
(http://www.dreamarcades.com/auction/pinkt.jpg)

I'm pretty psyched to get going - I can probably have a mock CP finished in a few hours once everything arrives!!  This thing is going to be pink!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!!
Post by: AlanS17 on November 08, 2006, 11:08:30 pm
You can call it Pink LemonCade!  :laugh2:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!!
Post by: sealslayer on November 10, 2006, 01:46:04 pm
lol, same buttons, sticks and T-molding as mine, actually the sticks are quite good.
I have no idea what make they are but they can sure take a real beating when used in track and field instead of buttons.

Always remember my GF's Motto "You can never have too much pink "

 :laugh2:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!!
Post by: javeryh on November 10, 2006, 02:15:15 pm
lol, same buttons, sticks and T-molding as mine, actually the sticks are quite good.
I have no idea what make they are but they can sure take a real beating when used in track and field instead of buttons.

Always remember my GF's Motto "You can never have too much pink "

 :laugh2:


So does the pink all match?  I can't tell from the pics on the Dream Arcade website but they look pretty close.  Also, is the balltop a big ball or a little one?

I'm actually not going to be using the joystick - I bought it just for the balltop.  I'm swapping it out with the one on the Ultimarc 360.  I only want 1 joystick on the CP and I want to be be able to play 4-way, 2-way and 8-way games without having to switch anything.  Since it's for my daughter it has to be as simple to use as possible...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: sealslayer on November 10, 2006, 05:00:04 pm
The buttons and the T-Molding are almost the same shade of pink and the Joysticks are ever so slightly darker, probably as the plastic seems to be a lot denser than the buttons, although you can't really tell any difference unless you really take a good close look.
The joysticks are just over over 1.25" wide
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: Timoe on November 10, 2006, 08:52:20 pm
ponyboy sells the pink balltop, for like $5, that fits the sanwa shaft on the ultrastik360.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: javeryh on November 10, 2006, 10:35:41 pm
ponyboy sells the pink balltop, for like $5, that fits the sanwa shaft on the ultrastik360.

Crap.  Really?  I'm paying $14.19 for it... but it comes with a joystick,  I'll try and sell it with the red balltop that I don't use from the Ultimarc 360...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: javeryh on November 10, 2006, 10:41:44 pm
Tomorrow morning (6 am!) I'm going to start the assembly of the cab.  I have to glue and screw down the battons - that is going to be the toughest part because they have to be exact to make everything level and square.  After I finish that (all the pieces are cut and the lines are drawn) I am going to rip a bunch of boards to 18" wide for the connecting pieces and try and glue everything up.  Some of the ends have to be angled so it might get tricky but I'm hoping I can have something in 3D by mid-morning.  Once the wife and kid are ready for the day my personal time is over...  :(

Would you recommend screwing everything for now so I can take it apart to paint everything flat or does it even matter?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: Aurich on November 10, 2006, 11:41:43 pm
Crap.  Really?  I'm paying $14.19 for it...

Should have been more patient, I already told you that in the thread where you asked about pink balltops.  ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: theCoder on November 11, 2006, 02:10:24 am
Most builds I have seen on this site paint after assembly.  I can think of two good reasons.  You reduce the chances of scratching the paint if you dont have to handle the individually painted pieces.  Also, the paint will seal your joints making them stronger and look better.  You probably reduce the chances for runs is everything is flat, but...

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: shardian on November 11, 2006, 03:23:16 am
ponyboy sells the pink balltop, for like $5, that fits the sanwa shaft on the ultrastik360.

Crap.  Really?  I'm paying $14.19 for it... but it comes with a joystick,  I'll try and sell it with the red balltop that I don't use from the Ultimarc 360...

Ahh. I have a stupid pink balltop I would have totally traded you for the red one...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: javeryh on November 11, 2006, 11:16:44 pm
Crap.  Really?  I'm paying $14.19 for it...

Should have been more patient, I already told you that in the thread where you asked about pink balltops.  ;)

Oh well...  It's not that big of a deal - at least I get an extra joystick out of it.  ;D

Most builds I have seen on this site paint after assembly.  I can think of two good reasons.  You reduce the chances of scratching the paint if you dont have to handle the individually painted pieces.  Also, the paint will seal your joints making them stronger and look better.  You probably reduce the chances for runs is everything is flat, but...

I think that's what I'm going to do even though runs are a big concern of mine...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: javeryh on November 12, 2006, 09:26:59 am
Site is up and running.  http://bellasarcade.blogspot.com/

I'm ready to make the cab 3D today.  All the battons are installed and three of the interior support pieces are cut.  I'm hoping to get it looking like a real cabinet today!

Does anyone have any tips on how to assemble the cabinet?  It seems like it is going to be tough to get everything square.  I'm planning on laying one side flat and then installing the cross pieces perpendicular to that side.  The hard part is going to be getting the other side on there.  As soon as I get the three cross pieces in place I am going to cut and install the back panel - that should add strength and make it square (assuming I can cut a square panel).

Any help would be great!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: theCoder on November 12, 2006, 12:36:17 pm
You might find a clean, square corner somewhere in your shop/garage.  Or you could make a half box (three sides) fixture out of plywood.  The advantage of making it with wood is you can temporarily tack your work to the fixture to hold it in place.  Check with a square, then check again, then just when you think your ready to commit with glue & screw, check one last time.  Having a second set of hands around also helps a lot.  Good luck with it.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab!! Pink is the new hotness!!
Post by: javeryh on November 13, 2006, 11:55:36 am
Marquee designs have been added to www.bellasarcade.blogspot.com!  Here's my favorite of the bunch so far:

(http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/6410/bella27s20marquee202kv0.th.jpg) (http://img49.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bella27s20marquee202kv0.jpg)

If you've got any suggestions or comments or if you want to try and design my marquee yourself please do so!!

Thanks!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (11.13.2006: Marquee Design!)
Post by: javeryh on November 14, 2006, 01:16:16 pm
OK, I think the marquee design is final.  megashock5 made this for me and he was patient enough to tweak it until it was perfect.  What do you think?  Any comments to the layout and/or color scheme?

(http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1469/bellamarquee3re7.th.jpg) (http://img142.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bellamarquee3re7.jpg)

Thanks!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (11.14.2006: "Final" Marquee Design!)
Post by: leapinlew on November 14, 2006, 02:26:27 pm
I think it's perfect marquee. Hopefully the printer can do it justice.

I like the multi-color more than the green. I have a thing for the cabinet design... lookin good.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (11.14.2006: "Final" Marquee Design!)
Post by: javeryh on November 15, 2006, 12:32:50 pm
I think it's perfect marquee. Hopefully the printer can do it justice.

I like the multi-color more than the green. I have a thing for the cabinet design... lookin good.

Thanks.  I am really pleased with it and I think Bella will love it!  I'm probably not going to be adding side art or a CP overlay to this thing (unless I can think of something cool) so it will be the one place your eye is immediately drawn too.

Can anyone who has ordered from mamemarquees comment on whether I should order the marquee to size or should I order it a little large and trim it to size myself?  I guess I'm wondering if they make an exact cut or not because it comes with the two sheets of plexiglass too and if they can cut to size I'll just save myself the hassle.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Final Marquee Design!)
Post by: Pixelhugger on November 15, 2006, 06:00:16 pm
I love the artwork!! Looking forward to seeing the cab! *wonders if own daughter will want one*
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Final Marquee Design!)
Post by: javeryh on November 18, 2006, 10:10:56 pm
I love the artwork!! Looking forward to seeing the cab! *wonders if own daughter will want one*

Thanks!  I'm sure your daughter will want a personalized cab - who wouldn't?  :cheers:

I updated my site with some progress: www.bellasarcade.blogspot.com

I glued up all the panels but didn't use any screws because I don't want any screw holes to show on the outside/painted panels - will that be strong enough?  It seems like it but I really don't know...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: leapinlew on November 19, 2006, 02:29:52 am
Lookin Good lookin good! Did you need any help to do that?

If you screwed and glued some  L brackets inside, it would allow provide extra strength, allow you to rest easier, and not put any screw holes on the outside (just make sure the screws you use aren't too long).
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: javeryh on November 19, 2006, 07:33:55 am
Lookin Good lookin good! Did you need any help to do that?

If you screwed and glued some  L brackets inside, it would allow provide extra strength, allow you to rest easier, and not put any screw holes on the outside (just make sure the screws you use aren't too long).

Thanks!!  It's starting to come together.  I'm thinking the same thing about providing some extra strength... I'm going to go to Home Depot today and buy some L brackets for peace of mind. 

I did not have any help putting it together.  I had to think about it for a while though.  The wood strips helped me line everything up and after I glued and clamped the two end pieces to the side panel (marquee bottom panel and bottom computer shelf panel) it was surprisingly sturdy and I had no problems putting the other side panel on top.  Once that dried for about an hour I removed some clamps and glued the back panel in place.  I'm hoping when I tip it up it isn't leaning to one side and everything is level!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: theCoder on November 19, 2006, 09:09:03 pm
Wood blocks mounted on the inside will be much stronger than metal brackets.  The wood can be glued and screwed from the inside, providing a large surface area for the glue.  Some claim that wood glue is stronger than screws, but only if you have enough surface area.  You just need to measure out your wood screws and counter sink as necessary.  Good progress so far.

<Edit> - I forgot to mention, that marquee reeks of little girl sticky sweet.  It would make a 25 year old single guy want to puke, so it is probably great for your daughter.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: javeryh on November 20, 2006, 12:19:41 pm
Wood blocks mounted on the inside will be much stronger than metal brackets.  The wood can be glued and screwed from the inside, providing a large surface area for the glue.  Some claim that wood glue is stronger than screws, but only if you have enough surface area.  You just need to measure out your wood screws and counter sink as necessary.  Good progress so far.

<Edit> - I forgot to mention, that marquee reeks of little girl sticky sweet.  It would make a 25 year old single guy want to puke, so it is probably great for your daughter.

Thanks - it does seem quite strong now that the glue has dried.  The marquee is exactly what I'm going for with this thing and hopeully the paint job will only add to the girliness of the whole thing.  I am painting it pink and black and it looks like I'm going to have to do it in stages.  I'm going to tape and cover everything that isn't pink then paint, sand, paint, sant, paint until it's done.  Then I'll tape and cover the pink up and paint and sand the rest of it black.  The good thing is that I can prime the whole thing at once...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: leapinlew on November 20, 2006, 12:42:35 pm
<Edit> - I forgot to mention, that marquee reeks of little girl sticky sweet.  It would make a 25 year old single guy want to puke, so it is probably great for your daughter.

LoL! true... It's turning out to be a very cute cabinet.

F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: javeryh on November 20, 2006, 12:49:01 pm
<Edit> - I forgot to mention, that marquee reeks of little girl sticky sweet.  It would make a 25 year old single guy want to puke, so it is probably great for your daughter.

LoL! true... It's turning out to be a very cute cabinet.

F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S

Thanks!!!  ;D 

More pics are coming as soon as I can load them up!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: javeryh on November 20, 2006, 12:52:39 pm
OK, here it is looking all upright and arcade like.  The last pic is of the kickplate (sort of - I'm no photographer!)

(http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/992/1469/400/P1010043.jpg) (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/992/1469/400/P1010044.0.jpg)

(http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/992/1469/400/P1010050.jpg) (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/992/1469/400/P1010047.jpg)

Check it out at www.bellasarcade.blogspot.com
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: sealslayer on November 20, 2006, 04:01:38 pm
Very nice curves, how did you measure and cut those? I had real trouble just doing a small semicircle at each end of my CP let alone doing large curves like those.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: javeryh on November 20, 2006, 04:29:31 pm
Very nice curves, how did you measure and cut those? I had real trouble just doing a small semicircle at each end of my CP let alone doing large curves like those.

Thanks!  I hope this makes sense...  First, I used the plans on Jakobud's site (http://www.jakobud.com) to get the dimensions of the cabinet, including the radii of the curves.  I measured everything by 0.8 to shrink it down and make it a "mini" cab.  Once I had the "official" plans in front of me I laid out everything except for the curves with a ruler, t-square and pencil. 

Next, since I knew where each curve started and stopped and I knew the radius of each curve, the trick was to find the center point of the circle.  I actually used a pencil tied to a long piece of string to draw everything - from the pencil I measured the length of the radius along the string and then used my other hand to pinch off the string at that point.  Then I placed my pencil-less hand (with the string still in hand) on the point where the curve was going to start and drew a large arc roughly where I thought the center point of the circle should be.  I did the same thing from the other point where the curve was going to end.  The center point of my circle is where the two arcs intersected.  To finish drawing the curve I placed my pencil-less hand (with the string still in hand) at the intersection point and drew the curve, connecting each of the end points. 

Everything was very rough looking and approximate.  The pencil-on-a-string was by no means perfect (there were multiple lines from going over it a few times - kind of just roughed out) but it did the job.  The clean up came in the next step.

To cut it out of the MDF I went VERY slowly with a jigsaw making sure to leave the line and then I just sanded it smooth using a wood block.  It took a while but I think the results were worth it.  I used a pattern cutting bit to make a matching side.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (Glue-Up - It's 3D!)
Post by: javeryh on November 21, 2006, 09:39:14 am
OK, I'm calling on help from the experts - this means you!  I wanted to do a little more work on the arcade cabinet when I got home from work yesterday but I am still trying to work out how the control panel and monitor bezel are going to interact with each other as well as how the bottom of the control panel is going to transition to the bottom portion of the cabinet (the top of the coin door panel). I ended up staring at the cabinet for a solid 45 minutes without doing a single thing because I want to make sure I do this right.

This is a picture of the problem area. 

(http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9250/p1010046re8.th.jpg) (http://img153.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010046re8.jpg)

Hopefully the pencil lines are viewable - they show where the control panel will go. Right now the control panel top/bezel is at a 90 degree angle to the control banel bottom. I should note that the small support piece in the middle of the cabinet (as shown in the picture) is not glued in place so it is moveable.

Here are the issues:

Issue #1. Should the control panel and bezel be made out of one sheet of MDF? I want them on the same plane because I think it will look slick except I run into problems when I start thinking about adding the smoked glass overlay (3/16" thick) and potentially a thin posterboard bezel to frame the monitor closely.

The monitor is going to be a 17" Dell LCD computer monitor. I plan to cut a hole in the MDF bezel panel the exact size of the outer circumference of the monitor case so I can have the LCD screen flush with the MDF bezel panel. The monitor will be supported from behind. I will probably need to add a thin piece of black posterboard on top to cover the edges of the monitor and make it look nice.

The control panel will be covered with Happs black vinyl so it will be able to withstand a little abuse from my daughter when she plays it.

Issue #2. How should the angled front of the control panel meet the middle support piece? The only reason this middle piece is there at all is to frame the hinged coin door panel on the top. I wanted a small lip on the top of the coin door panel so it didn't just butt up against the front of the control panel. This lip will also hide the fact that the coin door panel opens.

I think the second pic I attached is a nice solution but it also means I will have to get someone to manufacture the CP out of metal for me - I'm not sure how expensive that will be and I would really like to make the entire CP out of MDF but I do not know how - at the very least it would require cutting the pieces of MDF at some pretty odd angles to make everything flush.

Any thoughts no matter how crazy are more than welcome!!!  THANK YOU!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (I NEED YOUR HELP!!!)
Post by: leapinlew on November 21, 2006, 11:01:20 am
Option 1: If your using a metal cp, just lay it over the bezel and wrap the happs vinyl over it. Thats how they are at the arcade.

It won't give you that single plane your looking for but it would be tons easier and more authentic.

Option 2: Don't create a metal CP and just use 1 big sheet of MDF to do both the CP and the Bezel. User your router and set the depth to 3/16" and drop in the smoked plexi in the hole you cut.

Thats all I could think of.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (I NEED YOUR HELP!!!)
Post by: javeryh on November 22, 2006, 07:29:55 am
Option 1: If your using a metal cp, just lay it over the bezel and wrap the happs vinyl over it. Thats how they are at the arcade.

It won't give you that single plane your looking for but it would be tons easier and more authentic.

Option 2: Don't create a metal CP and just use 1 big sheet of MDF to do both the CP and the Bezel. User your router and set the depth to 3/16" and drop in the smoked plexi in the hole you cut.

Thats all I could think of.

Thanks!!!  You actually made me come up with this: 

I think I am going to try a modified version of your Option 2.  I'm going to use 3 pieces of MDF - one to frame the monitor and the two will be glued together at a right angle for the control panel.  I'm going to wrap the control panel in vinyl (including the top and bottom edges) and then butt it up against the MDF monitor frame but offset 1/4" (3/16" for the glass and 1/16" for the posterboard bezel.  I have a biscuit joiner so I am going to reinforce the butt joint with biscuits - I'll cut them right through the vinyl that I wrap around.

What do you think?  The only part that I think will be tough is the bottom panel of the CP - I'm going to have to cut it at a weird angle to meet the middle support piece nicely.

Thoughts anyone?

EDIT: Mock-up attached.  The CP and bezel panel/monitor frame are going to be offset by 1/4" - 5/16" to accomodate the thickness of the glass and posterboard.  Do you think the joint will hold?  I'm thinking I need to add some interior CP support pieces to brace everything...

Also, that "weird angled joint" is going to be extremely difficult for me to cut without a table saw.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (I NEED YOUR HELP!!!)
Post by: theCoder on November 22, 2006, 04:17:31 pm
What if you went with one piece of MDF, routed a pocket for the glass, cut a large hole for the control panel, then router a pocket in the backside to drop a modular CP into.  Similar in nature to how you will be mounting the LCD, also mount the CP from the bottom.  Just an idea...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (I NEED YOUR HELP!!!)
Post by: javeryh on November 24, 2006, 08:20:33 am
What if you went with one piece of MDF, routed a pocket for the glass, cut a large hole for the control panel, then router a pocket in the backside to drop a modular CP into.  Similar in nature to how you will be mounting the LCD, also mount the CP from the bottom.  Just an idea...

Hmmm... I'm not sure what you mean by routing a pocket for the CP.  I am going to be making a hole to frame the monitor but towards the front the CP is going to have to touch both sides.  Maybe a quick pic would make things clearer for me (I'm slow  ;D).

Thanks!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (I NEED YOUR HELP!!!)
Post by: javeryh on November 25, 2006, 07:25:40 am
I want to scream.  I spent 4 hours yesterday working on the cabinet and didn't glue a single piece in place.  I did cut a lot of pieces though and I am ready for a glue up today (I hope).  I cut the panels to frame the coin door opening and I cut the top marquee piece (which I can't install until I get the computer speakers and the marquee light in place because I won't be able to get my hands in there once the top pice is in place). 

I am having a bit of a problem regarding the coin door panel.  Here goes:

I am hinging the panel that my coin door is on.  I framed out the opening using .75" thick MDF so I can mount the hinges and so it has something to close up against.  I guess this is really a cabinet-making question but how wide should the door be?  I want to give the illusion as best as possible that the coin door panel does not move but if the door is as wide as the opening it will not pivot on the hinge (it is pretty snug right now).  How much is customary to shave off of each side?  The hinges I bought are the kind that you have to use a forstner bit to cut out a circle in the door in order to mount (so the panel opens the entire width of the opening)...

Any help would be great!  Thanks!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (I NEED YOUR HELP!!!)
Post by: MinerAl on November 25, 2006, 10:08:47 pm
Cut the inside edge of the "knob end" at a bevel so that, when closed, the outside edge is flush, but while opening the inside edge doesn't bind.  A round-over or just a simple angle will accomplish this.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Pink Vertical Mini Cab (I NEED YOUR HELP!!!)
Post by: javeryh on November 25, 2006, 11:58:15 pm
Thanks.  I'm going to give that a try.  I worked for another 3 hours today but again didn't do much.  I installed the speakers and marquee light - the speakers were a huge pain because I had to open them up and then mount them to the bottom marquee panel.  I ended up drilling my own screw holes so they would stay in place.  Also, I finally got the hinged door opening framed out and the hinges in place on both the panel and the opening.  The door isn't hung yet but I am going to do that tomorrow when I have more patience.  It is going to require a lot of tweaking. 

I think by tomorrow the only thing I'll have left to do is install the bezel and CP (kind of a big deal!).  Pics to come tomorrow!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Speaker Installation][Still need CP help!
Post by: javeryh on November 26, 2006, 09:19:39 am
Installing the speakers was a little tougher than I anticipated (just like everything else).  I thought it was going to be a 20 minute job but it ended up taking well over an hour.  I bought a set of cheap 2.1 speakers from CompUSA to put in the cabinet.  I already had the holes cut out in the panel where the speakers were going to be mounted.  I ended up removing the speakers from the casing for installation but I still used the front panel of the speaker casing to secure the speakers in place.  Pics and a more detailed explanation can be found HERE (http://www.bellasarcade.blogspot.com).

Pics:
(http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/3724/speaker20partszy4.th.jpg) (http://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=speaker20partszy4.jpg)  (http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3669/speaker20mount20hack202ng2.th.jpg) (http://img141.imageshack.us/my.php?image=speaker20mount20hack202ng2.jpg)

(http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8899/speaker20hole202kz4.th.jpg) (http://img141.imageshack.us/my.php?image=speaker20hole202kz4.jpg)  (http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7894/speakers20installedko7.th.jpg) (http://img148.imageshack.us/my.php?image=speakers20installedko7.jpg)

(http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9877/speakers20installed202aq0.th.jpg) (http://img148.imageshack.us/my.php?image=speakers20installed202aq0.jpg)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Speaker Installation][Still need CP help!]
Post by: javeryh on November 28, 2006, 10:41:49 am
Well, I think I've finalized the CP design.  The first one is what I'm going with but it went through several phases as you can see before I settled on it.  I hope to make a mock-up this week but it might be tough due to work...

Final design:
(http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7071/cpredesign3ah4.th.jpg) (http://img329.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cpredesign3ah4.jpg)

Design #3
(http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/1892/cpredesign2vp2.th.jpg) (http://img373.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cpredesign2vp2.jpg)

Design #2
(http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/3778/cpredesignae7.th.jpg) (http://img373.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cpredesignae7.jpg)

Design #1
(http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/543/cpdesignbz9.th.jpg) (http://img472.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cpdesignbz9.jpg)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Final CP Design!]
Post by: javeryh on November 29, 2006, 12:44:30 pm
I started to make a mock-up CP last night and the button layout forced the height of the CP to be 6-7/8" tall which seems a little high.  I have room for it but that means there is a lot of dead space on the CP (which I could use to install a spinner) so I'm not sure overall how it will look.  I'm going to go ahead and finish drilling out the holes for the action buttons and joystick (which is arriving today!) and maybe even cover it in black vinyl to see what the "finished CP" will look like. 

I'm also not sure where exactly to put the joystick and action buttons - how far apart should they be?  I'm going to center them from top to bottom but I'm not sure how close to each other they should be...

If I decide to scrap it, no big deal - it only takes an hour or so to layout the buttons and drill out the holes...

Another CP thought to shrink it in size:

(http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/354/cpredesign4gb6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Final CP Design!]
Post by: MinerAl on November 29, 2006, 01:19:28 pm
You might want to consider non-arcade buttons for the non-arcade things like pause and escape.  A couple of radio shack 1/4 inch pushbutton switches would take up less vertical space than one arcade button.  They even look like the start buttons from Midway cocktail machines, so they aren't horribly un-authentic.  They're also candidates for other-than-on-the-CP buttons.  I'd like to put two translucent red coin buttons on a faux coin door on the front panel of my next mini-project.

Just some thoughts.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Final CP Design!]
Post by: theCoder on November 29, 2006, 11:22:46 pm
As I was reading your last post, I was thinking exactly what MinerAl wrote.  I used three of the Radio Shack 1/2 inch buttons on my last project and it worked out well.  They take a 1/2 inch hole, and have about a 5/8 inch bezel.  I mounted mine 1 inch apart.  Unless you have already purchased the player 1 & 2 buttons, I would go with 4 small admin buttons, across the top right with labels underneath.  For what its worth...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Final CP Design!]
Post by: leapinlew on November 29, 2006, 11:53:33 pm
I vote that you leave it how it is. I like it, and I think it'll make sense to your young daughter.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Final CP Design!]
Post by: psychotech on November 30, 2006, 07:38:56 am
Well, I'd say you should stick to that "Final design" above but use smaller admin buttons. Those small buttons really save space ..and they're not that different from the real buttons. That layout looks good otherwise  :applaud:

For a cp -layout with minibuttons etc... http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=56653.0

 ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Final CP Design!]
Post by: javeryh on November 30, 2006, 09:11:03 am
Thanks for the comments!  I posted this in the main forum but I'll copy it here:

Well, it's time for the daily update.  Last night I finished making a mock-up of the CP with the 4 buttons on the left.  Here it is:

(http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/1922/p1010084vp6.th.jpg) (http://img91.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010084vp6.jpg)

(http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/2877/p1010088av3.th.jpg) (http://img176.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010088av3.jpg)

The top of the CP is right at where the bottom of the T-square is located.  The bottom of the CP more or less goes right to the bottom of the panel (I just need to rip it straight but if you look closely you can see the pencil line).  Also note that all of the admin buttons will be black on the final CP - I just didn't have enough extra lying around.

I'm thinking it is one button too tall and that I need to seriously consider relocating or removing the coin button so only 3 buttons are on the right.  It's not that I don't have the room for it - this is strictly on proportions by eyeballing it.

Mini-button issue:  I have thought about using mini-buttons but this cab isn't for me.  In fact, my last cab made good use of the minis for admin purposes:

(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4429/p220cp20with20adminfs4.th.jpg) (http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p220cp20with20adminfs4.jpg)

I know there's not much difference in what a mini button does versus a regular one (you just press it, duh!) but for some reason I think the size will make it easier for my daughter to understand and to press.  My goal is to keep everything on the same plane (no buttons on the front) and all of the buttons the same size.  I know this isn't the ideal solution for a regular cab but I think it is what will make it easiest for her. 

I'm leaning towards the shorter "L" shaped design I posted above or possibly removing the coin button altogether and just hoping she can understand that you have to insert a quarter if you want to play.  Probably the "L" shape for simplicity's sake and sacrifice a little bit of the overall layout.

Any thoughts/comments? 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CP Mock-up - PICS!]
Post by: theCoder on November 30, 2006, 11:07:59 am
I have found that kids are very quick learners when it comes to gaming and computers.  I though my son would have a hard time picking up the concept of a mouse when he was 2 years old so I picked up one of those huge Microsoft trackballs especially designed for kids.  He blew right past the need and was successfully navigating windows within a few days (window open, double click to run, etc.) with a regular mouse.  Kids are smarter than some adults give them credit for.  My wife teaches pre-school and I hear some amazing stories.

You are wise to consider the ergonomics of the CP.  The size of the buttons for example is an issue.  Small uncoordinated hands work better with larger buttons.  If you are planning on making all of the admin buttons the same color, I would recommend making large, different colored borders around them.  Color in user interface controls is much easier to learn and remember than words or position.  Color with recognized symbols is even better.

What is your rational for keeping everything on the same plane?  Why not put the coin button on the front or wire something up to the coin return button?  Again, kids learn fast.

How about putting the player 1 & 2 buttons on the top left and move the esc. button to the row on the right.  That would reduce the row of four by one and balance things out a bit.

Just some ideas...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CP Mock-up - PICS!]
Post by: MinerAl on December 01, 2006, 02:35:10 pm
My thinking was that it would help a kid if she knew the big buttons do stuff in the game and the little buttons do stuff that change the game.

What you said makes sense though.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CP Mock-up - PICS!]
Post by: javeryh on December 01, 2006, 03:09:19 pm
What is your rational for keeping everything on the same plane?  Why not put the coin button on the front or wire something up to the coin return button?  Again, kids learn fast.

I just like the cleaner look of everything on the same plane I guess.  If I were to move buttons to the front panel I'd probably move the Player 1 and Player 2 buttons there just so there was more than one odd placed button.

I'm going to create a second mock-up tonight or tomorrow with the coin button completely removed - so there will be three buttons aligned vertically on the right.  I'm leaning towards just using the coin door for the coins (what a crazy idea for an arcade cab!).  I've thought about what you said and my daughter seems scary smart to me so I'm sure she will figure it out in no time.  She is a bit young right now though for the whole cab but by the time she "gets" Pac-man I'm sure the quarters will be easy for her too.  If all else fails and she just doesn't get it, I'll find a place for the coin button and add it after the fact.

How about putting the player 1 & 2 buttons on the top left and move the esc. button to the row on the right.  That would reduce the row of four by one and balance things out a bit.

I thought about this but I want the ESC button all by itself so there is very little chance it will accidentally get pressed when trying to insert a coin or start again.

My thinking was that it would help a kid if she knew the big buttons do stuff in the game and the little buttons do stuff that change the game.

This is very true - I do want her to be able to tell the difference.  I am planning to put vinyl labels on each of the admin buttons to differentiate them from the action buttons - also, they will all be black as opposed to pink.

Thanks for the ideas everyone!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Coin Door Panel Installed - PICS!]
Post by: javeryh on December 01, 2006, 03:28:23 pm
Kind of a boring update but here are the latest pics of my cab.  I installed the coin door panel and it closes pretty tight.  I need to remove some material along the edges with a router to give a little more clearance but otherwise it came out quite good.

(http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/6826/p1010077nz3.th.jpg) (http://img55.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010077nz3.jpg)

(http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/5484/p1010082jk1.th.jpg) (http://img55.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010082jk1.jpg)

(http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/4411/p1010083yy8.th.jpg) (http://img55.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010083yy8.jpg)

More details and other more useless pictures can be found HERE (http://bellasarcade.blogspot.com).

Thanks for looking!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [FINAL CP Design - PICS!]
Post by: javeryh on December 04, 2006, 09:37:12 am
OK, I didn't have much time over the weekend to work (stupid trees dropping leaves all over the place) but I did get a chance to make my final* control panel.  I went with a similar layout as the test one I made above but I ended up dropping one of the buttons on the right.  The panel looks way more proportioned now and it's just an all around better design.  I did have to sacrifice the "coin" button but I am going to be installing a working coin door so my daughter will just have to figure it out.  I might wire the player 2 coin return to act as a "coin" button if I find that inserting quarters is too much of a pain.  I'll also mount a switch on the inside to toggle this on and off so she isn't "free playing" all the time. 

Anyway, here are some pictures of the panel with everything cut:

(http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/5175/p1010096vg5.th.jpg) (http://img347.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010096vg5.jpg) (http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/2253/p1010099co6.th.jpg) (http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010099co6.jpg)

(http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/2130/p1010100ip0.th.jpg) (http://img347.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010100ip0.jpg) (http://img274.imageshack.us/img274/6217/p1010105lj8.th.jpg) (http://img274.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010105lj8.jpg)

Here's one of the joystick bottom installed in the routed area:

(http://img274.imageshack.us/img274/8921/p1010107fr4.th.jpg) (http://img274.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010107fr4.jpg)

Here is the CP with everything installed (the bottom edge of the t-square is the top of the CP).  Also note that I will be covering the entire control panel with black vinyl, the bottom edge has yet to be rounded over to meet the control panel front and all of the admin buttons will be black and have pink vinyl labeling.

(http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/4272/p1010112vd3.th.jpg) (http://img243.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010112vd3.jpg) (http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9198/p1010114ft7.th.jpg) (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010114ft7.jpg)

(http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8245/p1010117nt6.th.jpg) (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010117nt6.jpg) (http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/865/p1010116ec5.th.jpg) (http://img142.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010116ec5.jpg)

Finally, here is a comparison of the old design and the new one:

(http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/1220/p1010088kj9.th.jpg) (http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010088kj9.jpg) (http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/4272/p1010112vd3.th.jpg) (http://img243.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010112vd3.jpg)

Thanks for looking!!


* subject to change  ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [FINAL CP Design - PICS!]
Post by: Donkey_Kong on December 07, 2006, 12:57:35 pm
I love it and the U 360 W/ Pink balltop...GENIOUS!! Wish I had a daughter to build a pink cab for!!

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [FINAL CP Design - PICS!]
Post by: javeryh on December 10, 2006, 03:45:39 pm
I love it and the U 360 W/ Pink balltop...GENIOUS!! Wish I had a daughter to build a pink cab for!!

 :cheers:

Thanks!  I had Andy confirm the pink balltop would fit before I ordered - and it does!  I think it will look sharp against the black vinyl CPO...

In other "news" I am having a very hard time finishing the cabinet portion and getting everything ready for paint.  The main problem is the control panel - I can't seem to figure out how the bottom part connects with the rest of the cabinet.  I also have to make sure it is removeable in case I need to do any maintenance in the future and I'm not quite sure how to accomplish this.  The only thing I can think of is to cut the panels on an angle and I don't know how to do this accurately with my tools.  Every thing except for these last two panels is cut and ready for paint so I'm almost there...

I'll post pictures of the trouble area tomorrow and hopefully someone here can help me.  I really wanted to finish today but I don't want to rush...

Things I need to do to finish the cabinet (for my own sanity):

1.  Cut hole in bezel panel for the monitor
2.  Cut hole in coin door panel for the coin door
3.  Remove material on back edge of coin door panel sides so door closes easier
4.  Cut CP front panel (angled edge)
5.  Cut CP bottom panel (angled edge)

It's not that much and #1, #2 and #3 will probably only take an hour or two but #4 and #5 are going to be a huge pain.  I really want to get the thing completely finished so I can get it out of the garage and inside the basement for painting - it's cold out there!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [FINAL CP Design - PICS!]
Post by: javeryh on December 11, 2006, 01:01:25 pm
Some quick pics of the cabinet with the bezel panel and CP installed (nothing is glued yet hence the clamp):

Here's the overall look - obviously I still need to cut the hole in the panel for the monitor and coin door.  The notch in the back is for the speaker and light wires that you can see hanging down.  I'm going to cover this with a panel that will be perpendicular to the bezel panel and meet the panel on the underside of the marquee - kind of sloping towards the player.

(http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/4673/p1010120ar8.th.jpg) (http://img169.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010120ar8.jpg)  (http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3993/p1010123bo3.th.jpg) (http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010123bo3.jpg)

And here are some shots of the recess I've created to hold the glass and cardboard/plastic bezel over the monitor.  They will rest right on the CP panel with nothing but gravity holding them in place.  It's a 3/8" lip - I'm figuring on 3/16" to 1/4" thick glass and then something 1/8" thick or less for the bezel.  I had to rabbit the edge of the bezel panel (3/4" x 3/8") so the control panel has a place to rest (it is going to be removeable).

(http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/744/p1010126iv3.th.jpg) (http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010126iv3.jpg)  (http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/5096/p1010128fr9.th.jpg) (http://img175.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010128fr9.jpg)

Any thoughts or suggestions?  Am I on the right track or is there something you would have done differently?  I'd also like to hear some ideas on how I should go about locking the CP in place so it doesn't move at all but I can still remove it if necessary.



Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CP/Bezel Panel Installed - PICS!]
Post by: Kaytrim on December 11, 2006, 01:55:37 pm
javeryh,

Seeing you don't have a table saw it might be something to ask Santa for.  ;)  Another solution is to leave the MDF cut normally and not try for the crazy angle.  Here is what I would do instead...

Cut the front panel of the CP so the back corner meets up with the top corner of the middle support panel.  Wrap the middle support panel and cabinet sides with news paper.  Use bondo to fill in the space left between the front panel and the middle support panel.  The newspaper will prevent the bondo from adhering to the side and support panels. 

You are talking about the possibility of removing the CP for maintenance or future changes.  What I would do in your situation is move the buttons on the sides in a little bit to give you room for a piece of pine, 1x2 or 2x2 would do the trick.  This will give you a solid point for your screws instead of edge screwing the MDF.  I have ruined a few pieces of MDF by trying to hit my pre-drilled holes on the edges.  This way you can access the screws from the sides or the CP face and not worry about ruining the MDF.

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CP/Bezel Panel Installed - PICS!]
Post by: javeryh on December 12, 2006, 12:17:04 pm
Thanks Kaytrim!  That's a pretty good idea.  I'm a little afraid that the gap there would be a little big to use bondo on but I really don't know.  Also, it might be hard to hold things at the proper angle to let the bondo dry although I suppose if I used the bondo after everything was in place this would be less of a problem.  I need to think about this more but I might end up using your suggestion if I can't get the MDF cut at the proper angle.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CP/Bezel Panel Installed - PICS!]
Post by: javeryh on December 12, 2006, 01:30:46 pm
OK, big update for a very small task:

This isn't glamorous but it sure was more time-consuming than I thought it would be. This entire process took me about an hour and a half which doesn't seem right but everything always takes longer than I think it should.  Last night I cut out the hole for the coin door on the front panel of the cabinet. I ordered the Happ Small Coin Door (but not from them) - it's a little pricey but I think it adds a real nice finishing touch and an "authentic" look to the cabinet. Plus, since I decided to remove the "coin" button from the control panel it will be the only way to start up the games!

The first thing I did was remove the coin door panel from the hinges (and remove the hinges too) so I could layout the mounting template in the center. This was pretty easy to do with just my t-square and pencil. The corners of the cutout are rounded and have a 1" radius so I had to drill a 2" diameter hole in each corner in order to get the proper cut. Here are some shots showing the layout and some of the holes drilled:

(http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6609/p1010142py6.th.jpg) (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010142py6.jpg)  (http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/3486/p1010143ih3.th.jpg) (http://img70.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010143ih3.jpg)

(http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/596/p1010139fn4.th.jpg) (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010139fn4.jpg)  (http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/5375/p1010145iu0.th.jpg) (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010145iu0.jpg)

Once all 4 holes were cut in the corners I used my jigsaw to connect the holes and remove the interior material. I made sure to stay 1/8" inside the line for the rough cut so I can clean it up with the router and a flush trimming bit.

(http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/5800/p1010146to2.th.jpg) (http://img399.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010146to2.jpg)  (http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2441/p1010147ca6.th.jpg) (http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010147ca6.jpg)
 
The final thing I did was use the router to make everything nice and even. Here are the results:

(http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/8652/p1010148ep1.th.jpg) (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010148ep1.jpg)  (http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2521/p1010149mf7.th.jpg) (http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010149mf7.jpg)

(http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/7681/p1010150hq7.th.jpg) (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010150hq7.jpg)  (http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/5585/p1010151mz7.th.jpg) (http://img66.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010151mz7.jpg)

Unfortunately, the coin door hasn't arrived yet so I can't get a finished picture but it is supposed to come this week and I will post the final results when it gets here.

Whew! 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Detailed Coin Door Cutout - PICS!]
Post by: Stobe on December 13, 2006, 01:25:20 am
Javery,

One solution for your CP dilema (whici may be too late in the planning stage) would be to have the front panel come all the way up to meet the CP top.  And have the CP front edge stick out just a little bit.  Then you could just T-slot the front edge of the CP, and use some T-molding to make it look nice.

Where the front panel meets the CP, you can put a piano hinge, and use panel clamps inside to secure the CP.

I hope this makes sense.  I can draw a pic if needed.

-Stobe
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Detailed Coin Door Cutout - PICS!]
Post by: javeryh on December 14, 2006, 10:56:00 am
That's a great idea!  Too bad I think it's a little late for me to do that.  I've figured out that I only need to angle cut two pieces of MDF and both will be at the same angle.  I do have a table saw that I haven't taken out of the box yet because I don't have enough electricity in the garage to operate it (or so I was told).  I think I'm going to try and set it up this weekend just for these cuts.

In other depressing news I just finished adding up my total costs for the project so far and I'm just under $400.  I still have a few things to buy so it looks like I will be between $600 and $700 when all is said and done.  I wanted to keep it under $500 but oh well.  Here's the breakdown:

Bought:
MDF: $35.00/4'x8' sheet x 2 sheets = $70
Screws: $5.98/box x 1 box = $5.98
18" flourescent light (for behind marquee): $8.97
Wood support strips: $0.97/foot x 12 feet = $11.64
3 buttons, balltop joystick, t-molding from Dream Arcades = $32.75
Smart Strip power supply = $37.31
Hinges and magnetic clasp = $8.43
Ultimarc 360 Joystick = $59.00 (+$14.00 shipping)
Ultimarc Encoder Harness (for button wiring) = $8.00
Ultimarc Restrictor Plate (to shorten joystick throw) = $14.00
Ultimarc Hard Spring (to tighten joystick movement) = $5.00
Computer Speakers (2.1) = $21.39
Happ Small Single Coin Door = $59.95 (+$17.00 shipping)
Happ Six (6) black buttons with microswitch @1.35ea. = $8.10
Happ 60" Marquee Retainer @$5.00 per 30" = $10.00

TOTAL so far: $391.52

To buy:
Marquee
Dell 17" LCD Monitor
Primer/Paint/rubbing compound (for finish)
1/4" Glass (to cover monitor)
Black Posterboard (for bezel)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Detailed Coin Door Cutout - PICS!]
Post by: Stobe on December 14, 2006, 11:08:38 am
You shouldn't have any problem running your table saw, as long as you don't have a bunch of high current devices on the same leg at the same time.  I run mine off a normal 15A circuit.

And if the pieces you need are the same angle, then one cut will do it, since the remainder from the 1st cut will be the same angle after you turn the board over.  (Angles of intersection bewteen 2 parallel lines are equal-angular).

Who said we'd never use Geometry later in life :)

-Stobe
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Detailed Coin Door Cutout - PICS!]
Post by: Kaytrim on December 14, 2006, 11:52:10 am
Here is a site (http://www.intechraoutlet.com/) that sells refurbished computers and monitors.  They currently have a few 17" LCD SVGA monitors for $150 + shipping.  Then there is of course eBay.  Here is a link to their 17" LCD (http://listings.ebay.com/LCD-Flat-Panel_17-inch_W0QQfrisZ2QQfromZR8QQsacatZ74935QQsocmdZListingItemListQQsubmitsearchZSearch) category.  If you take the time and watch you can snag one quite cheaply.  Watch the shipping costs though some sellers gouge you on the shipping cost to make up for their low price.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Detailed Coin Door Cutout - PICS!]
Post by: javeryh on December 18, 2006, 02:30:03 pm
Kaytrim - Thanks for that monitor site.  I still haven't ordered it yet!  I might wait until January because I don't think I'll be working on my cab until after the holidays.

Stobe - That's some serious geometry!  I thought of that and I even drew it out on paper to make sure I wasn't going crazy.  The attached picture is what I'm thinking of doing and yes I think the angles are the same.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CRAZY Bezel Panel!]
Post by: javeryh on December 22, 2006, 10:08:36 am
Last update before the holidays!!

The bezel panel has finally been cut to size and it fits in place rather nicely (I still have to glue everything though). So far this has been the craziest piece I've cut due to the fact that I had to make 3 rabbet cuts in addition to cutting a notch in the rear for the speaker and marquee light wires to pass through. Also, this is a great excuse to show how the control panel will look once it is installed and explain how I made room for the black cardboard bezel which will eventually surround the monitor and the glass that goes on top. I think it came out pretty good!

The following is a shot of the rear of the bezel panel showing the notch I cut for the wires. I just used my jigsaw to cut the notch freehand. I am going to be installing an additional panel between the marquee bottom panel and the bezel panel that will go in front of the wires and cover the notch.

(http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/3760/p1010124vx6.th.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010124vx6.jpg) (http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6069/p1010125bt2.th.jpg) (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010125bt2.jpg)

A while back I installed strips of pine on the interior of the cabinet so I would have a place to rest the bezel panel (which is also on the same plane as the control panel). However, after assembling the cabinet and placing a sheet of MDF in place where the bezel panel and control panel would go I realized that I hadn't allowed space for the black cardboard bezel and glass that would eventually cover the monitor.

My solution for this was to cut a 3/8" rabbet on the sides on the bottom of the panel. This would allow the bezel panel to sit 3/8" lower than I had originally anticipated. However, since I didn't want the control panel to sit lower as well I created a 3/8" rabbet on the top of the bezel panel that the control panel could rest on. This would also create a lip between the control panel and the bezel panel so the black cardboard bezel and glass had a place to sit and the entire thing would be flush when finished. The picture below is a mock-up of what I am trying to accomplish.

(http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/6135/cpandbezeloption2ev9.th.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cpandbezeloption2ev9.jpg)

As you can see, I am going to use the control panel as a lip for the glass and cardboard bezel to rest on. Once they are installed the entire surface should be uniform.

The next pictures show how I cut the bezel panel. The close-ups are of the side showing the rabbet cut which allows the panel to sit 3/8" lower than I had originally planned (creating the space for the cardboard bezel and glass).

(http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/4245/p1010135ar6.th.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010135ar6.jpg) (http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/8296/p1010136st5.th.jpg) (http://img362.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010136st5.jpg)

The next picture is a close-up of the front of the bezel panel with the rabbit I made in the front which the control panel will sit on. It is also 3/8" deep and as you can see removing 3/8" from the top and bottom of a 3/4" sheet of MDF completely removes the corners. This gap will be covered though so it's not a problem or anything.

(http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/6715/p1010134au0.th.jpg) (http://img362.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010134au0.jpg)
 
The next picture shows the front rabbet across the width of the cabinet.

(http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/4121/p1010132rh6.th.jpg) (http://img362.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010132rh6.jpg)

Finally, these last shots show what the final installed control panel will look like as well as the lip that will support the cardboard bezel and glass that covers the monitor.

(http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/3870/p1010131uo5.th.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010131uo5.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/8061/p1010126up2.th.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010126up2.jpg)

(http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/582/p1010127mv2.th.jpg) (http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010127mv2.jpg) (http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/8137/p1010128tg1.th.jpg) (http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010128tg1.jpg)

Thanks for looking!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CRAZY Bezel Panel!!]
Post by: theCoder on December 22, 2006, 11:30:48 am
I see your project has the infamous "weird angled joint".  I think every cab projects have at least one of these.

What did you use to make the rabbit cuts?  Router or table saw?

Great progress.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CRAZY Bezel Panel!!]
Post by: javeryh on December 22, 2006, 12:20:53 pm
I see your project has the infamous "weird angled joint".  I think every cab projects have at least one of these.

What did you use to make the rabbit cuts?  Router or table saw?

Great progress.

Thanks! 

I hate that weird angle joint!  It's the last thing I have to cut before I can call the construction complete and start the finishing process.  I really need to set up my table saw.

I used my trusty router, straightedge and a dado bit to make the rabbet cuts.  It took a while (I nibbled 1/8" of the material away at a time and had to make 3 passes on each rabbet to get to a 3/8" depth) but everything came out nice and even.  I wish I could use a router to make the weird angle cut too!

I'm hoping that next week I will start finishing the cabinet.  My wife and kid will be at her parents house as a little extension to the holidays (I have to work next week).  I need to pick up the primer/sealant and buy the pink paint, sandpaper and possibly a sprayer.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [CRAZY Bezel Panel!!]
Post by: theCoder on December 22, 2006, 01:07:03 pm
I'm hoping that next week I will start finishing the cabinet. 
I'm pretty much at the same point on my project as well.  I'm not looking forward to painting in the winter.  It's cold & rainy where I live.  Oh, well.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Marquee is ordered!!]
Post by: javeryh on January 11, 2007, 10:26:32 am
OK, minor update for something major to the project.... the marquee has been ordered!!

The total cost came to $58.93 with shipping. The marquee was $15.95 and I also ordered plexiglass cut to size for $24.99 and an upgrade to the "Ultimate" style material for an extra $10.00. Shipping was $7.99.

Overall, I think it's a little pricey but I also think it will be worth it in the long run. I've heard nothing but praise from everyone who uses mamemarquees so I'm excited to see the final product.

Here's the final design of the marquee - sized properly to 6.5" tall by 18.5" wide and leaving a 0.75" edge on the top and bottom to accomodate the marquee retainer that will be used to hold it in place.

(http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2686/bellasmarqueeth9.th.jpg) (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bellasmarqueeth9.jpg)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot - a HUGE THANK YOU to megashock for designing this awesome piece of art and putting up with me through all of the minor tweaking I had him do. I am very very pleased with how this came out.

Thanks!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Marquee is ordered!!]
Post by: theCoder on January 12, 2007, 01:18:27 am
...I also ordered plexiglass cut to size for $24.99 and an upgrade to the "Ultimate" style material for an extra $10.00...Overall, I think it's a little pricey
Why plexiglass on the marquee?  On my first cab I used two pieces of 1/8" glass.  I think I paid around $14.  I called in the dimensions in the morning, and picked it over lunch; no shipping.

And what about the artwork/treatment for the CP?

Can't wait to see the back-lit marquee.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Marquee is ordered!!]
Post by: javeryh on January 12, 2007, 12:09:09 pm
...I also ordered plexiglass cut to size for $24.99 and an upgrade to the "Ultimate" style material for an extra $10.00...Overall, I think it's a little pricey
Why plexiglass on the marquee?  On my first cab I used two pieces of 1/8" glass.  I think I paid around $14.  I called in the dimensions in the morning, and picked it over lunch; no shipping.

And what about the artwork/treatment for the CP?

Can't wait to see the back-lit marquee.


I guess I could have gone to the glass shop for less but I just want to be done with it at this point and $25 won't kill me (although the aggregate cost of this thing just might  ;D). 

As for the CP, I'm planning on just using the black Happs vinyl (with some pink vinyl decals for directional arrows around the joystick from MikeDeuce) but I guess I'd be willing to entertain the idea of using a real CP overlay.  Unfortunately I have ZERO design skills when it comes to using Illustrator or Photoshop so I'd be totally reliant on someone else to make it for me.  Maybe I'll ask the guy who did the marquee to whip something up in a similar style for the CP but I don't want to be a bigger pain than I already am (he did the marquee for free!). 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Marquee is ordered!!]
Post by: javeryh on January 16, 2007, 09:20:03 am
Oops.  I realized shortly after sending the marquee to get printed that I sent the wrong file!  I had the one shown above darkened because I was afraid of too much white light shining through.  Anyway, Scott didn't start printing yet so no harm no foul.  Here's the real actual revised marquee:

(http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/5264/bellasmarqueere7.th.png) (http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bellasmarqueere7.png)

Whew!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Marquee is ordered!!]
Post by: javeryh on January 21, 2007, 08:36:44 am
OK, I need to get organized and make a list of things I need to do to finish.  I've been stagnated for about a month and it's making me crazy.

Cabinet:
Cut out hols in bezel panel for monitor
Create supports for monitor on the back of the bezel panel
Bevel coin door panel so it opens and closes easily
Cut remaining two panels for control panel
Glue all remaining panels in place

Finish:
Prime (2 coats)
Paint (multiple coats)
Finish with rubbing compound/wax

Miscellaneous:
Cut marquee retainer to length and install
Install t-molding
Install speaker covers
Configure and install computer

I think that's it but I just can't seem to find any time to continue... plus it's cold out so finishing it is going to be a problem.  *sigh*  Anyway, my marquee arrived from Mamemarquees yesterday and it is absolutely stunning.  I'll post pics later...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Marquee is ordered!!]
Post by: javeryh on January 21, 2007, 05:56:12 pm
I finished the cutout for the monitor today.  It is so cold outside and I think the weather is messing with my cabinet.  The monitor panel used to fit really tight and now it's a bit loose.  I am using MDF and I didn't think the weather would affect it - I need to move everything to the basement this week (I need help to move it though).

I guess I'll set up the paint booth in the basement so I can still spray it but that's going to be a pain.  I also have to finish cutting the last pieces outside (sawdust issues) and glue them up downstairs - what a pain!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Marquee PICS!!!]
Post by: javeryh on January 21, 2007, 06:36:08 pm
Marquee arrived - here are the pics as promised.  This thing is stunning in person.  Super high quality!  More details later about service, shipping time, packaging, etc... (all great!)

(http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/640/arcade21640xl.th.jpg) (http://img411.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arcade21640xl.jpg) (http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/6065/arcade21666ye.th.jpg) (http://img250.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arcade21666ye.jpg) (http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/6417/arcade21695mf.th.jpg) (http://img250.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arcade21695mf.jpg)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Marquee PICS!!! 01.21.2007]
Post by: javeryh on January 22, 2007, 11:41:16 am
Review as promised:

Mamemarquees Review

I am getting closer to finishing my MAME arcade cabinet and it is now time to start shifting my thinking from how I want the cabinet to play to how I want the cabinet to look and its overall artistic design.  If I want to put this thing in my daughter’s room it is going to have to be really nice to get wife approval.  I have known from the start of this project that I wanted to make something girly and personal that my daughter could really call her own and she may not know it right now but in a few years this thing is going to be really cool to have in her room.  To me, there’s nothing more important from a visual standpoint on an upright arcade cabinet than the marquee.  Your eye is instantly drawn there and I think that it can make or break a cab in terms of appearance and the “I want one of those” factor.

Based on the rave reviews around here I decided that I was going to use Mamemarquees to print the custom marquee for my arcade cabinet.  I thought about going to Kinko’s but in the end I decided that a few extra dollars wouldn’t break the bank and it would be worth it.  Anyway, on to the review…

1.  Ordering and Cost

After finalizing my design (thanks again megashock5!), the first thing I did was place the order on the mamemarquees website.  It was easy enough to navigate - I went to the “Customer Design” page and selected the “Customer Designed Marquee.”  This brought me to the ordering page and I was presented with a bunch of drop-down menus to customize my order.  The first choice was the marquee size (there are different categories based on width).  I chose “up to 23.00 inches” since I needed it to be 18.5 inches across ($15.95).  The next choice was whether or not I wanted two pieces of plexiglass to ship with my order cut to the exact marquee size.  The plexiglass will sandwich the marquee for support and installation.  This was a no-brainer for me because I just didn’t want to have to deal with cutting it myself (+$24.99).  The next choice was which material I wanted the marquee printed on - Premium or Ultimate.  Premium is the standard material and Ultimate comes with a luster laminate which coats the entire marquee and is supposed to look even better when backlit - I went with the Ultimate (+$10.00).  Finally, I entered my name and the exact dimensions of my marquee and added it to my cart.  Shipping was $7.99 so the total for the entire order was $58.93.  Checkout was a breeze and they accepted PayPal which made it really simple to pay for it.

2.  Communication

Mamemarquees (Scott) was very responsive to the several emails I sent him over a two or three day span.  I always had a response within a few hours of sending the message.  I actually submitted the wrong file for printing (it was a near-final version I had without some last second tweaks) and he was very understanding about it and he told me he would wait for me to send him the finalized file before printing.  His responsiveness alleviated the little bit of worry on my part that he was printing the wrong file or something.  I’m sure he deals with idiot customers such as myself all the time and it probably makes him a little nuts.  Anyway, it was a pleasure dealing with him.

3.  Delivery Time

I placed my order on January 11 (a Thursday) and I had the marquee in hand on January 20 (the following Saturday) and this was even with the mix-up on my part.  Scott sent the package via USPS Priority Mail with delivery confirmation (which is 2-day delivery, I think).  Talk about fast!

4.  Packaging

The marquee came well packaged in a flat cardboard envelope that was a bit oversized.  It was sandwiched between the two sheets of plexiglass for protection.  Here are a few shots of the packaging and what it looked like what I opened it up:

(http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/5084/p10101912gg.th.jpg) (http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10101912gg.jpg) (http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8674/p10101924rg.th.jpg) (http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10101924rg.jpg)

5. Overall

I am extremely please with my overall experience with Mamemarquees.  Both the service and the product are top notch.  The marquee I ordered was a little pricey but definitely worth it.  Based on my experience I can recommend them without hesitation to anyone else out there who wants to make their arcade cabinet really stand out.

Here's the final product:
(http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/640/arcade21640xl.th.jpg) (http://img411.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arcade21640xl.jpg) (http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/6065/arcade21666ye.th.jpg) (http://img250.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arcade21666ye.jpg) (http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/6417/arcade21695mf.th.jpg) (http://img250.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arcade21695mf.jpg)

I hope this helps some of you out there who are debating whether or not to use Mamemarquees!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Bezel Panel - Finished!!! 01.25.2007]
Post by: javeryh on January 24, 2007, 11:14:03 pm
I was able to find a little bit of time over the weekend to get some more work done on the arcade cabinet. I finished making the last cuts on the bezel panel (cutting out the rectangle for the monitor). This proved to be a little more difficult than it sounds because I had no way of getting into the corners to make a perfectly square cut. I ended up eyeballing it and sanding - it came out OK but it will eventually be covered by the black posterboard bezel I'll be making to hide the monitor casing.

The first thing I did (after laying out the rectangle using a t-square and pencil) was to drill pilot holes in the corners. I picked the largest bit I had and drilled 4 holes about 1/8" inside of the lines. Next, using the holes I just cut as starting points, I used my jigsaw to connect the holes - again staying about 1/8" inside of the lines. You can see the pilot holes and the crooked lines I made connecting them in the picture below.

(http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/7995/p10101727wp.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

At this point I had a rough cut frame that needed to be cleaned up:

(http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/6926/p10101756my.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

The next thing I had to do was use my router, flush trimming bit and a straight edge to remove the extra material and make a perfect rectangle. This is where I had to get creative with my router set up and my use of shims and clamps. As you can see by the pictures, I had to raise the work piece quite a bit to get everything set up properly. It worked though! This is what I love about home projects - there is always a solution to a problem if you stare at it long enough.

(http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/616/p10101764dr.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2172/p10101775op.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/1443/p10101781ho.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I used a piece of 1"x2" wood as a straight edge and I set it up so I could run the router and flush trimming bit along the inside edge of the bezel cut out. I repeated this process 4 times (once for each side) and I ended up with a perfectly cut rectangle - except for the corners.

(http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6720/p10101797zm.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6255/p10101806ub.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

As you can see by the next set of pictures, after making the 4 cuts around the bezel, I was left with some material in each of the corners that the router bit could not reach.

(http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/7452/p10101815vd.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/9728/p10101853vz.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

In order to remove the excess material, I used the jigsaw, a steady hand and some sandpaper. I wanted the corners to be as square as possible but they will eventually be covered by the black posterboard bezel so I'm not too worried if there are small imperfections in the corners.

This is the final result:

(http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3980/p10101899kz.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3306/p10101881ql.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

Not too bad, eh?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Bezel Panel - Finished!!! 01.25.2007]
Post by: Dmod on January 25, 2007, 06:20:35 pm
Looking good.

Why did you decide to raise up the guide and use a flush trimming bit instead of a regular straight bit and just running the router against a straight edge?

I'm a router newbie so this may be a stupid question.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Bezel Panel - Finished!!! 01.25.2007]
Post by: leapinlew on January 25, 2007, 10:56:33 pm
Looking good.

Why did you decide to raise up the guide and use a flush trimming bit instead of a regular straight bit and just running the router against a straight edge?

I'm a router newbie so this may be a stupid question.

My guess is he doesn't have a straight bit. I suppose he could've hid the flush trim bearing, but if your going to setup a straight edge and use a straight bit - it's really no different that using a flush trim bit.

Looking good Javery! I've been following your progress - I can't wait to see it all done.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Bezel Panel - Finished!!! 01.25.2007]
Post by: javeryh on January 26, 2007, 09:40:22 am
leapinlew is correct - I do not have a straight cutting bit.  Even if I did have one it would have been very difficult to accurately set up a straightedge off set by the shoe of the router due to the narrowness of the material on the sides.  They way I did it I was able to put the straight edge exactly on the line I wanted to cut so it was easy to line up.  Even if I had a straight bit I would not have used it to do this.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: javeryh on February 07, 2007, 05:19:59 pm
It has been hovering around 10 degrees outside for the better part of a week now so I haven't been able to get much work on my cabinet done in my unheated garage. In fact, I noticed that the cold weather started to affect the dimensions of the cabinet - pieces that I had previously cut (but hadn't glued) that used to be snug were fitting a little looser than before.

On Saturday I had my dad come over and help me move the unfinished cabinet from the garage to the basement. By Sunday night when I went to test fit the same piece it was snug again due to the warmth of the basement. Whew!

The big problem now is going to be paining the cabinet in the basement. I am going to try and set up some sort of paint booth made out of plastic drop cloths so I don't get the paint everywhere. I'll probably end up covering other important stuff with plastic just to be safe - I wouldn't want to get pink paint on Knights of the Arcade Table (http://knightsofthearcadetable.blogspot.com)! I'll also have to make sure the booth is well ventilated to the outside somehow so I can breathe.

Anyway, I managed to cut a few of the smaller pieces to fit around the back of the monitor bezel panel which will eventually hold the monitor in place. It looks pretty good so far and my cuts were accurate enough to allow for the front of the monitor to lie exactly flush with the monitor bezel panel. I'm also playing around with the idea of physically screwing the monitor to the monitor brace. It depends whether or not the brace I'm making plus gravity holds the monitor in place with no chance of movement. There are 4 screws on the back of the monitor that don't seem to do anything so I would be able to use them to screw the monitor in place. Take a look:

(http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/8944/p1010203is5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us) (http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/8697/p1010205pc8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/5330/p1010206ku4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us) (http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/4355/p1010211ga3.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/2924/p1010209ap1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us) (http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/6614/p1010210ql7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

Bringing the cabinet inside also let me play around with some of the finishing pieces like the marquee to get a feel for what it will look like when finished. I can also install the coin door and monitor to really get a sense of what the finished cabinet will look like (I'm even tempted to put the t-molding on but I'd have to remove it to paint so that's not such a good idea).

I guess the next few steps are going to be setting up the computer and making sure all the vertical games you can play with 3 buttons and a joystick are working properly. I'll also have to configure the front end (MaLa) which could take a while. I'm getting so close!!

Thanks for looking!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: psychotech on February 07, 2007, 05:53:51 pm
Looks great!

But, instead of spraying ..have you thought about painting with a good roller?!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: javeryh on February 07, 2007, 06:11:48 pm
Looks great!

But, instead of spraying ..have you thought about painting with a good roller?!

I have.  I'm really torn at this point too because if I used a roller I could paint it this weekend... and I really want to paint it so I can finish up.  On the other hand, I've been told that I can get a very smooth glass like finish if I spray it on.  I've never tried spraying before either and I was looking forward to learning how.  The most important part of this project for me is a solid, smooth finish.  I need the paint job to look as "professional" as possible and also protect against juice spillage and general wear and tear that a 2-3 year old will cause.  I'm going to practice on some scrap because I'm thinking of adding a few coats of poly on top of the paint and I'm not sure if you are supposed to or if it will alter the look or something.  I've added poly over stained wood with great results.

Any thoughts on the finish?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: Kaytrim on February 07, 2007, 09:03:18 pm
The poly might change the color a shade or two.  It is a good idea to do the full planed treatment on a scrap piece first to be sure. 

The biggest problem with juice is it getting down in the controls.  :cry:  That will defiantly turn into a sticky mess.  You should have a cup holder on the side to prevent at least some of the spills on the CP.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: csa3d on February 07, 2007, 11:19:03 pm
If you get around to it, can you take a shot of the screen turned on from various viewing angles?  I'm working on a similar setup, and was considering a much more expensive monitor because I wasn't sure a cheaper one could pull off a clear screen.

Here's my project for reference:  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59170.0

Thanks in advance!  Liking the monitor frame.  Good to get inspiration for how to tackle this, which at this time, seems the hardest part of my project.  Keep the images coming!

-csa
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: psychotech on February 08, 2007, 11:52:07 am
About the roller option...

Check out spriggy's Jungle Mame bartop @ http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=33678.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=33678.0)

He did the sides with a foam roller. I haven't, naturally, seen it in person ..but what you can tell by the pictures looks really good, I'd say  :applaud:

For an explanation on the finish visit the Tomatocade thread @ http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=56653.msg594079#msg594079 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=56653.msg594079#msg594079)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: javeryh on February 08, 2007, 12:03:44 pm
The poly might change the color a shade or two.  It is a good idea to do the full planed treatment on a scrap piece first to be sure.  

The biggest problem with juice is it getting down in the controls.  :cry:  That will defiantly turn into a sticky mess.  You should have a cup holder on the side to prevent at least some of the spills on the CP.

That's my main concern with using the poly.  I'll definitely test it out on some scrap wood first.  I am wondering what people's thoughts are on "just" a painted cabinet.  Does the paint chip away over time?  Is it durable?  Does it look "professionally" finished (or close)?  Glossy or matte finish? Would you recommend it?  Etc.

Hmmm... juice in the buttons... hmmm... I could definitely see that happening since my daughter is always drinking apple juice or soy milk.  I guess you can't prevent spillage but a cup holder might help.


If you get around to it, can you take a shot of the screen turned on from various viewing angles?  I'm working on a similar setup, and was considering a much more expensive monitor because I wasn't sure a cheaper one could pull off a clear screen.

Here's my project for reference:  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59170.0

Thanks in advance!  Liking the monitor frame.  Good to get inspiration for how to tackle this, which at this time, seems the hardest part of my project.  Keep the images coming!

-csa

Your project is looking good!  I am thinking about building a full-sized Galaga/Mame cabinet one of these days.  I'd be happy to take pics of the turned on monitor and post them here.  I plan on getting a little more work done over the weekend.  I did power up the monitor when it arrived and it looked stunning - I was skeptical about using an LCD screen but it seems like it will work nicely.  My only concern is viewing angle when it is installed but I think the angle of the monitor in the cabinet allows for pretty straightforward viewing so I don't think it will be an issue.  

The monitor frame/CP has definitely been the hardest part for me so far!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: needlesmcgirk on February 08, 2007, 03:41:27 pm
Be careful if you've never really spray painted before.  I tried spray painting my cab first with my step dad who is actually pretty experienced in spray painting, but it end up just not looking too good really, its just wasn't even enough.  End up just using that as the base coat and using the exact same paint in liquid form and rolling it on and it looked much better.

If you can actually do it perfectly, then it will probably look great, but just rolling the paint on looks fantastic too and can still give you a very professional glossy shine.  Good luck!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: javeryh on February 09, 2007, 12:37:07 pm
About the roller option...

Check out spriggy's Jungle Mame bartop @ http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=33678.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=33678.0)

He did the sides with a foam roller. I haven't, naturally, seen it in person ..but what you can tell by the pictures looks really good, I'd say  :applaud:

For an explanation on the finish visit the Tomatocade thread @ http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=56653.msg594079#msg594079 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=56653.msg594079#msg594079)

Thanks - that was very helpful.  That paint job does look rather nice and even.  I wonder how it is holding up...  The finishing aspect of the cabinet (roll or spray / poly or no poly) has really started to get to me.  I need to make some decisions!

Be careful if you've never really spray painted before.  I tried spray painting my cab first with my step dad who is actually pretty experienced in spray painting, but it end up just not looking too good really, its just wasn't even enough.  End up just using that as the base coat and using the exact same paint in liquid form and rolling it on and it looked much better.

If you can actually do it perfectly, then it will probably look great, but just rolling the paint on looks fantastic too and can still give you a very professional glossy shine.  Good luck!

Thanks for the warning.  I am very skeptical about my ability to spray on a nice finish since I've never done it before.

I guess at the end of the day I'm trying to get a very very smooth finish - something that you'd get with 3 or 4 coats of poly over stained wood.  I definitely want to avoid the bumps that paint has when you touch it.  Maybe I could roll on the paint and then add something similar to poly but not exactly like it that will give me the finish I desire?  I'm open to suggestions...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: needlesmcgirk on February 09, 2007, 02:06:08 pm
If that's what you need, just role it on like the Jungle Mame, and go over it with a very fine sand paper after each coat.  This will make it extremely smooth to the touch.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: leapinlew on February 09, 2007, 02:38:34 pm
If that's what you need, just role it on like the Jungle Mame, and go over it with a very fine sand paper after each coat.  This will make it extremely smooth to the touch.

Yes, but, how do you do this and keep the shine? I'm in the same boat. I like a really smooth finish, but I don't know how to have both a shiny AND smooth finish.

I don't know much about painting, but if there is some sort of rubbing compound used or something I'd like to know.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: psychotech on February 09, 2007, 06:18:22 pm
?

The fine sanding between the coats helps you keep the surface nice, even and scratch free ..and on "a good base" of a few layers of paint it's only (only!) the final layer that counts ..and gives the real shiny and smooth finish.. :)=

To keep the paintjob protected.., well, don't really know, but how about a mohair roller to finish with a lacquer coat? There're rollers dedicated to lacquer.. On the other hand, it depends on your paint..

Good luck!  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update 02.11.2007]
Post by: javeryh on February 10, 2007, 11:34:50 pm
I finally finished the crazy bezel panel and the monitor can be set in place!

(http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/1944/p1010215kx8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us) (http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/7440/p1010217bw1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/166/p1010219lz3.jpg) (http://imageshack.us) (http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/5618/p1010221gt0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

It came out pretty good - I'll post more pics and details tomorrow.  It's pretty late right now.  I'm really glad I went with the 19" monitor over the 17" one.

Also, my test panel is drying right now and I can already tell it's not coming out like I had hoped.  I still have 2 more top coats and the poly to add though so maybe I'm being a bit pessimistic...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update!! 02.11.2007]
Post by: leapinlew on February 11, 2007, 12:00:25 am
Javery Javery Javery...

I don't know what to do with you. And here I thought this cab was going to be good.... I blame myself































for not giving you enough credit! It's looking awesome! Galaga/Ms. Pac is my favorite cabinet. Keep up the good work and the updates - I'm watching your thread with lots of interest!  :)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update 02.11.2007]
Post by: leapinlew on February 11, 2007, 12:04:01 am
Also, my test panel is drying right now and I can already tell it's not coming out like I had hoped.  I still have 2 more top coats and the poly to add though so maybe I'm being a bit pessimistic...

Yes! Lets start talking paint. As you may have noticed, both you and I have been asking lots of paint questions. I've painted 6 cabinets now and I've tried several different methods and I never could get that "arcade" finish I wanted. (Shiny and smooth). I'm curious to hear how your method works.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Boring Update 02.07.2007]
Post by: spriggy on February 11, 2007, 11:16:28 am

Thanks - that was very helpful.  That paint job does look rather nice and even.  I wonder how it is holding up... 


In relation to my old 'Jungle Mame'... the paint is as good as when I first applied it!..  That's with a 5 & 8 year old hammering it... as well as a bunch of 30-something year old lads full of beer and bourbon... trying to beat top times in Track & Field!!!

IMO..For rolling, it's a mixture of all ellements....  A good smooth base coat (I used a specific MDF primer on the JM)... in the case of the JM, a good quality High Gloss Enamel (or what ever finish...semi-gloss etc), like you'd use for your front house doors, a good quality foam roller, fine sanding between coats (I only used 2 top coats on top of the base), limiting dust (like vaccuming the painting area and wetting the floors etc) and in my case... using the painting technique an old painter friend taught me.. as pyschotech so pointed in one of his previous thread replies.

In my experience... you'll never get a butt smooth finish with a roller.  However, IMO... that very slight orange peel effect reflects a lot of the old painted cabs anyway.  Just the way I like it!

And really... that says it all.  The finish I like... isn't always gonna be the finish you like.  TRIAL AND ERROR in most cases!!!

My 7 and a half cents!!

Good luck

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update 02.11.2007]
Post by: javeryh on February 11, 2007, 06:28:26 pm
Also, my test panel is drying right now and I can already tell it's not coming out like I had hoped.  I still have 2 more top coats and the poly to add though so maybe I'm being a bit pessimistic...

Yes! Lets start talking paint. As you may have noticed, both you and I have been asking lots of paint questions. I've painted 6 cabinets now and I've tried several different methods and I never could get that "arcade" finish I wanted. (Shiny and smooth). I'm curious to hear how your method works.


Thanks for the kind words! 

As for my test panel, it looks a lot better right now.  Here's what I've done so far (it's not finished):

1.  Sanded MDF with 150 grit sandpaper
2.  Rolled on first coat of primer (OIL BASED - a water-based primer will soak into the MDF and ruin it)
3.  Sanded with 150 grit sandpaper
4.  Rolled on second coat of primer
5.  Sanded with 220 grit sandpaper
6.  Rolled on first coat of paint (Behr - latex, water-based - it's OK to apply after the MDF is sealed)
7.  Sanded with 220 grit sandpaper
8.  Rolled on second coat of paint

At this point I was completely unhappy with how it was coming out.  I had multiple particles/hairs in the paint (probably from a bad roller) and there was an unmistakable "orange peel" texture all over the place that you could feel and worse yet see.  I decided to change up my strategy:

9.   Sanded with 220 grit sandpaper
10. Using a FOAM BRUSH I applied a third coat of paint.
11. Applied first coat of poly (Minwax) using a foam brush.

This isn't perfect but it looks much much better than the "orange peel" thing I had going on.  There is still a very slight "brushed" look on it but it is not that noticable (of course I notice it because I'm anal).  I'm going to apply 3 more coats of poly with the foam brush sanding in between with 220 grit and then 600 before the last coat.  I'm hoping the extra coats of poly will get rid of any brush marks.  I'll post some pics of the final panel when I'm finished.

If you have any tips or something works better for you I'd love to hear it!

spriggy - thanks for the follow up!  I'm going to try your method next if I don't lie how mine comes out.  I think the roller is the key to the whole process...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update!! 02.11.2007]
Post by: javeryh on February 11, 2007, 06:51:33 pm
Bah, I couldn't resist! Nothing is hooked up but you can get a good idea of how it will look when I'm done...  Way more pics coming later...

(http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7751/arcade2179kk3.jpg) (http://imageshack.us) (http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5527/arcade2178ge8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/4378/arcade2175fw1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us) (http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6149/arcade2174sq5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I hope I figure out the paint job soon!!   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update!! 02.11.2007]
Post by: psychotech on February 11, 2007, 07:00:55 pm
!

The cab looks ..well, awesome  :applaud:

What more can one say.. Anyway, painting with a roller, why not try something around 400 grit between the layers - instead of the 220 you're now doing.. Just a thought?!

Great work with the monitor & bezel!

I'll keep spying :)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update!! 02.11.2007]
Post by: Knievel on February 11, 2007, 11:08:40 pm

Great work! Beautiful little cabinet so far...love the marquee too.

Man I would kill for some of that 10 degree weather. It's been -35/-40 here for the last couple of weeks.

I can only work for about 5 minutes in the garage before my extremities start snapping off.  :P
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update!! 02.11.2007]
Post by: spriggy on February 11, 2007, 11:39:38 pm

I can only work for about 5 minutes in the garage before my extremities start snapping off.  :P

That doesn't sound good at all!  Especially for a male!! :P
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update!! 02.11.2007]
Post by: Jouster on February 12, 2007, 12:57:19 am
So I guess I shouldn't point out that it was in the 70's here today?  Ok, I'll keep that quiet.  ;D

I spray painted my cab.  It looks great!  The front panel has a great shine to it.  Just sand it between coats.  If you notice that the coat isn't even, you can always spray a little more where it needs it.  I even used really cheap paint...$0.96 per can at Wal-Mart.

Jouster
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [NOT SO Boring Update!! 02.11.2007]
Post by: javeryh on February 13, 2007, 11:04:20 pm
Wow!  Thanks for the compliments guys.  I am so motivated to finish this thing.  My test panel is finally complete and I'm kind of happy with how it came out but I'm not thrilled.  I finished the process above by adding 3 more coats of the poly and sanding in between with 220 grit and moving up to 600 grit before the final coat.  It's pretty smooth to the touch but it definitely isn't reflective in any way.  The color is consistent though which is really great.  I'm going to try a different method over the next few days on a separate panel and see if I can come up with something better.  I haven't tried using a foam roller and since I like the way the foam brush came out I'm going to give that a shot.  I'll post before and after pics tomorrow when I am at work.  ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: leapinlew on February 13, 2007, 11:18:28 pm
those white foam rollers are great - best thing I've used... yet!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: spacies on February 14, 2007, 12:08:37 am

This has to be one of the best mini cabs around.

Fantastic documentation on the build thus far.

Can't wait to see it painted!

Its a pity you can't spray it, but the foam roller is the next best thing.

Remember, lots of light coats.  ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: javeryh on February 14, 2007, 02:36:06 pm
those white foam rollers are great - best thing I've used... yet!

I am definitely going to give them a shot for both the paint and poly applications.



This has to be one of the best mini cabs around.

Fantastic documentation on the build thus far.

Can't wait to see it painted!

Its a pity you can't spray it, but the foam roller is the next best thing.

Remember, lots of light coats.  ;)

Thanks for the compliments!  I love everything about this hobby - I'm having a blast building and documenting everything.  Hopefully it will help someone else in the future - I know I couldn't have done any of this with out the help and ideas of everyone else.

I'm going to go for a LOT of light coats of paint and poly - I guess I don't care how long it takes because I want it to look as nice as possible and last a long time - the extra care will be worth it.  As mentioned above, over the last few days I've been playing around with a scrap piece of MDF, some pink paint and some poly. 

This is a shot of the primed panel:

(http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/269/p1010223wn7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

And here is a shot of the finished panel with 4 thin coats of poly applied with a foam brush:

(http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/4286/arcade2197es7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

Not too bad I guess but I'm definitely trying another test panel.  Here are some extra (not so good) shots of the finished panel. The flash of the camera kind of ruins the pictures and I don't think you get a good sense of what it actually looks like unless you are standing next to it. The finish is still a bit streaky and there are a few spots where air bubbles in the poly dried leaving it a bit bumpy - you just can't see it in the pictures. That said, the bottom picture really makes the finished surface look like it is mirrored or something - check out the reflection of the paper towel! I assure you it doesn't really look like that up close.

(http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/1303/arcade2199ys1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us) (http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/6848/arcade2198pt4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I will be starting test panel #2 in a few days when I get a chance to buy a foam roller and some different supplies.

Any thoughts/comments?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: spriggy on February 14, 2007, 05:57:32 pm
You can just see the streaks..  Your not going to stop that if your brushing it on.

In relation to rolling...  I've never used the small white roller kits.  I've only used the standard sized grey foam rollers.  And then, there are 2 types I have to choose from (down here in OZ anyway).  The cheap one and the more expensive one.  The more expensive one is made of better quality, denser foam.

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: javeryh on February 15, 2007, 10:59:25 am
You can just see the streaks..  Your not going to stop that if your brushing it on.

In relation to rolling...  I've never used the small white roller kits.  I've only used the standard sized grey foam rollers.  And then, there are 2 types I have to choose from (down here in OZ anyway).  The cheap one and the more expensive one.  The more expensive one is made of better quality, denser foam.



Ack!  I know - it's like streakmania the more I stare at it...  I don't think I can stand it.  I'm picking up the foam rollers today or tomorrow so I have them for the weekend.  I'm going to try and get the highest quality they make.  I'm also going to take a trip to a paint specialty store and see if I can get any tips.

Also, does anyone have any thoughts about the shade of pink I chose?  It's a "Disney" color from the Behr "Princess Collection" called "Pretty In Pink."  I choose a lighter pink because I don't want this thing to be overbearing.  We did paint Bella's room from the chair rail up to the crown molding in the "Pretty as a Princess" color (which is freaking PINK) and I think the two colors were meant to compliment one another.  I'm going to route the t-molding slots on Saturday and see how the pink t-molding looks up against it.  The color scheme is attached.

Comments?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: csa3d on February 15, 2007, 01:10:50 pm
Can we hurry up with all this paiting so you can take some photos of that dell monitor turned on from various viewing angles :)

But seriously, I wish I was bella.  You are sure going all out on this project, it's looking great!
-csa
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: javeryh on February 15, 2007, 02:24:37 pm
Can we hurry up with all this paiting so you can take some photos of that dell monitor turned on from various viewing angles :)

But seriously, I wish I was bella.  You are sure going all out on this project, it's looking great!
-csa

Haha - yeah... I'll try to snap some pics for you this weekend when I'm tinkering with the computer set up.  I have had it on though and it does look great although I didn't really mess with the viewing angles or anything.  Maybe this weekend I'll set the monitor in place for real and fire up the computer and just see how it looks sitting where it is supposed to sit...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT and COLOR now]
Post by: needlesmcgirk on February 15, 2007, 04:57:52 pm
I think the "pretty in Pink" color is the best option.  It looks like it will go really well with the marquee as well.  Excellent choice!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: GadgetGeek on February 16, 2007, 07:38:51 am
I'm going to route the t-molding slots on Saturday and see how the pink t-molding looks up against it.
Comments?

Route the t-molding slots before you finish painting!  You don't want to have to do any touch-up painting after the fact.  (At least that is my opinion).
Great job thus far and thanks for sharing your trials and tribulations with us.  Much appreciated.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: javeryh on February 16, 2007, 09:18:53 am
I'm going to route the t-molding slots on Saturday and see how the pink t-molding looks up against it.
Comments?

Route the t-molding slots before you finish painting!  You don't want to have to do any touch-up painting after the fact.  (At least that is my opinion).
Great job thus far and thanks for sharing your trials and tribulations with us.  Much appreciated.

Thanks for the compliments!  I've already routed the t-molding slots on my cabinet - I was just referring to the test panel I painted/finished.  I'm going to flip it over and run the router along the unfinished side to make the t-molding groove.  I don't even care if it is centered or not (I'll try to make it close though) because I just want to see how the pink t-molding looks up against the "Pretty in Pink" color I chose.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [We're talking about PAINT now]
Post by: GadgetGeek on February 16, 2007, 12:45:41 pm

Thanks for the compliments!  I've already routed the t-molding slots on my cabinet - I was just referring to the test panel I painted/finished.  I'm going to flip it over and run the router along the unfinished side to make the t-molding groove.  I don't even care if it is centered or not (I'll try to make it close though) because I just want to see how the pink t-molding looks up against the "Pretty in Pink" color I chose.

Ahhh, I understand.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: javeryh on February 17, 2007, 09:17:34 am
I think I found it!  This link explains exactly how to get the finish that I'm looking for (except mine will be pink instead of black).  I'm off to Home Depot and NAPA this morning to buy the supplies.  I'm a bit nervous but I'm going to try a test panel first.  This process also looks like it will take a while so it might be another week or more before I even have the test panel complete.  If it comes out half as nice though it will be worth it.  Here's the link:  http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=83141&highlight=

Wish me luck!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: Jouster on February 17, 2007, 11:50:34 am
WOW!  :woot

That is a serious paint job!  Your daughter will have a full length mirror as well as a cab!!  :laugh2:

Jouster
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: javeryh on February 17, 2007, 12:05:01 pm
haha yeah, I think it is going to look a bit crazy.  The only panels I'm going to finish like that are the two sides and the front panel where the coin door is.  I don't think I need to do the back since it will be up against the wall and the black interior around the monitor needs to be a flat black finish so there aren't any crazy reflections when you are playing. 

The test panel is going to take a while because after I prime and paint I have to apply a lacquer top which could take a week or more to harden.  Then I can sand smooth and start applying the rubbing compound and finish.  The wait is going to be torture!  I'll be documenting the whole process for those that care...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: csa3d on February 17, 2007, 12:32:32 pm
WOW!  :woot

That is a serious paint job!  Your daughter will have a full length mirror as well as a cab!!  :laugh2:

Jouster

That's funny, was thinking the same thing!  She's gonna think she's being abducted by aliens when awoken by a blinding pink sunbeam reflection at 5:45am bouncing off that paintjob!  I admit though, it "show es perty".

-csa
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: leapinlew on February 17, 2007, 12:49:53 pm
I think I found it!  This link explains exactly how to get the finish that I'm looking for (except mine will be pink instead of black).  I'm off to Home Depot and NAPA this morning to buy the supplies.  I'm a bit nervous but I'm going to try a test panel first.  This process also looks like it will take a while so it might be another week or more before I even have the test panel complete.  If it comes out half as nice though it will be worth it.  Here's the link:  http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=83141&highlight=

Wish me luck!

Awesome - thats exactly what I was looking for too. Thanks Javery and good luck with your paint - I'm anxious to see the results.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: javeryh on February 18, 2007, 11:02:58 pm
Test panel #2 begins tomorrow.  I will

1.  Apply 3 coats of primer
2.  Apply 4 pink top coats
3.  Apply 10 coats of the spray on lacquer

I hope this works...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: leapinlew on February 18, 2007, 11:13:52 pm
Test panel #2 begins tomorrow.  I will

1.  Apply 3 coats of primer
2.  Apply 4 pink top coats
3.  Apply 10 coats of the spray on lacquer

I hope this works...

Serious? That seems kinda crazy. But I'm ready to hear the results - how long will all that painting take? I'm curious if your daughter will be too tall to enjoy this arcade by the time all the painting is done.  ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: Knievel on February 18, 2007, 11:36:04 pm

That is crazy. You planning on entering this thing in a car show or something?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: javeryh on February 19, 2007, 07:25:24 am
Well, I am putting an automotive finish on the thing so hopefully it will be car show ready.   :D  It does seem a bit insane though.  Luckily the lacquer dries in 20 minutes to accept another coat (but I have to wait a week or more before it fully cures).  I need 10 coats because there is a lot of sanding involved and I don't want to get down to the pink when I am removing material to make it perfectly flat.  I've also never wet sanded before so that's going to be a little weird.  If the test panel doesn't work I'll just call it a lesson learned and apply the flat pink finsh from my first test panel - I do think the mirrored finsh would look slick in her room though...

EDIT:  Knievel - I'm not sure I've ever asked but how did you get such a nice finish on the black Arcade Mania cabinet you built?  I can't see a single brush stroke anywhere on it - you are either a great painter or a great photographer (or maybe both  ;)).
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: Knievel on February 19, 2007, 08:18:20 am

That one was done in laminate, not much chance of a brush stroke. :)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: javeryh on February 19, 2007, 07:53:55 pm

That one was done in laminate, not much chance of a brush stroke. :)

heh, that makes sense then!  Today all I managed to do was put three coats of primer on my second test panel - the can said 4-6 hours to dry which is why it took so long.  Tomorrow I should have no trouble putting the pink paint on and I'll probably even start the lacquer process which I hope to finish by Thursday.  This probably means I'll have to wait until the following weekend to begin the sanding/rubbing process... grr...

I did put together my brand new table saw (about 80% of it - there were a bajillion pieces and it took all afternoon) today though which rules.  I can't wait to finally have something other than my router to build with.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: needlesmcgirk on February 20, 2007, 09:12:17 am
why 3 coats of primer?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: javeryh on February 20, 2007, 09:50:48 am
why 3 coats of primer?

The foam rollers I bought really put on a thin coat of paint - I'm talking less than paper thin here.  After the first "coat" I could still see some pencil marks underneath so I thought adding a third coat wouldn't hurt.  I'm going to be adding 3-4 coats of the pink paint today and 10(!) coats of lacquer tomorrow.  This is a huge pain but if I can get the mirrored finish I'm going for it will be worth it...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: javeryh on February 20, 2007, 10:53:03 am
The Color Scheme:

Over the weekend I routed some t-molding slots on my test panel so I could see what the final color scheme will look like. Here are some pics:

(http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/5908/p1010240yx5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/8853/p1010239nn1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/3977/p1010238to5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

Apparently my camera doesn't like to take close up shots of anything so excuse the blurriness but you get the idea. I'm actually quite happy with how it looks in person. I was going back and forth on whether or not to just use black t-molding and play it safe but I think the pink t-molding really makes it stand out and have a unique feel.

Any thoughts?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: Kaytrim on February 20, 2007, 10:57:55 am
The color contrast is good between the panel and the T-Molding.  I'd stick with it.  You are really putting a lot of work into that paint job.  I hope you are happy with the final result.

TTFN  :cheers:
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: phines on February 20, 2007, 11:30:21 am
I agree, the color contrast is great!  I'm not a big fan of pink, but I'm sure your kids will like this when it is finished.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: csa3d on February 20, 2007, 08:48:25 pm
Found the perfect project belt to match
(http://roominakit.com/home-decor-shop/images/garden-pink-tote-gardening-tools.jpg)

 :D

I really like the color combination.  Almost a shame it will be layer in Barbie attire.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: needlesmcgirk on February 21, 2007, 09:14:06 am
Looks awesome!  very pink and girly.  I mean, I wouldn't want my friends to see me playing it, but I would definitely play it in secret...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: tetsu96 on February 22, 2007, 12:53:15 am
Looks awesome!  very pink and girly.  I mean, I wouldn't want my friends to see me playing it, but I would definitely play it in secret...

Don't be ashamed, playing with it in secret.  Come on out, and don't be afraid who knows.  You gotta be true to yourself.

Seriously though, colors do look great so far, and the marque seems to fit perfectly.  Yeah, it'd be a cabinet I'd feel more comfortable playing when my girl was around, but it's looking to be an excellent build and certainly one to be proud of.  Keep us updated.

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: javeryh on February 22, 2007, 12:14:09 pm
Thanks everyone!

I hit a huge snag last night.  Apparently, spraying lacquer in the basement isn't such a good idea with a pregnant wife in the house.  I have painted down there before and you can't smell a thing on the other floors of my house.  Last night after spraying for less than 10 seconds the fumes were overwhelming and I had to move my test panel out to the unheated garage.  It's still about 30-40 degrees outside so I'm not sure if the lacquer will cure properly or not.  This also means that I'm going to have to wait for the warm weather to actually spray the cabinet (after bringing it back out to the garage).  I guess I should have known better but I honestly didn't think it would be that strong.

In the mean time, I'm going to try and completely finish the cabinet construction this weekend (control panel and other miscellaneous stuff) so all that is left to do is paint the thing.  I might get away with priming and painting the cab in the basement but if I want the lacquered/mirrored finish I probably have no choice but to wait for the spring when it is warmer.   :(
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: bmrust on February 22, 2007, 12:29:36 pm
could get a garage heater...would be a good excuse to get one, anyway  :D

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: csa3d on February 22, 2007, 10:04:51 pm
In the mean time, I'm going to try and completely finish the cabinet construction this weekend (control panel and other miscellaneous stuff) so all that is left to do is paint the thing.  I might get away with priming and painting the cab in the basement but if I want the lacquered/mirrored finish I probably have no choice but to wait for the spring when it is warmer.   :(

... and to nag again ;)  Any chance of a pic or three of that monitor at various view angles turned on?  I'm either going to buy a similar refurbished Dell for $180 or spend the 430 clams on a Viewsonic vp2130b (http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktopdisplays/lcddisplays/proseries/vp2130b).  Curious to see if saving the money on the monitor is a good idea or not.  The viewsonic does boast 170 degrees viewing angles and is brighter then the dell.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: javeryh on February 22, 2007, 10:11:22 pm
In the mean time, I'm going to try and completely finish the cabinet construction this weekend (control panel and other miscellaneous stuff) so all that is left to do is paint the thing.  I might get away with priming and painting the cab in the basement but if I want the lacquered/mirrored finish I probably have no choice but to wait for the spring when it is warmer.   :(

... and to nag again ;)  Any chance of a pic or three of that monitor at various view angles turned on?  I'm either going to buy a similar refurbished Dell for $180 or spend the 430 clams on a Viewsonic vp2130b (http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktopdisplays/lcddisplays/proseries/vp2130b).  Curious to see if saving the money on the monitor is a good idea or not.  The viewsonic does boast 170 degrees viewing angles and is brighter then the dell.  Thanks!

Ack!  I forgot to snap a pic for you this past weekend - I'll remember I swear!  Look for it tomorrow night or Saturday.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [I found the PERFECT paint job!!]
Post by: csa3d on February 22, 2007, 10:19:40 pm
Ack!  I forgot to snap a pic for you this past weekend - I'll remember I swear!  Look for it tomorrow night or Saturday.   :cheers:

You the man, dog!  Oh, and be sure you tell them...

(http://www.warehouseone.com/images/detailed/T428204.jpg)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [Control Panel Progress Pics!!]
Post by: javeryh on March 05, 2007, 03:43:39 pm
OK, here's a bunch of pics I snapped over the weekend showing how I put together my control panel.  I probably should have saved these for when it was actually finished with the vinyl covering and all but what the heck - everyone loves pictures!

1.  Blurry shots of the weird angled pieces.  I cut these on my table saw just eyeballing the angle of the blade the best I could based on my measurements.  I used a caul for the glue up (you can see the process better in a pic below).

(http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/3029/p1010251ml4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/4057/p1010249ev9.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

2.  Some shots of how it would eventually look in place when the top CP piece was installed:

(http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/963/p1010252pv0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/8263/p1010253nr0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

3.  Here's a "before" shot of the CP top before I rounded over the edge for comfort/asthetics:

(http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/6338/p1010254av6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

4.  Here's the router bit installed (1/4" roundover bit).  The ball bearing rides along the edge of the MDF to create a perfectly round surface.

(http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/5932/p1010257oo1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/8081/p1010258mi9.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

5.  Here are the "after" shots of the rounded over edge:

(http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/4200/p1010259dm5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/2299/p1010262pi9.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

6.  Here is a shot of the glue-up of the weird control panel base to the top.  As mentioned above, you can see the caul I used to create a tight bond between the panels.  The clamps would have been impossible to position properly without the extra piece which is cut at exactly the same angle as the other pieces.  You can really start to see it take shape.

(http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/6195/p1010263mf1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I've got a ton more that I'll post a little later today or tomorrow.

 :cheers:

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [TONS of PROGRESS PICS!!]
Post by: NiteWalker on March 05, 2007, 06:23:20 pm
Good job keep it up.  :cheers:
I just bought that router you have and absolutely love it.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [TONS of PROGRESS PICS!!]
Post by: csa3d on March 05, 2007, 08:19:55 pm
Did you ever fix your stretching monitor issue?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [TONS of PROGRESS PICS!!]
Post by: javeryh on March 05, 2007, 10:22:54 pm
Did you ever fix your stretching monitor issue?

Nope - although I haven't really tried that hard yet... I hope I can figure it out.  ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [A TON MORE PROGRESS PICS!!]
Post by: javeryh on March 07, 2007, 03:07:45 pm
More pics:

1.  Shots of the fully assembled CP with the clamps removed and dry fit into the cabinet:

(http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/111/p1010266oz0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/2624/p1010267zy6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/2691/p1010269yi5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/1570/p1010270ut5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/6681/p1010271nl8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/795/p1010272fk7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

2.  Shots with the controls installed and dry fit into the cabinet:

(http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/8164/p1010275gx7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/9282/p1010276ap0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/4773/p1010277gp8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/3743/p1010274pw6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

It's coming together!  More pictures to come.  Next up - the vinyl covering and final button/joystick installation!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [MORE TEDIOUS PICS!! (03.07.07)]
Post by: leapinlew on March 07, 2007, 05:04:21 pm
It's looking great Javery. You've given me some great ideas for my mini that I plan on making!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [MORE TEDIOUS PICS!! (03.07.07)]
Post by: Kaytrim on March 07, 2007, 05:49:21 pm
It is really starting to look like there is a light at the end of the tunnel there.  Nice layout on the controls and the lines of the cab look good.  Don't try for the mirror finish on that get a nice coat of paint and you will be done. :applaud:

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [MORE TEDIOUS PICS!! (03.07.07)]
Post by: javeryh on March 08, 2007, 10:46:03 am
Heh, yeah - the paint job is going to be killer.  The test panel I primed, painted and sprayed with 10 coats of lacquer is finally cured so I'm going to test out the crazy finishing process on Saturday.  I can't wait. 

Besides that, I just have a few pieces to glue into place (kickplate panel, top panel and rear panel which will cover the speaker wires and marquee light wire) and then pending wife approval, I'm going to be applying 2 coats of primer to the entire cab (she's pregnant and the fumes might be a bit much since the basement doesn't really have any ventillation).  I doubt I'll get to the pink this weekend though but hopefully I'll have an all-white cabinet come Sunday night.

It will be bitter sweet once the cab is finished because I've enjoyed working on it so much although it will give me a chance to finally finish my cocktail table.  ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [MORE TEDIOUS PICS!! (03.07.07)]
Post by: Knievel on March 08, 2007, 10:54:46 am
 

'MORE TEDIOUS PICS!!'

LMAO  :laugh2:

Looking really great. Way to document the build..I do suck at that.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [MORE TEDIOUS PICS!! (03.07.07)]
Post by: NiteWalker on March 08, 2007, 03:02:50 pm
It will be bitter sweet once the cab is finished because I've enjoyed working on it so much although it will give me a chance to finally finish my cocktail table.  ;)

Time to start making preparations for the inevitable full size cabinet.  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [MORE TEDIOUS PICS!! (03.07.07)]
Post by: javeryh on March 10, 2007, 10:54:26 pm
Time to start making preparations for the inevitable full size cabinet.  :cheers:

No doubt that's coming eventually - I'm thinking that the next one will be a generic mame cab with the Project Arcade control panel layout.  There's nowhere to put it though!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [MORE TEDIOUS PICS!! (03.07.07)]
Post by: javeryh on March 10, 2007, 10:59:13 pm
I can't resisit - check it out!!

(http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2812/arcade2216nh0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

Many many more pics and details will be posted probably some time next week.  I'm pretty happy with the results!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [FINISHED CP - PICS!! (03.11.07)]
Post by: NiteWalker on March 11, 2007, 05:44:38 am
Very nice. The vinyl gives it a very nice professional appearance.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [FINISHED CP - PICS!! (03.11.07)]
Post by: Timoe on March 11, 2007, 12:35:33 pm
Thats cool.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [FINISHED CP - PICS!! (03.11.07)]
Post by: Dmod on March 12, 2007, 01:32:01 am
Looks good.  Did you put cover the dust washer with vinyl too?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [FINISHED CP - PICS!! (03.11.07)]
Post by: needlesmcgirk on March 12, 2007, 09:59:34 am
Man that looks hot.  I can't wait to see this thing!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vertical Mini Cab [FINISHED CP - PICS!! (03.11.07)]
Post by: vrf on March 12, 2007, 11:07:11 am
Such nice work here. That black vinyl gives the CP a very classy look. Where did you buy that material?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS pics for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!!
Post by: javeryh on March 13, 2007, 01:33:04 pm
This is it! As I mentioned above, I finally applied the vinyl overlay and installed all of the buttons into the control panel. I am very pleased with the results.

I had some left over vinyl from my other arcade project (http://www.knightsofthearcadetable.blogspot.com) so I didn't even have to spend any money on it (which is a good thing because I'm already over-budget). Anyway, if you need to obtain some vinyl I got mine from Happs. The exact type I used is called Black Pica Vinyl (Part No. 49-0474-10). I normally don't recommend them because they really really kill you on shipping but at the time I placed my order (2004) it was the only place I could find - there are probably better places to get it nowadays.

First and foremost I made sure that the entire control panel was sanded completely smooth - especially at the joints where two pieces of MDF were glued together. I can't stress this enough - ANY imperfection on the surface that you apply the vinyl to will show through to the finished product because the vinyl is so thin. Even though MDF is very smooth to begin with, I still sanded the entire surface down, including the edges, using 600 grit sandpaper. This is the part that is tempting to rush through because it's tedious and the fun part is applying the vinyl but definitely take your time. If you rush and there's a bump or a seam showing through to the finished control panel you are going to notice it every time you sit down to play.

After sanding the control panel smooth the next thing I did was eyeball the size piece I was going to need to completely cover the control panel as well as wrap around to the back (so it would stay on better). I cut out the rough rectangular shape using a regular pair of scissors. Again, the vinyl is very thin so it is super easy to cut.

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/293/arcade2202ba5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

The next step is where things get a bit difficult and you really have to be careful and take your time. As you can see from the picture, I removed the paper backing to the vinyl. It's really like a giant sticker - the entire back is coated in an adhesive.

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9199/arcade2203ia6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I applied the vinyl to the actual control panel surface first because the less vinyl that is stuck on the more control you have over it and if there was any place I didn't want any air bubbles or imperfections to show through this was it. I worked from the front edge and rolled the vinyl on towards the back making sure everything was lined up properly. My rough cut piece was plenty oversized so it's not like I had to be too careful here - the main concern was smoothing out the surface, removing all of the air bubbles and pulling everything tight. It's tricky to manage everything with only two hands!

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6640/arcade2204yp8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2131/arcade2205da2.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

After the vinyl was applied to the entire surface of the control panel and wrapped around to the back it was time to cut the vinyl to proper size. To do this I just used a razor and the edge of the MDF and cut it freehand. As long as you keep the blade tight against the edge of the MDF you will get a perfectly straight line. Make sure that the edge of the control panel that you are trimming is flat against your cutting table, including the edges. This may take some creative maneuvering of the control panel around the table - especially when you are cutting the pieces you wrapped around to the inside of the control panel.

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9840/arcade2206cl8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

And there you have it. As you can see below, the entire surface of the control panel has been covered in vinyl and cut to the proper size. You can see the indentations where the holes are for the buttons and joystick. I did clean up the back a little bit so the vinyl that wrapped around wouldn't be in the way of the buttons.

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5380/arcade2211ig0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6066/arcade2208qb7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9254/arcade2210vc1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

Now comes the really fun part - installing the controls! There's really nothing to it. Before cutting out each button hole I pressed the vinyl into the hole to make sure it was stick to the edge of the button hole as best as possible. Then using the razor, I rough cut the hole making sure to not even come close to the edge. Once I removed the piece of vinyl in the middle I used the razor to make a ton of little cuts in the vinyl from the edge of the hole to the center (probably about 15 per button). This allows the vinyl that is overhanging the hole to wrap rather neatly inside of the hole so the button can fit through with little resistance and no warping of the top surface.

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/493/arcade2214aa7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9733/arcade2215in5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I repeated this process for each button and installed the controls accordingly. I think is came out great - I was able to achieve a "professional" look with just a little time and minimal effort. There are no unsightly screws showing through to the surface and the look is very clean.

Here are the results!

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4273/arcade2216gj7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9682/arcade2217rn8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/441/arcade2218ci6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7585/arcade2220fr0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7393/arcade2221fs2.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

In addition, I should note that I decided to not use a piano hinge to connect the control panel to the cabinet. I decided instead to use two 3" clamps on the bottom of the control panel to secure it to the cabinet on the inside - there are two pieces of 1.5" x 0.75" strips of wood on the inside that I can clamp it to. Along the top edge I am going to install a strip of velcro which will allow the top part of the control panel to attach to the rabbetted lip on the bezel panel. The reason I made this decision is because there was not enough overhang by the control panel to allow for the bottom to be hinged. Also, the actual hinges would end up overhanging the coin door panel by about 1/8" and it would not be able to open.

I think the clamps and velcro will be strong enough to hold the control panel in place but I guess I won't really know until the cab is up and running and Bella is pulling on the joystick. This is one of the first design decisions I had to make on the fly but I think it will be OK.

The only thing I'm waiting on in order to truly call the control panel 100% finished is the vinyl button decals I'm ordering from MikeDeuce. This will add the finishing touches and label each button so the user will know what does what. Hopefully he will be able to send them to me soon!

Whew! That was a long post... Thanks for looking!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: Kaytrim on March 13, 2007, 06:43:15 pm
Very good job on the CP javeryh.  Excellent documentation as well.  You should put this information in the Wiki.  :applaud:

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: spacies on March 13, 2007, 07:12:40 pm

Nice work mate.

Covering things with vinyl is a good solution.
How will it wear? Looks like good stuff.

Good advice about the importance of making sure everything is dead flat before sticking the stuff down.

Before I started building these dam machines I had a small sign writing business so those skills came in handy when applying vinyl to Cps and cabs.

I mentioned this because you didn't fold the vinyl all the way around and underneath. I guess if you can't see the edges it doesn't matter but if you want to try it just make some cuts accordingly and heat that stuff gently with a heat gun then wrap it around. Piece of cake.

Anyway. This is one of my favourite builds on here at the moment.

Can't wait to see it in all its 'pink-ness'.

 :applaud:




Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: Dmod on March 14, 2007, 01:09:54 am
Great job documenting the build.   :applaud:

I'm wondering if I can apply the same vinyl cutting techniques for a Mamemarquees CPO.
What would you do for a trackball hole?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: Dudeman on March 14, 2007, 03:06:29 pm
How durable would you say that stuff is? I'm trying to decide what to put on the side of my cab. I was thinking of laminate, but it's a special oder from Lowe's and it would cost about $90.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: Crafty on March 15, 2007, 08:36:12 pm
That CP looks fantastic.   :applaud:

The black vinyl is a good alternative option to CP art and plastic....
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: Donkey_Kong on March 15, 2007, 10:30:38 pm
The craftsmanship here makes me jealous. The work seems so barbaric on my project compared to this...Well I guess mine does compared to most around here but that is besides the point.

Nice work.   :applaud:

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4273/arcade2216gj7.jpg)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on March 21, 2007, 10:34:46 am
Very good job on the CP javeryh.  Excellent documentation as well.  You should put this information in the Wiki.  :applaud:

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim

Thanks Kaytrim.  I'd gladly add this to the Wiki if people think it is appropriate (I also have no idea how to go about adding it  ;D).


Nice work mate.

Covering things with vinyl is a good solution.
How will it wear? Looks like good stuff.

Good advice about the importance of making sure everything is dead flat before sticking the stuff down.

Before I started building these dam machines I had a small sign writing business so those skills came in handy when applying vinyl to Cps and cabs.

I mentioned this because you didn't fold the vinyl all the way around and underneath. I guess if you can't see the edges it doesn't matter but if you want to try it just make some cuts accordingly and heat that stuff gently with a heat gun then wrap it around. Piece of cake.

Anyway. This is one of my favourite builds on here at the moment.

Can't wait to see it in all its 'pink-ness'.

 :applaud:

Thanks spacies!  I think the vinyl will hold up very well.  Even though it is easy to cut with scissors or a razor, it is very difficult to tear and it seems to be very resistant to wear and tear (at least in my home).  I covered my CPs of my cocktail cab the same way and they are doing just fine (although I rarely play it since it's still in the basement and unfinished  :-[). 

That heat gun idea sounds like it will work pretty good.  I might give that a try next time because getting the edges to stay down was tricky because the edge of the MDF is kind of powdery and doesn't take adhesive well.  I did end up wrapping the vinyl around the top and bottom edges about 2 inches but I left the sides alone so it would still fit in the CP opening on the cabinet - it's tight as it is and I'm nervous that the paint job might make it too tight.

Great job documenting the build.   :applaud:

I'm wondering if I can apply the same vinyl cutting techniques for a Mamemarquees CPO.
What would you do for a trackball hole?

Thanks for the compliments! 

I've never cut a CPO but I would probably guess with 99% certainty that it can be done the same way.  As for the trackball hole, I would use a brand new razor and after applying the CPO, turn it upsidedown and very slowly and carefully trace the hole with the razor.  That's what I did for the trackball on my cocktail cabinet and it came out perfect - I'm not so sure how I'd line up artwork though (like if you have something surrounding ther trackball that needs to be centered perfectly).  Maybe ask around....

How durable would you say that stuff is? I'm trying to decide what to put on the side of my cab. I was thinking of laminate, but it's a special oder from Lowe's and it would cost about $90.

Again I'd say it's pretty durable - especially for the side of a cabinet that won't get heavy abuse.  Be careful trying to apply it though - the air bubbles are a pain to work out and with such a large surface it might be twice as hard - definitely doable though.

That CP looks fantastic.   :applaud:

The black vinyl is a good alternative option to CP art and plastic....

Thanks Crafty!  I was going for a very very simple/plain look for this cab because I need wife approval to put it in my daughter's room.  She definitely wouldn't like something with a ton of loud colors or crazy artwork (even though I would!).  I still have to apply the vinyl decals on the admin buttons and I'm having some pink arrows made to surround the joystick to give the CP a little character.  I can't wait to get that stuff from MikeDeuce!

The craftsmanship here makes me jealous. The work seems so barbaric on my project compared to this...Well I guess mine does compared to most around here but that is besides the point.

Nice work.   :applaud:

Thanks Donkey_Kong!  Don't get discouraged - I think your cabinet looks really really cool.  It is by far the most unique one I've ever seen - especially with all that wicked cool sideart.  I really don't have any construction/woodworking skills other than the ones I've picked up by doing these projects.  In fact, I didn't have many tools before I started and now my garage is full of them.  The best advice I can give is just take your time and plan everything out.  I tend to think about things a little too long before actually making any cuts/progress but in the end I think it helps everything come together the way I want it to.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on March 24, 2007, 11:16:45 am
I hate painting.  I just put the first coat of primer on Bella's Arcade and it looks terrible.  I'm going to need at least three coats of primer but jeez it looks like I ruined the entire thing as of right now.  Also, I hit a snag in my plans to finish painting this weekend while the wife and kid are away - I'm painting in the basement right now and the smell is overbearing so I need to move it to the garage before doing anything else or my wife will kill me.  I have to pray the smell is gone by Monday.  Now I know why I was putting this part off for so long...   

:angry:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: theCoder on March 24, 2007, 11:19:16 pm
I hate painting.  I just put the first coat of primer on Bella's Arcade and it looks terrible....
If you think you hate painting now, wait until you are done.  If you go gonzo with the finish like what you are planning, you will probably use a laminate on your next project.  I'm with you, though, I hate painting as well.  And I've got twice the surface area you do. 

Keep up the good work.  Your daughter will really appreciate it.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on March 25, 2007, 09:24:57 pm
I hate painting.  I just put the first coat of primer on Bella's Arcade and it looks terrible....
If you think you hate painting now, wait until you are done.  If you go gonzo with the finish like what you are planning, you will probably use a laminate on your next project.  I'm with you, though, I hate painting as well.  And I've got twice the surface area you do. 

Keep up the good work.  Your daughter will really appreciate it.

Yeah you've got a ton of surface area to cover!  I'm glad Bella's Arcade isn't that big!   ;D

I put on the second coat of primer today and it is starting to look much better than it did yesterday.  The coat is very even now except for in the corners where I had to switch to a foam brush instead of the roller [Anyone got any tips for dealing with those areas?].  Next weekend I will put on the third and final coat of primer (sanding first, of course) and maybe even get a coat of the pink on there (I can't wait for that!).  I think the third coat of primer will totally even everything out.  I'm probably about 2 weeks away from finishing the paint job though because of that pesky job I have to go to during the week.  That doesn't even include the lacquor finish either...

No pics of the white cab this weekend because the wife took our camera!  I'll try and post some this week though!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: theCoder on March 25, 2007, 10:47:43 pm
How are you planning on applying the lacquer?  Spray or roll?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: Donkey_Kong on March 25, 2007, 10:59:04 pm
  I really don't have any construction/woodworking skills other than the ones I've picked up by doing these projects.  In fact, I didn't have many tools before I started and now my garage is full of them. 

It is really amazing to hear this. A lot of guys on here never touched a saw before there cab and they whip out an amazing piece of work. Then you get the hicks up in the sticks born with a saw in there hand and they just can't compete. It is all for the love of the game!!

Thats why we are all here...the love of the game!   :cheers:

Nice work as always Javeryh...   :notworthy:

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on March 26, 2007, 09:06:16 am
How are you planning on applying the lacquer?  Spray or roll?

I'm spraying it on right out of a can.  Just make sure to tape off the areas you don't want covered in lacquer as well as cover anything near where you are working with an old sheet or something so you don't accidentally get any on your power tools or anything else.  The mist from spraying does settle eventually!

  I really don't have any construction/woodworking skills other than the ones I've picked up by doing these projects.  In fact, I didn't have many tools before I started and now my garage is full of them. 

It is really amazing to hear this. A lot of guys on here never touched a saw before there cab and they whip out an amazing piece of work. Then you get the hicks up in the sticks born with a saw in there hand and they just can't compete. It is all for the love of the game!!

Thats why we are all here...the love of the game!   :cheers:

Nice work as always Javeryh...   :notworthy:



Thanks!  I think I'm having a mid-life crisis though because I enjoy building/designing/construction so much more than what I actually do for a living.  It's just so relaxing...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: Bones on March 26, 2007, 09:43:41 am
This machine is looking great. Congrats on your time & effort it is looking bloody fantastic.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: NiteWalker on March 26, 2007, 12:08:32 pm
I think I'm having a mid-life crisis though because I enjoy building/designing/construction so much more than what I actually do for a living.  It's just so relaxing...

That's not a mid life crisis. That's the beginning stages of the addiction that is woodworking. It's a vicious downward spiral from there. :cheers:

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on March 27, 2007, 08:52:31 pm
This machine is looking great. Congrats on your time & effort it is looking bloody fantastic.

Thanks a lot!  I can't wait to finish it!   :cheers:

I think I'm having a mid-life crisis though because I enjoy building/designing/construction so much more than what I actually do for a living.  It's just so relaxing...

That's not a mid life crisis. That's the beginning stages of the addiction that is woodworking. It's a vicious downward spiral from there. :cheers:

That's what I'm afraid of! 

In related news, I just finished sanding down the second coat of primer - the third coat goes on tomorrow or Thursday.  I think I will be seeing pink on Saturday!!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: Kaytrim on March 28, 2007, 11:39:33 am
I think I will be seeing pink on Saturday!!!

As long as it is not pink elephants.   :cheers: :laugh2:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: Anubis_au on March 28, 2007, 10:29:02 pm
Just to get off topic for one minute, there was one line early on in your blog for this cab build:

I'm going to order a 17" Dell LCD monitor to play the games on. I'm a little unsure of using an LCD monitor because it's not "authentic" (the resolution is too good) but there are tricks that you can use to make the screen look close to the originals.

Can you elaborate on these tricks? Is there a specific version of MAME that makes a LCD monitor (as opposed to an LCD television) have a degraded picture to look more authentic? Or, how are you going to go about making the picture more authentic looking?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: KDOG on March 30, 2007, 11:26:49 pm
Add the scanline tag in your mame.ini file. Also if you are using the default settings in mame 108 or later set your desktop to  800x600  or 1024x768 at the most  for a descent picture.

# VIDEO OPTIONS
#
video                     d3d
numscreens                1
window                  0
maximize                1
keepaspect              1
prescale                1
effect                 scanlines
pause_brightness        0.65
waitvsync               1
syncrefresh             0
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on March 31, 2007, 11:30:13 pm
Yeah, basically by adding scanlines and stuff in MAME I will try and approximate an arcade monitor (without really coming close).  I need to figure out how to get it running in full screen first!

In other news, the last coat of primer went on today - painting is a huge PITA.  I'm hoping to sand tomorrow afternoon around 1 and put the first coat of pink paint on around 5.  I'll also have some unexciting pics to post...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: theCoder on March 31, 2007, 11:40:40 pm
I thought you'd have pink on you hands by now.  Good luck tomorrow.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on March 31, 2007, 11:49:50 pm
I thought you'd have pink on you hands by now.  Good luck tomorrow.

Me too - my wife has been working weekends and my daughter is sick so I haven't been able to do anything really. 

I have a question for you - are you going to sand your last coat of paint to get it smooth?  I am undecided about this - If I don't there's no avoiding the "orange peel" on some level even if it's minor.  I wonder if sanding the last coat and then applying the lacquer would work...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: leapinlew on April 01, 2007, 12:04:44 am
Your having problems getting your game full screen? Maybe I missed it earlier in the thread, but what video card is it? I had a similar issue with an onboard intel card.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: theCoder on April 01, 2007, 01:00:23 am
I have a question for you - are you going to sand your last coat of paint to get it smooth?  I am undecided about this - If I don't there's no avoiding the "orange peel" on some level even if it's minor.  I wonder if sanding the last coat and then applying the lacquer would work...
On the writeup you referenced on my thread, the guy did not include a lacquer layer.  I'm trying to follow his lead, at least as much as practical.  I'm going to try to sand all of the orange peel out of the color coat, then polish from there.  That is why I put on 8 coats.  Wish me luck.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on April 01, 2007, 11:05:20 am
Your having problems getting your game full screen? Maybe I missed it earlier in the thread, but what video card is it? I had a similar issue with an onboard intel card.

This is where I start to look silly - I'm not that great with computers, unfortunately, but I'm trying to learn.  Anyway, I'm going to be using an old Gateway PIII in this cabinet.  I bought a new monitor (the Dell LCD) and for some reason the image does not stretch to the top and bottom of the screen (I'm rotating the image 90 degrees and I do NOT have a widescreen monitor so it's not that).  I do not know what video card is in there or anything.  Maybe things will fix themselves when I wipe the computer and do a fresh Windows XP install (or TinyXP if I can figure that out).  I'll be running MaLa as my front end so I can load the custom maps for the U360 joystick when each game boots up.  I'll get into more details when I'm ready to install the software and everything.

I have a question for you - are you going to sand your last coat of paint to get it smooth?  I am undecided about this - If I don't there's no avoiding the "orange peel" on some level even if it's minor.  I wonder if sanding the last coat and then applying the lacquer would work...
On the writeup you referenced on my thread, the guy did not include a lacquer layer.  I'm trying to follow his lead, at least as much as practical.  I'm going to try to sand all of the orange peel out of the color coat, then polish from there.  That is why I put on 8 coats.  Wish me luck.

Look at the last post on the first page of the thread - he said he starts with over 10 coats of lacquer applied.  I think his starting point is the beginning of the polishing process:
Quote
But what I tend to do is spray many coats of laquer(over 10) with absolutely no sanding between coats. This results in a fair amount of orange peel as you can see from the photo above. Again some folks will sand between every couple of coats but I see no advantage to that and only that it take a lot more time, I've done both with and without sanding and I get virtually identical finished results at the end of each. I should mention that you need more coats if you don't sand between.
After putting on 3 coats of primer and 4 top coats I sprayed on lacquer straight from the can - 15 coats!  It dries in 20 minutes for another coat but you need to wait several days for it to fully cure.  I think the wet sanding with the 1500 grit sandpaper and the rubbing compound/polish is only affecting the top lacquer coats.  This is the way I did my test panel and it came out great (although you could see a slight hint of the orange peel from the paint layers underneath the lacquer).  I hope this makes sense...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: theCoder on April 01, 2007, 11:37:41 am
Thanks, I obviously missed that part of his message.  I'll probably try sanding my color coat smooth, then put on 4-6 coats of lacquer, then polish. 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: leapinlew on April 01, 2007, 01:28:14 pm
Javery:

I've had all kinds of issues using Onboard Intel Graphics. I've had to purchase PCI cards instead. I believe UncleT found a solution for his. If your using WindowsXP, do this:

1. Right click My Computer
2. Select properties
3. Click the Hardware tab
4. Click the Device Manager button
5. Click the plus sign next to display adapter

Under the display adapter it will tell you what kind of video card you have. What is it?

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on April 01, 2007, 02:18:28 pm
I have an Intel(r) 82815 Graphics Controller. 

I'm using Windows 98 currently but after I'm done transferring all of the files I want to keep to my external HDD the plan is to wipe the old computer and start over (there is so much crapola on there right now from years of use).  I have a copy of XP to put on there to run everything.... hopefully...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: PROGRESS PICS - Finished CP in unfinished cabinet (04.04.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 03, 2007, 10:34:31 pm
I took these a while ago and never got around to posting them - just a few shots of the finished control panel installed in the cabinet with the coin door, monitor and marquee all in place. All that's missing is the paint job and the t-molding!

(http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/6241/p1010291lp5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/1180/p1010286gp7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/8871/p1010288zw3.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/2179/p1010287dz8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7704/p1010289ge2.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I will be posting pics of a very white cabinet soon. I put three coats of primer on the sucker - I'm almost ready for the pink!!

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: PROGRESS PICS - Finished CP in unfinished cabinet (04.04.07)!
Post by: theCoder on April 04, 2007, 12:59:03 am
What color t-molding are you going to use?  I'm assuming either black or pink?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: leapinlew on April 04, 2007, 08:57:58 am
I have an Intel(r) 82815 Graphics Controller. 

I'm using Windows 98 currently but after I'm done transferring all of the files I want to keep to my external HDD the plan is to wipe the old computer and start over (there is so much crapola on there right now from years of use).  I have a copy of XP to put on there to run everything.... hopefully...

You can wrestle with the Intel card or do what I did. I bought a PCI card to use. Cost me about $40 and I looked for a card that used heatsinks only and didn't require a fan. When I tried to use the Intel card - it would auto flip some of the games, stretch them, or display them in a small box. I tried messing around with settings and everything - but what I found to be the quickest fix was to just replace the video card.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Tons of PROCESS PICS for FINISHED Control Panel (03.13.07)!
Post by: javeryh on April 04, 2007, 01:06:45 pm
What color t-molding are you going to use?  I'm assuming either black or pink?

I hate my camera.  I am planning to use pink t-molding as shown in the pictures below.  I think the different shades of pink make a very nice contrast.  Too bad you can't really tell from the pictures because the pink on the panel looks washed out.  It looks much better in person - very pink and super smooth and silky - I swear!  Did I mention I hate my camera?

(http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/586/p1010319xw0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/6508/p1010320ii2.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I have an Intel(r) 82815 Graphics Controller. 

I'm using Windows 98 currently but after I'm done transferring all of the files I want to keep to my external HDD the plan is to wipe the old computer and start over (there is so much crapola on there right now from years of use).  I have a copy of XP to put on there to run everything.... hopefully...

You can wrestle with the Intel card or do what I did. I bought a PCI card to use. Cost me about $40 and I looked for a card that used heatsinks only and didn't require a fan. When I tried to use the Intel card - it would auto flip some of the games, stretch them, or display them in a small box. I tried messing around with settings and everything - but what I found to be the quickest fix was to just replace the video card.

If $40 is all that it will take to fix the problem I'll gladly pay it.  Right now everything displays in a small box (at least the 10 or so games I've tried) and not even at the proper aspect ratio (Pac-man looks squashed).  Check it out:

(http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/9274/p1010242fs4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/5307/p1010246dg4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I'm probably going to need some tech support once I really dive into the software configuration because I plan on running MaLa so I can use the map loader for the U360.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: PROGRESS PICS - Finished CP in unfinished cabinet (04.04.07)!
Post by: somunny on April 11, 2007, 12:21:46 am
This is really coming along nicely, j.  Do you have any sideart planned?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: PROGRESS PICS - Finished CP in unfinished cabinet (04.04.07)!
Post by: javeryh on April 11, 2007, 10:42:51 am
This is really coming along nicely, j.  Do you have any sideart planned?

Thanks!  At the moment I do not have any sideart planned.  I've been thinking about it and I'm not sure what I could put on there that would look good enough to please the wife.  As it stands right now it is going to be a tough sell to get this thing in Bella's new bedroom.  If anything I'll probably contact the artist that designed the marquee and ask him to make something similar for the sides... maybe a circle that says "Bella's Arcade" in the same font and with the same flowered background or something...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: PROGRESS PICS - Finished CP in unfinished cabinet (04.04.07)!
Post by: somunny on April 11, 2007, 09:35:38 pm
This is really coming along nicely, j.  Do you have any sideart planned?

Thanks!  At the moment I do not have any sideart planned.  I've been thinking about it and I'm not sure what I could put on there that would look good enough to please the wife.  As it stands right now it is going to be a tough sell to get this thing in Bella's new bedroom.  If anything I'll probably contact the artist that designed the marquee and ask him to make something similar for the sides... maybe a circle that says "Bella's Arcade" in the same font and with the same flowered background or something...

Sure.  It doesn't have to cover the whole side.  Just something to tie it all together.  I regret not adding sideart to the mini cabinet I built last year.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: PROGRESS PICS - Finished CP in unfinished cabinet (04.04.07)
Post by: leapinlew on April 11, 2007, 09:57:50 pm
Ahh, sideart and problems selling it to the the wife eh? Have you considered some sideart that features clowns?

Everyone loves clowns:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ac/Pennywiseclown.JPG/250px-Pennywiseclown.JPG)

(http://www.constructiveanarchy.com/blog/evil%20clown.jpg)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: PROGRESS PICS - Finished CP in unfinished cabinet (04.04.07)
Post by: Strokemouth on April 11, 2007, 10:20:52 pm
Ahh, sideart and problems selling it to the the wife eh? Have you considered some sideart that features clowns?

Everyone loves clowns:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ac/Pennywiseclown.JPG/250px-Pennywiseclown.JPG)

(http://www.constructiveanarchy.com/blog/evil%20clown.jpg)

Thanks for the nightmares!

Looking good javery! Anytime I see a new post in this thread, I always hop right in....dying to finally see that killer paint job!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Let there be paint! [PICS!] (04.16.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 16, 2007, 10:18:25 am
Now we get to the good stuff... sort of.  This past weekend I was fortunate enough to apply the first two black top coats to the interior of my cabinet on Saturday before the skies opened up and unleashed like 8 inches of rain (and counting!). 

I took a few pictures to show off how I'm going about painting it which is a little unusual for cabinets like this (I think). I'm actually trying to paint any surface black that is visible on the outside and that faces the interior.  This includes the visible strips on the rear of the cabinet and on the top.  Then I'm going to paint the two side panels, the coin door panel, the top panel and the back panel pink next weekend, weather permitting.

The pictures below were taken after I applied the first coat and you can see right through the black paint in a lot of places - it was very uneven and splotchy and I was quite scared that I ruined the entire thing.  First coats always freak me out.  The second coat went on much nicer though (which isn't shown, unfortunately). Check it out:

(http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/9978/80614265ks2.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/5137/arcade2226up3.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/7127/arcade2224gc3.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/171/arcade2222mx9.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/9863/arcade2223bf5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/2906/arcade2225dc7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Let there be paint! [PICS!] (04.16.07)
Post by: polaris on April 16, 2007, 10:53:22 am
i may have said this before
i think this should eventually be in the wiki under , obligatory daughter cab , with full plans.
would help me when i come to make my daughters cab next year ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Let there be paint! [PICS!] (04.16.07)
Post by: leapinlew on April 16, 2007, 11:23:26 am
I often wonder what my neighbors must think when I'm rolling out an arcade cabinet in my driveway like that. You ever get any strange looks?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Let there be paint! [PICS!] (04.16.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 16, 2007, 12:06:52 pm
i may have said this before
i think this should eventually be in the wiki under , obligatory daughter cab , with full plans.
would help me when i come to make my daughters cab next year ;D

Thanks for the kind words.  I'm trying to document everything as best as I can because I wouldn't be able to do this if others hadn't taken the time to do the same thing.  I'm hoping to give a little bit back to the community since I've taken so much already...

I often wonder what my neighbors must think when I'm rolling out an arcade cabinet in my driveway like that. You ever get any strange looks?

My next door neighbor asked me point blank "What the heck is that?"  When I told her it was an arcade cabinet I'm pretty sure she thought I was crazy.  I love it!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Let there be paint! [PICS!] (04.16.07)
Post by: WunderCade on April 16, 2007, 01:09:22 pm
My next door neighbor asked me point blank "What the heck is that?"  When I told her it was an arcade cabinet I'm pretty sure she thought I was crazy.  I love it!

You could've told your neighbor that it is a 'psycho-mantium' and that if stare into it, you can communicate with your dead loved ones. A good tactic if you're tired of being invited to endless barbeques and block parties.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 18, 2007, 04:41:08 pm
OK, I've been thinking about adding side art so I asked megashock to whip something up for me based on the marquee he disigned.  Here it is:

(http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/315/bellaside1re0.gif) (http://imageshack.us)

I'm still not 100% sold on having any side art but I have to admit, it would look pretty cool.  Any thoughts or suggestions as to how I can improve the design?  I'm already thinking about adding a dark pink border around the flower otherwise it might blend in with my pink paint job too much...

Comments/criticisms are welcome.  Thanks!

Oh yeah - here's the marquee again for reference:

(http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/7987/bellamarquee3re7xo4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: Jeff AMN on April 18, 2007, 06:00:32 pm
That side art would look great. I'd put a white edge around it instead of a darker pink.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: grundle on April 18, 2007, 06:16:00 pm
I think you definitely need to add the dark pink border, but other than that, I think it will look fantastic.

OK, I've been thinking about adding side art so I asked megashock to whip something up for me based on the marquee he disigned.  Here it is:

I'm still not 100% sold on having any side art but I have to admit, it would look pretty cool.  Any thoughts or suggestions as to how I can improve the design?  I'm already thinking about adding a dark pink border around the flower otherwise it might blend in with my pink paint job too much...

Comments/criticisms are welcome.  Thanks!

Oh yeah - here's the marquee again for reference:

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: Crafty on April 18, 2007, 09:46:52 pm
Love the flowery sideart....

This project continues to impress...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: Dudeman on April 19, 2007, 09:31:38 am
I think it looks great. I would put some kind of border on it though.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on April 19, 2007, 12:44:07 pm
Instead of adding a new dark border, why not change the one it has to a different color.  I just used the color picker and a bucket fill, but it should give you some ideas:

(BTW, any luck on the letterboxing with the monitor?)

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: NiteWalker on April 19, 2007, 02:59:38 pm
Bottom one. :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: polaris on April 19, 2007, 03:19:06 pm
Bottom one. :cheers:
definitely , as long as theres a contrast from the cab colour so it stands out
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on April 19, 2007, 03:33:34 pm
I liked the bottom the best also, but I figured I post them all so Javery could get ideas from them.  You could change the colors or hues if you wanted also, I just picked ones that were used somewhere else in the sideart.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 19, 2007, 03:49:35 pm
Wow thanks guys!! - Especially Tiger-Heli.  Those mock-ups have given me a couple of ideas.  I agree that the background needs a little bit of work and I do like the pink one the best but I need to think about this more... I'm a little troubled by the green in there because it's so predominent - I wonder if I could somehow incorporate all of the colors that make up "arcade" in the flower with the dark pink being the outermost edge... maybe alternating rings (including coloring the white trim in between each flower)? 

EDIT:  Like this but with a dark pink border around the outermost flower and the dark to light fade for the colors (as shown in the green) - I just used paint to do this...

(http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/1343/sideart1ge1.png) (http://imageshack.us)

Thoughts?





... and no, I still haven't resolved the LCD issues but I haven't tried.  I've been so busy at home since it was the end of tax season and my wife is a CPA - someone has to watch the kid!  I'm hoping to get a chance tonight though...

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: needlesmcgirk on April 20, 2007, 04:50:12 pm
Looks good.  I expect to see pictures of this paint job soon after this weekend though.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: polaris on April 20, 2007, 05:59:25 pm
if you're doing the dab in that blush pink , i reckon you need the outer flower in the dark pink , like the fourth one , the fade thing i like , not sure bout the green in the middle , id go for really light pink

edit  maybe cab there not dab
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: I'm giving into SIDE ART (maybe)! [PICS!] (04.18.07)
Post by: Dudeman on April 20, 2007, 08:22:04 pm
So... how about that Cro Cop guy? Mean SOB.



Sorry... I had to squeeze a little testosterone into the conversation.
There's just something strange about a bunch of guys sitting around talking about what color pink looks best.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 24, 2007, 10:13:39 am
OK, here's the revised side art (you need to click on the thumbnail to see the detail):

(http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6453/bellaside2bu8.th.gif) (http://img440.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bellaside2bu8.gif)

I've asked the artist to change the pink border around the entire thing to match the pink used to create the shadow effect on the "Bella's" lettering.  I think I'm getting close to something I can use. 

What do you think?  Any other thoughts/comments? 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on April 24, 2007, 10:29:30 am
I agree change the outline to the darker pink and you have a good side art for your pretty little cab.  :applaud:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on April 24, 2007, 10:29:48 am
I've asked the artist to change the pink border around the entire thing to match the pink used to create the shadow effect on the "Bella's" lettering.  I think I'm getting close to something I can use. 
EDIT:  Looking at them both, I think it will depend on what shade of pink the sides are which one looks better.

Looking good, there's actually two colors that make the shadow affect, the top image is the brighter pink which you see more of and the bottom one is the darker pink.  I think I like the bottom one better, but these should give you an idea of what they look like:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 24, 2007, 12:53:32 pm
Ooooh - awesome!!  I'm actually not sure which one I like better.  The bottom one was the one I had in mind but now I think it might look "too purple" unless I'm going crazy.  Very nice work - thanks!!

Any other comments?  how do you like the color scheme?  Should I be trying to also incorporate the orange and purple colors?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on April 24, 2007, 01:03:08 pm
Ooooh - awesome!!  I'm actually not sure which one I like better.  The bottom one was the one I had in mind but now I think it might look "too purple" unless I'm going crazy.  Very nice work - thanks!!

Purple and pink tend to complement each other pretty well - look at any of the Barbie toys, etc.  I think you might be overanalyzing it, but that's understandable.

Quote
Any other comments?  how do you like the color scheme?  Should I be trying to also incorporate the orange and purple colors?
[/quote]
I like the current color scheme.  I think the orange and purple might make it too "busy", but just MHO.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: needlesmcgirk on April 24, 2007, 02:34:46 pm
seriously, want to see this paint job.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 24, 2007, 03:09:52 pm
seriously, want to see this paint job.

heh, me too... things keep popping up on the weekends and ruining my plans to paint.   ;D  The plan right now is to DEFINITELY paint this weekend barring any unforeseen chores my wife may have in mind.  I will be sanding/prepping the cab after work this week with an eye towards a Saturday morning start.  I should be able to get at least 4 coats of pink on by Sunday night.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: theCoder on April 24, 2007, 08:57:59 pm
[things keep popping up on the weekends and ruining my plans to paint.   ;D  The plan right now is to DEFINITELY paint this weekend barring any unforeseen chores my wife may have in mind.  ...
So who is running the show in your household anyway?  Sounds to me like, ur..... uh..... your household runs a lot like mine.   Good luck get'n pink.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: polaris on April 24, 2007, 11:35:22 pm
seriously, want to see this paint job.

heh, me too... things keep popping up on the weekends and ruining my plans to paint.   ;D  The plan right now is to DEFINITELY paint this weekend barring any unforeseen chores my wife may have in mind.  I will be sanding/prepping the cab after work this week with an eye towards a Saturday morning start.  I should be able to get at least 4 coats of pink on by Sunday night.
yep i wanna see it painted too, then you can hold up some side art examples to it so we can vote on it ;D
i really like the side art, think its gonna work well.
i'm four coats in to painting my daughters room in the said pink, the cabs gonna be a dream when i get to it ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 30, 2007, 12:46:07 pm
It's PINK!!!  No pics to show yet though... maybe tonight if work allows - I've been getting killed.  The coloring looks really cool though.

Anyway, I'm a little unhappy with a tape line on the cabinet - I taped off a section with the blue 3M painter's tape and had it secured to the surface as tight as possible yet the paint still bled underneath in a few areas ruining the nice crisp line I was going for.  Does anyone have any tips in this area?  I'm going to try to do some touch up work when it's all said and done but any advice would be most appreciated.  Oh yeah, if it helps, the color transitionis in a corner (not on a flat surface).

THANKS!!!   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: GAtekwriter on April 30, 2007, 03:51:27 pm
I posted a comment on your other post about painting, but another idea popped in there:

I don't like painter's tape... but when I have to use it, I don't leave it on very long... put it on, paint, and pull it off while the paint is still wet.  If you don't think this will work, use a paint shield.  You didn't include a picture of the corner, but if you can cover the surface you do NOT want painted with something like a non-flimsy thin plastic card, you paint the area by hand and then pull away the shield... if you're not slapping a ton of paint on it, running won't be a problem.  I've found that bleeding occurs most often when the tape is left on longer than it should...think about it - if you pull off the tape, how can the paint bleed under it? :)

Good luck.

Jim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: theCoder on April 30, 2007, 10:06:00 pm
Contrats on getting in some quality time.  How many coats did you get on? 

I've got a few similar problems to deal with as well.  My wife has a bunch of those super small brushes used on plastic models.  I'm planning on using those.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: javeryh on April 30, 2007, 11:26:03 pm
I got all 4 black coats and one pink coat.  I think I'll finish this week though - one coat a night for 5 nights.  I'm getting frustrated though.  Not only did the pink paint run into the black tonight, but removing the painter's tape completely stripped the layer of black paint I had applied previously.  I'm changing my color scheme to accomodate this little problem... the 3/4" strips going down the back of the cabinet are now going to be pink to match the back panel.  This is the spot I'm having trouble with:

(http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/9130/arcade2225sz7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

See the black strip?  I'm going to make it pink now.  It will be up against the wall so it won't matter but I'm still a bit annoyed.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 01, 2007, 09:52:01 am
OK, I thought about it and it's going to make me mental if I can't have that black strip in the back so I'm just going to start the entire project over.













Actually, I'm going to paint everything pink and then try and go over it with black using an artist's brush and a steady hand...unless I don't mind the all-pink look.  I added another coat of pink paint last night and I'm going to try and get 3 more on by the end of the week (one a night).  It only takes about 20 minutes to put a coat on which is nice.  I plan on spraying the lacquer this weekend and finishing up the computer set-up.  I anticipate being 100% complete in 3 weeks or less!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: theCoder on May 01, 2007, 10:38:39 am
Are you spraying the pink or rolling?  How is the surface finish turning out?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: REVISED SIDE ART (Comments?) (04.24.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 01, 2007, 10:44:51 am
I'm rolling with a high quality 4" foam roller - it is coming out very nice - virtually no orange peel and no air bubbles or anything.  I actually used a regular knapp roller for my test panel (if I remember correctly) which left some orange peel and even that came out great once I lacquered it and sanded it smooth with 1500 grit sandpaper so I have very high hopes for the cabinet finish.  I also only put 3 coats of paint on the test panel so I think putting 5 or 6 on the cabinet will also make a difference - there will be less chance of sanding through the pink down to the primer on the finished product.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 02, 2007, 09:17:50 am
I finally got a coat of pink paint on my cabinet!  The flash makes it look a little lighter than it actually is but you get the idea.  Plus this was taken in my unlit garage pretty much at night so it's not the best quality... oh, and there's only one coat of paint on at this point so, um... whatever...  enjoy!

(http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/3720/p1010344hk2.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I can say that the paint is going on VERY nice - virtually no "orange peel" or any markings that would suggest it was rolled on.  Thoughts?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: shardian on May 02, 2007, 09:29:36 am
Looks good!
FYI though, imageshack sucks. Upload your pics straight to byoac instead.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: GAtekwriter on May 02, 2007, 11:59:53 am
I've been following your project here and on your blog... this is a great project.  Your little girl is gonna love it.

Jim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: leapinlew on May 02, 2007, 12:59:10 pm
Looks good!
FYI though, imageshack sucks. Upload your pics straight to byoac instead.

Yes! I totally agree - imageshack sucks.

Javery - good lookin project bud. Keep up the good work.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: spacies on May 02, 2007, 04:00:08 pm

Woohoo.

Nice!

Can't wait to see it all together.

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 07, 2007, 03:35:39 pm
OK people, I have a serious dilemma that I need help with - picking the color of the border on the side art.  The artist (megashock05) has graciously sent me the two .ai files with two different borders - I then used paint to fill in the exact shade of pink that the cab will be painted (grabbing the color from the paint website).  I'm thinking the darker border looks the best but I'm still not 100% sold on it... maybe I just need to think about it.  Any other ideas???

(http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/3176/belladarkpinkqr6.png) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/5533/bellalightpinkfp4.png) (http://imageshack.us)

(sorry about imageshack - the file size was too big to upload here)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: Dudeman on May 07, 2007, 03:41:34 pm
I like the darker too. Much more pop to it.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on May 07, 2007, 03:47:33 pm
I agree use the darker pink.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on May 07, 2007, 04:20:04 pm
Darker pink of what you had.  What about this:

I like the darker pink better, but it looks a bit "too red".  What I did was change the color values a bit.  Your top image used RGB 236-6-119.  I used the color wheel in Gimp to make it slightly less red and darker.  New values are 204-3-10.  Keep in mind that this is just my impression from your image on a maybe not color accurate monitor under flourescent lighting.

You might do better just making suggestions to the original artist and seeing what he thinks.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: theCoder on May 07, 2007, 09:42:25 pm
I'd go with #1 because it provides a better contrast to the background. 

How did the paint job finish turn out?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: bfauska on May 07, 2007, 11:17:59 pm
Dark pink.


AND... can't wait to see it after you choose, it looks like it will be very nice.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 08, 2007, 09:02:20 am
Darker pink of what you had.  What about this:

I like the darker pink better, but it looks a bit "too red".  What I did was change the color values a bit.  Your top image used RGB 236-6-119.  I used the color wheel in Gimp to make it slightly less red and darker.  New values are 204-3-10.  Keep in mind that this is just my impression from your image on a maybe not color accurate monitor under flourescent lighting.

You might do better just making suggestions to the original artist and seeing what he thinks.

I think that's the one.  The dark pink was "too red" and I think that's what was bothering me.  Do you use photoshop?  I've posted the "dark pink" file here for download so people can play around with it.  The finished image should have a 15" diameter for when I send it off to Scott to be printed.  THANKS!!

 :cheers:

DOWNLOAD .AI FILE HERE: http://rapidshare.com/files/30162197/bella_side1.ai.html
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on May 08, 2007, 09:23:23 am
I use Gimp rather than Photoshop, but I posted the RGB values above.  Again, I think you could get the artist to play around with this and maybe get even closer than I came - I'm not naturally very good with colors and such.

I do have access to Photoshop (but not rapidshare), if you can't find any other takers and need me to mod the .ai file let me know and we can figure something out.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 09, 2007, 09:36:20 am
I use Gimp rather than Photoshop, but I posted the RGB values above.  Again, I think you could get the artist to play around with this and maybe get even closer than I came - I'm not naturally very good with colors and such.

I do have access to Photoshop (but not rapidshare), if you can't find any other takers and need me to mod the .ai file let me know and we can figure something out.

Thanks.  Someone at work uses photoshop so I'm going to see if she can alter the image based on the color code you posted.  The reason I don't want to go back to the artist is because I feel like I've bothered him enough - he did all this work completely for free (including my marquee) and I keep making small changes because I'm so picky.  I'm sure he would do it if I asked though.

Last night I put on pink coat #4 and it looks pretty good.  I think I'm going to apply one more coat before I lacquer it and polish everything super smooth.  I'm a little torn on what I should do for the last coat though. 

Option #1:  Apply the 5th coat of paint and then sand with 220, 600 and then 1500 to get the surface very very smooth before applying the lacquer - I'm afraid that by doing this I will dull the pink color.

Option #2: Apply the 5th coat of paint and apply the lacquer - I'm afraid that by doing this some of the "orange peel" from the last coat of paint will be visible underneath the smooth lacquer top layer.  I used this method on my test panel and it came out pretty good so this is what I'm leaning towards unless anyone has any suggestions.

No matter what, I'm applying about 20 coats of a spray-on lacquer, letting it cure for 7-10 days, wet sanding it super smooth with 1500 grit sandpaper, applying 3-4 coats of rubbing compound and applying 3-4 coats of finishing polish.

Any thoughts?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on May 09, 2007, 10:22:30 am
Thanks.  Someone at work uses photoshop so I'm going to see if she can alter the image based on the color code you posted.  The reason I don't want to go back to the artist is because I feel like I've bothered him enough - he did all this work completely for free (including my marquee) and I keep making small changes because I'm so picky.  I'm sure he would do it if I asked though.
Understood, but again, all I did was download your image, open it in Gimp, use the color-picker (eye-dropper) to select the current color of the border, use the color selector to change that to a darker less-red pink, and use the bucket-fill tool to apply that to the border.

It took me all of 60 seconds and someone with a real eye for colors could do it faster and get better results.

That was all I was trying to get at.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on May 09, 2007, 10:23:00 am
I would treat coat #5 just like the rest in prep for the lacquer.  The lacquer will give you the shine you are looking for not the color.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: bfauska on May 10, 2007, 12:03:10 am
I second Kaytrim's suggestion.  A smooth but mat finish should get shiny when it is covered in a high gloss clear.  This way you will get rid of the orange peel and have a kick-arse shiny pink cabinet that looks like automotive paint.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: theCoder on May 10, 2007, 12:41:51 am
What they said.  The color coat gets you the color.  The lacquer gets you the shine.  On my last color coat on the Xcelerator project, I sanded and sanded.  I started with 200 grit, then to 600 grit, then a whole lot of wet sanding with 1000 grit.  A few pieces of advice.

1)  If you thing you have sanded enough, sand a little more. 
2)  Get a car polish orbital buffer.  Worth every penny.
3)  More thinner coats of lacquer is better than fewer thicker coats.
4)  Sand, sand, and more sand the lacquer layers.  Did I mention sanding?

Thanks again for inspiring me to go for the polished look.  Yesterday I had an air conditioner repair guy in the house.  He thought the cab was made from molded plastic.  His second guess was laminate.  He did not believe me when I told him it was painted plywood.  Take your time, you'll love the finish you get. 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 10, 2007, 11:25:00 am
What they said.  The color coat gets you the color.  The lacquer gets you the shine.  On my last color coat on the Xcelerator project, I sanded and sanded.  I started with 200 grit, then to 600 grit, then a whole lot of wet sanding with 1000 grit.  A few pieces of advice.

1)  If you thing you have sanded enough, sand a little more. 
2)  Get a car polish orbital buffer.  Worth every penny.
3)  More thinner coats of lacquer is better than fewer thicker coats.
4)  Sand, sand, and more sand the lacquer layers.  Did I mention sanding?

Thanks again for inspiring me to go for the polished look.  Yesterday I had an air conditioner repair guy in the house.  He thought the cab was made from molded plastic.  His second guess was laminate.  He did not believe me when I told him it was painted plywood.  Take your time, you'll love the finish you get. 

I'm a bit confused - did you do all that sanding (200 grit, then to 600 grit, then a whole lot of wet sanding with 1000 grit) before or after applying your last color coat?  If it's after then didn't all that sanding dull the color right before you put the lacquer on?  If it's before then that makes sense since you want your last coat to be as flat as possible before applying the lacquer.

Should I go:
1.  5th coat of paint, insane sanding, 20 coats of lacquer, more insane sanding OR
2.  insane sanding, 5th coat of paint, 20 coats of lacquer, more insane sanding

Thanks!!

Thanks.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on May 10, 2007, 11:48:07 am
Should I go:
1.  5th coat of paint, 20 coats of lacquer, insane sanding OR
2.  insane sanding, 5th coat of paint, 20 coats of lacquer, more insane sanding
This isn't my area of expertise, but from what everyone else is saying, I think you go:

3. insane sanding, 5th coat of paint, insane sanding, 20 coats of lacquer, with insane sanding between each coat.  8)

Hopefully, I'm wrong, though!!!  :laugh2:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: theCoder on May 10, 2007, 06:19:31 pm
It's more like #1.  In the end you want as smooth a surface that you are willing to put in the time on.  To get there, you want as smooth a surface you can afford just before applying the lacquer.  Regardless of what you do leading up to the lacquer layer, sand the heck out of the last color coat.  This will definitely remove its sheen.  That is OK.  You get the sheen from the lacquer coats, not the color coats.  It is similar with the lacquer coats.  Regardless of what you do along the way, you want the sand the heck out of the last lacquer coat.  This will dull the sheen as well, but that's OK.  I'd recommend a light sanding with 600 grit or steel wool between lacquer coats to remove the bugs and overspray.  You then move on to using the buffer, which will get the sheen back plus a whole lot more.  Good luck with it.
Title: Question on painting technique
Post by: superbigjay on May 13, 2007, 10:52:54 pm
Wwooooo Javeryh!

I just went through your whole post ... it took me about 2 hours  :dizzy:

Impressive project and very well documented.  :applaud:

I have a question for the painting job.
For the black paint, did you roll, spray or brush?
Do you have any "interior" angle (90deg = interior angle, 270 = exterior angle?
If so, how did you paint that area? (unreachable with a roller??)

And last question, on your pink side panels, is the lacquer is rolled too

I'll probably use the same technique as you for my uroMAMEstyx cab,

Thanks
Jay
Title: Re: Question on painting technique
Post by: javeryh on May 14, 2007, 12:28:52 am
Wwooooo Javeryh!

I just went through your whole post ... it took me about 2 hours  :dizzy:

Impressive project and very well documented.  :applaud:

I have a question for the painting job.
For the black paint, did you roll, spray or brush?
Do you have any "interior" angle (90deg = interior angle, 270 = exterior angle?
If so, how did you paint that area? (unreachable with a roller??)

And last question, on your pink side panels, is the lacquer is rolled too

I'll probably use the same technique as you for my uroMAMEstyx cab,

Thanks
Jay

Thanks for the kind words!  As for the black paint, it is rolled on using a 4-inch foam roller.  I should really post a picture of the packaging so people can see the exact brand I used because it is very good quality and leaves minimal "orange peel" when it dries.  I tried a few other foam roller brands and I did not like the results at all so it definitely makes a difference.  The inside corners were very tough to get just right.  I ended up using a foam brush to paint the corners - the trick is to paint the corners first and then use the roller to get as close as you can to them - this minimizes the surface area that the brush strokes show up on (because you are hopefully covering the brush strokes with the roller).  The end result is that the corners look very very nice and everything is uniform - I think this has to do with the fact that I used black paint and everything kind of dried evenly.

Luckily, the places that I'm applying the lacquer have no inside corners - I am just applying the crazy finish to the front coin door panel and the two side panels.  The top and back of the cabinet will be pink but not lacquered.  I am using the same roller to roll on the pink paint but the lacquer is sprayed on out of a can.  I'm putting on 20 coats of lacquer (a coat takes less than 5 minutes to apply and you can recoat every 20-30 minutes) and letting it cure for 7-10 days before sanding. 

I hope this helps - it's pretty late right now and I'm tired so I'm not sure how clear I'm being...   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 14, 2007, 12:32:06 am
FINAL SIDE ART!  The artist made the change for me - I had him match it exactly to the color of the walls in my daughter's room from the chair rail to the ceiling so it will definitely match.  It's "Pretty as a Princess" color by Behr (the Disney line).  The cabinet was painted in "Pretty in Pink" which is also part of the same line and designed to match.  I think it looks great.  I'm placing the order with Scott tomorrow.  Check it out:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: theCoder on May 14, 2007, 01:59:56 am
That's going to look great.  Hopefully she likes pink for a while.

Have you picked up a buffer yet?
Title: Re: Question on painting technique
Post by: superbigjay on May 14, 2007, 08:42:43 am
the trick is to paint the corners first and then use the roller to get as close as you can to them - this minimizes the surface area that the brush strokes show up on (because you are hopefully covering the brush strokes with the roller).
...
 the lacquer is sprayed on out of a can.  I'm putting on 20 coats of lacquer (a coat takes less than 5 minutes to apply and you can recoat every 20-30 minutes) and letting it cure for 7-10 days before sanding. 

I hope this helps - it's pretty late right now and I'm tired so I'm not sure how clear I'm being...   :cheers:
Thanks for the info Javeryh, I'll try that (and do some testing before).

For the lacquer, it's a spray can that you usually get in the automotive paint?
If I understood right, you're gonna apply a few coats of lacquer at 20 minute intervals, then let it cure for 7 days and if necessary, sand it and repeat?

Thanks
Jay
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 14, 2007, 07:13:09 pm
That's going to look great.  Hopefully she likes pink for a while.

Have you picked up a buffer yet?

I did not pick up the buffer yet.  Spraying starts for real this weekend and I have to let it cure for at least a week before I'll need the buffer.  I'm doing the final sanding and putting on the final coat of pink paint on Thursday and then I'll start spraying the lacquer on Saturday and Sunday (and Monday if necessary).  I'm really going to put on 20 coats because I can't risk sanding down to the pink paint and the primer.  I'm going to be home alone all weekend so I will be able to go out and spray every 30 minutes over the two days so I should be able to get the 20 coats on.

What are people's thoughts on "finishing" the top panel?  I don't think I'll be able to make it look nice with the shiny finish because of the two inside corners - I won't be able to use the hand sander in there.  Should I try it?  I'm definitely not finishing the back because there's no point but the top will be seen.  Thoughts?
Title: Re: Question on painting technique
Post by: javeryh on May 14, 2007, 08:27:00 pm
the trick is to paint the corners first and then use the roller to get as close as you can to them - this minimizes the surface area that the brush strokes show up on (because you are hopefully covering the brush strokes with the roller).
...
 the lacquer is sprayed on out of a can.  I'm putting on 20 coats of lacquer (a coat takes less than 5 minutes to apply and you can recoat every 20-30 minutes) and letting it cure for 7-10 days before sanding. 

I hope this helps - it's pretty late right now and I'm tired so I'm not sure how clear I'm being...   :cheers:
Thanks for the info Javeryh, I'll try that (and do some testing before).

For the lacquer, it's a spray can that you usually get in the automotive paint?
If I understood right, you're gonna apply a few coats of lacquer at 20 minute intervals, then let it cure for 7 days and if necessary, sand it and repeat?

Thanks
Jay

The lacquer is Rustoleum "clear" as shown in the pic.  I bought 2 cans for this project at $3.98 each.  You are correct - I'm spraying on 20 coats at 20-30 minute intervals.  I doubt I'll do any more than that and I will not be sanding at all in between lacquer coats - I didn't sand the lacquer for my test panel and it came out great.  Also, the guy I copied (the link is somewhere in this thread) didn't sand in between lacquer coats either and I'm just doing what he did.

I also posted the rollers I used - they are really great.  The brand name is Whizzer.

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: GAtekwriter on May 14, 2007, 08:27:44 pm
Let me throw in one question while the lacquer process is being discussed - if I'm going to be applying vinyl sideart, is lacquer possible?  Recommended?  Impossible?  Should it possibly be applied in the middle of the lacquer process (like after 2 coats of lacquer, put on the vinyl and then lacquer more)?

Thanks.

Jim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 14, 2007, 08:52:24 pm
Let me throw in one question while the lacquer process is being discussed - if I'm going to be applying vinyl sideart, is lacquer possible?  Recommended?  Impossible?  Should it possibly be applied in the middle of the lacquer process (like after 2 coats of lacquer, put on the vinyl and then lacquer more)?

Thanks.

Jim

I am ordering vinyl sideart from Scott at mamemarquees and I will be applying it like a giant sticker AFTER the lacquer process is completely finished.  I would recommend against applying it and spraying over it. 

Someone around here was familiar with the process of applying some glass-like product that starts out in liquid form and hardens and flattens due to gravity so you could embed something like you've probably seen in tabletops but it supposedly adds about a 1/2" to the surface which would totally mess up the t-molding and probably not look right, IMO.  I forget what thread it was in but it was definitely an old one.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 17, 2007, 11:32:20 am
Not a big deal but post-worthy I suppose since I'm posting just about anything and everything I can think of that has to do with building this thing.  I finally got a chance this past weekend to go and pick up the glass I ordered to cover the monitor and bezel area. The glass shop is only open during the week and I took Monday off to do some chores and stuff around the house so I was able to go pick it up.

I ordered a 3/8" thick tempered piece of GRAY tinted glass. The gray tint actually enhances the colors of the monitor and makes the edges of the graphics look sharper. It's hard to explain but if you've ever seen the difference up close it's a no brainer - gray tinted glass is the way to go.

One pic is just the glass rectangle laying on the workbench and the other is of it laying in its place (don't mind the little cork squares on the bottom - they are only there for protection right now). The fit is unbelievable - I really did a nice job (surprisingly) with making everything square and level. The glass goes right up to the edges on all 4 sides and everything is perfectly square.

Enjoy!

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
Post by: ElKootcho on May 17, 2007, 01:25:08 pm
I ordered a 3/8" thick tempered piece of GRAY tinted glass. The gray tint actually enhances the colors of the monitor and makes the edges of the graphics look sharper. It's hard to explain but if you've ever seen the difference up close it's a no brainer - gray tinted glass is the way to go.
If you don't mind me asking: how much did the glass run you? I'll soon be to my glass stage and was curious as to the cost difference between tempered glass and plexi/acrylic
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
Post by: Aurich on May 17, 2007, 01:40:20 pm
IIRC my 1/4" smoked tempered glass was around $40 or so. It's so much nicer than plexi, I've done both.

Looking good, bet you're starting to fell as impatient as I am by now to get the paint and glass installed. :p
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 17, 2007, 02:03:08 pm
I ordered a 3/8" thick tempered piece of GRAY tinted glass. The gray tint actually enhances the colors of the monitor and makes the edges of the graphics look sharper. It's hard to explain but if you've ever seen the difference up close it's a no brainer - gray tinted glass is the way to go.
If you don't mind me asking: how much did the glass run you? I'll soon be to my glass stage and was curious as to the cost difference between tempered glass and plexi/acrylic

I paid $32 at the local glass shop for it.  It's definitely worth it over plexi because plexi is easier to scratch, IMO.

IIRC my 1/4" smoked tempered glass was around $40 or so. It's so much nicer than plexi, I've done both.

Looking good, bet you're starting to fell as impatient as I am by now to get the paint and glass installed. :p

I am definitely getting impatient.  The good news is that I have been working on it even though it doesn't really seem like it.  Over the past 2 weeks I've sanded and repainted the entire cabinet 5 times (actually 10 because I did the black and pink areas separately).  Tonight I am doing the FINAL sanding of the entire cabinet going all the way up to 1500 grit to get it super smooth and I'm applying the FINAL coat of paint!  I am going to let it dry until Saturday and I will begin to apply the lacquer coats to the side, front and top panels (20 in all over the weekend).  I anticipate being completely finished with this project the weekend of June 2 and 3.  I have no choice really beacuse baby #2 is coming at the end of June so I probably won't have much free time after that!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
Post by: Aurich on May 17, 2007, 07:42:30 pm
Heh, I always seem to build my cabinets while my wife is pregnant too...  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
Post by: superbigjay on May 17, 2007, 11:37:32 pm
When the wife is pregnant, you better get out of her way when her mood isn't that great.
In that case, the workshop/garage is probably the safest place  :laugh2:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 18, 2007, 09:34:14 am
Heh, I always seem to build my cabinets while my wife is pregnant too...  :cheers:

Haha - yeah I know what you mean.  I started my first cabinet the same month my daughter was born which is probably the reason my wife isn't so approving of the hobby.  I was going crazy with the not sleeping and constant worry so I had to channel my energy somewhere...

Last night I began the final sanding of the pink paint.  I started with 220 grit and moved up to 600.  I had planned to take it all the way to 1500 but I think 600 is good enough.  I am definitely adding one more thin layer of pink paint before applying the lacquer.  I know some people have said I should sand the pink smooth and then apply the lacquer but I just don't trust that the color will be vibrant enough.  The sanding really dulls everything.  Besides, the test panels I made came out great and I sanded, then applied the final coat of paint and then lacquered so I think I'm just going to stick to that.

It took me way longer than I anticipated to sand everything down.  I kept thinking "when you think you've sanded enough, sand some more" so I probably went over the entire thing 4 or 5 times.  I was out in the garage for about 3 hours and I wanted to stay out later but I felt like a bad neighbor for running the power tools so late at night.  I will finish up tonight for sure, add the final coat of pink paint and then start lacquering in the morning.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
Post by: theCoder on May 18, 2007, 11:00:32 am
This thing is going to look HOT!  As far as the buffing goes, when you think you're done buffing, buff it some more.  That is easy to say if you have a power buffer, not the same if going by hand.  I still can't believe the finish you can get on a piece of wood with enough coats of paint/lacquer/polish.  Go easy on the lacquer fumes this weekend.  Makes for a sleepy afternoon.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
Post by: Hornet on May 18, 2007, 01:08:34 pm
Hi javeryh and all, I have just read this entire thread with great interest. The work I have seen that has gone into this cabinet from the photographs and planning is truly amazing. I can't wait to see the photo of the finished cabinet along with the big smile on Bella's face.

I have been working with paints, lacquers and other special coatings for 18 years and I have to say it, you have me sitting on the edge of my seat with anticipation. I can't wait to see the finish.

The only advise I can give you is don't rush it and if it does not look right on the last coat don't panic and be tempted to spray it yet again, dry edges* can be buffed out to give you a spectacular finish.

*Dry edges = When you spray into an area of recently applied lacquer that has started to cure, leaving a dull area where the two overlaps.

I can't wait to start building my cabinet all this reading of other peoples projects is making me hungry to get going.  This is a great forum/community and an excellent thread, thanks to all. Have a great weekend javeryh  ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: LACQUERING has begun!!! (05.19.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 19, 2007, 11:13:56 am
Thanks for the kind words!   :cheers:  I could probably use your help since you are so experienced with lacquers and this will be my first time - are you sure you don't want to come over and do it for me?   ;)

Anyway, last night I finished sanding and I applied the final coat of paint - it looks great as it is without any lacquer so hopefully the lacquer will come out nice and take this thing to the next level.  I just spent an hour prepping the cabinet.  Check out the attached pics.

Do I have to worry about peeling the tape off for the lacquer?  When I let the tape sit too long and then peeled it off it took some paint with it and I don't want the same thing to happen to the lacquer.  Any tips?  Coder - I'm looking at you...   ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: LACQUERING has begun!!! (05.19.07)
Post by: bfauska on May 20, 2007, 12:25:01 am
Looking good. 

It looks like your tape is in a place that will be covered by the t-molding no?  If that is the case I would leave it so that you don't get any misting of over spray on the rest of the cabinet.  When you go to remove the tape you can cut right along the edge of it with a razor and then you don't have to worry about the paint pealing with it.  Since it is behind t-molding you don't have to be too precise with the cutting either.  If it was not hidden I would have a hard time saying which way to suggest.  The trick of cutting the edge always works, but with an exposed edge you have to cut very carefully. 

Keep up the good work, and thanks for keeping us posted, it's going to turn out great.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: LACQUERING has begun!!! (05.19.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 20, 2007, 02:58:47 pm
Thanks - I think you are right.  The only place I'm concerned about it the top panel.  After thinking about it for a while I dicided I will be "finishing" that panel as well so all visible pink will have the super smooth lacquered/polished finish.  It is going to be a huge pain to do that panel because of the two interior corners I will have to sand up against but I've come this far so what the heck.  The only panel that will not be "finished" is the back one which will never be seen.

I just put the 25th(!) coat of lacquer on the cabinet.  I went through 5 cans of the stuff and probably breathed in more than I should have.  It looks pretty good and it's already smooth to the touch - that stuff dries very very quick.  I'm pretty confident it has a thick enough layer so I can sand it smooth but not sand through to the paint.  I'm going to strictly be wetsanding with 1500 grit sandpaper - I'm not going to be working my way up to it or anything because I don't want to remove too much.

Now comes the hard part - waiting.  I think I need to give it two weeks to cure just to be safe but I really really really want to finish everything next weekend since we have the holiday and everything.  Argh!

I guess I can turn my attention to the finishing details.  I still have to:

1.  Install the speaker covers (and don't forget the screw caps)
2.  Install the plug that spacies graciously sent me (which involves splicing my SmartStrip so I'm a bit nervous)
3.  Figure out a way to powere on and off with one button (I'll probably wire the computer power button to a button on the back of the cab somewhere)
4.  Install the marquee (cut the retainer strips too) and apply the side art
5.  Make a bezel out of black posterboard/matteboard or something
6.  Install the CP (figure out a way to keep the joystick in place)
7.  Install and wire the coin door
8.  Install t-molding
9.  CONFIGURE THE COMPUTER - this is easily the biggest hurdle for me because I stink

I'm sure I left some stuff out but all of this can be done in an afternoon so it's really not that much.

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: javeryh on May 22, 2007, 11:46:20 am
I couldn't resist popping everything in there and snapping a few pictures to get a sense as to what the finished cabinet will look like.  Jeez it sure looks UGLY.  You can totally see the last spray lines from the final lacquer coat - good thing this will all get sanded out in the finishing process.  The pink also comes out really white looking from the camera flash and the front and sides look like 2 different shades but they are identical in person.  Something tells me I'm not going to be able to get an accurate picture until this thing is up in Bella's room (taking the picture at night in an unlit garage probably doesn't help either).

Anyway, I wasn't going to share because it really looks bad but I figure that someone else might follow my lead and get to this point and start to panic so here goes:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: Havok on May 22, 2007, 12:16:57 pm
That is not ugly - it looks great! You are slowly inspiring me to build something similar for my kid's playroom. However, I am successfully fighting the urge, as I have not finished my system yet - plus I have to refurb my Sega Turbo, and am waiting on a replacement part for my English Mark Darts. Stop making this look so good - I may weaken and fall...

 :)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: polaris on May 23, 2007, 10:19:23 am
it's looking great, wheel it out in the sun for a pic if you get a chance so we can see the colour.
just thinking regarding the impending arrival to the household , you better tell your wife that if she has a boy , you're going to have to build a blue version too, you cant favour one child more than the other. :laugh:

that my friend, is the excuse youre looking for :cheers:

she may hit back saying if its a girl then no need , but i think its only fair your children have one each, i mean its not like you enjoy building them , its just fairness thats all. :angel:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: Hornet on May 23, 2007, 12:47:20 pm
Looking good javeryh.

Try placing a piece of white paper or tissue paper in front of the flash to defuse it, it should help a bit. Keep up the great work.  ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 01, 2007, 11:48:49 pm
Thanks everyone!  It has been a long two week wait but tomorrow and Sunday I will be finishing the outside of the cabinet - FINALLY!  I am going to be doing the final wetsanding with 1500 grit sandpaper and then applying the rubbing compound and polish (and then t-molding!).  I anticipate doing one side and the coin door panel tomorrow and then the other side and the top panel on Sunday.  Then it's just miscellaneous stuff for the rest of the project.  I'm excited but nervous because I don't want to screw this part up.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: superbigjay on June 02, 2007, 11:23:39 am
Loooooooking real good so far Javeryh!!!

Make sure to post a lost of pic of that last sanding step and the polishing
(product used, tools, etc...)
That finish is going to be awesome and I'm pretty sure a lot of us will try it on their cab  :applaud:

BTW, I didn't know what wet sanding was.  I looked on google and found this page
http://www.mobileworks.com/wet_sanding.html (http://www.mobileworks.com/wet_sanding.html)
Will it be the first time you try wet sanding, or are you some sort of expert...

Anyhow, keep us posted, I'm pretty sure, everyone wants to know how the final product will look like  :D

Jay
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 03, 2007, 10:38:38 pm
Loooooooking real good so far Javeryh!!!

Make sure to post a lost of pic of that last sanding step and the polishing
(product used, tools, etc...)
That finish is going to be awesome and I'm pretty sure a lot of us will try it on their cab  :applaud:

BTW, I didn't know what wet sanding was.  I looked on google and found this page
http://www.mobileworks.com/wet_sanding.html (http://www.mobileworks.com/wet_sanding.html)
Will it be the first time you try wet sanding, or are you some sort of expert...

Anyhow, keep us posted, I'm pretty sure, everyone wants to know how the final product will look like  :D

Jay


Thanks!  I'm definitely not an expert by any stretch.  In fact, this weekend I only finished 1/2 of the cabinet instead of the entire thing like I planned to.  I did the right side and the coin door panel - what a pain!  I don't think I'll ever do another finish like this... well, maybe I will but it's really trying my patience.  Plus, it is VERY tough to get a perfect finish.

I spent 5(!) hours sanding the one side of the cabinet on Saturday.  Five hours.  One side.  I used 1500 grit sandpaper, a palm sander, and a sponge.  I divided the panel into thirds and spent about an hour and a half wetsanding each third. 

I'm still not finished with it entirely.  I can still see a bunch of reflective sparkles all over the place when the light hits it just right - these are small divots that are still present even though I've sanded like crazy.  I don't know what to do next - I'm debating whether or not to continue sanding this week trying to remove the tiny divots or if I should move on to the rubbing compound and polish.  Will the rubbing compound remove those divots?  I'm not so sure the rubbing compound does anything to be honest - I applied a bit to a lint-free rag and started rubbing it in and I didn't notice a difference at all with the finish.  The divots were still there. 

Also, there are some sections that are starting to appear duller than others - I'm not sure if the dull sections indicate that I am getting the finish I want (and I just have to keep sanding) or if they indicate that I've completely sanded through the lacquer and I'm sanding the pink paint.  The last thing I want to do is sand through the paint to the white primer or worse, the MDF.  I am quite frustrated.

As it stands now (without rubbing compound and polish) it looks very nice from across the room (or even right next to the thing but if the light hits the cabinet just right you can definitely see imperfections which are making me nuts).  I'm probably the only one that will notice them... or maybe I'm not - I don't know.  I wish I could consult an expert to get some tips or some hints.

 :angry:

I snapped some pics but haven't looked at them yet - they are probably horrible, as usual.  Oh, I also got the side art from Scott - it came out great but I think I might have told him to print it a little small.  I'm also not sure how I'm going to apply it completely flat. Oh well that's a post for another day. 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: theCoder on June 04, 2007, 01:41:42 am
I ran into similar issues with the divots on the Xcelerator project as well.  I did my best, then went on.  Polishing will not remove all the divots, but it does make them less noticeable.  Regarding the sections that are appearing duller than others, I'd give it a quick polish, with the course grit stuff and see.  I had similar spots and some polished up very nice, and a few (on the back side) were still a bit flat.  I went back and hit those with a few more coats of lacquer.  Of the remaining areas, about half turned out nice, and half are still a bit dull.  Dull meaning that it is not as reflective as the mirror finish areas.

It is definitely harder than you might think getting a piece of wood to look like the roof of a new car.  I'm very satisfied with the surface finish I got on mine.  You have to look at it at just the right angle, in just the right light to see the flaws.    You're daughter and her/your friends will probably never notice. 

Sorry to hear about your 5 hour sanding sessions.  Glad to hear of your progress.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: superbigjay on June 04, 2007, 09:12:49 am
5 hours of sanding.... ouch!

I remembers when I restored my kitchen solid oak cabinet, I must have spent at least 25 hours total sanding and I swear to never do this again  :banghead:
It took me about a month to sand/stain/varnish those  :soapbox: kitchen cabs...

But I said the same thing about doing the joint for the gyproc in the basement, but ended up doing some more later...

I'll see how I feel when I'll get there.  Who knows, maybe, I'll forget how painfull the sainding was  :laugh2:

Can't wait to see the final product.

Oh and BTW, I'm pretty sure only you will notice the imperfections.

PS: sorry for the pic spam in your post  ;D

Jay  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on June 04, 2007, 09:19:36 am
Jay is right only you will notice the imperfections.  Just remember one thing, nobody is perfect and you are not nobody.  I am calling my bartop done and it is far from perfect.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 04, 2007, 09:54:27 am
Coder:  It is good to know someone else was having problems with the little divots (well, it's not that good for either of us I guess).  There are some places that look amazingly smooth and flat and others that have the divots no matter what I do.  I've attached some pics of what I did (the sideart is just laying there).  As you can tell from the pictures, the finish is quite flat - not a brush stroke to be found!  I am going to go over it with 4-5 coats of rubbing compound and then top it off with 4-5 coats of polish/wax just to be safe.  I bought that Ryobi polisher but I'm not sure I'm going to use it - I'm having a hard time controlling it and there's not that much surface area to cover by hand...  This is definitely hard to do and I have a whole new level of respect for people who finish cars (and pianos) for a living - you need some serious talent and experience!

superbigjay: those pics of your kitchen are awesome.  I LOVE stuff like that.  It is good to know I'm not the only crazy person on these boards.   ;D

Kaytrim:  I think I am going to listen to your advice (as much as it pains my inner anal-retentive self) and just do what I have to do to finish and realize that I am going to be the only one who notices the imperfections.

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: theCoder on June 04, 2007, 10:14:34 am
It is a compromise between perfection, time, and location.  In my case, I knew the top surface would be looked at the most.  Anyone waiting for a turn would be inches away.  It had a small patch of divots toward one corner.  I decided after all the lacquer, sanding and polishing to drop back to 200 grit paper, sanding almost to the wood; then built back up with a couple of coats of paint, lacquer etc...  It added a few days to the project, but it turned out mirror-like.  On the bottom of the back panel, there was a larger patch of divots that I did nothing with.  Standing there, looking down at it, you can't see it at all.  You have to be behind it, with the light at just the right angle.  In your case, I'd take special care with the top half of the sides, towards the front.  The back panel is probably fine. 

It is all a trade-off.  I can't imagine doing this on a piano.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: needlesmcgirk on June 04, 2007, 10:15:01 am
Man that looks really good.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: spacies on June 04, 2007, 04:30:45 pm
Nice work JAVERYH.

I spent a lot of my youth and the beginning of my working career in a Hot Rod shop.

And we all know how pedantic Hot Rodders are when it comes to paint!

I have painted all of my drag cars throughout the years and several friends cars too.

I hate to say it but the divots are from the lack of preparation. Sorry.
When using MDF, although it feels smooth, it needs a couple of layers of primer and then 2-3 layers of spray putty and a flat sand with some 400 grit. After you have done that you will see any low spots because it will be a darker where the sandpaper hasn't touched.

You then need to build that area back up with several squirts of putty and sand it back down.

After you have done that, then you apply a couple more coats of primer, flat sand again and then move on to the colour.

If you are using 2k (or 2pot) which has a base coat and a clear coat its really simple. Apply your base coat, then your artwork and cover with the clear coat. No sanding, buffing or cutting is required with this stuff because it has a glass like finish straight from the gun. Go outside and take a look at your car/truck because thats what it is painted with. The only drawback is that the clear coat is deadly poisonous. So unless you have the right breathing gear, don't even open the lid.


You are using a Lacquer which has several names such as Dulon, Acrylic or Cellulose.

This is the old paint system before the industry switched to a 2 pot system.

This is great for DIYers but requires a LOT of work to get a shiney, flat finish. As you have just found out.
When using this stuff, you still need a good breathing mask and some ventillation.
Mix it with up to 50/50 of thinners and make sure you use a high quality thinners for the clear coat. This will save you work at the end when trying to get the shine. Its called AAA (triple A) Thinners here. With a good spray gun and a good mix you can get a pretty good finish from the gun.

Also, dump the 1500 grit and get some 1200. You will get the job done quicker.
Also buy/hire a electric buffing machine. They are worth there weight in gold when using this paint system.
Dip the pad in cutting compound do a quick run over the paint work then dip it in some water and go over it again and then watch the shine appear right before your eyes.

Just keep the buffer on a low/med speed and keep it moving fairly quickly otherwise you will heat up the paint and melt it. You will still have to hand rub the corners though.

I just painted a Defender cabinet and here is a shot straight from the gun.
Its the same paint system you used. No buffing or cutting done yet.

(http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL757/2715941/16396871/257037878.jpg)

Well, I hope this helps out a bit.
Its probably too late for you but it may help others.

As always, preparation is the key!

 :banghead:

PS, don't stress about the divots. Only you know they are there.







Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on June 04, 2007, 04:37:03 pm
That is quite a bit of information there spacies.  I am just happy with the finish I get straight from the foam roller using simi-gloss latex interior paint.  Of course I am not trying for a mirror finish either. :dizzy:

Get out the buffer and call 'er done man.  Your next cab is already on the drawing board. :applaud:

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 04, 2007, 05:34:54 pm
spacies - that is an amazing amount of information (and I could have used it a month ago!  ;D).  I did sand the MDF before doing anything to it (600 grit) and then I added 2 coats of an oil-based primer before painting it pink but my problem (I think) was the fact that I could not spray any of the paint - I had to use a roller due to not having a spray gun and a compressor - I think it was just too expensive for me to splurge on for just this one project.  The orange peel that was unavoidable is what caused the majority of the divots, I think. 

I really want to keep sanding to remove all of the divots but I am 100% positive that if I do I will sand through to the white primer or MDF somewhere and completely ruin it.  I think I'm going to cut my losses and just use the rubbing compound and polish and call it finished.  I have a buffer - so you are saying I should apply the compound to the pad, buff it onto the panel and then dip the pad in water and buff it again?  I will give that a try.  I'm not really noticing a difference visually after applying the rubbing compound.  The link that inspired me to go for this finish really made it look like a few passes with some rubbing compound would make a noticable difference (http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=83141&highlight=).  Oh well.

I still have to do the other side though so maybe I can get that looking a little better too.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: spacies on June 04, 2007, 07:04:12 pm

Took me friggin ages to type it out too. LOL!

Sorry I thought you had sprayed this cabinet.
So the paint you used, is it a lacquer or oil base?

You won't get the results like the link using oil based paint.

If it is lacquer, how the hell did you roll it on without it drying on the roller?
The best thing about lacquers is that by the time you have sprayed all the way to the bottom of a cabinet, the top is touch dry.





Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 05, 2007, 09:12:51 am
Here was my process:

1.  Sanded MDF with 600 grit
2.  Applied oil-based primer - rolled on with a 4" foam roller (2 coats).  Sanding after the 2nd coat with 220 grit.
3.  Applied water-based pink paint - rolled on with a 4" foam roller (6 coats).  Sanding after the 2nd, 4th and 5th coats with 220 grit.
4.  Sprayed on 25 coats of lacquer straight from the can - no sanding.
5.  Wetsanded like crazy with 1500 grit
6.  Apply rubbing compound (undecided on coats - maybe 4-5)
7.  Apply polish (undecided on coats - maybe 4-5)

The lacquer was easy to apply - I did it all in one weekend.  I'm disappointed I couldn't get it perfect but the finish still looks 1,000,000 times better than leaving brushstrokes on there with ordinary paint, IMO.  It almost looks like it came from the factory or something.  I really want to finish it up this weekend.


Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: spacies on June 05, 2007, 04:37:18 pm

Ok cool,

You are going to have to be very careful when cutting and buffing this thing.

The spray from a can is nowhere near the pressure of applying it with a gun so I won't be that thick.

When spraying with a gun, the spray atomises through the air and it goes on sticky and that lets you apply a heavier coat. The heavier the coat, the better the shine. Using a can will give you a fairly good coat but it will go on streaky and very dull. As you would have found out.

Anyway, the guy in your link that had built the speakers used a lacquer paint throughout the process. The shine he has now is not an option to you. You are going to have to settle with a nice finish, not perfect.

If you are going to build another cabinet, which I suspect you are, how about hiring or borrowing a compressor and spray gun for a day. It isn't that expensive and you will love the finish and the speed at which you can paint.

Sorry mate, but all you can do is do the best you can on this and I wouldn't sand too much more because you are likely to hit the colour again.

Yes, the finish is better than brush strokes and roller stipple anyday.

I wanna see this thing done!

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: Hornet on June 10, 2007, 08:15:25 am
Spaceis is right the guy used cellulose based materials on his speakers from start to finish. It is a much harder drying product and easier to sand than acrylic, acrylic has too much elasticity for trying to sand flat, it can be done but just not as well as oil-based, cellulose or *AC paints and lacquers.

As a rule you should never layer different based products over the top of one another, the reason being is they all have different structures, drying/curring times and all show different signs of surface tension.

A good example or a worse case scenario would be placing cellulose over an oil-based paint, the result is that it will eat into the oil based paint creating a never drying crinkle effect.

Cellulose contains volatile solvents and another example of this is the AAA thinner that Spacies described, if you was to put some of the AAA thinner on a cloth and wipe over the surface of a car body it would remove some, if not all of the paint.

White spirit and Turpentine is used for thinning oil-based paints and is less damaging than cellulose solvents, but be warned both white spirit and turpentine will dissolve a polystyrene cup in no time!

Water is used to thin Acrylic paints and is not damaging, water can be drunk by humans, enough said!!

*AC lacquer is a product that has not been mentioned in this thread as of yet and is what the furniture trade use on wooden products.
AC lacquer is a 2 component product, it consists of the lacquer part and a chemical accelerator part to start the curring, these are proportionally mixed together before spraying. There is also a premixed version on the market. This type of lacquer is a high build lacquer which is very durable and can produce a rich gloss lustre with a lot of depth.

It is important to understand these materials before working with them, but a good start is to remember not to layer different based products.

This link takes you through the process of creating a good finish to mdf (http://www.lungster.com/l/speakers/pianofinish.shtml)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Some FINISHING pics!!! (06.04.07)
Post by: Xam on June 10, 2007, 11:08:48 am
Looks great Jav! I bet she has a ball playing on that...not to mention she will be the envy of the neighborhood...nothing beats "Daddy made this for me"

Awesome job! :applaud:

Xam
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Another FINISHING pic!!! (06.10.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 10, 2007, 10:25:43 pm
Wow - awesome info guys.  Thanks!  I'm going to read up on this stuff and file it away for another project.  I did all I could with this one... 

Today I finally finished the, um... finishing.  Woo hoo!!!!  I was so psyched I proceeded to install the front panel, coin door and t-molding... and then I had to have dinner and watch the Sopranos.  I'm hoping to have a complete playable cabinet by the end of next weekend.

Anyway, here's another picture showing off the finish - it really looks stunning in person (flaws and all).  In this shot I am 1/2 way finished with applying the rubbing compound - you can see the reflection of the rag I used in the bottom half.  The top part is "only" sanded.  The difference is pretty unbelievable. 

I'll be posting more pictures later in the week and I'll try to do a write up on the last few steps but I think the finishing process has been talked about to death.  I should note, however, that I only appleid 2 coats of each of the rubbing compound and polish (as opposed to the 4-5 coats I originally planned).  That stuff is harsh and cuts through the finish quite easily.  There were a few sections where I sanded down too far to the pink paint and the rubbing compound was really eating into that and I didn't want to hit the white primer so I stopped.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (t-molding)!!! (06.12.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 12, 2007, 09:46:46 am
Nothing much to note here regarding the construction or anything.  I was able to install the front panel which contains the coin door (and is hinged on the right for access to the computer) as well as the pink t-molding.  At first I was put off by the pinkness of the t-molding but after I popped in the control panel and hung the marquee and sideart with some tape it looked really really good - the buttons and some of the coloring in the marquee and sideart match the t-molding just like I had planned.

One note about the t-molding installation... it definitely wasn't as easy as it should have been and that was my own fault.  Throughout the finishing process the cabinet was very wet due to wetsanding the lacquer finish.  A lot of this water spilled over the edges and I had to continually wipe the spills up with a rag.  A lot of the water also came into contact with the unprotected edge of the cabinet where the t-molding slot was located and severely weakened the MDF.  When I went to put on the t-molding, it didn't necessarily want to follow the slot I had routed when I was hammering it in with my rubber mallet and there were a few spots where it made it's own groove - off center. 

It was an easy fix - all I had to do was remove the t-molding, straighten the slot out with a flathead screwdriver, carefully align the t-molding with the slot and hammer it in again.  My previous experience was that t-molding was super easy to install and didn't require careful attention.  I won't make that mistake again! 

I definitely do not think this will be a long-term problem or anything either - the t-molding really fit snugly into the slot (without glue) and went deeper than the water damage on the surface of the edge so it had something to cling to in there.  I just wanted to point it out in case someone decided to try my finish.

Anyway, I've attached two more pics.  Note the reflections in the sides - pretty sweet!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.10.07)
Post by: Dudeman on June 12, 2007, 10:16:32 am
Awesome. Really nice job.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.12.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 13, 2007, 11:54:19 am
Thanks!   :cheers:

Here are a few more pics.  I know, I know - this is getting ridiculous...  I had planned to install the marquee last night but I didn't have the proper screws to attach the marquee retainer or the velcro to hold the flourescent light in place.  Looks like I have to go to Home Depot today!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 13, 2007, 11:56:33 am
Yikes - Even MORE pics!   ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: jfunk on June 13, 2007, 03:03:14 pm
If my daughter saw this, I'd be in for a big woodworking project  :)

Thanx for the inspiration..  now if only I had the talent..  :D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: patrickl on June 13, 2007, 06:56:42 pm
Yeah that looks pretty slick. Too bad the pictures don't do the paint justice (gues it was a bit too dark for good pictures?). Looks very shiny indeed.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: theCoder on June 13, 2007, 10:07:48 pm
Man, that t-molding sure looks... well... Pink.  It sure brings out the pink in that pink cab.  Just kidding.

You are on the home stretch now.  Great job.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: bfauska on June 14, 2007, 01:17:39 am
Looking good.

With 8 pages I am too lazy to look back to find the answer, so I'll just ask.  Did you ever get anywhere on the coin lights looking pink?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: superbigjay on June 14, 2007, 08:20:39 am
Hello Javeryh.

I got I suggestion.  Let me know what you think.

You can go with a slightly darker pink with those t-mold.
So you can go through the painting process again.

That should add another 5pages to this thread  :laugh2:

Just kidding.
The cab and finish looks fantastic  :notworthy:

Love the documentation and the project  :cheers:

Jay
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: BradC on June 14, 2007, 10:48:35 am
With 8 pages I am too lazy to look back to find the answer, so I'll just ask.  Did you ever get anywhere on the coin lights looking pink?

If you haven't figured out a way to do this yet, I would use white lights (LED, bulbs, whatever) and then put a piece of pink plastic sheet in front of the lights. I don't know the technical term for what I'm thinking of, but in the movie/TV/theater lighting lingo they're called "gels". It's basically a transparent sheet of plastic about as thick as a good, solid card-stock, and they are available in a ton of different colors. I'd look into that, you should be able to get a very effective pink light that way.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: Anubis_au on June 15, 2007, 01:11:37 am
Javeryh

The cab is looking fan-friggin-tastic!!!

Keep the pics coming, we all wantto see this thing when its fully finished.

Incidentally, what (if anything) have you decided to do re icons for the various buttons?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: polaris on June 15, 2007, 04:42:49 pm
With 8 pages I am too lazy to look back to find the answer, so I'll just ask.  Did you ever get anywhere on the coin lights looking pink?

If you haven't figured out a way to do this yet, I would use white lights (LED, bulbs, whatever) and then put a piece of pink plastic sheet in front of the lights. I don't know the technical term for what I'm thinking of, but in the movie/TV/theater lighting lingo they're called "gels". It's basically a transparent sheet of plastic about as thick as a good, solid card-stock, and they are available in a ton of different colors. I'd look into that, you should be able to get a very effective pink light that way.
the technical term is 'gels' or filters but it wont work , weve been through that discussion somewhere here. :cheers:
BF  if i didnt dream it i think hes casting his own, im sure youve read the thread by now(if i didnt dream it that is) ;)

javery, looking great cant wait to see it complete
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 16, 2007, 08:38:39 am
If my daughter saw this, I'd be in for a big woodworking project  :)

Thanx for the inspiration..  now if only I had the talent..  :D

Thanks!  I don't think there's any talent involved here though - just a lot of planning and being as careful as possible - you could do it if you tried!   :cheers:

Yeah that looks pretty slick. Too bad the pictures don't do the paint justice (gues it was a bit too dark for good pictures?). Looks very shiny indeed.

Yeah, I'm quite disappointed that I can't seem to take a decent picture with my camera.  The cabinet is in my unlit garage so even during the day it's kind of dark in there.  Maybe that's part of the problem.  Also, when I use the flash it really distorts the colors and everything.  I'm hoping that when I finally get it in Bella's room I will be able to take a decent picture...  It definitely is shiny!   :cheers:

Man, that t-molding sure looks... well... Pink.  It sure brings out the pink in that pink cab.  Just kidding.

You are on the home stretch now.  Great job.

Thanks Coder.  You are right - the pink t-molding sure is pink!   ;D

Looking good.

With 8 pages I am too lazy to look back to find the answer, so I'll just ask.  Did you ever get anywhere on the coin lights looking pink?

Not yet.  I am going to try and make my own but after doing the research, it looks like it is going to be very tough to do.  I still don't have a solution although Donkey_Kong gave me a few good ideas that I am going to look into...

Hello Javeryh.

I got I suggestion.  Let me know what you think.

You can go with a slightly darker pink with those t-mold.
So you can go through the painting process again.

That should add another 5pages to this thread  :laugh2:

Just kidding.
The cab and finish looks fantastic  :notworthy:

Love the documentation and the project  :cheers:

Jay

Thanks Jay!  Believe it or not I'm contemplating getting the sideart reprinted about 3" larger and with a different colored border.  I'm crazy I know but after seeing it in person I'm not 100% sold on my original choice.  We shall see...


Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: MORE Progress Pics (T-Molding)!!! (06.13.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 16, 2007, 01:17:39 pm
Ugh.  Now I really really need to figure out how to take a decent picture.  Last night I trimmed the marquee and plexiglass to the proper dimensions and kind of installed everything (I clamped it in place).  I fired up the flourescent light and WOW - I was stunned.  It looked FABULOUS.  The distribution of the light was perfectly even and the printing on the marquee was flawless (thank you Scott!). 

These two pics don't do it justice at all.  I'm going to post more pics (well duh, you've been following this thread, right?  ;D) when I actually install the marquee retainer and everything - it's not as simple as I thought it was going to be.  Bothe pictures are taken with the marquee light on and both look terrible. 

 :angry:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: More UGLY Pics (Marquee - it's lit)!!! (06.16.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on June 16, 2007, 01:26:39 pm
Taking pics of lighted marquees almost always fail.  Take a closeup without the flash and that is about the best you can expect.  Come on man home stretch get 'er done. :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: More UGLY Pics (Marquee - it's lit)!!! (06.16.07)
Post by: Anubis_au on June 16, 2007, 07:55:58 pm
Jav, the pics make that cab look awesome.

If the pics aren't doing it justice, then it must be even more awesome than we believe.

Now, as the rest are saying, hurry up and finish the damn thing!! :P Home stretch...

(ps don't hurry up, take your time and make it GOLD)

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Speaker Grill Install (pics, of course)!!! (06.18.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 18, 2007, 10:54:21 am
It's hard not to rush when you're this close... I am probably 95% done with the build except for the computer configuration which is going to be difficult.  Anyway, over the course of this week I'll be detailing my progress for the various tasks that I did over the weekend.  First up....

Speaker Grills
A while back I purchased some speaker covers from Chokes Unlimited  (http://www.chokes.com/rbsd.htm) I finally installed them over the weekend. Nothing fancy here:

1.  Using a stop block up against the back panel, I positioned the speaker covers and taped them in place
2.  Using a 1/8" drill bit I drilled 4 pilot holes for each cover
3.  Then I screwed the speaker covers in place
4.  Finally, I used some black screw caps to hide the screw heads and give it a clean, finished look

The pics are attached and I think they are pretty self-explanatory.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Speaker Grill Install (pics, of course)!!! (06.18.07)
Post by: DaOld Man on June 18, 2007, 05:59:46 pm
Good job!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Speaker Grill Install (pics, of course)!!! (06.18.07)
Post by: amadama on June 19, 2007, 11:19:29 am
I really love this machine. Your daughter is going to be the luckiest little girl in town (both for getting such a great gift and for having such a great parent!!)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: ALMOST FINISHED (one sneak peek)!!! (06.19.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 19, 2007, 11:24:15 am
Good job!

Thanks!!   :cheers:

I really love this machine. Your daughter is going to be the luckiest little girl in town (both for getting such a great gift and for having such a great parent!!)

Thanks a lot!  It has been a blast to build (probably more fun for me than actually playing it if you can believe that) but I am definitely the lucky one to have a daughter like Bella.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Speaker Grill Install (pics, of course)!!! (06.18.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 19, 2007, 11:26:55 am
I guess I'm going to keep a running list of what I need to do in order to finish - I have to keep pushing forward because I have to have this thing completely finished by the end of June. There are still a bunch of minor things I have to do:

1.  Cut hole in back of the cabinet and install the exterior plug
2.  Splice new plug to SmartStrip
3.  Wire the computer power button to a button on the cabinet somewhere [back?]
4.  Apply the side art
5.  Make a bezel out of black posterboard/matteboard and install
6.  Wire the coin door
7.  Install feet for the cabinet so it doesn't mar the floor
8.  Install and configure the computer
9.  Miscellaneous touch-up work

I am fairly certain that most of this can be completed in an afternoon - hopefully this weekend. The only part I anticipate having trouble with is the configuration of the computer.   Anyway, I'm still going to write up the installation of the marquee and control panel along with the other finishing stuff but I couldn't resist posting a sneak peek at what the finished cabinet will look like (minus the bezel, obviously).  Enjoy!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: ALMOST Finished (sneak peek pic)!!! (06.19.07)
Post by: shardian on June 19, 2007, 11:56:19 am
So...Ummm... when are the stunningly detailed pdf file instructions going to be available?  ;D I got about three years before I need this machine, so you have a while.  ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: ALMOST Finished (sneak peek pic)!!! (06.19.07)
Post by: Anubis_au on June 19, 2007, 07:42:42 pm
So...Ummm... when are the stunningly detailed pdf file instructions going to be available?  ;D I got about three years before I need this machine, so you have a while.  ;)

Jav, I might seriously reconsider the Aussie lowboy for one of these, so you may not have *that* much time to deliver the plans :P

 :cheers: to the cab! It's a work of art.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Marquee Installation!! (pic overkill)!!! (06.21.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 21, 2007, 04:06:43 pm
This past weekend I was also able to install the marquee. Is wasn't too difficult but I definitely hit a few snags along the way that I had to think through.

Here is what I started with:

(http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/2051/arcadejune13200705mw8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/7593/arcadejune13200702lx8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

The first thing I did was cut the marquee retainers that I ordered to the proper size. The plastic that the retainer is made out of is pretty thick but it is also brittle and cracked under the pressure from my radial saw so I ended up using a mitre box and hand saw. I cut them a bit oversized (1/32") and then sanded down the ends with some 100 grit sandpaper until I got a tight fit.

(http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5231/p1010400uo4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I toyed with the idea of using velcro to hold the retainer in place but the thickness of the velcro made the retainer sit about 1/16" off of the surface of the cabinet which wasn't going to work. The retainer also needs to be removable so I couldn't just glue it down. I decided to use 4 evenly spaced screws to secure it to the cabinet so the next thing I did was mark off where I wanted the screws to go. I decided on placing the two end screws 1" in from the end of the retainer and then I measured for the other 2 central screws so they would be spaced evenly. To place the holes, I measured up 1/4" from the plastic line that is part of the retainer (you can see it in the pictures).

Using an awl and my trusty rubber mallet, I marked off the holes where I would eventually drill. The reason to mark the holes with an awl is so the drill bit does not slip out of place.

(http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/7114/p1010416hh7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/9540/p1010415ci1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

After the holes were marked, I drilled them out using a 1/8" drill bit as shown below. Make sure the retainer is clamped in place as you drill so it doesn't slip.  You should get a nice clean hole for the screw as shown:

(http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/7163/p1010417ex9.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/8273/p1010418kc4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

At this point I ran into my first problem. The screw caps I'm using to cover the screws lay very flat and a typical screw kind of slopes outward towards the screw head. The bottom line is that there was no way that the screw would lay flush with the retainer if I didn't modify the hole somehow. I decided to use a larger drill bit and a razor blade to dig out a cone shape for the screw head to sit in.

(http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4138/p1010421bw9.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
 
It was kind of a pain but it worked. I didn't have to be precise because the screw caps cover any imperfections around the hole.

The next step was to cut the marquee and the plexiglass to the proper size. This was pretty easy to do and just required a lot of trial and error. Mamemarquees printed the marquee a little oversized but all it took was a razor and straightedge to cut it to size.

(http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6651/p1010409jg9.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

I also had to cut the plexiglass which I did using my router, a straightedge and a flush trimming bit. I trimmed off about 1/32" at a time, tried to fit everything in place and then trimmed again until everything was nice and tight. I wish I remembered to take a picture of my arm after routing the plexiglass. The bit actually melted the plexiglass and all the little shavings stuck to my arm - it looked like icing from a Hostess Sno-Ball or something.

Now that the retainer, plexiglass and marquee were all cut to size, I clamped everything in place, drilled out the pilot holes and secured everything to the cabinet using 1/2" screws. Once that was finished I capped each screw head with a screp cap to give it a clean, finished look.

Here are the results:

(http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6159/p1010442rn0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)  (http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/647/p1010441xp8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

(http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/788/p1010440xg1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
 
I assure you it was easier to install the marquee than type up this post.

The control panel installation is up next!

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Marquee Installation!! (pic overkill)!!! (06.21.07)
Post by: patrickl on June 21, 2007, 04:24:05 pm
Looking better and better.

I'm surprised you got your light so close to the marquee. Doesn't that cause uneven lighting?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Marquee Installation!! (pic overkill)!!! (06.21.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 21, 2007, 07:06:10 pm
Looking better and better.

I'm surprised you got your light so close to the marquee. Doesn't that cause uneven lighting?

Thanks.  Actually, the lighting is perfectly even.  It really is beautiful and the first time I fired it up I just stood there in awe of it.  Scott obviously uses high quality materials (I ordered the extra fancy marquee material for $10 more - well worth it, IMO).  I can't vouch for the light distribution if you print at Kinko's or something.  YMMV on that.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Marquee Installation!! (pic overkill)!!! (06.21.07)
Post by: superbigjay on June 22, 2007, 08:50:57 am
I assure you it was easier to install the marquee than type up this post.
Good job for the marquee installation Jav!
Clean as usual.

Now that you've set the bar that high, you know you're not allowed to do any average job on the cab  :laugh2:

I've put my project on hold for the last 2-3 weeks to finishe my other project (vivarium part), but reading your progress, makes me want to finish that one to get back to the uroMAMEstyx

Jay  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Construction Complete (STUCK ON THE SETUP)!!! (06.23.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 24, 2007, 08:16:18 pm
Well, I'm officially stuck.  I have an old Gateway that I'm trying to setup but I just don't seem to have enough computer knowledge.  It's a PIII, 766MHz, 256 megs of RAM and is currently running Windows 98.  I am trying to do the following and can't get past #1:

1.  Wipe computer and install XP
2.  Compile MAME so I can save high scores and look at the controls/history stuff
3.  Install MaLa with U360 .map files
4.  Configure computer to boot straight to MaLa
5.  Get games to display full screen
6.  Install (vertical) games

I have XP on a disc and the key that goes with it but after it preps the computer (step 1) and tries to reboot it just hangs on a blank screen.  I think it is supposed to read the disc when it reboots but nothing happens.  I'm frustrated because I wanted to finish this thing today but since I don't know what I'm doing this could take forever.   :angry:

Any help would be great. Thanks!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Construction Complete (STUCK ON SETUP) Grrr...
Post by: GAtekwriter on June 24, 2007, 08:23:55 pm
A few thoughts:

1.  Have you gone into the BIOS and configured it to boot off the CD?  (It's different for every PC, but usually involves hitting an F# key at some point or some combination of SHIFT-ALT or other)

2.  One thought if you keep having problems is to download a bootable floppy image that can install a stripped down version of DOS.  This will allow you to use FDISK to look at the partitions to make sure they exist and are configured properly - you need a primary partition set for a bootable CD like XP to install.

3.  If the PC is booting off the PC, is it showing a white progress bar along the bottom that says "Checking Hardware" and "Copying Files" or stuff like that?  If you're not seeing that part, then XP is definitely not installing and it could be a bunch of things.

4.  If XP install isn't starting (#3 above), be sure to check a few simple things first - make sure your memory modules are inserted completely and haven't wiggled out.  Check all the cables to make sure nothing has gotten disconnected - hard drive is a big one :)  check both ends of the cable that connect hard drive and motherboard.

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Construction Complete (STUCK ON SETUP) Grrr...
Post by: csa3d on June 24, 2007, 08:34:39 pm
Firstly, I'm sorry to hear you have a Gateway computer.  I've had very poor experiences with them in the past.

This being said, if you have any additional items like a 2nd cdrom drive or a zip disk drive or other add-ons, unplug them until you get the core system set up.  Once you do, plug them back in and configure them with plug-and-pray.  I remember having a similar issue and I believe my zip drive being connected during installation was killing it.  Disregard if you do not any additional addons.

-csa
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Construction Complete (STUCK ON SETUP) Grrr...
Post by: javeryh on June 24, 2007, 10:31:56 pm
Thanks for the tips!  I actually don't even know what BIOS is so that should tell you my level of sophistication when it comes to computers.  I did manage to figure out the partitions though - I had one partition which made up 99% of the hard drive and then 16KB of "unpartitioned space."

I also ran a configuration diagnostic and it said I had a "blocker" program installed which wouldn't allow me to install XP.  It was the "Gateway GoBack" program which allows me to revert the hard drive to an earlier point in time in case of a problem.  The dilemma was that if I uninstalled it, I couldn't use it to go back in case I messed up.

I am working through a lot of scary blue screens right now...  I deleted the partition which contained all of the stuff on my computer, then made a new one and selected "Format with NTFS" and that's where I'm at right now...  It says "formatting hard drive" and is at around 35%.  I will definitely post the results.  If it installs properly then I can worry about getting MAME/MaLa on there and optimizing/tweaking performance.

And yes, I am slowly learning that Gateways aren't that great (but hopefully good enough to run what I need it to run).   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Construction Complete (STUCK ON SETUP) Grrr...
Post by: javeryh on June 24, 2007, 11:34:01 pm
XP is installed...

Now on to compiling and installing MAME...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Construction Complete (STUCK ON SETUP) Grrr...
Post by: Kaytrim on June 25, 2007, 09:46:28 am
How long are you waiting on the reboot?  It may be that with the limited amount of ram that it will take a while.  You may also want to try TinyXP or nLite, look at this thread (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59373.0).  I tried TinyXP on Dad's Bartop.  The processor is the same as yours and it was wicked fast.  Seeing that you have a full license for XP look at using nLite to slim it down then try an install on your PIII.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim

**Edit, sorry didn't see the other posts on the 9th page.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Construction Complete (STUCK ON SETUP) Grrr...
Post by: javeryh on June 25, 2007, 11:31:50 am
How long are you waiting on the reboot?  It may be that with the limited amount of ram that it will take a while.  You may also want to try TinyXP or nLite, look at this thread (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59373.0).  I tried TinyXP on Dad's Bartop.  The processor is the same as yours and it was wicked fast.  Seeing that you have a full license for XP look at using nLite to slim it down then try an install on your PIII.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim

**Edit, sorry didn't see the other posts on the 9th page.

Thanks Kaytrim.  It does take a while for the machine to boot (probably over a minute) so anything I can do to cut down on this would be great.  I'm just afraid I won't be able to get it up and running due to my limited computer knowledge (but I'm willing to learn).  I am about to read the thread you linked to.

The first thing I think I should do is try and learn how to compile MAME - from what I understand the high score saving feature was removed which isn't going to work for me (competing for high scores is the most fun part about these cabs).  I'm hoping to compile a version of MAME that will save the high scores and also display the controls and history information for each game.  That is my task for tonight.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Construction Complete (STUCK ON SETUP) Grrr...
Post by: Kaytrim on June 25, 2007, 11:38:31 am
I ended up using SpyStyle's DOS CD on a 512MB compact flash card.  Boot up in less than 30 seconds.  I also have 512MB of RAM on Dad's Bartop.  However this won't do for what you are trying to do with a front end.  There are not many options for FE running in DOS anymore. 

Make sure that you backup anything you do onto a separate drive or CD before you reformat and install XP again.  Otherwise you are going to have to start from scratch again.

TTFN and Good Luck :cheers:
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Need help with Setup
Post by: javeryh on June 26, 2007, 10:59:30 am
OK, next up - I need to figure out how to compile MAME so I can save high scores but believe it or not, I can't seem to follow the instructions on Mr. Do!'s Arcade Page. 

1.  I downloaded mame0116s, dx80_mgw.zip, mingw-mame-20070717, compile_extras.zip and hi112u1.txt
2.  I extracted dx80_mgw.zip and mingw-mame-20070717 to c:\mingw
3.  I extracted the mame.zip file inside the mame0116s file to c:\mamesrc
4.  I extracted compile_extras.zip to c:\mamesrc
5.  I put the hi112u1 file in the c:\mamesrc folder
6.  I edited the patchmame.bat file replacing the default 0104u1.diff with hi112u1.txt
7.  I clicked in the command prompt shortcut and typed "patchmame" but I get a failure message

What am I doing wrong?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Need Help With Setup
Post by: BobA on June 26, 2007, 11:22:47 pm
I think you are going to have to provide the error messages to give anyone an idea of where it is going wrong.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Control Panel Installation (06.27.07)
Post by: javeryh on June 27, 2007, 11:46:28 am
OK, I think I compiled MAME properly with the hiscore patch.  I can't actually test it out until tonight though - by the time I got it working last night it was way past my bedtime...

Anyway, I installed the CP a while back but never did a write up on it so here goes...

There's nothing fancy about it. The only real problems I had to deal with were making sure the control panel did not move at all during gameplay and making sure the control panel was removeable at any time for maintenance or something. My first solution worked perfectly so it turned out to be pretty easy.

I bought some industrial strength velcro from Home depot and put two strips on the lip of the monitor panel that I had previously routed and the matching strips on the top of the underside of the control panel. Once I put the control panel in place it was a very tight fit. The velcro held up nicely and nothing was moving even when I pulled quite hard on the joystick.

(http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/651/p1010467zm9.th.jpg) (http://img518.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010467zm9.jpg)  (http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/2974/p1010466aw9.th.jpg) (http://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010466aw9.jpg) 

The only other issue was holding the bottom portion of the control panel in place. Since there were some strips of wood on either side from when I first assembled the cabinet, I just used some 3" clamps to hold the bottom of the control panel in place (sorry no pics). Easy!

I attached pictures of the results - it's looking pretty sweet right now.

Next up - installing the bezel around the monitor.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FEET!!! (07.02.07) [Still need help with setup]
Post by: javeryh on July 02, 2007, 11:47:45 am
Oh yeah... now this is the good stuff. Last night I managed to finally install the plastic feet to the bottom of the cabinet so it won't mar the floor in my house. It was a painful process which took all of 2 minutes to accomplish. First I had to tear open the package (as seen below). Next, I had to peel off the paper on the back of the feet to expose the adhesive. Finally, I had to stick each piece onto the bottom of the cabinet. Sound tough? Now imagine having to do that 4 times.

I know, I know, let's get on with it... I'm in the middle of programming the computer and the cabinet has been moved inside of the house for final testing. So I didn't exactly make my June 30 deadline - no big deal (I ran into a few snags with display issues and getting the ultrastikmapper to run properly in MaLa).  I should have this thing 100% finished soon though!   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FEET!!! (07.02.07) [Still need help with setup]
Post by: Dudeman on July 02, 2007, 12:14:35 pm
 :notworthy:
You are the man. I thought about doing that, but it just seemed to complicated.

Where to put them? 4 feet or 6!?!? It make my head hurt to think about it!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FEET!!! (07.02.07) [Still need help with setup]
Post by: javeryh on July 02, 2007, 06:18:53 pm
:notworthy:
You are the man. I thought about doing that, but it just seemed to complicated.

Where to put them? 4 feet or 6!?!? It make my head hurt to think about it!

 :laugh2:

I know... huge decisions being made here...  On a side note, I finally put the cabinet on the ground for the first time (it had been resting on a crate in all of the pics so far) and I really got a little bit of a shock as far as scale goes.  It is TINY.  The top of the cabinet only comes up to the middle of my chest (I'm 6').  It is the PERFECT size for Bella but I'll have to sit/kneel in order to play - probably the way it should be.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FEET!!! (07.02.07) [Still need help with setup]
Post by: superbigjay on July 04, 2007, 09:08:23 am
On a side note, I finally put the cabinet on the ground for the first time (it had been resting on a crate in all of the pics so far) and I really got a little bit of a shock as far as scale goes.  It is TINY.  The top of the cabinet only comes up to the middle of my chest (I'm 6').  It is the PERFECT size for Bella but I'll have to sit/kneel in order to play - probably the way it should be.   :cheers:
he he he!  It's true, for I while I forgot this is a "reduced size" cab for Bella.
You should take a picture of you standing beside the cab.  It would give a good idea of the real size.

Jay  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FEET!!! (07.02.07) [Still need help with setup]
Post by: javeryh on July 04, 2007, 10:51:22 pm
I'll try to get a picture showing scale soon.  In other news, it looks like I'll have to build "Jack's Arcade" sometime in the next 3 years... we just had a baby boy!   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FEET!!! (07.02.07) [Still need help with setup]
Post by: shock_ on July 05, 2007, 06:34:25 am
we just had a baby boy!

Congratulations!! :applaud:  And a pat on the back to Mrs javeryh for her fine efforts. 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FEET!!! (07.02.07) [Still need help with setup]
Post by: Kaytrim on July 05, 2007, 01:35:36 pm
I'll try to get a picture showing scale soon.  In other news, it looks like I'll have to build "Jack's Arcade" sometime in the next 3 years... we just had a baby boy!   :cheers:

Congrats on the baby boy. :cheers:  For him why not do a Donkey Kong mini, the color is right. ;)

TTFN
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: (07.08.07) [Please comment on computer build]
Post by: javeryh on July 08, 2007, 06:54:50 pm
Thanks everyone!  He has been great so far!  The project is sort of kind of on hold for a little bit until I get used to my new schedule with the baby and everything.  I will be sneaking some work in on it when I can though.  Right now I think I'm going to be buying a new computer.  I don't want to but I also don't think I will get things looking right with what I've got.  I need a new video card and motherboard at a minimum so I figure why not go all out...  plus, it will give me something to do this week when the kids are napping since I'm off from work.

Anyway, I posted this over in the main forum but maybe I'd get some more help here.  I'd like to hear from people who know more than I do before I actually pull the trigger.  The only thing I care about is outputting to a 4:5 (vertical) monitor and that the picture will stretch to the edges.   I have a Dell 197 LCD.  I guess I'll also be putting some horizontal games on Bella's cab as long as they aren't too small or anything on the vertical monitor (and are playable with a joystick and 3 buttons or less).

Here goes:

Power Supply/Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811147024)
Video Card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814127292)
Memory (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820161067)
Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813138052)
Processor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103046)
Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822148231)

The total is under $300 shipped.

Thanks!!   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: (07.08.07) [Please comment on computer build]
Post by: GlennM on July 09, 2007, 12:36:42 am
It seems like a good PC build for your purposes, I would check some online reviews of the parts you are purchasing though.  Also, the Mobo has on board video it seems, why not find a similar one without it or else ditch the video card?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: (07.08.07) [Please comment on computer build]
Post by: theCoder on July 09, 2007, 10:08:38 am
That's a lot of computer for under $300.  The hard drive is a bit small, but as long as you have the room to install another one later you should be fine. 

Congratulations on your newborn son.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: (07.08.07) [Please comment on computer build]
Post by: Kaytrim on July 09, 2007, 11:35:55 am
Make sure you get a good processor cooler fan and use Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste.  Here is one (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16835186010) that will go with your processor and MB.  Even though the processor comes with a stock heat sink and fan.  You are still putting a case in a case this can cause overheating.  It will help if you take the cover off the case while it is in the cab but I would still recommend adding a better CPU cooler.  The one I link to above is only $15.  Add $6 for the Arctic Silver 5 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16835100007) and you have insurance for only $21

If I had the $$$ I would take this deal without the case, I have a few to spare.  Just out of curosity I put together a shopping cart with the processer combo, ram and video card you linked to adding the CPU cooler and paste I link to above and the cost was only $156 plus shipping  Real nice deal. :cheers:  I could even get by without the video card, my cab is horizontal.

TTFN
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: (07.08.07) [Please comment on computer build]
Post by: javeryh on July 10, 2007, 10:42:27 am
Thanks for all the advice guys.  I ordered it last night and I'm hoping it comes sometime this week.  I'd like to finish this project this weekend because we are about to have a lot of company coming over to see the new baby.  It would be nice if there was something to play.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: amadama on July 14, 2007, 04:38:25 pm
Wow, congratulations on your new baby!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: polaris on July 19, 2007, 05:35:29 pm
congratulations on the new arrival, im sure i mentioned a baby blue cab here somewhere.
get sourcing those parts, you have to start looking for blue coin rejects now :)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: javeryh on August 13, 2007, 11:44:48 am
OK, after a month of nothing I think I'm back.  We have settled into our new routine with the baby so I think I'll be able to get this thing finished over the next few weeks.  Anyway, all the parts for my computer have arrived and I was able to put it together - it's a freaking miracle!

I had trouble with the video card because if it was installed in the motherboard it would default everything to the DVI-out port so I had to buy a DVI-VGA plug converter thingy.  I installed Windows XP Professional and it seems to be operating pretty fast (much faster than my old Gateway).

Anyway, I'm having one issue that's probably a simple fix but I can't figure it out.  Whenever I reboot, I get a screen that forces me to either hit DEL to enter setup or F1 to continue.  Hitting F1 boots XP and everything is fine but I'd rather skip this step obviously and boot straight to XP (and eventually to MaLa).  Is there a setting in the motherboard set-up that I need to change to bypass this?  Any help would be much appreciated.

The good news is that I loaded up MAME and MaLa really quick last night, tweaked the settings for a vertical layout and the games seem to be running in full screen!!!!  FINALLY!!!  Tonight I plan to finish setup on the cabinet.  I have to:

1.  Compile a version of MAME that can save high scores and disables the warning screens
2.  Get the fatfingers MaLa plugin working properly (for the U360)
3.  Create a solid gamelist (I'm stealing theCoder's list for starters  ;D)
4.  Figure out how to get rid of the "Get Ready To Play" screen that flashes when I select a game on my gamelist

Once this is done all I'll have to do is:

1.  Cut the hole in the back of the cab to run the smartstrip wire out to the wall
2.  Put the computer and everything inside the cab
3.  Touch-up with black paint
4.  Wire the power button to the outside of the cab
5.  Wire the coin door
6.  Figure out a way to control the volume of everything

That's only like an afternoon's worth of work!   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on August 13, 2007, 11:54:45 am
Yea!!!  :applaud:  good to see things are progressing again with this little beauty.  Good to hear about  the baby settling down too.  Been there, Done that, T-shirt spit up on :laugh2: three times over.  My oldest turned 16 yesterday so I am here to say that things may get easy for a while but they get worse in other ways. :cry: Two more years and my baby is off to college.

Oh well, TTFN :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: Malenko on August 13, 2007, 12:41:32 pm
Anyway, I'm having one issue that's probably a simple fix but I can't figure it out.  Whenever I reboot, I get a screen that forces me to either hit DEL to enter setup or F1 to continue.  Hitting F1 boots XP and everything is fine but I'd rather skip this step obviously and boot straight to XP (and eventually to MaLa).  Is there a setting in the motherboard set-up that I need to change to bypass this?  Any help would be much appreciated.

must be getting a mouse or keyboard error in the BIOS. Enter the BIOS and find the setting that lets you "skip errors"
my old PC used to do that when I had my PS2 devices plugged in.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: superbigjay on August 13, 2007, 09:56:48 pm
3.  Create a solid gamelist (I'm stealing theCoder's list for starters  ;D)
Hello Javeryh (and Coder),
any chance you could share that gamelist
Jay
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: theCoder on August 13, 2007, 10:22:11 pm
Good to see you back at it.  Let us know how the Mame recompile goes.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: javeryh on August 14, 2007, 09:04:38 am
3.  Create a solid gamelist (I'm stealing theCoder's list for starters  ;D)
Hello Javeryh (and Coder),
any chance you could share that gamelist
Jay

Check out this post - the list is attached: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=69879.msg714584#msg714584

Good to see you back at it.  Let us know how the Mame recompile goes.

I will.  I've decided to order a new romset to get current - I have a .87 set and it's a little old.  I'm going to order the .118 set and recompile MAME .118 to go with it.  Right now I have MAME .113 running and I'm using the .87 romset and nothing seems to be working... well, some games work but at least 1/2 of the ones I've tried don't.  I get a "loading XX%" screen that flashes and then I get kicked back to the MaLa gamelist.  Plus, it might do me some good to have a current romset and learn to use MAME properly.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on August 14, 2007, 09:21:20 am
Have you tried using CLRMAMEPro to bring the romset to the .113 version MAME?  It will take a while and not all of the roms will convert but you will get a good set to work from.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: javeryh on August 14, 2007, 09:27:28 am
Have you tried using CLRMAMEPro to bring the romset to the .113 version MAME?  It will take a while and not all of the roms will convert but you will get a good set to work from.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim

I haven't - mainly because I don't know how.  It's definitely something I want to learn though.  I need to start getting better with the computer if I'm going to keep building these cabinets.  Bella's Arcade is the second cabinet I've built and the second one that has stalled at the software stage because I don't really know what I'm doing.   :banghead:

My other cabinet has Gamelauncher installed and works but it is not user friendly at all.  There's no list rotation (it's a cocktail), no screenshots, etc.  Right after I finish Bella's Arcade I'm going to finish the first one before moving on to #3.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on August 14, 2007, 09:32:44 am
Jer,

Send me an email and I will help you where I can with CLRMAMEPro.  New email is in my profile.  :angel:

TTFN
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on August 14, 2007, 10:58:57 am
Have you tried using CLRMAMEPro to bring the romset to the .113 version MAME?  It will take a while and not all of the roms will convert but you will get a good set to work from.
In my experience, this will work much better taking a 0.113 romset to work with 0.87 MAME than vice-versa, but it will get a few more of your games to work, and it is free!!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: javeryh on August 16, 2007, 02:40:13 pm
Jer,

Send me an email and I will help you where I can with CLRMAMEPro.  New email is in my profile.  :angel:

TTFN

Thanks for the offer.  I might just take you up on that but I want to play around with it myself first.  I'm surprising myself by what I've learned to do.  Last night I successfully compiled MAME .118u1 with the hiscore.diff file.  Basically, the computer is ready to go - I'm just waiting on the .118 romset from my super secret supplier.  Once they arrive, I will copy everything over to my rom folder and try to make some different playlists using MaLa.  I'm very close to calling this project complete!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: psychotech on August 16, 2007, 06:51:54 pm
Gamelauncher, no screenshots ?

Must be some other version made in the DDR before the Berlin wall finally came down? My Gamelauncher setup has screenshots, multiple emulators, etc. I'm using it on two machines in DOS & Win98SE ..it just needs some .ini tweaking to fit your needs ;)

Great cab still  :cheers:

cykotek
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Kind of on Hold (07.08.07)
Post by: javeryh on August 16, 2007, 08:18:20 pm
Gamelauncher, no screenshots ?

Must be some other version made in the DDR before the Berlin wall finally came down? My Gamelauncher setup has screenshots, multiple emulators, etc. I'm using it on two machines in DOS & Win98SE ..it just needs some .ini tweaking to fit your needs ;)

Great cab still  :cheers:

cykotek

heh, my version of GameLauncher doesn't have any screenshots because I'm lazy.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Plans? We don't need no stinkin' plans... (08.17.07)
Post by: javeryh on August 17, 2007, 07:02:11 pm
Well, I finally dug them out of the garage and brought them to work so I could scan them and post them here. I'm surprised I was able to run the paper through the scanner since the pages are so worn.  The dimensions aren't exact but they are close enough, I guess. I wanted an "80%" cabinet so I downloaded the Ms. Pac-man plans from Jakobud's site and shrunk all the dimensions using my slick math skills. I didn't cut things out perfectly due to the weird conversions (like 80% of 1/16" is kind of tough to measure) but it came out great anyway.

(http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/1962/bellasarcadedimensions1xx4.th.jpg) (http://img523.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bellasarcadedimensions1xx4.jpg)  (http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9963/bellasarcadedimensions2ew0.th.jpg) (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bellasarcadedimensions2ew0.jpg)  (http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/4949/bellasarcadedimensions3ml8.th.jpg) (http://img254.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bellasarcadedimensions3ml8.jpg)

Enjoy even though imageshack totally blows with these tiny thumbnails but it's the only way I could figure out how to host the files so they are readable. Note that I didn't actually use the CRT monitor shown on the last page but the dimensions of the Dell LCD I ended up going with are scribbled on there somewhere - I know, real scientific.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Plans? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Plans (08.17.07)
Post by: shock_ on August 19, 2007, 06:46:10 am
I know this is totally anal and off topic, but since you're keen on learning stuff - drop those images to 2-colour GIFs and they'll compress down to buggery, or around 73KB, whichever is more impressive.  Irfanview (http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm) is free software that will do it (and is damned handy as a quick image viewer also).  Your scanner software might do it also.  Example as attached.

Slightly back on topic... years from now, when your daughter asks you about building this odd retro cabinet thing that she's seemingly always had, she's going to find this thread quite mind-blowing to read through :)  I'm really hoping my two little guys (38 and 11 months) get/stay interested also.  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Plans? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Plans (08.17.07)
Post by: Anubis_au on August 30, 2007, 12:54:03 am
Jav, what's the latest?

(just doing my bit to make this thread current again)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Plans? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Plans (08.17.07)
Post by: javeryh on August 30, 2007, 09:16:50 pm
Jav, what's the latest?

(just doing my bit to make this thread current again)

I'm taking forever to set up the computer and make gamelists and stuff.  Construction is pretty much done.  If I had a free afternoon I could probably finish it in a few hours... but the kids take up all my time!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Plans? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Plans (08.17.07)
Post by: Austin.Wolff on August 30, 2007, 11:23:52 pm
For the sake of not reading through 10 pages...where did you buy your t-molding?  It's an unusual color and I'm having trouble finding one of the same sorts.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Plans? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Plans (08.17.07)
Post by: javeryh on August 31, 2007, 09:06:50 am
For the sake of not reading through 10 pages...where did you buy your t-molding?  It's an unusual color and I'm having trouble finding one of the same sorts.

I got it at Dream Arcades - http://www.dreamarcades.com/partstmold/index.shtml
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Plans? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Plans (08.17.07)
Post by: Santoro on September 02, 2007, 12:48:10 am
Looks super, I love the Marquee art!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 26, 2007, 11:47:20 am
It's about time. After a month of nothing (wow 2 kids are a lot of work) I finally manned up and cut open my SmartStrip plug. The goal is to splice the plug to a recepticle on the exterior of the rear panel of the cabinet. I'm still a little nervous about this process but I'm reasonably positive (99%) that I did this safely and correctly.

I bought a plastic box at Home Depot for $2 and the idea is to completely seal off the wiring block and any chance of someone touching a live wire. The wire from the SmartStrip goes in one end and the wires from the plug recepticle go in the other - pretty basic stuff. This is about as safe as I think I can make it. Here's the box:

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp4xZ4DJ5I/AAAAAAAAAek/x3W4R8BYDCM/s400/plasticbox.JPG)

And here is kind of sort of what I'm trying to accomplish... actually, I don't even know why I took these pictures but here you go:

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp48Z4DJ6I/AAAAAAAAAes/-HprEXtfGIQ/s400/plug_out_of_box.JPG)

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp5Bp4DJ7I/AAAAAAAAAe0/0eGkKHG9qMM/s400/plug_inside_box.JPG)

Here's the exciting "before" picture of the plug. Wow.

(http://bp2.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp0b54DJzI/AAAAAAAAAd0/zZhfvtRgIJc/s400/plug.JPG)

And here is the "after" shot. It was like ripping off a band-aid. I just closed my eyes and made the cut with my trusty utility knife.

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp0zJ4DJ0I/AAAAAAAAAd8/S0RVkX8M3EU/s400/plug_cut_wire.JPG)

At this point there was no turning back. Inside, there were three wires representing positive (white), negative (black) and ground (green). The next step was stripping each of these wires to expose about 1/4" of the interior copper wire. Thie next picture shows the three wires (but not stripped).

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp1ZZ4DJ1I/AAAAAAAAAeE/C7XhRtRe0bA/s400/plug_three_interior_wires.JPG)

I matched these wires up to the wires in the wiring block that spacies set up for me. All I really had to do was screw them into the wiring block attached to the plug recepticle. This is how it ended up before I closed the plastic box:

(http://bp2.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp6a54DJ8I/AAAAAAAAAe8/GUzEm963Nw8/s400/plug_connected.JPG)

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp6hJ4DJ9I/AAAAAAAAAfE/qzC53R6NIZQ/s400/plug_connected_2.JPG)

Here are the final shots of everything all closed up:

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp7RJ4DJ-I/AAAAAAAAAfM/qggCdwTFSeY/s400/plug_finished.JPG)

(http://bp2.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rvp7X54DJ_I/AAAAAAAAAfU/Suf_L66MysU/s400/plug_finished_2.JPG)

I'm not totally finished with this (I should be tonight) and I plan on wrapping the wiring block in electrical tape before closing up the plastic box for good. Also, the last thing I want to do is somehow cover the back of the plug recepticle with either electrical tape or some sort of foam - I can still see metal sticking out and I can only assume that once the cabinet is plugged in it will be "hot" all the time whether the computer is on or off.  Any ideas on how to do this?  Foam seems kind of permanent and messy (not like I'll be taking it apart ever but still...).

I want to be sure 1000% sure that there is zero chance of something going wrong or someone getting hurt.  My daughter is only 3 and she's curious. If she managed to open up the door on the front and crawl inside I don't want to have to worry about her getting hurt.

That's all for now.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on September 26, 2007, 11:54:48 am
If you want to extra careful, you may be over doing it but with little ones you never know.  Use some hot glue.  I did on Dad's Bartop (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=66082.msg683216#msg683216).  The link will take you directly to the post that shows the install of the plug.

TTFN
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on September 26, 2007, 12:01:54 pm
As far as little kids being inquisitive I have a story to tell about my son.  He was about 2-3 years old playing behind me while I was working on my home computer.  Next thing I know is that he is crying his eyes out.  I ask him what is wrong and he says "It bit me!" pointing to the wall socket.  I look at the socket and here is a bent paper clip stuck in the socket.  Needless to say the paper clip was bridged across the two slots and now live.  I had to use a pair of pliers to pull it out so I didn't get 'bit' too.  :laugh2:  We can laugh about it now but it could have been a serious situation.

TTFN
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: mountain on September 26, 2007, 01:06:18 pm
Those things do bite from time to time.

I don't think you have anything to worry about though. The exposed metal you are worried about is already protected by an enclosure...the cabinet.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 26, 2007, 01:15:36 pm
Can someone tell me if I wired it properly?  I went green to green [ground - I'm pretty sure about this], black to black [negative] and white to red [positive].

What happens if I reverse positive and negative?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on September 26, 2007, 01:27:07 pm
Your good to go there.  Plug that baby in and let 'er rip. :applaud:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 26, 2007, 01:32:20 pm
Your good to go there.  Plug that baby in and let 'er rip. :applaud:

Thanks Kaytrim - puts my mind at ease.  Also, that hot glue tip is great.  I'm definitely going to fire up the glue gun after I get the thing installed and go to town.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on September 26, 2007, 01:44:37 pm
If you have it wired wrong you should only trip the circuit breaker in your fusebox.  To be real sure that you have things right take a multi-meter set on continuity and check which wires go to which prongs on the outlets.  You should have results like this little diagram I drew for you.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: MinerAl on September 26, 2007, 04:02:13 pm
Hot glue works great, unless you have a short or draw too much current... then it melts and runs all over.  Use a two part (non-conductive) epoxy instead.  It's permanent-er though.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 04:31:03 pm

I don't want to throw a spanner in the works but I am not sure about the wiring.

Reason? Yesterday I purchased a new LCD. It came with 2 power cables. 1 for NZ/OZ and the other USA.
Rather than cut a good cable, I cut the plug end off the US one instead to be hard wired into a cocktail.

Because we have different colour wires I thought it would be best to double check to make sure I had it right.
I was sure in my mind White was positive (hot, live.) Well I was wrong. It was the Black.

On the end of the plug that goes into the monitor it has little letters under each hole.

L (live, positive, hot) was Black
N (neutral) was white
Green is earth.

I tested this with a Multi Meter and was amazed that I had this wrong because it seemed obvious that white was Live.  :-\

JaveryH. Please double check you wiring and can someone tell me wtf is going on?



Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Dudeman on September 26, 2007, 04:39:19 pm
US Electrical code

Black and Red are hot
White is neutral (which is electrically the same as ground because the both go to ground at the breaker panel)
Green or bare is ground

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 26, 2007, 04:44:06 pm
I'm really confused now as to which is positive and which is negative.  I did a little googling and found this:  

Quote
(http://www.leadsdirect.co.uk/images/technical/Nema%205-15%20Mains%20Plug%20Wiring%20300px.gif)

With American and Canadian plugs, if you look directly at a socket, the ground socket will be at a bottom, the live slot is on the right and the neutral slot is on the left. If the plug is polarized, the widest slot is the neutral connector.

This would make the black wire in my plug positive and the white wire negative, right?  I'm sure the green is ground.
I think I need to reverse the black and white wires but I'm not sure.  
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 26, 2007, 04:50:48 pm

I don't want to throw a spanner in the works but I am not sure about the wiring.

Reason? Yesterday I purchased a new LCD. It came with 2 power cables. 1 for NZ/OZ and the other USA.
Rather than cut a good cable, I cut the plug end off the US one instead to be hard wired into a cocktail.

Because we have different colour wires I thought it would be best to double check to make sure I had it right.
I was sure in my mind White was positive (hot, live.) Well I was wrong. It was the Black.

On the end of the plug that goes into the monitor it has little letters under each hole.

L (live, positive, hot) was Black
N (neutral) was white
Green is earth.

I tested this with a Multi Meter and was amazed that I had this wrong because it seemed obvious that white was Live.  :-\

JaveryH. Please double check you wiring and can someone tell me wtf is going on?

spacies - just to clarify what you sent me:

Green: Ground
Red: Live (Hot) - this is what you also looped the switch into
Black: Neutral

If this is right then it eliminates 1/2 the problem I think.... so I should go GREEN to green (ground), RED to black (positive) and BLACK to white (negative), right? (the all caps represent the wires you sent me).

We can figure it out!  Thanks again for the help!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 04:58:51 pm
No worries.

Mate, I know nothing about you crazy Americans wiring system. I thought you ran off a dedicated 110V system but on a HiFi forum I read guys have their houses wired with 220/240V as well?  :dizzy:  :dizzy:

All I know is that the plug I cut off had the wires all mixed up. In fact I think I am going to rip it out and use another that I know is right. Don't listen to me, I'm being overly paranoid about something I know little about, but I do know that plug that I cut off, the Black is Live.

Can someone help this guy out please before we never see him again!

Just kidding Muwhahahahahahahaaaaa   :laugh2:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Dudeman on September 26, 2007, 05:03:01 pm
That drawing you have there javeryh is correct for US wiring.


Not sure about OZ but here,

BLACK IS HOT!!!


EDIT:
To be sure you understand, I'm not talking out my arse. I was an electrician's helper for years before I went into to military and a little after also. Black is ALWAYS hot. Red is also used for hot (and for switch legs, but that is another subject). White is neutral, and green is ground. If we use a white wire for hot, code requires it be wrapped in black so future electricians know it's hot when they see it.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 05:13:53 pm
Ok,

Here we go:

Note the letters on the plug.  I have the the red prong in the L socket.
You can see in the background the other end of the Multi Meter with the black wire twisted around it and the Multi Meter digits confirming @ 0.00 there is a complete circuit.

(http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL757/2715941/16178946/280324269.jpg)

That suggest Black is Live, Hot *edit* Do not touch, If you touch you will not pass GO and collect $200  :laugh2:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 05:26:12 pm


Dudeman, Thanks for your input. I knew I was right but needed someone to confirm.

JaveryH. Please wire as follows.

My red wire = your Black. This is LIVE.
My Black wire = your White. This is NEUTRAL.
My Green = your Green.

Dudeman, please confirm. So we can end this LOL  :cheers:

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 26, 2007, 05:31:51 pm


Dudeman, Thanks for your input. I knew I was right but needed someone to confirm.

JaveryH. Please wire as follows.

My red wire = your Black. This is LIVE.
My Black wire = your White. This is NEUTRAL.
My Green = your Green.

Dudeman, please confirm. So we can end this LOL  :cheers:



Awesome - thanks for the help.  I need to switch my black and white wires. 

Oh, and to answer your question from the other thread, yes, I will be puttin this on the back of my cabinet and yes I realize I have to take everything apart to get it in there - this was more of a test run to make sure the wiring is correct (good think I did).  I'm cutting the hole in the cabinet as soon as I get home tonight.  There's a good chance I will have a fully playable 99.9% complete cabinet before I go to bed with software tweaking being the only thing left to do.

Dudeman - I'd also appreciate confirmation of spacies post just to be super sure.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on September 26, 2007, 05:33:14 pm
I think that you have your wires crossed spacies.  If I am reading the plug correct in your pic the black is 'L' for Live or Hot.  Green will be ground and red will be Neutral.

so the wiring should be like this....

Red => White
Black => Black
Green => Green

Dudeman correct me if I am wrong as well.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: superbigjay on September 26, 2007, 05:34:25 pm
I confirm this.

The wire color code for your electrical wire is:
black = live
white = neutral
green or "naked" = ground

On your switch
red = live
black = neutral
green = ground

Also, when you have a switch, it's always the live wire that it open/close.
In your case red=live

So, as spacies said:

Cable --- switch
black - red
white - black
green - green

have fun, and update your will...
just kidding  :laugh2:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Dudeman on September 26, 2007, 05:38:34 pm


Dudeman, Thanks for your input. I knew I was right but needed someone to confirm.

JaveryH. Please wire as follows.

My red wire = your Black. This is LIVE.
My Black wire = your White. This is NEUTRAL.
My Green = your Green.

Dudeman, please confirm. So we can end this LOL  :cheers:



That is correct.

And yes, we also run 220 here. Mostly it is for large appliances such as dryer, water heater, stove, AC. Some people also run it into their shops if the are using stuff like large 220 welders, etc.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 05:40:05 pm
I think that you have your wires crossed spacies.  If I am reading the plug correct in your pic the black is 'L' for Live or Hot.  Green will be ground and red will be Neutral.

so the wiring should be like this....

Red => White
Black => Black
Green => Green

Dudeman correct me if I am wrong as well.

No mate. You are incorrect. It is the Live that is always on the switch and runs across the fuse. So the plug I sent to JaveryH, the RED is LIVE and therefore runs through the switch and across the fuse.  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Kaytrim on September 26, 2007, 05:40:29 pm
I guess my wires were crossed. ::)  Thanks for the clarification Dudeman.

TTFN
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Dudeman on September 26, 2007, 05:48:17 pm
Just so we are all on the same page.

Jav said in post #368

"Can someone tell me if I wired it properly?  I went green to green [ground - I'm pretty sure about this], black to black [negative] and white to red [positive]."

Going on this statement:

Green to green is correct.
Black to black is WRONG. It should be black to red.
White to red is WRONG. It should be white to black.

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 05:49:56 pm
I guess my wires were crossed. ::)  Thanks for the clarification Dudeman.

TTFN

Its all good.

It would be much simpler if we all had the same wiring system huh?!

Im in New Zealand BTW, not OZ. Fffttttt.

We have it right. RED = HOT. Kinda makes sense ie Red Hot. Do not touch. BURN!  >:D
                           BLACK = NEUTRAL. Its, well, Black. A nothing colour. Neutral in fact.
                           GREEN = EARTH. Just like the green grass outside. Maybe not in the US?   :laugh2:

JAVERYH. Hurry and finish this thing already.
Oh yeah, you have 23,000+ views. Impressive man.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 05:53:01 pm

Dudeman.

I concur that the pic you posted is right.

All in favour, say 'I'
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Dudeman on September 26, 2007, 05:54:01 pm
Actually we use red for hot also.

Your from New Zealand? I have a friend from there, maybe you know her!  

 :laugh2:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Dudeman on September 26, 2007, 05:54:58 pm

Dudeman.

I concur that the pic you posted is right.

All in favour, say 'I'

No it's not. It says "OZ".
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 06:01:15 pm
Actually we use red for hot also.

Your from New Zealand? I have a friend from there, maybe you know her! 

 :laugh2:

Theres only 4 million people here so I'm bound to know her  :laugh2:  :laugh2:

Anyway, who would trust me?

(http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL757/2715941/15230333/280330297.jpg) 

 >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D   >:D  >:D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: superbigjay on September 26, 2007, 06:04:06 pm
We have it right. RED = HOT. Kinda makes sense ie Red Hot. Do not touch. BURN!  >:D
                           BLACK = NEUTRAL. Its, well, Black. A nothing colour. Neutral in fact.
                           GREEN = EARTH. Just like the green grass outside. Maybe not in the US?   :laugh2:
Yeah, I agree your colors makes way more sens than our Canadian/US colors...

JAVERYH. Hurry and finish this thing already.
Oh yeah, you have 23,000+ views. Impressive man.
Yeah 23K!!!, but about 1500 from that color code topic...  :laugh2:
I think that I'm gonna ask this question in my post  ;)

!!!! see what I mean, just the time to type this and I got this msg:
   Warning - while you were typing 3 new replies have been posted.
   You may wish to review your post.

BTW Javeryh,
it's nice to see your project is almost done.  It gives me hope...
I'm almost done with my artwork, but lost few hours Tuesday because the dog got sprayed by a skunk at 2AM  :banghead:
and the wife requested (in a non negotiable way) that I install shelves in the wardrobe for the new one, which I did last night between 22h00-01h30AM.
Afterwhich I took the dog out (WITH its leash...)


And as for Spacies, I say: "I"
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 26, 2007, 06:04:53 pm
 :notworthy: to all for clearing this up.  I will swap the black and white wires tonight when I premanently install it in the cabinet.   I'm so glad I took the time to ask instead of just making a wild guess (although I should have known since I always invariably make the wrong decision when presented with 2 options).

Tonight I'm also relocating the power button on my computer to somewhere easier to reach on the cab (inside though, I think).  Then it's just a matter of moving the computer from my table to inside the cabinet (the software is mostly set up)!!  This project has been a long time in the making (going on a year in November) and I definitely couldn't have done it without all the great advice around here.

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 06:15:51 pm

Lucky I purchased that LCD yesterday otherwise you would have blown your cab to bits. Having the polarities wrong can equal the end for most electronics. Not lightbulbs though  :dizzy:

Although Dudeman saved your ass earlier.

A great thing has come from this discussion, if you don't know or you are not sure about something.....ASK!! Everyone has to learn from somewhere.

*whistles through missing teeth as says* Even us old timers sonny.







Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: mountain on September 26, 2007, 06:18:58 pm
javeryh,

There is only one way to approach this issue. Grab yourself a meter and use the diagrams I posted in your other thread. Match them up...done
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 26, 2007, 06:29:56 pm
javeryh,

There is only one way to approach this issue. Grab yourself a meter and use the diagrams I posted in your other thread. Match them up...done

Correct. Mountain posted the right pic in Post #11 in your other thread.

USA Black = HOT = NZ Red
USA White = Neutral = NZ Black
USA Green = Ground = NZ Green

USA = JaveryH.   NZ = Spacies Plug.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 27, 2007, 08:07:01 pm
it works! no explosion yet.  i'm wrapping in electrical tape now and moving the computer inside. should have a playable cab tonight! :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: Dudeman on September 27, 2007, 09:02:04 pm
 :cheers:

Congrats on not letting the magic blue smoke go!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 27, 2007, 09:16:57 pm
wow!!! i've never been more excited about this hobby than i am right now.  everything works - the cab is playable and it's awesome. still have software tweaking to do but i'm 99.9% done.  what a feeling!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: spacies on September 28, 2007, 03:04:09 am
wow!!! i've never been more excited about this hobby than i am right now.  everything works - the cab is playable and it's awesome. still have software tweaking to do but i'm 99.9% done.  what a feeling!

Congratulations!

I am very happy for you and the feeling of powering it up for the first time (although sometimes scary) is a great feeling when you hear fans etc power up.

You're a great Dad!

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 28, 2007, 11:14:12 am
wow!!! i've never been more excited about this hobby than i am right now.  everything works - the cab is playable and it's awesome. still have software tweaking to do but i'm 99.9% done.  what a feeling!

Congratulations!

I am very happy for you and the feeling of powering it up for the first time (although sometimes scary) is a great feeling when you hear fans etc power up.

You're a great Dad!

Thanks spacies!  I couldn't have done it without your help.  I was actually late for work this morning because I couldn't tear myself away from some Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga...  I really hope Bella comes to appreciate it.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 28, 2007, 12:28:03 pm
Well, here's the "official" update, I guess:

It's installed - and more importantly, it works! Or at least it seems to work - no sparks, no smoke and the SmartStrip has power so I'm reasonably sure the installation was done properly. After much discussion about the right and wrong way to wire this thing we collectively figured out which wires from the SmartStrip should be connected to which wires on the plug recepticle (I hope). The last step to installing the plug recepticle was to cut a rectangular hole 1-1/16" x 1-13/16" out of the back panel.

Easy, right? Wrong. It took over 2 hours to cut out the hole accurately. After laying out the hole I started by drilling out as much material as possible using a large drill bit in each corner. Then using a very small keyhole saw I connected the holes to remove most of the material. That wasn't so bad - what was excruciating was trying to square everything up to the lines. I ended up using a metal file because I couldn't get one of my chisels in there to really do anything due to the small size of the hole. I thought this would take 5 minutes!

Here's the hole pre-installation:

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rv0Ln54DKAI/AAAAAAAAAfc/VtxHltJClIE/s400/plug_installed_jagged_hole.JPG)

It's probably the ugliest part of the entire cabinet - I've tried to plan each cut out and make the lines as clean as possible but this is just a mess. Thankfully there is a bezel around the plug recepticle that will hide everything.

And here's the hole post-installation - I secured the plug recepticle to the cabinet using two screws and then added some screw caps for a "finished" look:

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rv0TlZ4DKBI/AAAAAAAAAfk/LqRwwzAyS3k/s400/plug_installed_full_rear.JPG)

Here's a close-up without the screws holding it in place:

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rv0Tq54DKCI/AAAAAAAAAfs/WimFofgZ8ZA/s400/plug_installed_rear_close-up.JPG)

And here's a super close-up of the finished installation. I still have to erase the layout lines that I made since I couldn't decide where to put the thing and still leave room on the inside to mess around:

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rv0T654DKDI/AAAAAAAAAf0/Ls6LNfY0TC4/s400/plug_installed_rear_super_close-up.JPG)

It looks pretty nice.... or at least nicer than a round hole with a plug hanging out.

The only thing left to do was crawl inside and connect the wires. Note that I reversed the black and white wires from my previous post.

Finally, here are some shots of the inside - as you can see it's quite a mess. I mounted the Smart Strip on the inside of the cabinet - it's ready for the computer! I also used some velcro to hold the plastic box containing the wire hack against the side panel.

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rv0UoZ4DKEI/AAAAAAAAAf8/cNBnCinkWkU/s400/plug_installed_interior.JPG)

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/Rv0Ut54DKFI/AAAAAAAAAgE/uNsDSqkkzBk/s400/plug_installed_interior_smartstrip.JPG)

Maybe I'll paint the interior of the next cabinet I build to really give it a professional look but that's probably crazy talk.

I did take the time to test everything - I hooked up the computer and played a few games of Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga. I have never been more excited about this hobby than I was when I fired it up for the first time and everything worked like it should - with the press of a button, the marquee light, speakers and monitor came on and the computer booted straight to a random game on my gamelist - the cab is fully playable and it's awesome. I still have some software tweaking to do and I have to hook up the coin door but I'm 99.9% done!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug is Installed - and it Works!!! (09.28.07)
Post by: Kangum on September 28, 2007, 02:15:57 pm
looks really awesome.  :applaud: :notworthy:

there is a done? why didnt someone tell me that. never feels like im done.  :cry:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug is Installed - and it Works!!! (09.28.07)
Post by: leapinlew on September 28, 2007, 02:17:25 pm
how about some overall shots. Here are some suggestions for photos -

A shot with the cabinet draped across a muscle car
A shot of this cabinet with a bikini
A photo of the cabinet in a hot tub

Either way - how about some pics?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug is Installed - and it Works!!! (09.28.07)
Post by: javeryh on September 28, 2007, 02:34:51 pm
How's this?  ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug is Installed - and it Works!!! (09.28.07)
Post by: Stobe on September 28, 2007, 03:45:36 pm
One down, two to go.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug is Installed - and it Works!!! (09.28.07)
Post by: theCoder on September 28, 2007, 05:26:15 pm
Some of the simplest jobs can really take forever.  I usually use masking tape for this type of work.  Put some down, draw the lines, do the work, remove tape.  It is much easier to deal with the sticky stuff than pencil marks.

I can relate to showing up a little late in the morning.  It was that way the first week after completing my driving cab. 

So will you paint your next one the same way?  That was quite an ordeal wasn't it.  The paint process from hell, yea, that was the summer of what, oh, yea, 2007.  It was good to go through that process together with you.

Now all you need is some blinky lights....
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: rockin_rick on September 28, 2007, 05:51:44 pm
Cool, great work!  I wish I had my project done (OK started...)

....and the computer booted straight to a random game on my gamelist

For some reason I'm intrigued on what game it was.  Did you play it?

Rick
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Plug (09.26.07)
Post by: javeryh on October 01, 2007, 11:45:39 am
Some of the simplest jobs can really take forever.  I usually use masking tape for this type of work.  Put some down, draw the lines, do the work, remove tape.  It is much easier to deal with the sticky stuff than pencil marks.

I can relate to showing up a little late in the morning.  It was that way the first week after completing my driving cab. 

So will you paint your next one the same way?  That was quite an ordeal wasn't it.  The paint process from hell, yea, that was the summer of what, oh, yea, 2007.  It was good to go through that process together with you.

Now all you need is some blinky lights....

That's a great tip about the masking tape... I never think of the easiest way to do something.  I'm pretty sure the next one I build is going to be out of birch plywood and I will be staining and not painting it (I'm not 100% sure though - I'm still planning out).  I'm not sure if I will ever go through that again - it was nice to have someone else trying the same thing at the same time though.  I REALLY like the way the finish came out and so far when showing the cab to two different people their first comment was "wow - where did you buy this awesome pink material from?" and that's just about the nicest thing anyone can say about it to me.  So I don't know... I'll probably give it another try some time down the road - maybe for my son's arcade cabinet I'll have to build in about 3 years.

Blinky lights would be awesome for the next one... I really want to try getting into lighting a cab but I'm afraid it's a little beyond my skill set.  I'll give it a shot eventually though - I need to think of a cool way to implement it.   :cheers:

Cool, great work!  I wish I had my project done (OK started...)

....and the computer booted straight to a random game on my gamelist

For some reason I'm intrigued on what game it was.  Did you play it?

Rick

It booted to "Arabian" and I did play the first level (but misspelled Arabian ;D).

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door Wiring (10.08.07)
Post by: javeryh on October 08, 2007, 04:41:39 pm
One of the last things I have left to do on this cabinet other than configure the software is to get the coin door working. I bought a Happs "Small Single Coin Door (http://www.happcontrols.com/coindoors/40005500.htm)" which comes with two $0.25 coin mechs to accept quarters (or tokens).

(http://www.happcontrols.com/images/40/40005500.jpg)
 
The setup is pretty basic - a microswitch is tripped when a quarter is inserted into the coin slot which sends a signal just like any other button press on the cabinet would do. I decided to wire both the player 1 and player 2 coin slots to the same input on my U360 joystick wiring harness so no matter which slot the coin is put in it will register as a "credit" for player 1. This doesn't pose a problem because most of the alternating 2 player games don't care which coin slot the quarter is inserted into. If two coins are entered into the same slot you press the "Player 2 Start" button for a 2 player game. Also, since the cabinet does not have 2 player simultaneous controls all of those games will be available in 1 player mode only.

Anyway, wiring up the microswitches was a snap - I wired the NO (normally open) pin on each switch to the last wire on the U360 wiring harness (which has been set to "insert coin") and the bottom ground pin on each switch to another ground wire on the control panel completing the loop. I should note that the microswitches on my coin door had the NO and NC (normally closed) pins reversed compared to the standard white pushbutton microswitch. It took me a minute to figure out when nothing was happening when I inserted the coin. Simple!

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/RwqTyZ4DKGI/AAAAAAAAAgM/aLmRMD5aZ30/s320/P1010068.JPG)

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/RwqUHJ4DKHI/AAAAAAAAAgU/whS9FGFBf3k/s320/P1010073.JPG)

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/RwqUWZ4DKII/AAAAAAAAAgc/CsRiLXL5sik/s320/P1010070.JPG)
 
Everything works like it should but just as I thought, after about 10 minutes of playing on the cabinet, fumbling for quarters/tokens every single time I wanted to play something was a huge pain. I think I'm going to try and rig the coin return buttons to act as "insert coin" buttons when pressed which should eliminate the need to have quarters/tokens on hand all the time.

I'm not 100% sure how I'm going to do this (add a microswitch or install a lever) but I don't think it will be too hard. Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door Wiring (10.08.07)
Post by: mountain on October 08, 2007, 06:58:21 pm
Here is a picture of how I did mine.

(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=86139;image)

I found a microswitch with a long lever and mounted it as shown. Luckily there were some existing holes that lined up perfectly.

Good luck
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door Wiring (10.08.07)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on October 09, 2007, 06:32:58 am
Also - http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-coinbuttons.html
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door Wiring (10.08.07)
Post by: theCoder on November 13, 2007, 07:54:13 am
Did you end up getting the Mame hi score logic working? 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door Wiring (10.08.07)
Post by: javeryh on November 13, 2007, 10:13:01 am
Did you end up getting the Mame hi score logic working? 

Hey Coder - I did get the high score patch working - it's awesome.  I topped 100,000 in Galaga for the first time the other night.  I still have several nagging things to do before I can call this 100% complete though:

1.  Refine the MaLa Layout.  superbigjay graciously made me a layout and it looks amazing.  I've attached a pic if anyone is interested - the big box on the left is for the list of games and the bix box on the right is where the snaps go.  I like the way things are laid out but I want to change the font to something more "girly" - the games are displayed in Arial right now and it just doesn't blend in.  I also want to increase the size of the font, if possible although right now any letter like 'g' or 'j' or something that hangs low gets cut off a bit... I also want to incorporate some of the colored flowers from the background of the marquee into the background of the layout... I don't know... I need to teach myself how to make these things.

2.  Refine my Gamelists.  I don't know how to use the "Tree" functions in MaLa yet - right now I have an "All Games" list, a "Horizontal" list and a "Vertical" list and they are still too cumbersome to sort through.  I'm thinking I need to separate them into categories like "Puzzle", "Classic", "Shooter", "Fighter", etc.  I also need to go through them and remove the duplicates and generally crappy games that no one will ever play (which there are quite a lot of).

3.  Install the microswitches behind the coin door return buttons for "insert coin" - right now I repregrammed the "Pause" button as "Coin" because it was such a pain.  This is actually a decent solution (just get rid of pause) but after playing the other day with the wife and kids talking to me every 5 minutes I realized a pause button is essential.

4.  Install the coin box.  This should take 10 minutes.

5.  Possibly relocate the power button.  Right now if I open the coin door I can reach inside and hit power on the computer itself to power on and off.  It works I guess but I'm thinking of relocating it to somewhere on the cabinet (I don't know where yet though - probably the rear of the cabinet).  I don't want my kids opening up the cabinet every time they want to play.

6.  Apply the vinyl button decals.  I had some pink vinyl button decals made to apply to the black admin buttons.  They are really cool - the Start buttons are little girl icons.  This shouldn't take too long.

7.  Make a pink dustwasher for the joystick.  I want to take a piece of 1/8" thick plexiglass and make a 2-1/2" diameter circle and paint the bottom pink and then polish the edges.  Details like this and the button decals will really make the CP stand out I think.

That's kind of a lot now that I've typed it all out.  I almost wish it wasn't playable so I'd just finish the thing!   Once I'm done I'm going to take a ton of pics and even record some footage with our new video camera.  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door Wiring (10.08.07)
Post by: superbigjay on November 14, 2007, 07:57:58 am
Looking good Javeryh,

good progress for a dad  :laugh2:

For your layout and adding flowers, it's really simple in illustrator or any other program...  Simply a matter of cut'n paste.
If you don't have the suitable program or can't make it, send me a PM with what you want and I'll try to do it...
It shouldn't take too long  ;)

PS:
Getting the Hi-Score to work is on my list of todo.
Is it hard to compile mame...
I saw some tutorials and it seems simple enough??

Jay  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door (Return Button Hack) (01.26.08)
Post by: javeryh on January 27, 2008, 01:32:25 pm
The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated!!

I finally got around to installing a microswitch behind the coin return buttons. When the coin return button is pressed, it trips the microswitch sending the signal to the computer. The hardest part was figuring out the placement of the microswitch and how to get it to stay in place.

Here are a couple of "before" shots of the back of the coin door. The yellow plastic is the return button and the red plastic is what presses the cherry actuator on the microswitch.

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R5yvjAxriJI/AAAAAAAAAlE/0EOTtzCVNAU/s400/Coin+Door+4.JPG)

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R5yvwgxriKI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GjMSKhTm_5Y/s400/Coin+Door+1.JPG)

I couldn't attach the microswitch directly to the plastic on the coin mech because the cherry button on the microswitch would not be activated in this position. My lovely wife suggested using some fireplace kindling as a shim - what a great idea! I cut the shim to size and then positioned the microswitch on it so it would be activated once the coin return button was pressed - I marked everything with a sharpie and then glued everything together in one shot using some Gorilla Glue and a spring clamp. Check it out:

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R5ywRAxriLI/AAAAAAAAAlU/RZHo4Ni1zOA/s400/Coin+Door+2.JPG)

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R5yweAxriMI/AAAAAAAAAlc/n7fzXkQRaWo/s400/Coin+Door+3.JPG)

Finally, I ran the wires in parallel (I think that's what it's called) from the actual coin door switch to my newly positioned microswitch. The last shot really gives you a good idea how the whole thing works. The yellow coin return button is pressed which pushes the red plastic into the cherry actuator on the microswitch. Pretty cool.

(http://bp2.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R5zHmQxriNI/AAAAAAAAAlk/PYIyrumlwLs/s400/Coin+Door+5.JPG)

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R5zKdwxriOI/AAAAAAAAAls/KQowp2gv7DY/s400/Coin+Door+-+Finished+2.JPG)

Now that the coin door is set up, I can insert coins whenever I want but if I don't tell anyone, maybe I can sucker a few friends into dropping some quarters in the machine!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door: Return Button Hack (01.27.08)
Post by: Xb0x3r on January 27, 2008, 07:03:17 pm
Quick thought, you could have a switch behind both coin returns and have them go through an AND gate so that when both are pressed, the chip sends a 1 (or 0, if common anode) and there you have it, a secret way to insert coins  ;D

I'm planning on doing this on mine (when I'm at that stage  ;))
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door: Return Button Hack (01.27.08)
Post by: javeryh on January 29, 2008, 09:12:43 am
Quick thought, you could have a switch behind both coin returns and have them go through an AND gate so that when both are pressed, the chip sends a 1 (or 0, if common anode) and there you have it, a secret way to insert coins  ;D

I'm planning on doing this on mine (when I'm at that stage  ;))

That's a neat idea - maybe I'll try that on my next one but I think I'm going to leave it as is for this one.  It's already pretty hidden, IMO.  Plus, I don't think I have the skills for something like that!   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door: Return Button Hack (01.27.08)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on January 29, 2008, 10:14:56 am
That's a neat idea - maybe I'll try that on my next one but I think I'm going to leave it as is for this one.  It's already pretty hidden, IMO.  Plus, I don't think I have the skills for something like that!   :cheers:
xbox3r didn't word it that clearly (or maybe he didn't understand).

Let's say your coin switches are in parallel now to Terminal 5 on the Ipac - So you have two wires from Terminal 5 to NO terminal on each switch, and two wires to the GND on each switch to the GND on the I-PAC.

All you do is wire it like this:
Now when you press one coin return nothing happens but if you press both in it generates a coin input.

I like the concept but not sure it's worth the added complexity in practice.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door: Return Button Hack (01.27.08)
Post by: javeryh on January 29, 2008, 11:14:41 am
That's a neat idea - maybe I'll try that on my next one but I think I'm going to leave it as is for this one.  It's already pretty hidden, IMO.  Plus, I don't think I have the skills for something like that!   :cheers:
xbox3r didn't word it that clearly (or maybe he didn't understand).

Let's say your coin switches are in parallel now to Terminal 5 on the Ipac - So you have two wires from Terminal 5 to NO terminal on each switch, and two wires to the GND on each switch to the GND on the I-PAC.

All you do is wire it like this:
  • one wire from Terminal 5 to the NO on the left coin return switch
  • one wire from the GND on the left Coin return to the NO on the right coin return switch
  • one wire from the GND on the right Coin return switch back to the I-PAC to complete the circuit
Now when you press one coin return nothing happens but if you press both in it generates a coin input.

I like the concept but not sure it's worth the added complexity in practice.

Wow - cool.  That's pretty easy to do.  I don't think I'm going to rewire or anything but that is good to know.  The problem is that the Player 2 coin return button is now inoperable because I can't press it all the way in due to the microswitch I glued in place.  I don't want both coin return buttons to not work which is why I didn't add a microswitch behind the Player 1 coin return button.  I guess I could have installed the microswitch so it activates when the coin return button is pressed all the way down (so the return would still work) but that requires too much pressure/effort when 99% of the time I will be using it to insert a coin.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door: Return Button Hack (01.27.08)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on January 29, 2008, 12:07:12 pm
The problem is that the Player 2 coin return button is now inoperable because I can't press it all the way in due to the microswitch I glued in place.
Maybe that's why 1Up used those roller actuator microswitches.   :timebomb:

There is a fault with xbox3r's idea, though - that works fine to press both switches to send Coin 1, but there are some games (I think) that wanted a certain coin in a specific slot (coin 2 to be the elf), I think and it won't allow for that.

Then again, I'm not sure any games used this type of function.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door: Return Button Hack (01.27.08)
Post by: Neverending Project on January 29, 2008, 01:06:49 pm
Then again, I'm not sure any games used this type of function.
Gauntlet comes to mind right away. I am sure there are others too... "Valkarie needs food. Badly."

And there are dual-pushbuttons that would overcome the 1P/2P limitation mentioned above. Each side would have their own "secret switch". But now we are getting way complex, and javeryh already said he is good to go on this coin door, so I digress...

But as long as I'm digressing, I would use the dual illuminated pushbutton (http://www.happcontrols.com/pushbuttons/540004d5xx.htm) as the insert coin button, and have the coin return push be the secret switch. Then again, I am never going to finish my cabinet, so what do I know?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door: Return Button Hack (01.27.08)
Post by: javeryh on January 29, 2008, 01:27:09 pm
Another update!  OK, this one is minor but still... I'm getting oh so close...

This past weekend sure was productive.  After completing the coin return button hack I turned my attention to labeling the admin buttons on the control panel. This thing has to be user-friendly so everything needs to be clearly marked. Four unlabeled black pushbuttons isn't going to cut it.

There's not much to say here other than to show before and after shots and maybe a brief explanation of what I did. It's really as easy as applying a sticker. Here goes:

   1. Clean each button with some rubbing alcohol and a q-tip. Blow it dry. A super-clean surface is essential.
   2. Cut out each decal as oversized as possible. The decals are small and if you have giant hands like me you want to be able to be precise with the placement.
   3. Peel the paper backing off the vinyl decals leaving a clear plastic film and the vinyl decal (it's sticky on the bottom, duh)
   4. Line it up and apply the decal to the button - be careful - you only get one shot!
   5. Using something like your fingernail, rub over the vinyl decal to make sure it is securely in place.
   6. Remove the clear plastic film leaving the vinyl decal on the button!

Here are the before and after shots:

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R55GoQxriPI/AAAAAAAAAl0/9umMbDFv38I/s400/Buttons+-+Clean.JPG)

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R55GzAxriQI/AAAAAAAAAl8/cVcRQlQe_i0/s400/Buttons+-+Decals.JPG)

Close up:

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R55G9gxriRI/AAAAAAAAAmE/oxZJRTRWoHs/s400/Buttons+-+Close-up.JPG)

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R55HEAxriSI/AAAAAAAAAmM/5e_YtmaTETA/s400/Buttons+-+Close-up+Decals.JPG)

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R55HNgxriTI/AAAAAAAAAmU/-Xve22_ruDc/s400/Buttons+-+Close-up+Decals+3.JPG)

The decals are "Exit" to the far left for exiting out of the current game you are playing and back to the list, the single female icon for the "Player 1 Start" button, the double female icon for the "Player 2 Start" button and "Pause" for, um... pausing the game.

I have an additional decal that says "Launch Game" which is in the shape of a semi-circle which was made to go directly on the control panel above the "Player 1 Start" button. The reason for this is that when you are browsing the game list from the front end, the "Player 1 Start" button doubles as the "Launch Game" button. I'm not sure if I need it though which is why I haven't put it on yet. Start is start, right? Are people honestly not going to be able to figure it out?

Big thanks to Pongo for making the vinyl decals for me!

Remaining items:
- Make Pink Plexiglass Dustwasher
- Relocate Power Button from front of computer case to rear of cabinet
- Make a Coin Box
- Software Configuration Tweaks (organize gamelists, tweak MaLa layout and possibly add more emulators)

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Coin Door: Return Button Hack (01.27.08)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on January 29, 2008, 04:36:50 pm
I'm not sure if I need it though which is why I haven't put it on yet. Start is start, right? Are people honestly not going to be able to figure it out?
If you don't add it people will randomly mash buttons until something happens anyway, so I think you're good.  :cheers:

If you wanted to make it super easy (too easy?) you could probably configure your FE so either 1, 2, L Ctrl, L Alt, or Space launched a game.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vinyl Decals for Buttons (01.30.08)
Post by: Xb0x3r on January 29, 2008, 10:11:20 pm
I'm glad you guys improved upon my idea! Thanks!

Xb0x3r
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vinyl Decals for Buttons (01.30.08)
Post by: pkellum on January 30, 2008, 06:17:33 am
This is a very nice cabinet! Thanks to this project, I'm already putting together ideas for a cabinet for my son, 3 years old next week :)  The Player 1/2 buttons are just too cute, I love them  :cheers:

One suggestion, while reading through this thread and the blog I began to realize how much of the story about the cabinet has played out in them and I thought it would be a wonderful keepsake for your daughter when she's older.  Have you considered printing out the blog and perhaps the thread and having them bound into a booklet once you finish the cabinet?  You could place them in an envelop inside the cabinet for her to discover when she's older.

Having them bound would be just a few dollars at someplace like Staples or Kinko's, not as expensive as it was in the old days.

Just an idea :)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vinyl Decals for Buttons (01.30.08)
Post by: janey6152 on January 30, 2008, 04:56:19 pm
 Pongo

i want some of they  the vinyl decals

How did u make them ?? Or how can i make them ?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vinyl Decals for Buttons (01.30.08)
Post by: Franco B on January 30, 2008, 05:33:43 pm
Awesome fella, the decals really set it off nicely  8)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vinyl Decals for Buttons (01.30.08)
Post by: Pongo on January 31, 2008, 08:58:01 pm
Glad you like them,... looks like the color matches pretty well too.


To answer the questions about where to get the vinyl stickers, I will offer this shameless plug.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=64645.0

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Vinyl Decals for Buttons (01.30.08)
Post by: javeryh on February 01, 2008, 01:55:00 pm
This is a very nice cabinet! Thanks to this project, I'm already putting together ideas for a cabinet for my son, 3 years old next week :)  The Player 1/2 buttons are just too cute, I love them  :cheers:

One suggestion, while reading through this thread and the blog I began to realize how much of the story about the cabinet has played out in them and I thought it would be a wonderful keepsake for your daughter when she's older.  Have you considered printing out the blog and perhaps the thread and having them bound into a booklet once you finish the cabinet?  You could place them in an envelop inside the cabinet for her to discover when she's older.

Having them bound would be just a few dollars at someplace like Staples or Kinko's, not as expensive as it was in the old days.

Just an idea :)


Thanks!  That's actually a pretty cool idea.  I'm just hoping she comes to appreciate it eventually. 

Also, I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have when you start building the cabinet for your son.

Awesome fella, the decals really set it off nicely  8)

Thanks.  They look even better in person and really add a finishing touch.  The more details the more it looks like it came from a factory or something.

Glad you like them,... looks like the color matches pretty well too.

Yup.  It's almost a perfect match to the t-molding!  You really can't tell any difference unless you are looking for one.  Thanks again!

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button (02.05.08)
Post by: javeryh on February 04, 2008, 02:59:14 pm
This is it! The final actual physical construction on the cabinet. It's about time.

One last thing that had been bothering me was the fact that I had to open the coin door to hit the power switch on the computer in order to turn everything on and off. I decided to relocate the power button from the front of my computer to the rear panel on the outside. It's out of sight but easy enough to press before and after a play session.

One consideration was that I wanted the button to be recessed in the panel - I think it looks nicer and whatever small chance there is that it will get pressed accidentally is greatly reduced. I had to come to terms with drilling through my awesome finish on the rear panel - oh well, it was necessary I guess.

Anyway, I wasn't sure about the placement of the button so I actually thought about it for quite some time. I wanted it to be out of the way, easily accessible and aesthetically pleasing in it's ultimate location. I think I achieved all three of these things. I decided to place the button towards the top of the cabinet because it would be easiest to press in that location.

The first thing I did was lay out the center for the button hole using some painter's tape (so as not to mark up the actual cabinet. I measured in from the right to the exact center of the power plug to line up the button hole (for aesthetics) and then measured down from the top the same distance and made a mark and tapped out the center with an awl:

(http://bp2.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R6dnFgxriWI/AAAAAAAAAms/BiMtjAvI6GQ/s400/Power+Button.JPG)

Next, I drilled out the hole in two steps using forstner bits. The first one - 7/8" - was just larger than the overall diameter of the button at it's widest point and the second one - 1/2" - was the exact size you would drill if you were installing the button normally. Here is the resulting hole:

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R6do3AxriXI/AAAAAAAAAm0/LKrwvXUAZYQ/s400/Power+Button+5.JPG)

You can see the two different diameter holes here quite easily. Once installed, the button will be flush with the back panel. Next came the tricky part - wiring it up. I had to cut the two wires from the button on the computer case and splice in the two wires from the new button. Easier said than done due to the location of the button - I had to remove the marquee and feed the wires through the same narrow hole that the power cord from the marquee light was in. This took me almost an hour of trial and error until I finally got them in there. Check it out (also notice that I painted the inside of the hole because I'm super anal):

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R6dqWwxriYI/AAAAAAAAAm8/eswh2sAEaXw/s400/Power+Button+7.JPG)

...and here's the button all wired up but not installed:

(http://bp3.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R6dqjwxriZI/AAAAAAAAAnE/vcEV83NyPMc/s400/Power+Button+9.JPG)

Here's the finished installation:

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R6dsSAxriaI/AAAAAAAAAnM/GjeAP33YDYQ/s400/Power+Button+10.JPG)

I am VERY happy with the way this worked out. The button is very easy to reach and it looks great - everything is tied into it. You press it once and the computer powers on, the marquee light comes on, the speakers power on and the LED coin door lights light up. The computer boots straight to whatever the last game played was. Press it again and everything shuts down. This definitely beats opening up the coin door and contorting my hand to reach the power button on the computer! 

Only 3 or 4 more posts and I swear I'm done!!  :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: Anubis_au on February 04, 2008, 07:54:58 pm
Even the connector clips are pink...

One super build. And probably the most thoroughly documented build ever!

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: Avrus on February 04, 2008, 09:32:13 pm
I would have thought for SURE you would have gone for one of these:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=22361

(http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/products/Vandal-Delrin-Ring-PR_01.jpg)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: DaOld Man on February 05, 2008, 12:11:04 pm
Thats a pretty slick button. Kinda steep price though...
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: waveryder on February 06, 2008, 03:24:13 am
javeryh
This is an amazing project. The attention to detail  is just great. Makes me want to build one for my son, or daughter if the wife has her way!  :o

Are you having any luck with the dust washers for your sticks?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: javeryh on February 06, 2008, 08:59:08 am
javeryh
This is an amazing project. The attention to detail  is just great. Makes me want to build one for my son, or daughter if the wife has her way!  :o

Are you having any luck with the dust washers for your sticks?

Thanks - coming from you that means a lot since BGB blows this out of the water, IMO.   It is a neat little cabinet though - perfect for an adult to sit at and play or a kid to stand.  My daughter actually has to use a footstool or something because she's not tall enough yet. 

As for the dustwasher, I am not having any luck.  I have all the supplies I need to make it (well, the plexiglass and leftover pink paint) but I do not have a circle cutting jig for my router so I can't make the cut.  I'm pretty sure a holesaw is designed to leave a clean hole and not a clean circle cut out although I suppose I could just give it a shot and find out.  I'm thinking of posting in the B/S/T forum and just having someone else make it for me at this point...

:cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: Dudeman on February 06, 2008, 09:47:19 am
Dude, just buy this: http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=3582 (http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=3582)

It's not too expensive, and it works great. Once you have it, you'll find all kinds of times to use it.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: ErikRuud on February 06, 2008, 11:33:18 am
Do you have a drill press?

Is your hole saw adjustable?

Try this:

Attach a piece of scrap plexi to a piece of wood with some screws.  Clamp the wood to drill press.  Drill the inner hole.  Do not move the wood.  Drill the outer perimeter.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: javeryh on February 06, 2008, 11:56:20 am
Dudeman:  I've seen those circle jigs but I don't want to spend the $40 for just this one time use.  I really can't think of when I'd need it again.

ErikRuud: I don't have a drill press but I could still give that a shot.  The hole saw makes a pilot dead center anyway about 1/8" thick.  I will try it this weekend.  It's all that's left to do!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on February 06, 2008, 12:19:32 pm
I think ErikRuud's idea should work well - if necessary clean up the edges of the plexi with a file or sandpaper after cutting it out and you should be good to go!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: Neverending Project on February 06, 2008, 01:00:11 pm
I posted this (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76366.msg794535#msg794535) in your thread asking Randy to make a run of plastic dustwashers for you, but basically - have you checked a place like Tap Plastics?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: javeryh on February 06, 2008, 02:11:28 pm
I posted this (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76366.msg794535#msg794535) in your thread asking Randy to make a run of plastic dustwashers for you, but basically - have you checked a place like Tap Plastics?

I just did... unfortunately shipping kills it for something this small ($8 shipping for a $0.55 item).  Great site though.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Coin Door Lights!! (02.06.08)
Post by: javeryh on February 06, 2008, 02:18:10 pm
The Coin Door Lights

How could I forget about the coin door lights?!?!? No arcade machine is truly complete without lighting up the coin door return buttons. Shortly after getting the cabinet in a playable state, theCoder hooked me up with some LEDs for the return buttons.  He wired two LEDs controlled by a circuit board and ran it all to a regular power plug and sent it to me for FREE!!!  All I had to do was plug it in and mount the lights behind the yellow coin return buttons. The only snag (if you could even call it that) was figuring out how to mount the LEDs so the light is evenly distributed. This really couldn't have been any easier and it looks great - especially when there no other lights in the room other than the marquee.

Unfortunately, the only pictures I have are of the installation and not the end result. Since the LEDs kind of pulsate slowly and randomly, there's no good way to show them off with a picture.

In this first picture you can see the green circuit board, the plug and the two white LEDs:

(http://bp1.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R6Hd4wxriVI/AAAAAAAAAmk/lphJ2pn9ARY/s400/Coin+Light.JPG)

I used scotch tape (seriously) to secure both lights in place behind the coin return buttons in a place that seemed to evenly distribute the light. Pretty easy.

(http://bp0.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R6nEpgxricI/AAAAAAAAAnc/2Mi4aDepLp8/s400/coin+lights+4.JPG)

Thanks theCoder!!

The Coin Box

OK, I think we can agree that this is getting a bit tedious, right? I'm forcing myself to cross the finish line within the next week. I am about to have a few free days to work on my new project and I want this one to be complete or else I fear, much like my first project, it never will be (I'll finish it eventually!). Most of the time I used to spend working on these things has been getting sucked away because of Rock Band. I'm addicted.

Anyway, I finally put the coin box in the cabinet. There's no magic here - I took a cardboard box and wrapped it in duct tape to give it some added strength. Then I printed out the marquee and stuck it to the front for show. The only consideration was making sure it was big enough to catch quarters/tokens from both coin mechs. Here it is:

(http://bp2.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R6kYJAxribI/AAAAAAAAAnU/h3DmAwNsRSM/s400/Coin+Box.JPG)

Try to contain yourselves.

:cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The Coin Door Lights!! (02.06.08)
Post by: mountain on February 06, 2008, 02:59:16 pm
The Coin Door Lights
Here it is:

(http://bp2.blogger.com/_CXccc8RIW9I/R6kYJAxribI/AAAAAAAAAnU/h3DmAwNsRSM/s400/Coin+Box.JPG)

Try to contain yourselves.

:cheers:


Mamey! Mamey!!
  ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: Neverending Project on February 06, 2008, 03:59:30 pm
I just did... unfortunately shipping kills it for something this small ($8 shipping for a $0.55 item).  Great site though.

There is a Tap Plastics right next to my Home Depot, which I need to go to soon anyway. PM me your address and I will pick you up a few and stick them in an envelope. Are you in the US? How many do you want?
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: The POWER Button!! (02.05.08)
Post by: javeryh on February 06, 2008, 04:41:00 pm
I just did... unfortunately shipping kills it for something this small ($8 shipping for a $0.55 item).  Great site though.

There is a Tap Plastics right next to my Home Depot, which I need to go to soon anyway. PM me your address and I will pick you up a few and stick them in an envelope. Are you in the US? How many do you want?

PM sent!  Woo hoo!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Poor Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: javeryh on March 03, 2008, 09:48:21 pm
And now for your viewing pleasure...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZCzulbwcDU[/youtube]

I apologize for the poor quality of the video - this is my first attempt at filming something.  I shot it in my basement and there are barely any lights down there but you get the idea. When I finally move the thing upstairs I'll be sure to post something a little nicer...with more light.

Enjoy!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: waveryder on March 04, 2008, 03:14:28 am
Very cool  :notworthy:
Beautiful piece of work. You'd almost be forgiven for thinking that windows wasn't there. You need to get rid of that windows welcome screen though. Amazing stuff javeryh. :applaud:

Edit: Thought this might help
To disable the Welcome screen open the Registry editor and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\WinLogon
In the right pane, remove the entry for Gina.DLL.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: javeryh on March 04, 2008, 09:55:21 am
Thanks!!  Did you notice the slick MaLa layout?  I've been lazy and I haven't replaced the black button background with the plain female icon background yet.  ;D  It's a pain to tweak stuff at the moment because the keyboard and mouse are just crammed underneath behind the coin door. - I want to get a wireless set so I can just pull out the keyboard and mouse when I need to do something and not open up the cabinet.  It would be frivolous though and they are expensive...

I definitely want to remove the welcome screen - I'll try doing that tonight.  There's also a screen from what I think is the video card that appears just before the boot screen.  I wonder if I can take that out too.  I also need to disable the screen saver - I noticed that after about 5 minutes I get an ugly sideways windows logo that floats around.  I'd also like to get rid of the Start bar that flashes on the right for a second but I'm not sure if that's possible.  Finally, I need to replace the windows start up sound with something a little cooler and arcadey.  I have no idea what to make it though.   Maybe I'll record my daughter saying "Welcome to my arcade machine" or something.  I've been thinking about adding one of the "arcade ambiance" tracks to the background of MaLa for when you are browsing the game lists too.

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: Neverending Project on March 04, 2008, 12:31:26 pm
One word: awesomenal.

You can really see the glossy shine on that finish!

But... what's with the black dust washer?  ;)
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: Kaytrim on March 04, 2008, 12:43:44 pm
Take a look at the Wiki http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Hiding_Windows (http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Hiding_Windows)  This may help you with the final tuning of the boot up process.  How about using the Frogger start up sound?  There is a song called 'Froggy's Lament' that features that music.

TTFN
Kaytrim
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: javeryh on March 05, 2008, 09:59:24 am
One word: awesomenal.

You can really see the glossy shine on that finish!

But... what's with the black dust washer?  ;)

Thanks!  That black dustwasher is giving me a headache just thinking about it.  It's one of those things that no one would ever notice in a million years but it's all I see when I look at the CP because I've become obsessed.  I really really really need to figure something out.   :cheers:

Take a look at the Wiki http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Hiding_Windows (http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Hiding_Windows)  This may help you with the final tuning of the boot up process.  How about using the Frogger start up sound?  There is a song called 'Froggy's Lament' that features that music.

TTFN
Kaytrim

Ahhh, Froggy's Lament.... I know it well.  I still have my original Pac-man Fever record!   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: Kaytrim on March 05, 2008, 10:54:32 am
Get a can of spray paint and paint the dust washer pink like the rest of the cab.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: ivwshane on March 05, 2008, 02:52:14 pm
Looks great and it all looks like it was originally built for that cab (except for the windows screen and start up sound, get rid of that!).

Nice work!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: MK3FAN on March 05, 2008, 08:43:26 pm
Very nice! Congrats!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: arcadefever on March 05, 2008, 10:49:25 pm
 :cheers: this is a very nice cab, i really enjoyed the video  :D

well done  :notworthy:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: Neilyboy on March 06, 2008, 07:56:58 am
In your video you say you are running windows 98 an mala. you are using xp right?

Neil
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: Tiger-Heli on March 06, 2008, 08:09:26 am
I want to get a wireless set so I can just pull out the keyboard and mouse when I need to do something and not open up the cabinet.  It would be frivolous though and they are expensive...
Errrm, if you consider $20 expensive (which I often do). ..

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0228208 (There's a store in Paterson, if that's near you).

http://www.pricewatch.com/keyboards/wireless_keyboard_combo.htm
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: javeryh on March 06, 2008, 09:14:23 am
Get a can of spray paint and paint the dust washer pink like the rest of the cab.

That's not a bad idea for a stopgap solution until I get the plexiglass one sorted out.  Hmmm....   


Looks great and it all looks like it was originally built for that cab (except for the windows screen and start up sound, get rid of that!).

Nice work!

Thanks!  Last night I figured out how to remove the "welcome" screen and the "exiting windows" screen as well as remove all desktop icons and hide the taskbar (it still pops up for a split second though).  Next on the list is the changing the windows loading and shutting down sounds.  I also want to remove the mouse arrow (I'll probably change it to be one black pixel or something). I'm getting close to completely hiding the PC!    :cheers:

Very nice! Congrats!

Thanks!


:cheers: this is a very nice cab, i really enjoyed the video  :D

well done  :notworthy:

Thanks!  I'm going to make another one eventually since the current one doesn't really do it justice...

In your video you say you are running windows 98 an mala. you are using xp right?

Neil

Yup.  I must get nervous on camera!  I realized it after I posted it...   

I want to get a wireless set so I can just pull out the keyboard and mouse when I need to do something and not open up the cabinet.  It would be frivolous though and they are expensive...
Errrm, if you consider $20 expensive (which I often do). ..

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0228208 (There's a store in Paterson, if that's near you).

http://www.pricewatch.com/keyboards/wireless_keyboard_combo.htm

Wow!  Those aren't expensive... and Paterson is fairly close too.  I was looking around a few weeks ago and I kept coming up with $20 for each and I couldn't justify sinking another $40 into this thing for something totally frivolous but I'll bite at $20!  Thanks!!!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: superbigjay on March 11, 2008, 08:13:15 am
Thanks!!  Did you notice the slick MaLa layout? 

Hello Javeryh,

Sorry that I didn't respond to your last request...
I've been more busy than I thought with Edouard, even though is sleeping almost 10hrs per night  :cheers:

From your video, I gues that you figured out yourself how to do it.
Your layout is pretty slick...  Congrats!

Jay
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: DaOld Man on March 11, 2008, 08:38:49 am
great work!
Awesome job..
Im glad to see your work and efforts delivering good fruit..
 :applaud: :applaud: :applaud:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: javeryh on March 11, 2008, 08:57:24 am
Thanks!!  Did you notice the slick MaLa layout? 

Hello Javeryh,

Sorry that I didn't respond to your last request...
I've been more busy than I thought with Edouard, even though is sleeping almost 10hrs per night  :cheers:

From your video, I gues that you figured out yourself how to do it.
Your layout is pretty slick...  Congrats!

Jay

No worries Jay - without your initial help I never would have been able to get it looking like it does now.  Thanks!!  Believe me, I know how busy kids can keep you!

:cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: mountain on March 11, 2008, 06:36:58 pm
You may want to look into getting a Media Center wireless keyboard with mouse feature built in, like this. (http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=KB-9029URF&c=pw) I have one for my cabinet and it works great. I have a piece of velcro on top of the machine that holds it when it is not in use.

On another note, I am still waiting to hear back about the dust washers. I will let you know.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: Doctor Ugs on April 03, 2008, 09:57:04 pm
Really nice job.

I have a question though about  the black interior(of side panels), did you do the same steps as the pink?
Is is a flat black? You can never really tell with a picture.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: javeryh on April 04, 2008, 10:56:45 am
Really nice job.

I have a question though about  the black interior(of side panels), did you do the same steps as the pink?
Is is a flat black? You can never really tell with a picture.


Thanks.  I used several coats of black enamel paint (over two coats of an oil based primer).  I painted it with a foam roller and it came out surprisingly well.  The paint was a little thinner than the latex I'm used to so maybe that helped it dry evenly.  It's not totally perfect but the black really does a great job of hiding any imperfections.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: Video!! (03.04.08)
Post by: ratzz on April 06, 2008, 06:44:18 am
 :applaud: Nice one Jayeryh
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: javeryh on February 17, 2009, 03:45:11 pm
Well, it's been a very long time coming but over the weekend the wife agreed to put Bella's Arcade in her room in the exact spot I originally envisioned it when I started.  I had my dad's help lifting it up the stairs and I think I destroyed my back but it was worth it. 

My daughter LOVES it and she is so excited to have an arcade machine of her own in her room - her reaction was thanks enough.

The attached pictures speak for themselves.

Thanks to everyone for helping me out with this project!

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: Kaytrim on February 17, 2009, 04:03:26 pm
That little toy just fits perfectly there.  Nice job on getting the wife to agree.  Of course I'm sure that Bella had a hand in the convincing too. :cheers:

Michael
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: ivwshane on February 18, 2009, 12:23:30 am
Wow, I really didn't think it was that small!

Looks great though!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: Trebeck on February 18, 2009, 01:47:26 am
Awesome job!

 ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: SNAAKE on February 18, 2009, 05:00:11 am
u SURE this is not your room??

looks good lol
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: DaOld Man on February 18, 2009, 05:26:20 am
Great work JH!!

 :applaud: :applaud: :applaud:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: javeryh on February 18, 2009, 09:08:59 am
Thanks everyone!  Here are a few more pics with the machine on.  I have no idea how to take a picture without the flash that doesn't make the marquee look all washed out.  I assure you it is beautiful - especially in a dark room!

When I get around to it I'll have to take a few pics with Bella playing or something so you can get a sense of the scale.  It is small (80% of original Ms. Pac-man size - about 50" tall) but it is perfect for an adult to sit in a chair and play.  Bella still needs a step stool to reach the controls and see the screen!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: Franco B on February 18, 2009, 10:50:41 am
How awesome does that look?!!  8)  :applaud:

Did you use the same painting technique for the walls?  ;D

I want a kid just so I can build them a mini cab for there room!   :P
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: rol on February 20, 2009, 03:19:23 pm
I'm not showing my wife this.
Excellent job. Didn't realize initially it was so small. Looks great there.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: Ond on February 21, 2009, 05:18:20 pm
Beautiful.....from start to finish a great project with the best reward of all, your little girl now able to enjoy it. 
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: Flip_Willie on February 28, 2009, 08:17:36 pm
Wow, good job.

By the way, I just noticed kotaku wrote up a small article about your cabinet.

http://kotaku.com/5162129/and-how-much-does-your-dad-love-you (http://kotaku.com/5162129/and-how-much-does-your-dad-love-you)

Congratulations.

Just as it is,
Flip Willie

Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: BASS! on March 01, 2009, 05:36:25 am
Yeah Jav, just had to jump in and say good job! You really poured your heart into this.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: system01 on March 01, 2009, 01:55:05 pm
Perfect!
 :cheers:

Unfortunately, children grow up so fast.  Until you make more, anyway. ;D
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: jeffhlewis on March 01, 2009, 02:10:01 pm
Congratulations on finishing the machine up, and congrats on the Kotaku feature.  Quite a response on that thread!

This project inspired me to work on my mini Neo Geo cab, which I designed, started and completed entirely between Bella's Arcade going from 99% to 100%  ;D.

Good work!
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: javeryh on March 01, 2009, 07:41:43 pm
Thanks everyone - the Kotaku thing is pretty neat I guess but man anonymous people on the internet can be jerks (newsflash!).  There were lots of nice comments but of course people have to chime in with "spoiled kid", "stupid name", "isn't this illegal", "you sound like a ---meecrob---", "kids should not be playing videogames", "she probably doesn't like it", etc.  LOL at all that stuff!!! 

I might have to build a blue one for my son in the next few years!

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: Flip_Willie on March 01, 2009, 08:53:48 pm
Thanks everyone - the Kotaku thing is pretty neat I guess but man anonymous people on the internet can be jerks (newsflash!).  There were lots of nice comments but of course people have to chime in with "spoiled kid", "stupid name", "isn't this illegal", "you sound like a ---meecrob---", "kids should not be playing videogames", "she probably doesn't like it", etc.  LOL at all that stuff!!! 

They are just jealous.
Title: Re: Bella's Arcade: FINAL IN-ROOM PICS!! (02.17.09)
Post by: DaOld Man on March 01, 2009, 08:56:37 pm
Congrats JH!!
Pay no attention to the negative comments, it usually stems from jealousy.
You did a great job..
My daughter would have loved it when she was small. But I wasnt into this hobby then, and it's too late now (She's going on 18).

Just know that we all think you did a good job, and it was done for your daughter, so it doesnt matter what anyone else thinks.

 :applaud: :applaud: :applaud: :applaud: :applaud: