Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: selfie on May 08, 2012, 02:23:42 am
-
After a family holiday where I spent hours in the game room playing a 60in1 cocktail cabinet reliving my childhood I decided it was time for me to have my own machine.
After a very quick web search I found enough info to be dangerous order some buttons and joysticks from ebay and attacked a keyboard.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0851.jpg)
Using my LASER cutter I knocked up a quick and nasty, very nasty, control panel to have a play.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0853.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0854.jpg)
I got a request to build a Neo Geo controller for a mate.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/470802_185519131563947_100003175859317_307581_1615041052_o.jpg)
While playing around with this controller I found out that my 5 yo son loves side scrolling beat em ups!!
I then jumped straight in cut up some MDF on the CNC router and made a cabinet. I used the UAII plans based around a TV I was given. Once I had it together the size of the thing was a bit daunting.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0941.jpg)
That is as far as I got. Then the TV died... then another TV died. Add to this the cost of laminate to finish the cab was going to be stupid.
I then found this forum was blown away by some of the amazing work and learnt about all sorts of things like keyboard encoders and front ends...
So I decide to start again. Playing with sketchup and with inspiration from projects here I came up with this.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/newcabinet.png)
The plan is to use the CP I had built for the old cab, a 24" LCD and a 15" LCD partially inside the cab for marquee display.
The centre part will hold 3way ported speakers so the cab can be sort of a jukebox also. I will be running itunes with my iphone as a remote.
Fire up the CNC again and we are away
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0969.jpg)
I'm working with black melamine on 16mm MDF. more to come soon.
-
I look forward to your progress. I'm jealous of the CNC machine.
I just cant imagine trying to build a cabinet without the community. I mean, think about how we have all inspired each other. All the great ideas people have come up with. I commend you for the progress you made before you found out about this forum. :cheers:
Makes me wonder how many other people out there are trying to take on a project all by themselves without the inspiration, knowledge, and resources that this community affords. :dizzy:
-
Wow , im very jealous of your tools!!!! CN :O!!!!!! but overall it looks like ur on the right path!! have fun
-
Got a chance to do a bit more assembly, one of the advantages of CNC is once the cutting is done it will move along pretty quickly. The speaker drivers are in and the crossovers are wired too.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0982.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0981.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0985.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0984.jpg)
the rainbow of buttons will all be changed over time and it will get a recessed base with concealed wheels rather than the board it is sitting on. More to come soon.
A few of my friend that have seen it are pretty keen for one for them selves I thiugh that next time in place of the speaker boxes I might put a projector...
-
I got the base and the wheels mounted and added some white LED strip for shits and giggles
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1005.jpg)
Then I was on to the rotating monitor mount.
I started with two bearings, an axle, a few bits of steel plate and some LASER cut acrylic. I am sure the steel is overkill but I wanted it to be strong.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0994.jpg)
A little welding later
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0997.jpg)
The original plan was to have stops at 0 and 90 degrees on the LASER cut acrylic in the second pic, I assumed incorrectly that the monitor would be balanced and stops this close to the centre would be enough but there was just too much leverage from the oddly weighted screen and the mounts broke.
So I put longer stops with magnets and a piece of rod for the stop
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_0998.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1001.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1003.jpg)
And the mount is done.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1023.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1024.jpg)
I'm very happy with how smooth the movement is and the magnets are strong enough to hold the screen in place.
A few little LASER cut acrylic dress plates for Power and USB inputs
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1025.jpg)
and short of disassembly for some finishing the main cabinet is done.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1026.jpg)
-
you got some killer tools to do your project :notworthy: :)
Also do you have any plans for this ???
and one more quistion how is the monitor rotated mannual or mechanical ???
anyhow great work :cheers:
-
Thanks Gizmo.
I'll post up a pdf of plans when I dig them up.
At this stage the monitor rotates manually but there is very little force needed so the auto rotate will be done later down the line
I run a Sign company so I do have some handy tools. Having a cabinet maker on staff that made arcade cabs back in the day helps too ;D
-
After test playing for a while I discovered that my cab was too front heavy and thus very easy to tip forward with only a little pressure on the CP. Not good when my two young boys will be playing the machine. Add to this the monitor was too close for my liking so moving the monitor back was a good step to help both issues.
This is what I came up with.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1039.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1040.jpg)
This has moved the screen back by 200mm or about 8 inches.
I've also had a rethink about how I will enclose the monitor mounts. I have router a 3mm groove in from the edge.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1042.jpg)
with a piece of 3mm black acrylic that slides in the groove
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1041.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1043.jpg)
It's hard to get a good pic of black on black but the acrylic gives a nice finish with no need for laminate or paint etc
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1044.jpg)
-
as usual the use of lcd monitors is a crutch to arcade building only due to the fact they weigh maybe 1/4 the weight of a crt and thats where the weight and stability used to come from :banghead:
ide say as you are the man with the tools, take some steel plate and attach it to the underside back part under the monitor/base area "floor level"that should add some stability ..
at worst you could create some fold down legs for extra support out of box aluminium and some raiser feet :) option 1 OUTWEIGHS option 2 lol see what i did there ha haaaaa :P
-
whatever happened to this project ???
-
Wouldn't mind seeing some more of this project, too. I've been working on a similar-ish design, so the bits about screen distance and being front heavy are noteworthy to me.
-
Sorry Guys it's still going but I've had to put it on the back burner for a while as real work has gotten busy again.
Most of the major stuff is done and the cab was moved home on Friday I'll get some pics tonight.
Other than the software side of things it still needs CPO artwork and a bit more t moulding. But it might get a completely new CP anyway as I'm not super happy with how this one plays.
Moving the monitor back has made a world of difference in both stability and viewing angle. My 2 year old has been swinging off the front as my older boy and I play with no hint of tipping. Viewing angle is still a bit average from P3 and P4 but I am using and old LCD that is not great anyway.
-
This is very similar to what I'm planning to do as well except I plan to use an automated system to rotate a 42" TV. So your rotation is all manual right? Very interesting design. Good stuff!
-
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/selfie/IMG_1070.jpg)
At this stage the rotation is manual. I have always planned to incorporate auto rotate at some stage so the axle and bearing were built to have as little friction as possible