Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: Necro on February 11, 2006, 02:05:39 pm

Title: Vortex Spinner Control Mock-Up (Updated w/Photos)
Post by: Necro on February 11, 2006, 02:05:39 pm
So as some know, I got a Vortex Spinner.  Being that I live in a small apartment, I dont have the space to really build anything or the space to put it if I did.  So, I was planning on building a control panel for the spinner this weekend at my parents house when I visited for my birthday.

Unfortunately, the NE snow storm (...it's not even snowing where I am now, I 'm really annoyed) prevented me from heading up to NJ so I picked a few things up at Home Depot yesterday and decided to build a mockup out of hardboard today.  Which is working out well.  I have something to use that's not a shoebox (yes, I had a mockup in a shoebox at first), and I realize how I want the buttons, etc., prior to building the full thing.

So, what I'm using:
- Optiwiz
- Oscar Vortex (v3)
- Happ Buttons (5, need 1-4 more)
- Hardboard
- 'European style' breaker/connector strip.

Images are coming, imageshack is doing maint. so once it's done I'll have some images of what I made, how ti looks, etc.

ONe thing I realized now is I'm prob. going to shift this project over to a full 'spinner' game setup and hack a trigger joy in on one side and the spinner on the other.  I also realized that Star Trek, which I like, uses three buttons. (it only has 2 buttons on each side currently, so I have to do a bit of reworking for that).

UPDATE: Imageshack is up and working so the pictures are now in place. :)
Title: Re: Vortex Spinner Control Mock-Up
Post by: Necro on February 11, 2006, 07:42:33 pm
First, I got started by cutting a 2' x 2' piece of hardboard in half, minimal mess so it was a go for the rest of the project in my apartments 'eating' area:
(http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/879/image10033nv.jpg)

I then used my trusty clamps (99c vs $5 for orange ones) to hold the board down to my 'work horses' (aka kitchen chairs) and drilled the holes.  Again, the drill worked well with the hardboard.  I'm cleaning as I go, and it really made minimal mess.  The pans are pretty much all of the 'crap' that had come off up until this point.
(http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/2329/image10064hd.jpg)

Finished up drilling the holes and make sure everything fit, and drilled the holes for the bolts to hold in the spinner.
(http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/1728/image10083qq.jpg)

Decided I wanted to have a beveled/trapezoidal shape so measured, marked and cut for that, and used those pieces to make the 'supports.
(http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/4503/image10121cc.jpg)

This ended up angling the CP nicely and I'm def. doing this in the final version.
(http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/7297/image10132zn.jpg)

Here's the final mockup, overall it's nice but I think three buttons straight across on each side might be better.  That and I realize I'd like to have a joystick on one side for trigger joy/spinner games.
(http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/7302/image10140dd.jpg)

And the mandatory 'bits and pieces' shot. :)
(http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/6227/image10159is.jpg)
Title: Re: Vortex Spinner Control Mock-Up
Post by: squire on February 11, 2006, 08:05:42 pm
Image shack is still screwed up, can someone suggest alternate hosting?

photobucket.com ;D