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Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: Texasmame on September 13, 2006, 12:32:44 pm

Title: Crabby Patty - 2011 UPDATE!
Post by: Texasmame on September 13, 2006, 12:32:44 pm: **see bottom of thread for update info**

Okay, first off, there's nothing particularly "girly" about it but, since it's primarily for my wife and daughter (with my cab being built after), I figured that's as good a name as any for now. :lame:

Basics:
- Started in mid August this year
- Gloss black primary color of cab
- Sides of an original DK. Jr. cab
- Cab Widened to 30.5" exterior; 29" interior. Height same as DK Jr. standard (approx 6')
- Two sided, rotating control panel
Side one being the main panel with three+ joys, 8+ buttons, tracball (they don't want a spinner)
Side two having a Pole Position steering wheel and a shifter, as well as a few buttons
- Interface will be a MiniPac

That's the skinny.

JUST finished the main cutting today (with a few, simple small finish pieces left to do) and a final damp sand. Off to buy a powerpainter and some paint at the Depot. I've got about 35 pics at this point and will be posting some soon.

John in TX
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab
Post by: MYX on September 13, 2006, 08:39:28 pm: Alright!!! Good to see you join the ranks!!! Have fun.
:cheers:
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab
Post by: TehJefe on September 15, 2006, 01:36:43 am: "Only if you make one for me first" huh?

A two sided rotating control panel is new to me.. would that be rotating like you push it clockwise or rotating like you push it up?
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab
Post by: Texasmame on September 15, 2006, 01:02:51 pm: Heh.

Quote from: TehJefe on September 15, 2006, 01:36:43 am
"Only if you make one for me first" huh?

A two sided rotating control panel is new to me.. would that be rotating like you push it clockwise or rotating like you push it up?

No, no such ultimatium was given but after 10 years, I kinda know what to do. ;)

It's actually 4 sides, but only two of them have controls on it. Think big 3-D twenty-five pound rectangle. :)
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab
Post by: Texasmame on September 15, 2006, 01:10:48 pm: Just a couple quick pics. Just finished the final coat (2 grey primer, 3 gloss black) with a wet sand between each coat; 400 grit on the primer, 600 on the gloss.

While I wait for that to dry, I'm filling holes and sanding on the control panels, getting ready to paint those. AND, while THOSE are setting/drying, working on getting this computer ready to retire to the cab. :)

Just a quick before/after shot of the main cab for now:
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - few pics added: 9/15
Post by: whynotpizza on September 15, 2006, 10:38:07 pm: Coolness, I'd like to see how the double sided control panel will engage/rotate when you get it put together. Great idea.

Did you use sandpaper between coats (wet/high grit) based on previous experience with painting MDF? Also, is high gloss better than semi-gloss? Just curious, since painting has never been one of my specialties.

I too am working my cabinet at the moment. Am at the stage of trying to figure out how to power/wire the electric on the thing. I really should run a single electric wire into the cab and chain into 3 electric boxes which are powered by independant lite-style switches on the side. But that might be overkill.

Anyway, your cab looks good.

David
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - few pics added: 9/15
Post by: NightGod on September 15, 2006, 11:18:42 pm: The sanding thing is just a good idea all around...
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - few pics added: 9/15
Post by: Texasmame on September 16, 2006, 06:36:04 pm: Quote from: whynotpizza on September 15, 2006, 10:38:07 pm
Coolness, I'd like to see how the double sided control panel will engage/rotate when you get it put together. Great idea.

Did you use sandpaper between coats (wet/high grit) based on previous experience with painting MDF? Also, is high gloss better than semi-gloss? Just curious, since painting has never been one of my specialties.

I too am working my cabinet at the moment. Am at the stage of trying to figure out how to power/wire the electric on the thing. I really should run a single electric wire into the cab and chain into 3 electric boxes which are powered by independant lite-style switches on the side. But that might be overkill.

Anyway, your cab looks good.

David

Thanx. Yeah, as mentioned above, I did wet sanding. Actually, since the sides were already painted (DK Jr.), I can't offer much advice on painting large sections of MDF. The control panel is all MDF and it's painted up in much the same way with a nice glossy finish.

All I did was primer, wet sand, primer, wet sand, paint, wet sand, paint.
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - few pics added: 9/15
Post by: Texasmame on September 19, 2006, 03:56:17 pm: Um, I finally sat down and totalled all this stuff.

Things JUST for this cab:

Video Card   $16
2x4   $15
Misc   $75
Plywood   $33
Lazy Susans   $12
TV   $185
Ultimarc Order   $190
Other Controls   $40
Ponyboy   $80
eBay stuff     $50

TOTAL:   $696

Things for any cab building:

Palm Sander   $21
Mitre Saw     $35
Jig Saw   $16
Router & Bits   $110
Sawhorses   $30
Clamps   $20
Bondo   $20
Belt Sander   $25
Power Painter& Paint   $150
Other Controls   $160

TOTAL:   $587

GRAND TOTAL: $1,283

And that's not counting the DK Jr. cab that I got for $125 since, after parting it out, I actually MADE about $100. Yes, that's accounted for here, too.

:cry:
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - few pics added: 9/15
Post by: theCoder on September 19, 2006, 07:14:10 pm: $696 and almost done. So you might pull it off for less than $1k? How much did you tell your wife you've spent so far?
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - few pics added: 9/15
Post by: nullb0y on September 20, 2006, 12:59:42 am: Quote from: theCoder on September 19, 2006, 07:14:10 pm
$696 and almost done. So you might pull it off for less than $1k? How much did you tell your wife you've spent so far?
"honey i didnt spend anything on this i swear!"
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - few pics added: 9/15
Post by: Texasmame on September 22, 2006, 04:47:15 pm: Quote from: theCoder on September 19, 2006, 07:14:10 pm
$696 and almost done. So you might pull it off for less than $1k? How much did you tell your wife you've spent so far?

Heh. The whole shebang. She's pretty supportive - heck, she used to help me transport the games down/up the bulkhead!
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - few pics added: 9/15
Post by: nullb0y on September 23, 2006, 01:22:49 pm: Quote from: Texasmame on September 22, 2006, 04:47:15 pm
Quote from: theCoder on September 19, 2006, 07:14:10 pm
$696 and almost done. So you might pull it off for less than $1k? How much did you tell your wife you've spent so far?

Heh. The whole shebang. She's pretty supportive - heck, she used to help me transport the games down/up the bulkhead!
thats cool
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - DONEish!
Post by: Texasmame on October 11, 2006, 09:56:28 pm: Okay, actually been 90% "done" for about three weeks now but just got down to organizing the pics, etc. Hopefully within a week, I'll have some sort of layout for the whole shebang with a bit of text for each pic. Nearly 100 pics in all. :)

For now, here's a few more. . .
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - DONEish!
Post by: leapinlew on October 12, 2006, 03:58:42 am: Nice "alternate" mounting method on the trackball. I did something similar and have had no issues with it.... even with some people taking big ol'swings at it.
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - DONEish!
Post by: IG-88 on October 12, 2006, 06:56:37 pm: Love that T.B. mounting method! How thin is the material "above" the trackball? Or, how much did you router out?
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - DONEish! WEB PAGE ADDED!
Post by: Texasmame on October 12, 2006, 08:17:21 pm: redundant content removed by author
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - DONEish!
Post by: Texasmame on October 12, 2006, 08:20:02 pm: Quote from: IG-88 on October 12, 2006, 06:56:37 pm
Love that T.B. mounting method! How thin is the material "above" the trackball? Or, how much did you router out?

Routered out, um, plenty. I'm not a "measure twice, cut once" guy. More of a "measure a few times and keep cutting until it fits" guy. ;D

BUT, I can tell you that approx. only 1/4" of MDF remained where the footprint of the trac was. Thus, making it imposible to countersink any bolts. Overall, happy with the results and will probably do the same to my cab's balls. ;)
Title: Re: New Project: Crabby Patty - DONEish! WEB PAGE ADDED!
Post by: Kremmit on October 14, 2006, 07:24:32 pm: Hey, Tex- didja put the top of the trackball case back on, or leave it open when you mounted it?
Title: Re: New Project: Crabby Patty - DONEish! WEB PAGE ADDED!
Post by: Texasmame on October 15, 2006, 10:39:44 am: Quote from: Kremmit on October 14, 2006, 07:24:32 pm
Hey, Tex- didja put the top of the trackball case back on, or leave it open when you mounted it?

Yeah, I did put the case back on. Not sure if leaving it off would have worked or not. Guess it would have gained me another 1/8 inch or so of ball, tho, had it worked.
Title: Re: New Project: Crabby Patty - DONEish! WEB PAGE ADDED!
Post by: slider2732 on October 15, 2006, 12:08:59 pm: Great pictorial walkthrough for anyone else who may have such a cab....and some of that cab repair work looked pretty frightening lol.

Looks cool, different and well worth the effort :)

Glad i've got Broadband for all them pics !
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - STEERING WHEEL COMPLETE!
Post by: Texasmame on November 11, 2006, 04:19:26 pm: Added a second page, not as long as the first, on building the steering wheel CP.

Also, added an AVI of the panel turning.

Just a bit more to go until that illusive 100% complete!

http://mysite.verizon.net/resp2286/
Title: Re: New Project: Girlcab - DONEish! WEB PAGE ADDED!
Post by: Texasmame on November 11, 2006, 07:56:04 pm: Oops. Dup post. :)
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - STEERING WHEEL COMPLETE!
Post by: theCoder on November 11, 2006, 09:46:55 pm: I sure hope your wifes name in not Patricia.
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - STEERING WHEEL COMPLETE!
Post by: Texasmame on November 14, 2006, 08:26:39 am: Quote from: theCoder on November 11, 2006, 09:46:55 pm
I sure hope your wifes name in not Patricia.

Sure is! :D
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - STEERING WHEEL COMPLETE!
Post by: johnm160 on November 14, 2006, 08:44:20 am: I like that rotating control panel, Very nice work. :cheers:
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - STEERING WHEEL COMPLETE!
Post by: theCoder on November 14, 2006, 11:13:02 am: I take iit she approves of the name. Otherwise I am suprised you can still walk without a limp.
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - STEERING WHEEL COMPLETE!
Post by: Texasmame on November 14, 2006, 11:15:42 am: It was her idea!
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - STEERING WHEEL COMPLETE!
Post by: NickG on November 15, 2006, 04:40:43 pm: Good job, and nice writeup on your wheel. Does the angle feel right?
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - STEERING WHEEL COMPLETE!
Post by: Texasmame on November 15, 2006, 06:06:12 pm: Quote from: NickG on November 15, 2006, 04:40:43 pm
Good job, and nice writeup on your wheel. Does the angle feel right?

Yeah, it's fine but, for mine, I'd probably add an inch or so of angle. Either way, it sure beats flat. :)
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - SHIFTER COMPLETE!
Post by: Texasmame on November 29, 2006, 06:55:22 pm: "That's not a moon! It's a FULLY OPERATIONAL MAME CAB!"

:lame:

In what was a fairly easy job, I installed the shifter.

Now, all that needs to be done are cosmetic/artwork related things.

http://mysite.verizon.net/resp2286/
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - SHIFTER COMPLETE!
Post by: javeryh on December 01, 2006, 03:20:54 pm: That marquee is great. The mario crab in the middle made me laugh for some reason...
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - SHIFTER COMPLETE!
Post by: Texasmame on December 01, 2006, 06:03:47 pm: Quote from: javeryh on December 01, 2006, 03:20:54 pm
That marquee is great. The mario crab in the middle made me laugh for some reason...

Some variation of that will likely be the marquee. Gamecreature drummed that up but the wife wants this, that and the other changed. So, I figured I better learn how to create artwork since using a 3rd party would be like having to call the mover when she wants to keep moving the couch to see how it looks "over there." 8)
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - SHIFTER COMPLETE!
Post by: red_johnny on December 02, 2006, 11:05:28 pm: Thats awsome that you can flip between the wheel and the controls!!! Very COOL Idea!!
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - SHIFTER COMPLETE!
Post by: Texasmame on December 07, 2006, 02:16:31 pm: Quote from: red_johnny on December 02, 2006, 11:05:28 pm
Thats awsome that you can flip between the wheel and the controls!!! Very COOL Idea!!

Thanx, but it's nothing new, actually. It's just a simple version of a rotating control panel. You can find plenty here. :cheers:
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - SHIFTER COMPLETE!
Post by: javeryh on December 22, 2006, 03:09:18 pm: OK... now I'm thinking this cab needs some Spongebob Squarepants art or something. My daughter started watching it for the first time and all Spongebob and Patrick were talking about were crabby pattys!

(http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/3042/l10174843dg7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - SHIFTER COMPLETE!
Post by: Texasmame on September 05, 2011, 12:06:13 am: BACK FROM THE DEAD BUMP!

Have done a couple of minor updates on Crabby Patty.

www.tinyurl.com/girlcab (http://www.tinyurl.com/girlcab)

Will be adding the modular CP section soon.

That is all.
Title: Re: Crabby Patty - 2011 UPDATE!
Post by: Texasmame on October 08, 2011, 05:46:18 pm: Well, I'd *love* to add this section, but Verizon recently cut off FTP access to the web space they grant you. Of course, they provided an alternative, "Sitebuilder" but looks like the majority of customers can't access it, me included. Their forums are blowing up over the issues but still, nothing is getting done.

So. . . :banghead: