Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: unclet on April 12, 2003, 09:37:14 pm
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I need to make a horizontal rotating top control panel. The diameter of this top will most likely be 3 feet. I thought of having a post going up through the middle of it which will allow the top to spin but have no idea if this will work. Anyone have any ideas on how to make this work?
Think of it as a very large "lazy susan" where the top rotates. I found the hardware which a lazy susan uses but this would only work with a small circle of wood, not one which is 3 feet in diameter and would weigh a lot.
Here is a very very crude attempt at a picture of my idea.....
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UncleT, I'll just pretend you didn't actually give us that picture as an example of what you need.
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I seem to remember a piece of hardware from Rockler that is made to spin a TV. It seems like that should do what you need.
www.rockler.com
(see, I'm not all sarcasam)
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Good idea dog, and it's only $115:
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/findprod.cfm?&DID=6&sku=22
Does that help?
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Am I talking to myself? Here is what you need, and at the right price. Good luck:
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/showdetl.cfm?&DID=6&offerings_ID=2273&ObjectGroup_ID=349&CATID=19
How are you planning on doing this CP? If you swivel horizontal, your monitor is going to have to be above the top of the highest joystick...
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This seems like exactly what I need. Think I will get the 12" one rated for 1000lbs.... Perfect....thanks a bunch dog.
As for my control panel, I already have a 4-player Mame cabinet built and I am now designing a sitdown driving arcade "add-on". Something you will be able to move in front of the existing Mame cabinet and TV and start playing. I need a rotating top since my control panel (so far) will have a Pole Position Steering wheel, Spy Hunter steering assembly, Star Wars yoke and a Sega HangOn Motorcycle handlebar assembly. I want the player (who is sitting in my new Indy 500DX fiberglass racing seat) to be able to spin the control panel to select which driving control they want to use. I have no problem with being able to see the TV, since these driving controls will not be mounted on the top of the spinning control panel, but rather on the side edges......I have to think about it some more though....it will take me awhile to build as well
PS: Yeah my picture was horrible.....I did mention "very very" crude. :)
Thanks for the idea. It is amazing the 12" lazy susan can hold up to 1000lbs and be so thinly designed.....
UncleT
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Thanks for the idea. It is amazing the 12" lazy susan can hold up to 1000lbs and be so thinly designed...
And only 6.99! I keep thinking I'm looking at it wrong, I would expect it to be more expensive. I guess not...
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You can also buy that same lazy susan at Home Depot for the same price, no shipping or waiting.... :)
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1000 lbs.!?!?!? How in the name of god am I the first person to respond here? Even if you put four of every type of arcade control known to man on a control panel and they were all made of lead it would not be anywhere near 1000 lbs.
I really REALLY want to see this thing when it's done. It sounds like the most assinine thing I've ever heard (read: if you pull this off it'll probably be the coolest thing I've ever seen). You must have a room in your house dedicated to this machine to have enough room to accomodate the monster you're talking about bringing to life.
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I am not going to put 1000 lbs of stuff on this control panel, but I figured, for an extra $2 I can go from a 500lb rating to a 750lb rating and for another $2 I can get to a 1000lb rating. For minor cost, it seems worth it to get the highest rating so I can be assured the lazy susan would never bend or anything forever.
I will keep you posted on the final results, since I am still in the design phase, but I believe I can get this cabinet "add-on" working as described, especially now with the lazy susan being so cheap. I will check Home depot first though....thanks
PS: This "add-on" will go next to my existing 4-player cab and my fullsize restored Brunswick arcade air hockey table in my living room......yep...living room. I have a "VERY" understanding wife ;)
UncleT
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An issue with a rotating control panel is the wires for the controls; with the panel rotating, you must make sure that the wires will not be pulled, tangled up, or weakened. I was thinking that hacked wireless controllers might be a solution to this problem.
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My control panel top will only be allowed to spin one 360 degree revolution left and then will be stopped, then it can go back to the right 360 degree. As a result, there will not be too much twisting of wires. I have thought about that it it should not be a problem.
PS: I went to Home Depot and bought a 1000lbs 12" lazy susan support for $7.50 Thanks !!!! I will post some pics when I am done, however it will take a while so dont hold you breath....definitely a garage project for nighttime only.
UncleT
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sounds like a cool idea - will it be like a showcase cab or something? or like a regular upright with a ring of rotating controls around it?
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I would be interested in your addon for driving. I have those same ideas with my cab although the rotating assembly is a bit much for me. AND DAMN air hockey inthe living room sheesh even MY wife would kill me for that. anyway, where'd ya pick up the sir hockey table. I want a fullsize one but 3 g's for a true table is a bit much right now.
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Oh.... I see now, I misunderstood your project.
I thought you were going to have a circle of 4 player cabs and the 4 players were going to stand on the lazy suzan. That way, you could just spin the 4 players over to whatever game you wanted them to play! I bet you could motorize it too.
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... and thus, you would need the 1000lbs lazy suzan.
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Oh.... I see now, I misunderstood your project.
I thought you were going to have a circle of 4 player cabs and the 4 players were going to stand on the lazy suzan. That way, you could just spin the 4 players over to whatever game you wanted them to play!
That would only work if each of the four players was named "Suzan" though. DUH.
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It looks like Scott had the lazy susan idea already:
http://home.austin.rr.com/shumate/unicade/design.htm
Just so you don't waste alot of time looking through the page, I am referring to the "Solid Model View".
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I already have a 4-player Mame cabinet built and works great. This "add-on", as I call it, will be something which can be pushed in front of my existing 4-player cab so the player can use the 27" TV to see what is going on (also, share the computer which drives it as well).
I just picked up my air hockey table about 2 months ago. Somebody moved from a house into a one bedroom apartment and this 9'x4' air hockey table was taking up their complete living room. They really needed to just get rid of it, and I was the first person who jumped at the deal. I got it for $250 and everything pretty much worked. I could not justify (to my wife ;) ) that we needed to spend 3K for a table, so this was an incredible deal. I needed to repair the selonoid and clean it up (tighten/replace screws, add leg levelers, pin-out all the holes, etc..) but other than that everything works well. It is a Brunswick true fullsize arcade air hockey table.
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I would get sex 3 times a day from my wife if I could get a full size air hockey table! She LOVES air hockey (hates arcades). I got her a little made for at home one years ago.. .and we ended up giving it away it sucked so bad.
I wish I could get an air hockey table...
sigh...
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yeah I am looking at one of those 7' tables for my house. at $400 bucks I can't pass it up.
http://www.gameroomsusa.com/harqualairho.html
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Yeah I know this is VICKED off topic, but I would recommend going with a different brand of Air Hockey table. My friend has this exact table. Striking the pucks with any kind of force causes them to fly off the table and strike people in the head (yes I know this can happen w/ any table, but the pucks are VERY light and seem to fly off more often than normal).
Or maybe, when I'm drunk, I don't know my own strength.. ;D
--NipsMG
yeah I am looking at one of those 7' tables for my house. at $400 bucks I can't pass it up.
http://www.gameroomsusa.com/harqualairho.html
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thats nto really a problem our pucks fly off quite frequently anyway so. Also I'll just get heavier pucks if the ones with it are 2 lite. other than that how do you guys liek the table? is it big enough?
sorry we did get off topic.
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I think this table would be the best type and your wives couldn't complain about it...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3218994701&category=20270
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My wife said I couldn't get any extra with that table... best I could do is put my b@lls on it... I guess I need to keep looking.. :-[