Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Felsir on January 03, 2010, 07:59:01 am
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I'm planning my 2nd cabinet. Here is the thing; I have limited space so the cab cannot be deeper than 50cm (~20 inch). So because of that I'm going with a LCD screen. Now my 1st cab has a 22 inch CRT in it that keeps the weight on the back of the cab so that one is solid as a rock. However, with the lightweight LCD screen and the limited depth of the cab, I'm not so sure about balance. I was first leaning towards a slim version of a Centipede like cabinet, but I'm worried about the cabinet tipping forward while playing.
Any suggestions? Would a weight on the bottom of the cabinet work or would changing the cab to a Z shape solve the balance somewhat?
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Either put some sidewalk concrete tiles at the bottom, make the back panel from 18mm MDF or make sure the balance is right.
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If this is going to be used up against a wall like most cabs, you can bolt it to a couple studs. You might find some earthquake straps that will work, but they tend to be more expensive and not as rigid (velcro straps for instance). If you do bolt it to the wall, make sure you have at least a couple good points to connect it to avoid tearing out the fastener under heavy gaming.
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When Knievel built his slimline I asked him about stability and he told me that he had no problems ... my construction skills aren't up to his level, so I would weigh down the bottom as Blanka suggests.
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I have a slim cabinet. I used a pretty solid base, then I added a diamond plate finish. This is based off Taz's design. My system is light without the base. But they base doubles the weight of the system and provides stability.
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I'd just get a sack of play sand or concrete and throw it in the bottom.
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if youre worried about a sandbag spilling, you can get a weightlifting weight instead, but something heavy in the bottom is the way to go
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Hmm, okay- I'll do some testing with a weight on the bottom of the cab.
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The weight will only work if the cab is deep enough. It's all about the moment arm so the higher the controls are and the more compact you make it (front to back) the harder it will be to keep it from moving.
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Would a weight on the bottom of the cabinet work or would changing the cab to a Z shape solve the balance somewhat?
Both ideas may help in my opinion.
Keeping the height down may also help.
@20 inches is a damn shallow cab, so design really needs to come in play for balance, with and without someone playing on it.
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@20 inches is a damn shallow cab, so design really needs to come in play for balance, with and without someone playing on it.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Weight will help it stay balanced when it's idle, but might not help the stability with someone pounding on buttons. You'll have to play around with design ideas, I think; the combination of weight and "Z" shape is a good suggestion.
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Can the TS maybe share his sketches? Easier talking.
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I made a quick sketch of what I was thinking. The blue Z shape is the skeleton for the cab (so there will be panels on the side but those aren't show).
The red arrow will be the direction of the force on the controlpanel. If I'm correct, as long as that force will be within the structure's floorplan (red line) it won't tumble over.
I'll need to draw a similar sketch with actual dimensions to get an idea what it would look like.
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I never actually took physics, but that looks reasonable to me. I'm thinking it would work.
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We build loads of Slimline cabinets for customers without issues with tipping. What I did with my designs was to create an angled lower front section to try and keep the centre of gravity correct over the base. Our standard 2-player cabs though are based on our normal compact designs though, with the control panel contained within the sides of the cabinet, rather than on a separate 'control panel box' section as with most American member's designs. We have managed to put the same theory into practice for our 'Slimline King' cabinet though, which has a 4-player 'control panel box' but still works fine:
(http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4326/slimlinekingconcept4.jpg)
Our normal 2-player slim is on the left, the 4-player on the right. The principle is the same on both and although your shell design is completely different, the principle remains the same.
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I was looking at building something like this for a recess for a display/cab idea I had.
I went to a local library and they had one of these:
(http://akamai.globalsources.com.edgesuite.net/f/593/3445/5d/pdt.static.globalsources.com/IMAGES/PDT/BIG/885/B1014672885.jpg)
I took some pictures but wasn't sure if it would be stable enough, and like others have said about pinning it, but I am quite heavy handed on the controls, and I can see myself damaging the wall. :laugh2:
I like the Z idea though.
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I was looking at building something like this for a recess for a display/cab idea I had.
I went to a local library and they had one of these:
(http://akamai.globalsources.com.edgesuite.net/f/593/3445/5d/pdt.static.globalsources.com/IMAGES/PDT/BIG/885/B1014672885.jpg)
Oh yeah, hadn't thought about something like that. That would make a pretty slick-looking cab, actually. The balance principle there is very similar to the Z-shape idea; weight on the bottom for stability, top end weight shifted toward the back.
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Neat design..... but typing on a keyboard and yanking on a joystick are two different things.
Similar principals in that design can be applied to already mentioned ideas.
Downward stability for it to set at rest is easy enough, the jerking back and forth on controls is what needs attention. So keeping as much weight as possible applying a downward and backward force is what I still suggest.
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Neat design..... but typing on a keyboard and yanking on a joystick are two different things.
Yeah, very true. I think that would have to be modified regardless; most people's CPs (more than 1P) are wider than a keyboard, right? The extra width on the machine would go a long way, I think.
Anyway, I think the main thing to consider is making sure the cab isn't top heavy. Enough weight in the bottom is the best way to keep it from tipping over; overall stability is a different problem to tackle, really. Of course, I haven't built an upright myself, so that's just my presumption, FWIW.