Author Topic: Something My Wife Can Tolerate! (Read 8719 times)

Bill_S · « **on:** October 01, 2003, 12:08:16 pm »

I, like most, have my arcade machines in my basement where the wife doesn't have to look at them. I've been trying to come up with a way to get an arcade machine, or something close to it, up to the main living area.
The only way I could get the wife to buy into it was if I concealed it so when I wasn't gaming, she wouldn't have to look at it. And so the idea was born. Create an arcade machine that was hidden inside a normal TV Armoire or Entertainment Center.

I ended up with something I call the Transformer. I have an emdkay marquee in it for right now, but I'd like to come up with something based on Transformers someday.

Here's a link to the gallery. It walks you through the transformation.
http://web.thewavz.com/buzz/arcade%203.htm

I'll try and get sample pics attachedater today, my firewall at work won't let me ftp the reduced size files to my web site..

said7 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 01, 2003, 12:13:47 pm »

LMAO

Haha very cool. Amazing the lengths guys will go to to make the misses happy

Nice work!

pathdoc2 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2003, 12:18:56 pm »

Excellent job. I've been thinking of something similiar. Again, great piece of work.

tmasman · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2003, 12:19:48 pm »

That's awesome...
My wife actually wants the cab I just pick up to end up in the living room!!! Gotta love it! She's a Ms. PacMan nut! & that tank game where you've got to defend the eagle in the brick wall game... Tank Batallion? Or something like that...

But that is definately a cool set-up...
You should put your camera on a tripod & get all the transforming pics put together in an animated gif... You could use that as your avatar!

I'll put the gif together if you get me the pics!

~tmasman

walls83 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 01, 2003, 12:22:21 pm »

Damn that thing is bad ass.

Wienerdog · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2003, 01:53:29 pm »

Very nice, good job.

gndprx · « **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2003, 02:19:57 pm »

Absolutely LOVE it!!!

Very nice execution

rampy · « **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2003, 02:35:33 pm »

Very cool... only one question (actually 2)

Is it an autobot or decepticon?

also what do you do to lock down the slide out controls so that they don't just push back into the cabinet when you push "north" on a given control...

I like you "convertible" monitor bezel too.. that's a nice touch!

good job!

rampy

hyiu · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2003, 02:52:12 pm »

VERY NICE JOB !!!!!....

COOL !!!!!......

I LIKE IT VERY MUCH !!!!!.....

(sorry for yelling... but very excited about this cab...)

I just like wood grain cab... and transforming wood grain cab !!! DAMM !!!.... GOOD !!!!....

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2003, 03:14:30 pm »

Now thats a "different" kind of arcade machine right there ! !

Very nicely done(for the wife,lol)
Very professional indeed.

DAmnb · « **Reply #10 on:** October 01, 2003, 04:03:23 pm »

Very, very, VERY nice indeed!

Its just so insane its great! I really hope your little lady tolerate it after all the trouble you must have gone through.

Apollo · « **Reply #11 on:** October 01, 2003, 04:34:00 pm »

It's genius, pure genius! I see a legend in the making, lmao.

Brax · « **Reply #12 on:** October 01, 2003, 05:45:38 pm »

That's bloody INSANE!!

Good work!

Bill_S · « **Reply #13 on:** October 01, 2003, 05:57:08 pm »

Thanks for the great replies everybody!!

Quote from: rampy on October 01, 2003, 02:35:33 pm

Is it an autobot or decepticon?

also what do you do to lock down the slide out controls so that they don't just push back into the cabinet when you push "north" on a given control...

Autobot definitely!

The drawer slide I used for the controls is the Accuglide 9301 series (Extra heavy duty, supporting up to 150 lbs. when mounted horizontally like I did, up to 500 when mounted vertically). It was supposed to provide me with 3/4" clearance under the control box for the hinges. The hinges are 3/4" high when extended. The drawer slide is slightly shallower than they spec'd, and when I first installed the box, it hit and hung up on the hinges. I made 2 pieces of shim stock and put them between the box and the slide to raise it up slightly. I now have a near line fit, but it does still rub. That seems to make it difficult enough to push in that I can get away with it as is. If I find it's moving when we really get playing I may have to device something to restrain it. Time will tell.

I'm glad you guys got a kick out of it btw

JamIt · « **Reply #14 on:** October 01, 2003, 07:05:23 pm »

Brilliant! Do you offer one in Pine?

DaveMMR · « **Reply #15 on:** October 01, 2003, 08:44:31 pm »

You should motorize that baby and have it change by remote. And make sure when it transforms, it's very noisy (whaa whaa whAA whaa). And when your wife's friends or family come over to admire the new piece or furniture, stand behind a wall and make it change. They'll jump like 50 feet into the air while you giggle. Heh heh

Seriously though, that's definately grounds for legendary status in the world of cabinets (both arcade and the ones you'd buy at Ikea). Pretty sweet Bill. Pretty Sweet!

Frostillicus · « **Reply #16 on:** October 01, 2003, 11:06:38 pm »

Nice construction - innovative, perhaps; though basically just looks like an entertainment center with a pull out control panel. Glad you got the compromise with the wife, though - always a good thing.

Edit - The finish is great and I really like the concept. What do you do with the marquee part that 'breaks away' from the top when you're playing it? Does it swivel out somewhere or just set it against the wall?

Chris · « **Reply #17 on:** October 02, 2003, 10:10:17 am »

What would launch it into the realm of the mega-cool is if it could all be automated with servos and motors...

Love the bezel!

--Chris

Bill_S · « **Reply #18 on:** October 02, 2003, 01:31:54 pm »

Quote from: Frostillicus on October 01, 2003, 11:06:38 pm

Edit - The finish is great and I really like the concept. What do you do with the marquee part that 'breaks away' from the top when you're playing it? Does it swivel out somewhere or just set it against the wall?

The original plan was to hinge the marquee part so you would flip it up out of the way, but I'm having trouble finding a hinge to swing it out and around 270 degrees. The kicker is the actual marquee and speakers. There's nothing up there to hinge to. I could just use a T-Hinge or something with a long reaching strap to the front of the door, but that would kill me cosmetically. If I ever find a hinge that works, that's what I want to do, but for now I set it on the top.

tmasman · « **Reply #19 on:** October 02, 2003, 02:06:14 pm »

Quote from: Bill_S on October 02, 2003, 01:31:54 pm

If I ever find a hinge that works, that's what I want to do, but for now I set it on the top.

Have you tried Google???

I've got a friend that built a cabinet (wall hanging kind... not arcade) to house his projector & sterio receiver etc., & used 270 hinges... It really worked out well & looks great!

I wish I knew where he got them... All I remember is that he did end up having to order them from a website because no one locally carried them (or anything like them).

They mounted like good cabinet hinges mount (route out a little of the door for t a part of the hinge)...

Hope that helps!

~ tmasman

kujina · « **Reply #20 on:** October 02, 2003, 03:34:38 pm »

How sad...

hulkster · « **Reply #21 on:** October 02, 2003, 07:15:46 pm »

ha! i showed your page to my fiance, and she says "YOU ALREADY HAVE A "VIDEO GAME THING" YOU DONT NEED ANOTHER ONE!!!" caps were necessary since it was a slight raising of the voice

nice design but im afraid i wont be imitating...yeah i guess im whipped.

traknfieldSUPAstar · « **Reply #22 on:** October 02, 2003, 09:23:59 pm »

well... your project is definitely one of the most innovative i've seen over the past couple of months... good job

RedSquirrel · « **Reply #23 on:** October 03, 2003, 08:28:22 am »

nice work!

Spaced Invader · « **Reply #24 on:** October 03, 2003, 09:39:19 am »

Cool... very, very cool!

Bill_S · « **Reply #25 on:** October 04, 2003, 02:58:29 pm »

Here's some pics for how I mounted the trackball and the 4-way for those interested:

Sasquatch! · « **Reply #26 on:** October 04, 2003, 11:08:13 pm »

Hahaha, I love the marquee. Great job!

MameMaster! · « **Reply #27 on:** October 23, 2003, 11:12:07 am »

wow.

That thing is AWESOME!

....I especially like the Bezel. My first thought was that the "naked TV" looked bad....but that pull out bezel....dude, you're a genius!

The MameMaster!

ErikRuud · « **Reply #28 on:** October 23, 2003, 03:09:06 pm »

How about these Aximat Hinges from Rockler.com

dirt · « **Reply #29 on:** October 23, 2003, 08:33:36 pm »

Your cab looks great. I have been building a armoire cab also. I didn't think anyone else had thought of this idea. I guess great minds think alike.

dirt

Bill_S · « **Reply #30 on:** October 24, 2003, 12:21:54 pm »

Quote from: ErikRuud on October 23, 2003, 03:09:06 pm

How about these Aximat Hinges from Rockler.com

I looked at those, but I didn't properly plan the top of the machine out and there is no mounting surface on the underside of the top.

I'm thinking I might have to fabricate something. At the very least take an existing hinge and modify it to fit properly.

ErikRuud · « **Reply #31 on:** October 24, 2003, 01:10:27 pm »

Well then, how about270 Degree Overlay Hinge

ErikRuud · « **Reply #32 on:** October 24, 2003, 01:16:00 pm »

I looked at the cab again, now I understand the problem.

You could take the 270 Degree Overlay hinge and pound the cabinet part of the hinge flat and the screw that to the top surface.

Bill_S · « **Reply #33 on:** October 24, 2003, 04:57:20 pm »

Quote from: ErikRuud on October 24, 2003, 01:16:00 pm

You could take the 270 Degree Overlay hinge and pound the cabinet part of the hinge flat and the screw that to the top surface.

I had looked at that hinge before, but I was always looking for something to work off the shelf. I think your suggestion may work. I'll have to get a pair and try it out.
Thanks!


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