Mini Virtual Pinball - iPad Style

[mann0mann]

I know this is not the normal project here on BYOAC, but I recently became interested in building my own cabinets and have been lurking everywhere - BYOAC is where I've gotten the most help and the forum I enjoy the most. 

So I apologize if this isn't everyone's cup of tea and if needs to be moved/deleted I understand.  I just am happy to be done with this project and wanted to share.




I recently joined this forum after going to an arcade with my daughter and having her fall in love with Mrs. Pac-Man.  I saw a project similar to this on Farsight's The Pinball Arcade forum.  If you're not familiar with it, it's a pretty nice Pinball App the emulates real cabinets and most importantly supports the iCade from ION, which is a essentially arcade controls through a keyboard map via bluetooth on the iPad.

So the sides have a Left & Right - Flipper, Table Nudge and "Special" (a few tables have a special button feature)

The font Chrome Buttons are - Blue is Enter/Game Start and Red is Down Joystick & Ball Launch

The smaller control panel buttons are mapped L to R as - Pause/Exit, Left Joystick, Right Joystick, Up Joystick

I wanted to start on a small project before I built a real cabinet and I thought this would be something easy to take on and small enough to not overwhelm me (boy was I mistaken...I really have a whole new and different respect for the craftsmanship and builds that go on here).

So I obviously started with an Ion Icade which I gutted.  I ordered UltimateArc Goldleaf pushputtons for the Flippers, Nudge and Special puttons on the side.  I went with 5/8" MDF to keep the weight down.  But since I wasn't using any furring strips it really made the assembly go much slower, pre-drilling and measuring every screw hole in advance.





 

[mann0mann]

All my screws were covered over.  I didn't want anything showing.



I struggled a little with how to finish.  I decided on a Rustoleum Hammered Finish in Black.  To me it was better than just gloss black and I felt like it resembled what I thought a pinball cabinet looked like.



I also figured the "texture" would help me hide any poor woodworking skills I had.   I did BTW Primer and seal everything up with Zinnser Binz (sp?)

[mann0mann]

I wanted to use a real lockdown bar from a pinball cabinet, but I just could not justify spending that much to cut one up and possible robbing some dude's restoration over this.  LOL. 

So I went with Aluminum "L" channel.  I chose an offest 1/2" by 1/4" on the sides and then the front was a 1" that I cut down to match the 1/4" in the front.  I sanded all the aluminum and did my best to give it a brushed finish, I also softened and rounded all the corners so there is no sharp edge when your hand rests. 




I ended up running into my first big problem with the control panel buttons on the front.  I wanted them to look like a coindoor and chose all rectangle buttons, well I only got 2 of the 4 I ordered and then I discovered they weren't going to clear the plywood and be deep enough!  Doh.

So I decided to make a plastic faceplate to attach them to and then attach that to the front of the cabinet.

[mann0mann]

Quick mock up of the ipad sitting in the cabinet. 

So what I did is go to my local Tap Plastics and I got 1/8" thick polycarbonate in black cut to fit the inside of the cabinet and it rests as a shelf for the ipad.  I used 3/4" foam weatherstripping to "frame" the ipad in the cabinet.  So when you set it on the shelf it can't shift in any direction.



I wanted to get the same piece of polycarbonate made for the top cover over the ipad...but Tap wanted $30 to router the center out and they were scheduling 3 weeks out to even have it done.  I don't have a router myself, and I didn't think I was capable of doing it on my own and having it look even remotely clean.

As a backup, I went to a frame store in town and had them cut me out a piece semi-glosse matte board just like a picture frame.  I got the thickest they had and got it with a black core center so the when the bevel cut it, you still saw black.  It's not what I wanted and I'm not sure how much it will hold up, since this piece does slide up and down to access the ipad.  But it was $5 and took the guy 5 minutes.

[mann0mann]

I got going along here and forgot to take alot of pictures.  Sorry.

Here's a backshot of and some of the controls, the board in the center is the icade control board.  I added a Power Switch to the unit which I think is needed.  The iCade is seen by the iPad as a keyboard...so when it's connected you can't use the virtual keyboard.  With the switch I can power off, type if needed and then switch it back on.



I still need to add a back panel to my marquee.  I own a hobbystore and am just going to order some black styrene and attach it to the back.

[mann0mann]

and here she is finished up as much as I could tonight -







I had my wife take it for a spin tonight to see what she thought.  she's about as good at pinball as I am, she kept saying it was the game, not the gamer.  LOL.  Never thought I'd hear my wife use the term "gamer".

[edekoning]

So I apologize if this isn't everyone's cup of tea and if needs to be moved/deleted I understand.  I just am happy to be done with this project and wanted to share.

No need to apologize. I think its a cool project that turned out great! Thanks for sharing.

How much does it actually weigh?

[mann0mann]

Thanks. 

About 8 lbs.

[edekoning]

About 8 lbs.

So about 3.6 kg (I really wish we would just all use the Metric system )

[Minwah]

I like it, looks great. I especially like the brushed effect you got on the aluminium. Nice one!

[wp34]

That looks great.  I'm going to build one of these myself this winter.  The aluminum lock-down bar is a great touch.   

[mann0mann]

Thanks guys!  I appreciate it.  Looking forward to the next build.  I thought something this small would have been an easy project, I have a whole new appreciation for the builds here.  You can really underestimate the amount of work that goes into eveyrthing at first.  This is a very impressive community!