Raspberry Pi Barstick (red and black) ...control panel assembly

[VoltaTom]

After a delay/failed attempt on my bartop cabinet, I decided to start smaller. My woodworking skills are poor

This is my first serious attempt at having a finished arcade... it will get done. *hopes*

My plan is based of Degenatrons 'Barstick' design:


Design plan:

• Barstick with HDMI, USB x2, DC power jack, and power switch on back.
• 2 player CP with 6 buttons each, 2 player buttons, 1 coin, 1 pause
• Red and black theme (with some white)
• Raspberry Pi as guts (RetroPie I thinking)

Sorry for the poor lighting/cell phone pics - I only made the workbench itself days before I started this project. 7ft of led strip lights are above the bench now.

[VoltaTom]

Picked a black for my cabinet. I'm going with flat black over the glossy black.

Cut holes for players on CP. Only holes left are 2 player buttons, coin, and pause (pause on top, other 3 on front). I need to line those up right not to hit anything inside.

Questions time. Think adding a button top centre on the CP is too close to PL1's buttons?

[Slippyblade]

Following. 

[VoltaTom]

Following. 

*looks behind him* Ahh!

Any suggestions people have are welcome!

[Slippyblade]

I'm curious how well these actually work.  They seem like they'd be a little on the lightweight side and would shift around during head-to-head gaming.  Looking forward to see yours.

[Speed Racer]

I'm keen to see how this turns out. Looks good so far 

Questions time. Think adding a button top centre on the CP is too close to PL1's buttons?

I agree - the extra button would probably be a bit close to P1's buttons. Also, your control panel will have a nice, simple and clean look if keep it to a minimum. Player buttons and joysticks on top, with the coin and start buttons on the front sounds good.

That said, if you felt compelled to have a pause button (it can be quite handy!) make sure it is clearly not part of P1's controls.

[VoltaTom]

I'm curious how well these actually work.  They seem like they'd be a little on the lightweight side and would shift around during head-to-head gaming.  Looking forward to see yours.

I forgot about that actually. I do have some rubber feet for this but I just can't seem to find them right now......

I'm keen to see how this turns out. Looks good so far 

Questions time. Think adding a button top centre on the CP is too close to PL1's buttons?

I agree - the extra button would probably be a bit close to P1's buttons. Also, your control panel will have a nice, simple and clean look if keep it to a minimum. Player buttons and joysticks on top, with the coin and start buttons on the front sounds good.

That said, if you felt compelled to have a pause button (it can be quite handy!) make sure it is clearly not part of P1's controls.

I kind of like the idea of keeping it minimal. While I would like a pause button, I'm not sure about the spacing still. It would be a different colour not to look like the controls. Thinking I will just ditch it now and use a shifted key for pause. Thanks.

[VoltaTom]

Items for back of cabinet. Going to paint the white wall plate black to blend in better. The DC plug will fit in the coaxial hole (with some adjustment) and there is room on the other side of the HDMI port for the switch. USB ports will go near the plate.

Fiddling around with some red and black marquee artwork. Working on a title still - I think I want something more exciting than "Tom's Arcade"

[solar]

For pause etc could you not use a button combo "P1 start + P1 Button 1" etc ? I'm not familiar with the pi software but i'd assume there will be the option to let you do that. 

Failing that a button hidden around the back would keep the front clean.

[PL1]

For pause etc could you not use a button combo "P1 start + P1 Button 1" etc ?

Looks like that is his plan.   

Thinking I will just ditch it now and use a shifted key for pause.

Scott

[solar]

Looks like that is his plan.   

Scott

Yeah i even read those posts a few times and was surprised it wasn't mentioned...how i missed the last sentence, i can't not see it now lol.

Ah well its still a good idea haha.

[VoltaTom]

Finished painting! So glad that is done with.

Back panel is drying, then the cabinet is ready for assembly.

I decided to put together the control panel in the meantime. I was dreading this step because I KNEW there was going to be problems. As you can see in the 2nd photo, the one joystick was extremely close to my hardware. Just a very minor adjustment, and it worked.

As I expected, one of the front panel buttons hits the other buttons. I am thinking of various solutions but thought I'd ask the experts here to see what has been done in the past to solve this. Any suggestions? Or easy fixes? Getting different buttons isn't really an option.

[VoltaTom]

Here is a draft of the artwork. Tried a bunch of backgrounds but this one seems good. Black bars are for the marquee braces - they won't be printed.

I'm not at all convinced on the name of Retro Piecade. Only chose it because of the software on the Raspberry Pi I'm using (Retro Pie).

Other names could be:
Raspicade (pronounced Ras-Pie-Cade not Raspy-cade)
Picade (again, Pie-cade not pee-cade )

Suggestions? Thoughts?

[ed12]

a leaf sitch..same  shell :size:..but a leaf instead
they come in a wack of dif config's..

ed

[eds1275]

Can you not turn the one switch that is in the way? If it's close, you can try to find a giant washer and have the front buttons protrude a bit for little money. You could make a big washer out of wood or plastic if you can't find one the right size. Leaf switches are a good way to go as ed suggested.

As for the name, I think nameless is better than anything you have suggested. I always thought people putting MAME or Cade on their machines was akin to the Batcave, where everything is labelled unnecessarily. Not being mean, that is just my opinion and as a complete stranger from the internet feel free to ignore it. It seems like you are trying to force it.

[VoltaTom]

a leaf sitch..same  shell :size:..but a leaf instead
they come in a wack of dif config's..

ed

The one's from Ultimarc? Those would be perfect for this... Unfortunately I can't buy more buttons. Being in Canada has it's shipping limitations. $2 buttons + $18 shipping isn't worth it, unless there is an ebay supplier (free/cheap shipping). Next time I will using those for sure.

Can you not turn the one switch that is in the way? If it's close, you can try to find a giant washer and have the front buttons protrude a bit for little money. You could make a big washer out of wood or plastic if you can't find one the right size. Leaf switches are a good way to go as ed suggested.

As for the name, I think nameless is better than anything you have suggested. I always thought people putting MAME or Cade on their machines was akin to the Batcave, where everything is labelled unnecessarily. Not being mean, that is just my opinion and as a complete stranger from the internet feel free to ignore it. It seems like you are trying to force it.

I might try the washer idea. I was at the hardware store looking for 1 1/4" PVC pipe to use - couldn't find any though. Wish I had ordered some of those leaf buttons in the planning stage.

Lol @ the batcave reference! Fair enough, and I tend to agree. I was trying to avoid " Tom's Arcade " but looks like that's what I'm down to next. Still working on this. Thanks for your input.

[yamatetsu]

Couldn't you simply turn the offending red button to the left, like Eds suggested ? Judging from the photo, that should do the trick.

[VoltaTom]

Couldn't you simply turn the offending red button to the left, like Eds suggested ? Judging from the photo, that should do the trick.

I really should have put the microswtich on it. It ads a little bit to the length - just enough to make it annoying.

I did use this method. Jiggled around with it and got it to fit (kind of). P2 button was completely sideways...

Jammed it a little more and I'd say this is close enough. P2 button is slanted but it's good enough for me. It's not perfect, but neither is this cab!

Thanks guys. Time to wire up the CP. Now to place the iPac...

[jmike]

You could take out the center of the button and flip it over.
(Just 2 tabs to push in and the center of the button comes out, then just flip it over)

Can't wait for the software part. I actually have one of those Raspbeery Pi things laying around.

 

[nordemoniac]

How's your project coming up?
I would, as suggested here, remove the button center and turn it 180 degrees. Bend/cut the micro switch connectors, and solder a couple of wires to it. That way you'll be able to insert the button with the player straight... It's pretty simple, the button is only three parts: cylinder, spring, button (+microswitch).