From ping pong table to missile command

[menace]

I had an old ping pong table that has been annoying me so I decided to join two projects into one--get rid of the ping pong able and make a missile command!  The only downside is that the ping pong table is 1/2" mdf so it needed some interior bracing to make it rigid.

I started with the plans I traced from a missile command that recently spent time in my garage:



then started cutting, gluing and screwing:



The table halves weren't quite big enough for a complete side so I stitched some wood together.  Once the full sideart is installed, you won't even see the seem (fingers crossed)

here's where I'm at right now--you can see I scavenged wood from all over the garage but again, after the primer and top coat is on, it should look pretty uniform.  Its also a bit wider since I wanted joysticks as well as a trackball setup..



My total cost in wood so far is $0   

[BadMouth]

Looks good so far.  I built a cab out of a ping pong table once.
Search the project forum for "Ping of Pong" if interested.
Sorry, it's a PITA to link from my phone.

[mgb]

Great idea.
That's what I call repurposing.
It's looking good so far.

[menace]

LOL--ping of pong--I like that...today is wood filling day and "meet up with guy at Ikea who has 1/2" t-molding" ..day

[menace]

Now it finally looks like something!  Got the sideart, marquee and control panel art back from the printers and finally got it installed.  26" TV mounted.  Now on to the electrical..Not sure what to do about tv--whether to hack the tv up to get to the power button or build a one shot relay to momentarily close the the button to power it on--neater but more work and more things to go wrong later LOL

[yotsuya]

Wow - Missile Command is one of my favorite games, and one of the first dedicateds I brought back to life, so I am kind of a MC purist - and your cab does it great justice. Excellent job, my friend.

[mgb]

BAM!! That's how you do it right there!

I am impressed

[harveybirdman]

Got me a soft spot for white sided cabs, so naturally I feel that this is freaking awesome.

Great work on the CP layout, paying homage and blending in the joysticks and buttons seamlessly into the design!

[vwalbridge]

Holy crap.  When I first saw that you were using an old ping pong table I nearly rolled my eyes out of my head.

But I'll be damned, you pulled that off and then some. Nicely done man! 

[menace]

Thanks for the feedback!  I'm very happy with how its coming together--I originally planned to sell it for some christmas money but it might be too pretty to leave

I debated on a coin door but it does look clean without one..not as authentic though..

[wp34]

Very nice. Not was I was expecting from the thread title at all.

[pbj]

Put the TV on a smart strip and power the cabinet off and on with the TV.

Looking good.

[menace]

And...its done!



With regards to the lcd power--I went with the simple but slightly less elegant solution.  I usually build a 12V relay inside the electrical box to power the lights, speaker amp etc.  I simply plugged the tv into this side of the power supply and ran a wire to another pushbutton underneath the main power button.  To turn it on, you hit the main button, wait half a second then hit the monitor power button.

The speakers are standard 10W speakers scavenged from previous arcade machines and running through a one-chip 12VDC amp bought of ebay for 7 bucks.  this way I can have volume control without using the tv settings.  Works good and I think was blended in well up front...

on to the next project--a pair of old SI deluxe cabinets dying to get refurbed/converted 

[pbj]

That's great work, man.  I love this damn thing.

[vwalbridge]

That's great work, man.  I love this damn thing.

+1 Looks really great. Did someone local do your artwork?

[Token]

I love how buttons 3-6 blend into the CP!

You have a retro-themed two button look with the functionality of six buttons. 

[harveybirdman]

How to have an attractive control panel without stupid LEDs!

Love it!

[yotsuya]

Nice job, Menace. This coming from a purist.

[menace]

Thanks again for the feedback--much appreciated from such a talented group!  With regards to the art, I found as clean as copies as I could and then photoshopped the heck out of them.  The marquee was the hardest--basically a pixel by pixel re-draw from a .jpg found online.  The sideart was also doctored since I had to re-arrange the numbers on the one side to look normal rather than just a mirror opposite of the other side (which seems to be the offerings out there...)  I then sent it to my trusty chinese printer for .99$ sq/ft (prints-mart on ebay)

I originally wanted blue square admin buttons, but couldn't find anything I liked and went back to something more traditional--easier for the average person to decipher as well...

I think my biggest clue that it turned out ok is that the wife ok'ed it to sit in the dining room over christmas break!

[BadMouth]

 

[mgb]

I'd say a big clue that this cab came out really good is that it doesn't have a coin door
And we've barely even mentioned it. 

[Token]

I'd say a big clue that this cab came out really good is that it doesn't have a coin door
And we've barely even mentioned it. 

Good art covers all sins.

[danny_galaga]

Fantastic work (",)

I loves me a bit of recycling!

[talkgeek]

I was a bit concerned when you said you were using 1/2" (what looks like chip board) MDF - and the first image with the top tacked on 

But WOW did you pull that off - looks great 

[opt2not]

Thank you for thinking "green"!  The cabinet turned out really nice, and I'll look past the fact it's missing a coin-door.   No but really, you made some nice choices here that keep the spirit of the cabinet's shape and artwork.
Great job! 

[empardopo]

Wow! Fantastic job! I love it!
Now, you must enjoy playing in it!