Having a go at a pedestal unit.

[Greenman]

Greetings all.

First of all, thank you everyone for your contribution here.  It has been very helpful.   

I've been lurking here for a few weeks and have decided to have a crack at throwing together a pedestal arcade (for the kids, of course!).

The missus says i'm pretty handy with the tools, so I'll give it a whirl and see what happens.  This unit won't necessarily have a theme, it will be more about looking nice in the home.  It will also be portable enough to wheel into different areas of the house.

The build will look familiar (to a point), however I am going to try and go with a nice retro colour scheme.

Having already started, I'll throw a few photos up...

[Slippyblade]

Welcome to the board, looking forward to pics.

[nordemoniac]

Awesome!

I can recommend Imgur for photos! 

[vwalbridge]

Awesome!

I can recommend Imgur for photos! 

Actually, posting your build photos on the dedicated build photos thread is much better for everyone. (Avoids filters and future dead links)

[nordemoniac]

True, it's just easier for a lot of images at the same time.
But yeah, if people delete their photos on Imgur, it's a problem with dead links.

Too bad the forum doesn't have uploads directly, but I probably shouldn't mention that, I've heard rumors about waking up in a desert days layer.

[Greenman]

Well here is the CP art.  Obviously I won't be printing the buttons, trackball etc.  This will be cut out in the shape of a standard 4 player panel.



And a week or so ago...I began the build....



The colour of the pedestal will be vintage white (a light cream) with deep red t-moulding.

There was nothing in the esky.  Have to earn it first.   

[Greenman]

The build continued....



and...





Esky still empty.

[Typefighter01]

Hmmm...I like your color scheme and controls layout...I wouldn't touch them at all..., but, I am not loving the manufacturer branding collages in each corner, looks busy against that clean backdrop. I don't mind the video game characters as you have only used a few and they tie into your colors, but I think they would look better slightly blown up...especially Ryu as he would make Sonic and Q-Bert his ---smurfette---, but he looks way small.

Good start otherwise.

P.S. Your early on in this build...so no excuses for angled joysticks on players 3 and 4 

[Greenman]

Thanks TF.  Do you mean some people place player 3 & 4 joysticks straight up and down on the board?? 

Never mind.  Upon further reading, I understand what you mean now.

[nordemoniac]

P.S. Your early on in this build...so no excuses for angled joysticks on players 3 and 4 

Yey! another angled joystick discussion 

[Greenman]

I am very appreciative of any help or tips that come my way.  All new to me!

[PL1]

P.S. Your early on in this build...so no excuses for angled joysticks on players 3 and 4 

Yey! another angled joystick discussion 

TL;DR version of angled joystick discussion:
 
Green = good.  Red = bad.

I am very appreciative of any help or tips that come my way.  All new to me!

Check out the FAQ:
(wiki is still down, but here's a link to a copy on the Internet Wayback Machine)


Scott

[nordemoniac]

Here's another post on angled Joysticks:
Angled joysticks on 4 player panel....yes or no? (poll)

[Greenman]

Thanks for that.  I think the straight up and down joystick is probably the go. 

The rest of the buttons should be arriving in the next day or so as well as the Ipac and trackball.  T-moulding has been ordered but will be a week or two.  All things going well, I'm hoping it will be ready for some undercoat this weekend.

Some more pics...

[Greenman]

Groove for T-moulding cut, hole for trackball done, holes for joysticks done, hinge for CP done.  Perspex has also been laser cut and routered out for buttons and joysticks.

[Greenman]

Advancing slowly but surely.

First coat of primer going on. MDF is very thirsty on the first pass...


Artwork going in and holes cut for buttons, trackball etc.

[thomas_surles]

That is a good looking pedestal. Well done. Now Finish Him!

[lisowskikevin]

Can't wait to see the CP all done with buttons and sticks. I like that the artwork is so original. Great job!

[Greenman]

CP pretty much done now as the blue and yellow buttons arrived today.  Just waiting now on the deep red t-moulding.  I am also extending the joysticks as I don't want to hit the underside with the router if I don't have to.  Top section needs one more coat of paint and then the hinge will go on and I can start the wiring (hopefully this weekend).  Will upload more photos of the pedestal then.

[Rockstead]

Hi,

Since I would love to have a 4 player control panel, I was wondering how holding both joysticks (p3/p1) or (p2/p4) feels like for playing games like Smash TV and Karate Champ? Since the orientation of the joysticks are good it should just be a matter of getting used to one hand being higher than the other.

How do you find it?

[pbj]

Very nice work so far.

Rockstead - I think Karate Champ would be weird on this setup, but Robotron and Smash TV play okay.

[Rockstead]

Very nice work so far.

Rockstead - I think Karate Champ would be weird on this setup, but Robotron and Smash TV play okay.

Weird but you would probably get used to it, I just prefer the look of a TMNT style 4p control panel compared to having all the players stand side by side if all the joysticks were aligned.

[Mike A]

That is nice work all around.

[nordemoniac]

I am also extending the joysticks as I don't want to hit the underside with the router if I don't have to.

Keep in mind that the travel increases as you extend them. IMHO mounting the joysticks as high as possible gives a much better feeling, and when you set the max depth for your router, there's really nothing that could go wrong. I have little experience with building cabinets, but this at least is something I experienced early.

[Greenman]

Getting close to the end now.  It's alive.

[Locke141]

 

Looks good.