Main > Project Announcements
javeryh's Small-ish Bartop ["Jack Attack!"]
javeryh:
--- Quote from: leapinlew on June 01, 2018, 05:42:20 pm ---Servo-joystick and all the gear going to fit in there?
--- End quote ---
LOL not sure yet.
I'll make it fit... I can always cut a hole in the base panel under the stick if I need an extra ~5/8"
Edit: here’s a pic... I think it will work. There’s about 1/4” clearance as is.
Buttons may need to be 1/2”-1” closer to the stick than optimal but not sure yet.
Vidiot:
Looking great so far. Definitely watching this one. I don't like big bartops.
javeryh:
--- Quote from: Vidiot on June 02, 2018, 09:08:50 am ---Looking great so far. Definitely watching this one. I don't like big bartops.
--- End quote ---
Thanks a lot. Your Centipede cabinet definitely pushed me over the edge to make this one. Really great work - I've been studying your pics and YouTube video trying to pick up some pointers. If you are around when I get to it I'd love to pick your brain on how to get a custom layout set up with the Raspberry Pi. The way your cab boots up is exactly what I'm trying to achieve. :cheers:
javeryh:
I managed to find about 90 minutes to make a little progress today. Slow going with all the kids activities as the school year winds down. Now that the sides were cut, I could start making the interior panels. They are all 9-5/8" wide so I had the guy at Home Depot rip down a piece of 1/2" MDF to that width so all I had to do was measure the length of each piece and cut the panel with the chop saw. Easier said than done. Each panel is a little bit tricky because of cutouts or angled joints.
I started with the top panel above the marquee and the panel on the top rear of the cabinet. Measuring the length was easy but these panels meet at an angle and that took me a few tries to get just right on the saw. The top panel also gets the power button (thanks Mike A - more on this later) and the top rear panel is gets three 2" holes for ventilation. I used forstner bits for all of the holes.
I must have measured and cut this angle 3 different times to get it just right - the angles on each piece are identical so once I figured it out it lined up perfectly. To glue the panels together I just used my hands and a lot of patience. I held the panels in place for about 30 minutes making small adjustments as needed and using my fingers to make sure all edges were flush. I was a little nervous but it worked. I tried clamping initially but the pieces wanted to shear away from each other when I tried to tighten things up (even with a jig I tried making). I'll sand the excess glue away before painting.
Everything was going smooth until I went to drill out the hole for the button. The package said a 3/4" hole would be sufficient so that's what I did.... except when I went to install the button I realized it was not long enough for the fastener to catch! I needed to drill a larger hole on the inside but only go about half way through the MDF but without a center point this is difficult to do accurately. I ended up cutting a piece of wood to fill the hole the best I could, found the center point of that and then drilled the hole.
Success!
It has just enough clearance on the inside too. I chose the left side of the cabinet to match where I'm going to put the power socket on the rear bottom panel but I guess it could have gone anywhere. The location is perfect - easy to access but out of the way of everything else.
I really like the look of this button so it was worth the extra $7 to me. This panel will eventually be painted black so the button will blend right in.
javeryh:
I couldn’t resist putting everything together to see how it will look.
I’m pretty happy with the overall look and the size. The proportions seem good too. I just hope I can cram everything inside!
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version