TCFKAG

[XyloSesame]

The History:
SlikStik introduced me to the world of MAME; I had no idea there were arcade emulators until reading a news item regarding a contest to rename RomBoxx. After receiving my first set of ROMS, I quickly realized that my keyboard and mouse were less than ideal for gameplay; I lurked around mame.net/mameworld and BYOAC forums, but was intimidated by the DIY cab builders, could not afford an original cab to mod, and was unable to find a trashcab on the curb. Initially, I was interested in purchasing a SlikStik, but, due to budget, I bought a gamepad instead. This proved to be only slightly more effective than using my forehead against the keyboard.

Fast-forward four years. I was still reading the BYOAC forum (serious lurker), and still dreaming of the day when I, too, could have my own cab, when I ran headlong into Knievel's Woody. That was it, I was inspired to take the plunge and build a cabinet. Budget is always an issue, though, so I had to wait until I could afford a new PC in order to have a spare for a cabinet. Once I was able to upgrade my PC and gain at least tentative approval from the wife, the plan was set in motion. I was given a $250 budget, so I've been carefully purchasing used parts when possible, and selling what I can to make up for the (obvious) overage that will be incurred.

Knievel's work was inspiring both in craftsmanship and design; as I live in an older home, I can't realistically house a full-depth cabinet, and must seek either a skinny or cocktail. After being dissuaded from chopping an existing cab, I set about designing a scratch-built skinny. With the board members' help in CP design and cab design, I have finally found myself here, announcing a project. No turning back now...

The Recipe:
2 used Wico spring-centered 8-way joysticks
1 Tornado Terry Ms. Pac 4-way long shaft joystick
1 used Happ 3" trackball
1 TurboTwist2 spinner with 7" Mini-Racer
25 used Happ Cherry pushbuttons
1 used IPAC2 interface
1 used Coin Controls over/under coin door
1 spare Dell 1905FP LCD monitor
1 spare Athlon XP 1900+, 1GB Ram, 200GB 7200RPM HDD
Wood, wire, connectors, parts, screws, and glue
Sweat, blood, and a sacrificial chicken to make sure it all works

The Cab:
About 6' tall with a footprint of approximately 1.5' deep by 2' wide. With CP, the actual depth will increase to about 2.25'. My initial plans have approximately 3.5' to the lowest point of the CP. I've not addressed monitor mounting, PC mounting, or wiring, and hope these will fall in place as the initial build takes shape. I hope to glue not screw, and plan on using 2x2 strips to both both provide stability and help corner joins, and am planning on using 3/4" plywood.

The Control Panel:
I've initially decided on an angled design to minimize Frankenpanel overhang. The panel will be 24" in the rear and contain angled sides to bring the front width to 28". I've constructed a mock-panel out of cardboard and feel that 28" will be as narrow as I can go to still afford comfortable two-person gameplay. If the angled cuts prove too difficult for my feeble mind and novice woodworking skills, I'll fall back to an original sqared design.

Amount Spent, to Date:
$384.06 (10/18/2007 - that spinner hurt)

Apologies to Apollo; this may take a while to complete as I have a day-job, a family, and a nonprofit...

[lharles]

COOL DESIGN! 

WOOT!

[SavannahLion]

Looks like a good start on your design there.

If I may offer some constructive criticism?

If you remove the CP, and strictly look at the cab itself. What you have there is a cab with a curvy side profile.

I'm not certain, but I think you should round the the top back corner a bit. The angle there kind of pokes the eye a little bit. Of course, it might look differently once the cab is placed against a wall.

The other is, I definitely think you should round off the CP there. You have this cab with nice curves on the side profile, but you have an angular CP. To me, I think most cabs look better if the curves (or angles) translate into the CP as well. Looking at how you've decided to construct the CP, what you learn cutting the curves into the cab can easily be applied to smoothing out the CP there. A basic way to do it would be to curve out the top/bottom portions and the box sides could be pulled in (like you have it now). At that point the CP would fit in with how the rest of the cab is constructed.

If you wanted to get really fancy, you can round out those inner pieces, but then you might want to translate that to the rest of the cab which equals more work for you.

Just some things to think about.

[XyloSesame]

I'm not certain, but I think you should round the the top back corner a bit. The angle there kind of pokes the eye a little bit. Of course, it might look differently once the cab is placed against a wall.

Great suggestion, I'll definitely implement this.

The other is, I definitely think you should round off the CP there. You have this cab with nice curves on the side profile, but you have an angular CP. To me, I think most cabs look better if the curves (or angles) translate into the CP as well.

Funny you should mention this, you've hit one of my main design struggles. I've got three CP designs: one "traditional" Franken square box/rounded front lip, the angled box pictured above, and another with a rounded panel top. I've been aesthetically torn between the angled box and an all-curved design (below), and agree that a curved CP would be more in keeping with a curved cab. I don't know which scares me more, angles or curves... I've been planning on experimenting with Luan for curved CP walls anyway, as they shouldn't need to be rigid 3/4; maybe I'll try a wet-bend or SBJ's EuroMAME trick.

[ratzz]

Looks really nice. I love the cp shape. 

[XyloSesame]

Looks really nice. I love the cp shape. 

Thanks, I hope it turns out... Do you prefer the round or angle?

[polaris]

the curved one is nicest i think, fits with the cab nicely

[patrickl]

LOL, The Cab Formerly Known As Galaga?

Sexy design. Love the round CP design best too. Must be more difficult to make, but should be fun to build too.

[bfauska]

You should be able to get luaun to bend into that radius w/o too much trouble.  The other options are to get a product made for bending (look up Kerf-Kore) or bending plywood.  We get ours from one of our lumber suppliers.  You may even try to layer several thin strips of pine or some other lumber product.

I think I mentioned this in another of your threads but I'm not sure.  The angles (or curves) on the sides of your CP will be much less trouble if the top and bottom of the CP are parallel to each other.  With the current setup you will end up with some really oddly shaped side panels, and while this is not impossible to build, they may be tough with your self-proclaimed novice level woodworking skills.  If you were to make the angle at the base of the CP that is currently 45 degrees into a 49.5 degree angle and adjust the other few parts accordingly your CP would be a box with curved or angled sides but the top and bottom would be parallel, making it leaps and bounds simpler w/o sacrificing much if any aesthetics (which is good since you've already sacrificed a chicken.)

Looking forward to following your project, it looks promising whatever path you choose.

I like the curved front by the way.

[mountain]

I really like the design on this cab. Great Sketchup skills 

For curving the base of the control panel, this is how I did mine



You can find more detail here

I used two 1/4" pieces of MDF and glued them together. If you can find a thinner piece of wood, you can make the curve a bit tighter. I worked for a shop that built the interiors and entertainment systems for motor coaches. They stocked som 3/8" wood like bfauska mentioned and it worked great. We just called it "rubber wood" 

Good luck on your build!

[ratzz]

Looks really nice. I love the cp shape. 

Thanks, I hope it turns out... Do you prefer the round or angle?

I prefer the rouned - looks kind of sexy!

[Kaytrim]

Go with the curve.  Listen to bfauska and mountian, they know about their stuff.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[Knievel]

Looks awesome..the WOODY INVASION continues!

Enjoy the build and ignore any and all 'looks tippy' comments.

[bfauska]

Found some Bending Plywood online.  The have a few different sizes and types, I think the substrate plywood would be a smoother finish, but if you are laminating the part after it's built the cheaper type would probably work just as well.  I've laminated the cheap stuff and had excellent results in the past.  For paint or stain I would probably recommend the substrate stuff though.

Here's the link:  Van Dyke's Restorers Bendable Plywood Search Results

[fjl]

I really like the design and the red color. It's cool. But how are you going to stabalize it? It looks like it can *ahem* easily tip over. Up against a wall or in a corner should perhaps be fine unless someones pulls on it hard like when pressing down on the joystick during an intense moment in a game. Kids usually hang on the joystick when pressing down on it.

Oh yeah, the tv mounting and other stuff, personally I would recommend you plan all that out before you start building. I wouldn't recommend working it out as you go along.

[XyloSesame]

I think I mentioned this in another of your threads but I'm not sure.  The angles (or curves) on the sides of your CP will be much less trouble if the top and bottom of the CP are parallel to each other.  With the current setup you will end up with some really oddly shaped side panels, and while this is not impossible to build, they may be tough with your self-proclaimed novice level woodworking skills.

The crazy angles have always bothered me, and I have taken your advice to heart. The original angled CP would have been broken into 4 separate side pieces that I though I might be able to do, given 15-20 tries. However, with the curved-side design, I don't think I have the chops to make the angles. I've reconfigured my drawings to account for a parallel CP...

I used two 1/4" pieces of MDF and glued them together. If you can find a thinner piece of wood, you can make the curve a bit tighter. I worked for a shop that built the interiors and entertainment systems for motor coaches. They stocked som 3/8" wood like bfauska mentioned and it worked great. We just called it "rubber wood"

Mountain, I've followed your build very closely and have always been impressed by your skill and techniques (love the PVC corners). The clamp and bend method is what I initially planned on doing; I've had good luck with it in exterior applications before. But with bfauska's online find for rubber wood...

Found some Bending Plywood online.  The have a few different sizes and types, I think the substrate plywood would be a smoother finish, but if you are laminating the part after it's built the cheaper type would probably work just as well.  I've laminated the cheap stuff and had excellent results in the past.  For paint or stain I would probably recommend the substrate stuff though.

Here's the link:  Van Dyke's Restorers Bendable Plywood Search Results

Sweet, this is exactly what I need. I'll definitely check this out, either online or local, thanks.

I really like the design and the red color. It's cool. But how are you going to stabalize it? It looks like it can *ahem* easily tip over. Up against a wall or in a
corner should perhaps be fine unless someones pulls on it hard like when pressing down on the joystick during an intense moment in a game. Kids usually hang on the joystick when pressing down on it.

Yeah, the tipping question. Since I will have kids around, this becomes somewhat of an issue. I'll probably just tell their parents that an arcade machine falling on their child is simply a hazard of playing.

the tv mounting and other stuff, personally I would recommend you plan all that out before you start building. I wouldn't recommend working it out as you go along.

I've got the VESA mount for the LCD and agree that I'll need to think about the mounting prior to the build. I finally took dimensions of the PC I plan to use and quickly realized that there is no room for the computer without decasing. I'll need to plan out every step.

--------------------------------------------------

I received my 4-way this week and was able to place it in my mock CP. For some reason, I thought the ball top would be larger... Anyway, I don't know how folks play 4-way with the stick above-left of the P2 joystick; my wrist was continually hitting the P2 joy in this config. The most comfortable placement for me was in the top left corner of the CP, above the P2 buttons. I think this will work for me, though it will throw off the symmetry of the panel a bit. S'ok, though; I'll just need to rework some button placement. I'll be placing an order for the TT2 spinner first of the week, and hope to start cutting wood next week as well. Then the fun really starts...

[bfauska]

When using the 4-way are you playing right or left handed.  I can't imagine hitting the other joy with my wrist unless I was playing right handed.  It looks OK though with it in the corner, although now I'm confused because you said you put it in the top LEFT corner of the CP.  Would that be CP left, like stage left. 

I think you should get the wheel for the spinner, I think the little record will be a bit uncomfortable to play with. 

Looking good.

[XyloSesame]

When using the 4-way are you playing right or left handed.  I can't imagine hitting the other joy with my wrist unless I was playing right handed.  It looks OK though with it in the corner, although now I'm confused because you said you put it in the top LEFT corner of the CP.  Would that be CP left, like stage left. 

I think you should get the wheel for the spinner, I think the little record will be a bit uncomfortable to play with. 

Looking good.

Oy, you're correct - it's in the top right corner. The 4-way play was right-handed, which resulted in the outside of my hand hitting the P2 joystick - a backhand or pimpslap, as it were. Left-handed play was OK, but it did feel a bit claustrophobic. Of course, with the 4-way in the top right position, left-handed play will be almost impossible... For some reason, I think of most 4-way classics as right-handed, though I don't have any basis for that. Quite honestly, it's been so long since I've been in an arcade with classics, I've forgotten most of the practical aspects of gameplay like stance and hand position/selection. This is one of the reasons why I plan on cutting at least two tops for my CP when I get into production. If one layout sucks, I'll have a spare ready to drill...

And I'm kinda fond of the 45 racer wheel, makes me feel like Kool Herc.

[polaris]

And I'm kinda fond of the 45 racer wheel, makes me feel like Kool Herc.

you need two there for that dude

[gatordad]

Looks really sweet. be sure to include lots of build pics.

I have a suggestion. build the cabinet first...
that way you won't waste time playing games with a finished cp

and no cabinet to put it on.

[SavannahLion]

I really like the design and the red color. It's cool. But how are you going to stabalize it? It looks like it can *ahem* easily tip over. Up against a wall or in a
corner should perhaps be fine unless someones pulls on it hard like when pressing down on the joystick during an intense moment in a game. Kids usually hang on the joystick when pressing down on it.

Yeah, the tipping question. Since I will have kids around, this becomes somewhat of an issue. I'll probably just tell their parents that an arcade machine falling on their child is simply a hazard of playing.

I thought I mentioned this. Must've forgot.

If tipping is a concern and/or issue, then buy a simple L bracket or two. Don't buy the L-brackets meant for shelving.

Modify the top-back of the cabinet a tiny bit to accomodate the L bracket. The easiest I think would be to cut the cabinet parts as-is. Before assembly, cut a notch wide and long enough to accomodate your L bracket in the top piece where it meets the back panel. Underneath this notch, attach a piece of wood to the back panel so it is horizontal relative to the wall.

When installing the bracket. You can install the bracket as L or Γ depending on whether you care to see the bracket or not.

If you need to have quick access to the back of the cabinet for whatever reason, run bolts through the wood and use wingnuts for easy removal.

In a local arcade I used to frequent, the owner installed eyelet bolts and used heavy chains to attach each cab to the wall. I think this had more to do with kids making off with the actual cabinet than any tipping concerns.

[XyloSesame]

In a local arcade I used to frequent, the owner installed eyelet bolts and used heavy chains to attach each cab to the wall. I think this had more to do with kids making off with the actual cabinet than any tipping concerns.

Man, those are some tough kids!

I've got a number of elevator weights sitting around in my shop; I'm hoping a couple of those might provide enough weight to combat most of the tipping issue. I've used these with large free standing pieces and they have proven to be very effective. We'll see how they do in an arcade machine next...

[SavannahLion]

In a local arcade I used to frequent, the owner installed eyelet bolts and used heavy chains to attach each cab to the wall. I think this had more to do with kids making off with the actual cabinet than any tipping concerns.

Man, those are some tough kids!

One of those kids was me!

[XyloSesame]

Rotation. Joy.

I made the mistake of looking at general possibilities when redesigning my cab to accomodate a parallel CP design. It seems as though my cab is perfectly set up for a rotating monitor, and the LCD I'll be using has a center-pivot VESA mount. I asked the general question whether to rotate or not, and received a good amount of feedback in the positive. I was hoping someone would talk me out of it or tell me that it would bring an immediate end to the world, but had no such luck.

I don't want to reinvent the (monitor) wheel, so I consulted the almighty search, the examples page, the wiki, and asked The Great Google. I've spent nearly to days reading posts on rotating displays. You have no idea how many hits you get on search terms for this. Then you spider offsite, follow links to related posts, look at images and sketches, yadda yadda yadda.

Motor-driven mounts. Check. And double-check (hot topic). Cocktail rotators. Check. Gravitational arcade monitor mounts. Check (getting closer). Step motors, drill motors, commercially produced rotators (wow), casters, wheels, and chains.

And, after all of this, my eyes are crossed and I'm still left with my initial question: Who has designed a manually rotating LCD mount, and how did they do it? This should be fairly simple, right? I've got a rectangular object with a center pivot point. I want this object to rotate 90-degrees. I would like to accomplish this with as little machinery as possible, yet not have to open my cabinet, pick the monitor up, and turn it.

Edge, if you're reading this, where are the pics and details from your simple motor drive? CSA, have you scrapped your motor driven rotation idea? Cornchip, you're too fancy for me. What's the deal with motors and limiters and all of the automation? It seems like it might be easier to design a robot that can walk to my cab and turn the wheel of a manually rotating monitor. And bring me a beer on the way.

Back to LCDs. I originally thought a simple shaft on the front of my cab below the monitor glass would work, with only slight modifications to my admin panel area. Then the obvious hit me: a monitor isn't square, so the area needed for the shaft to rotate with the monitor I'm using would have to be at least 6 1/4" in height. Unless I can find someone to cut a rounded channel in a piece of glass, this is out.

Next, I wondered about a shaft on the side of the cab, parallel to the monitor wheel. Trouble is, to get a full 90 degrees, the shaft would not only need to travel the side of the cab, but also through the top. Nope.

Then I thought a crankwheel on the front of the admin panel might work. RayB got ridiculed for this, but he and I think alike regarding rotation. This idea proves to be more complicated than I had anticipated, but possible. I chose a front-mounted location for the designing so I wouldn't need worm gears or sprockets; in theory, the crankshaft would be parallel to all of the flywheels and main monitor wheel. Initial pics of this theory are below.

And, of course, there's the old fallback of an oversized monitor mount wheel that sticks out of both sides of the cab. Grab the wheel, give 'er a spin, and you're 90. I'm not too fond of the wheel outside, but it's still an option.

Obviously I've got a bit of sussing to do.

[Cornchip]

    Why the bash? I just try to help. 

 Cornchip.

[johnperkins21]

I thought I remember someone doing something similar to your drawings with the edge of the circular disc sticking out the side of the cabinet. I imagine you could do this and then put a hole at the two extremes of the turn and use a dowel to hold it in place.

I think it's posted in the project announcements, but I can't remember. It's been so long since I remember seeing it.

[XyloSesame]

Why the bash? I just try to help. 

Whoah, no bash here, I only meant that you're designs are near perfect. The Revolver is waayyy over my head...

[csa3d]

Rotation. Joy.

CSA, have you scrapped your motor driven rotation idea?

I am planning to manually rotate mine for the time being.  Two reasons for this:  1.  I feel that it is wiser to spend the time completeing the cab, instead of investing my time now in an idea which I cannot immediately answer.  2.  Seeing that I'm most inspired by Edge's example, and I remember seeing another cab with a black/orange flame theme used a vertical hand rotated LCD... I think my solution of an adjustable VESA shelf will let me retrofit this at a later time.

My cab plan has always been designed to have some way to swivel up the glass and control panel to access the monitor.  After getting in there and Just Doing It™ (process where paper planning is not longer the practical solution), I realized that I had no need to lift the glass, and that I can access the monitor by lifting up the control panel alone. and turning the monitor by grabbing the corner and moving my elbow.

If you're looking to me for a solution now, then I don't have one for you.  My advice, is decide on a general rotation technique and try to build the cab so you can come back to that part.  I seriously stewed on this topic mentally for about a month until I realized it was a tiny part of the larger project.

Hope this helps.
-csa

[csa3d]

Why the bash? I just try to help. 

Whoah, no bash here, I only meant that you're designs are near perfect. The Revolver is waayyy over my head...

I took it the same way, as appreciation to a super complicated looking solution.  Chippy.. your design was like.. holy crap, that's amazing!

[Kaytrim]

Seeing as you are talking about a hand crank type of setup.  Here is what I would recommend.  Cut a channel in the edge of both the monitor mount and the crank wheel.  than use a 'V' belt to join the two instead of the flywheel stuff.  Go to your local mom and pop hardware store they should have all sizes of 'V' belts for lawn tractors.  You are making this more complex than you need.

[bfauska]

I think that the lever or handle on the side of the cab is a better idea than the crank and I think I have a simple enough (simpler than the crank, I think) design to make it worth another look.

If you used a disk as planned and fixed a closed loop of string, cable, or tie-line (you're in theatre right?) that wrapped around the disk and then out the sides of the cabinet and had a handle on it you could move the handle up or down to rotate the monitor.  If you made the disk have a notch and put a stop on the side of the cabinet you could force the rotation to stop at 90°.  I think that the drawing makes it clearer.  The cabinet sides are yellow, the string is red, everything else should be self explanatory.  If not feel free to ask questions.

[XyloSesame]

I think that the lever or handle on the side of the cab is a better idea than the crank and I think I have a simple enough (simpler than the crank, I think) design to make it worth another look.

GAAAH! That's it! The notched disk with wooden stops is perfect. Whether used with an external tie line or crank mechanism, this a much simpler and elegant solution. I think this is one of those things that got more complicated the more I thought about it...

Thanks (again).

[XyloSesame]

Just a few updated images to go with all of the thinking that has been done over the past week.

I should be receiving my spinner and wheel in a couple days, and hope to visit the local mill for some wood over the weekend; I'm ready to stop dinking with CAD and start construction...

The cab has been slightly modified to accept a parallel CP, and the CP has been rounded both for aesthetics and to accomodate the minimum curve of the kerfed/bendable ply that I'll be using in my first attempt.

Sketchup man by Max Grueter

[General Vergel]

I like the new curvy shape of your control panel. It's new and exciting   

[XyloSesame]

It's amazing how much life can get in the way of things... I've got too many projects where others are dependent on me, so this one seems to always take a back seat. Arrgh.

I've been trying for two weeks to get down to the local lumberyard that claims to have "bendable plywood", but I haven't been able to find a free minute to do it. I have never understood retail establishments that are only open until 5:30pm weekdays. I've laid out my cuts in Visio, but can't go much further until I try the curved CP with kerfed ply and figure out a preferred method of rotating the monitor; both of these will affect a good 50% of my overall cuts. I'm excited to begin construction (of anything), but I have to remind myself that this might, at times, be a process too slow for my taste.

I've got a few questions for anyone reading this regarding the manual rotation of a monitor. Since I'm using a VESA mount that includes a 90-degree rotational stop, I don't think I'll need a lazy susan or constructed disc affixed to the LCD; it seems like I should just be able to tie off of the corners of the monitor, correct? If that will work, I'll need points on the (front-viewed) southeast and northwest corners of my LCD case to rotate it using the existing mechanics. A southeast corner pull would rotate from horizontal to vertical, and a pull on the northwest would return it to horizontal.

I've attached ideas for two methods. One is a simplifed crank method that can use chain, v-belts, synchromesh, or any other sprocket/belt combo. The other is a floss-your-cab, rope-out-of-the-side method that seems simple, but somewhat hillbilly.

Also, with a rotational setup of any kind, I'll need to lessen the 2x2 framing I had originally planned. If I affix a flywheel or rotational contraption to my marquee area, do you think that will place too much stress on this part of the cab without adding additional framing or support?

[bfauska]

The structure of the plywood box w/o any additional 2x framing will be surprisingly strong, I don't think it will be a problem to remove some framing to accommodate the rotational apparatus, particularly if the system doesn't ever have to overcome too much resistance to the travel of the monitor or continue pulling once it has reached the stops.

There is another problem though. Both of your sample rigging drawings show the monitor in positions it will not reach with the pull acting as shown from the pulleys/sprockets.  When the monitor reaches the position shown in the attached drawing it won't be able to travel further because the chain that is pulling actually needs to start pushing at that point.  The attachment point can't travel through a line connecting the center point of the sprocket to the center point of the pivot.  I think you could work it out with some relocating of the sprockets, but it may be tricky.  The other option is to use long enough screws for the monitor mount so you could put a disk or arm of some sort between the mount and the monitor.  The rotational movement will be easiest to achieve if the chain/line doesn't travel in the same plane as any other parts or if it is wrapped around the outside of a disk.

As I finished the drawing I realized that what I described as the travel limit is actually not accurate.  It won't even make it this far.  I really think that adding arms to attach the chain/line to is the simplest solution, although the travel will not be a consistent speed unless you use the exterior of a disk.

[XyloSesame]

There is another problem though. Both of your sample rigging drawings show the monitor in positions it will not reach with the pull acting as shown from the pulleys/sprockets.

must
resort
to
emoticon
use


 

[bfauska]

There there, now. It's not all that bad.  I'll see if I can draw up a version that is super simple and shows the arms I'm talking about.  Like I said though, an arm based solution, while being simpler and cleaner, will make the rotation move slightly uneven as far as speed goes.  The unevenness wouldn't be abrupt so you probably wouldn't even notice it, but it will be there.

[bfauska]

Sorry for the double post.  And some bad news.  As far as I can tell, any system that has a closed loop control line/chain/belt (either literally a loop, or something fixed on both ends) needs to travel through an arced path.  The arm solution I mentioned earlier would not work because in order to rotate the monitor from one position to the other, the length of the control line would have to change throughout the travel.  The disk of MDF I mentioned earlier is probably the best way to go, it doesn't require many tough cuts and you can just sandwich it between the VESA mount and the LCD.

I've drawn up a crank based system with the disk.  It would require a 1/2" MDF disk with a groove routed around the outer edge.  The disk would have holes that match the LCD mount drilled in the center.  Use long screws to mount the LCD to the mount with the MDF sandwiched in between and run a loop around the outside of the MDF in the groove.  Have that loop run over a pulley on the shaft of a hand crank and you're good to go.

Here's some pictures of what I'm describing:

1. The whole thing in 3 stages of rotation
2. X-Ray view of same
3. No Glass
4. No monitor
5. No MDF
6  No Crank

The crank is drawn with no special bushings or bearings, but they would make the system much better.

In defense of my backwoods hillbilly solution from earlier, it could look really clean and slick.  If the control line stayed inside the cabinet and the control handle had a flat "blade" going through a slot in the outside of the cabinet all you would see is the handle and a slot.  Slide the handle to the top= vertical slide the handle to the bottom= horizontal.  If you ask me, the organ-grinder-hand-crank-monkey-motion version is way less slick and clean looking.  But hey, what the hell do I know, I gave up on a rotating monitor ages ago when I realized that no-matter how many times I degaussed it my CRT didn't like vertical at all.

[bfauska]

Third time's the charm.

Here's some drawings of the slider version.  All the mounting is the same and it uses the same disk.  The differences are that the hand crank pulley is now just a idler and there is another one added at the top.  The handle can be seen with it's slotted setup in the second picture. With the sizes I have stuff drawn a 10" slide would rotate the monitor 90 degrees.